Costa Rica Jewel of Biodiversity Photo Tour

Thanks for the master class in photography. I learned so very much from you, particularly about context, ambiance and milieu to create a riveting picture.
SARAH S., JIM CLINE PHOTO TOURS

Costa Rica seems to contain the entire world within its small compass…, from cool Swiss alpine forest to steamy Amazonian lowland jungle. No wonder it is acclaimed by National Geographic as "one of the most biodiverse countries on earth," Actually, your photo tour leader Christopher P. Baker wrote those words in his National Geographic Traveler Costa Rica guidebook, which he also photographed! 

Few people know Costa Rica as well as Christopher P. Baker--the Lowell Thomas Award 2008 'Travel Journalist of the Year.' Chris has written and photographed four other travel guidebooks to Costa Rica, as well as dozens of magazine feature articles about Costa Rica. Plus, he has led more than a dozen tours to Costa Rica for National Geographic Expeditions as 'Expert' and photo instructor. He is joined by his friend Jeffrey Muñoz, an expert eagle-eyed naturalist guide, wildlife expert, and National Geographic-trained photo instructor and world-class photographer who specializes in leading wildlife tours.

COSTA RICA... DARLING OF WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHERS!

Despite its Lilliputian size, Costa Rica is a microcontinent unto itself. The nation’s twelve ecological zones are home to more butterflies than the whole of Africa, as many plant species as Europe, and one-tenth of the world’s bird species… in a country occupying less than three ten-thousands of the world’s land area! It’s like a scene from one of Sir David Attenborough’s TV series. For wildlife photographers, its the crème de la crème of the neotropical world…

Scarlet macaws like rainbows... quetzals and hummingbirds like the flash of sunset... Day-glo poison-dart frogs, bright enough to scare off the most dim-witted predators... and electric-blue morphos, the neon narcissi of the butterfly world, which make the most unmoved of viewers gape wide-mouthed in awe. Expect monkeys galore, plus iguanas, coatimundis, anteaters, sloths, and birds by their thousands.

Chris and Jeff have selected the absolute best locales to photograph wildlife. Together, they will take you to the most exciting venues in Costa Rica... an opportunity for you to capture superb wildlife photography, from hummingbirds to quetzals and King vultures, and from diminutive poison-dart frogs hopping about the forest floor secure in their Day-Glo liveries to snakes, sloths, and three species of monkeys. Our photographic locales also offer as good a chance as anywhere in the isthmus to spot and photograph elusive tapirs and the six jungle cat species... jaguars, jaguarundis, margays, ocelots, oncillas, and pumas.

Most venues, such as Poás and Arenal volcanoes, also offer fabulous landscape photography. Plus, unlike almost every other photo tour of Costa Rica, you'll be immersed in Costa Rica's traditional culture... from coffee estates and a gourmet artisanal chocolate maker to a traditional mask-maker and the only remaining workshop still making gaily-painted wooden carretas (oxcarts).

Pura vida!

ITINERARY (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

DAY 1:
Arrive San José’s Juan Santamaría airport and transfer to our hotel, ideally located overlooking Parque La Sabana, San José largest green space. and well-placed for sightseeing for guests who arrive early. 
Overnight: Hotel Hilton La Sabana

Keel-billed toucan; © Christopher P. Baker LLC

DAY 2:
This morning we’ll rise bright and early to drive up the mountain to Poás Volcano National Park, where we’ll hike a short trail to the edge of the crater rim. In early morning, we stand a good chance of clear skies and an amazing view of both the distant Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. We’ll also wander through the misty, wind-battered elfin cloud forest, full of trilling birds, such as the endemic Volcano hummingbird, mountain elaenia, long-tailed silky flycatcher, and purple-throated mountaingem. We then descend the mountain and drive through coffee country to Sarchí to photograph craftsmen working with lathes and tools still powered by an age-old waterwheel at Fábrica de Carretas Eloy Alfaro, a national historic treasure that is the only workshop in the country still making Costa Rica’s famous carretas (oxcarts). After lunch in Sarchí, we descend to La Fortuna, at the base of Arenal Volcano. Here, we’ll settle into our hotel on the banks of the Río San Carlos; it's lush grounds abound with birds… from aracarias and hummingbirds to blue-capped motmots and chestnut-mandibled toucans.
Overnight: Tilajari Resort Hotel

Hikers walking in the elfin cloud forest atop Poás Volcano; ; © Christopher P. Baker LLC

DAY 3:
This morning we’ll depart our hotel early to arrive Mistico Park, where an easy two-mile hike leads over nine “hanging” (suspension) bridges over the rainforest canopy below. We’ll hope to spot frogs, snakes, sloths, coatimundis, plus capuchin, howler, and spider monkeys, as well as such birds as crested guans, black-headed trogons, and yellow-throated euphonias as we walk the level trail. Open vistas towards Arenal Volcano offer opportunities for spectacular landscape photography, as do the bridges themselves. We may opt to photograph around La Fortuna or visit one of the local hot spring spas, such as Tabacón Hot Spring, before heading in late-afternoon to Arenal Observatory Lodge, boasting a spectacular view of the volcano and Lake Arenal from the flank of Chato Volcano. Here we can focus on the magnificent landscape photography, while wildlife enthusiasts can choose to focus on birds and wildlife: the lodge’s forest reserve has recorded more than 500 species of birds… including Bellbirds, Crested Guans, Orange-bellied Trogons, Laughing Hawk, and Red-lored Parrokeets.
Overnight: Tilajari Resort Hotel

Rainbow over Arenal Volcano; © Christopher P. Baker LLC

DAY 4:
Drive northeast today to the northern lowlands, a vast watery mosaic of dense rainforest and lagoons, close to the Nicaraguan border. Basing ourselves in the heart of tropical lowland rainforest around Boca Topada, this is the perfect place to photograph such birds as Boat-billed Heron, Keel-billed Motmot, Broad-billed Motmot, White-collared Manakin, and other rare tropical birds; and perhaps such hard-to-spot wish-list creatures as tapirs, spider monkeys, ocelots, and—the ultimate prize!—jaguars. At night, half of the group will enjoy a session of Bats in flight with the Multiflash technique, while the other half might take a nocturnal caiman tour.
Overnight: Laguna Lagarto Lodge

Baird's tapir, Northern Lowlands, Costa Rica. Copyright Christopher P. Baker LLC

DAY 5:
Based today in this amazing location, we’ll dedicate ourselves to photographing bucketlist endemic birds, including Great Green macaws, Scarlet macaws Great curassow, and sungrebes, with the early morning dedicated to the “large birds deck” Mid-morning will be reserved for you at the King Vultures hide, undoubtedly the best place in Central America to spot these beautiful endangered raptors. In the afternoon we may go back to the main deck to take advantage of the different light. Plus, we have a very strong chance of seeing capuchin, howler, and spider monkeys, plus basilisk lizards, caimans, and perhaps even American crocodiles and Neotropical river otters, on an afternoon boat tour on the Río San Carlos. At night, the other half of the group will enjoy a session of Bats in flight with the Multiflash technique, while the other half might take a nocturnal caiman tour.
Overnight: Laguna Lagarto Lodge

Spectacled caiman in the lagoons of Costa Rica's northern lowlands; © Christopher P. Baker LLC

DAY 6:
Our relatively short drive this morning takes us to the Sarapiquí region, where we’ll base ourselves at Hacienda La Isla… a great place to spot blue-jeans poison-dart frogs, green-and-black poison-dart frogs, strawberry poison-dart frogs, two- and three-toed sloths, and more! We will dedicate this afternoon to close-up shooting of the most amazing frogs and snakes of Costa Rica, from the iconic, Red-eyed Leaf-frog and Poison-dart frogs to the always impressive Yellow Eyelash Viper. Shooting at the area’s top serpentarium—a good chance to break out your macro lens!
Overnight: Hacienda La Isla

Red-eyed tree frog, Costa Rica. Copyright Christopher P. Baker LLC

DAY 7:
Our day is dedicated to a great variety of targets as we photograph with a local naturalist who always gets new species for us. Part of the day will be a short, easy walk to find some nests and roosting areas, and the other part of the day will be at his garden where we will shoot setups that guarantee great close-up photography. Our targets here include Honduran-white Bats, Spectacled Owl, Crested Owl, Orange-chinned Parakeet, Common Potoo, and Gray-necked Wood-rail.
Overnight: Hacienda La Isla

Pygmy boa in the rainforest, Costa Rica. Copyright Christopher P. Baker LLC

DAY 8:
Today we depart the lowlands and drive between Barva and Irazú Volcanoes, crossing the Continental Divide through Braulio Carillo National Park, then continue into the Talamanca Mountains. After checking into our cozy mountainside nature lodge, with its fabulous panoramic views, we’ll spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying a hummingbird-in-flight session (multiflash). Our targets include the Fiery-throated Hummingbird, Lesser-violet Ears, Talamanca’s Hummingbird, Volcano Hummingbird, etc.
Overnight: Paraíso Quetzal Lodge

Female Green-crowned brilliant hummingbird, Costa Rica. Copyright Christopher P. Baker LLC

DAY 9:
This area has the country's highest concentration of Resplendent quetzals... an improbably iridescent green bird with a fuzzy punk hairdo, crimson belly, and two 40-inch-long tail plumes. Perhaps even more than the King vulture, it is considered by photographers the Holy Grail of tropical birds! Our day is dedicated to photographing quetzales as we walk through acuacate-producing laurel forest, and shoot them at their favorite perches. We will enjoy two outings, morning and afternoon.
Overnight: Paraíso Quetzal Lodge

Resplendent quetzal, Costa Rica. Copyright Christopher P. Baker LLC

DAY 10:
We head to the Pacific lowlands today, avoiding the heavily-trafficked San José conurbation via a lovely mountain route. In the afternoon we will enjoy a private safari boat ride on the Tárcoles river for close-up photography of American crocodiles, plus such birds as the Roseate spoonbill, Kingfishers, Bare-throated Tiger-heron, Black-necked Stilts, and Scarlet macaws. The mangroves abound with iguanas, sloths, and capuchin, howler, and spider monkeys. We'll enjoy dinner at our lodge.
Overnight: Cerro Lodge 

American crocodile in Tarcoles estuary mangroves, Costa Rica. Copyright Christopher P. Baker LLC

DAY 11:
This morning we will offer an optional photography session with a local naturalist who is a superb bird-tracker, so every time we meet we get awesome species and gorgeous images. We'll end with a special treat as we spend the afternoon and evening relaxing at Villa Caletas, a deluxe mountaintop resort hotel, where a day pass allows us access to  the beach, spa, infinity pool, and private forest reserve. The highlight will be sunset over the Pacific, viewed from the hotel's spectacularly situated Greek-style amphitheater. Tonight we will enjoy a slideshow of everyone’s images before our farewell gourmet dinner at Villa Caletas.
Overnight: Cerro Lodge 

Villa Caletas, Costa Rica. Courtesy Villa Caletas

DAY 12:
Today, you'll transfer to San Jose’s Juan Santamaría airport for your flight home.