Costa Rica:

South Pacific

March 3 - 11, 2008

Costa Rica is nature’s showcase! On our March journey we will be a part of that natural world as we move from the Pacific coast to the high altitudes of Cerro de la Muerte. Tropical colors, sounds, and fragrances surround us: cloud forests, waterfalls, orchid and butterfly gardens, bromeliad, heliconias, gingers, parrots, and howler monkeys. Costa Rica is host to over 830 species of birds—more than the United States and Canada combined. Whether at the coast or the highlands, we will be amazed at the birdlife.

Our first lodge is located at Ojochal/Tortuga Beach—where the rain forest meets the Pacific Ocean. The area is one of pristine beaches, parrot squawking, and waves crashing. At the world famous Wilson Botanical Gardens a resident biologist will be our guide in this 635 acre habitat of 250 bird species and numerous mammal species such as sloths, armadillos, agouties, white face monkey and coatimundi.

If you would like another perspective, zip lining above the canopy of trees is an exciting option. Eight separate cable rides transport you from one platform to another above the canopy. Then, there is fun to be had at a lower elevation—walking or swimming –by/in the Pacific Ocean.

Passing hillside agricultural villages, we enter the mist-shrouded peaks of the highlands of the Chirripo Mountains. We stay in the pristine Valley of San Gerardo de Dota. Here we have a spectacular walk, beginning at over 11,000 ft –above the tree line –taking our time we descend to 7,500ft, traveling through different ecosystems as we go. And, always in our forest walks, we are on the lookout for the world’s most beautiful bird, the quetzal. This area is known as one of the best places in the world to observe quetzals.

"It is solved by walking."
– Algerian proverb

© Karen Davis

Along our way we will have some very local experiences— a visit with children at a local school and a conversation with a gentleman whose father was a pioneer in the Valley of San Gerardo de Dota in l954.

March is the non-rainy season in Costa Rica. Temperatures on the coast average 70-85 degrees year round and 20-25 degrees colder in the highlands. We will have a local guide throughout our stay along with area specialist guides. Our walks of 2-4 hrs are easy to moderate. In order to get a full taste of this most bio-diverse region of the world, we will be staying in three different lodges in addition to our first night in San Jose. All are very comfortable, offer good food, and delightfully round out our immersion in nature’s paradise.