Costa Rica 2013: Photo Tour
(starts Sept. 4th 2013) 

Costa Rica is a photographer's dream come true.  Pristine beaches, rainforest jungles, active volcanoes and one of the world's most diverse and concentrated collection of animal species on the planet.  In addition the friendly people and rich culture of the Ticos makes Costa Rica a perfect Photo Tour destination.

This 12 day/11 night Jungle Tour will get you up close and personal with the beauty and wonder of the rainforest.  We will be knee deep in photo adventures during the day, but you'll still enjoy quiet nights with good food, drink and new friends.

Highlights Include:

• Get up close and personal: photograph sea turtles hatching and nesting on the Caribbean coastline.
• Summit a live volcano (Irazu Volcano) for photographs at the craters.
• Jungle flora and fauna abound at Rancho Naturalista (Over 450 species of birds have been recorded in the area)
• Veragua Rainforest Research & Adventure Park. The park includes among other attractions, the largest indoor nocturnal frog exhibit in the world, a butterfly garden, reptile vivarium, hummingbird garden, a tram ride through the rainforest canopy
• Photography and good times at Puerto Viejo white sand beaches.
• Private boat tours and kayaking through the Tortuguero National Park.  
• All tours are guided by myself (Gene Tewksbury) and a local naturalist.  You will have constant access to professional photography advice and local nature information.
• Small intimate accommodations will let you immerse yourself in the natural experience.

Photo Safari Itinerary
(starts Sept. 4th 2013) 

Day 01: Arrival San José, Costa Rica (No meals) (TG)

Arrive at Juan Santamaria International Airport. After passing through Immigration you will see a Costa Rica Expeditions representative who will greet you and give you a sticker to facilitate clearing customs.  Also, when you are exiting the building, you'll see a Costa Rica Expeditions guide, who will take you to your hotel.

You'll recognize your guide by their bright orange or yellow shirt.  Also, he'll be holding a sign with your name on it.  You can count on their being there -- even if your flight arrives early, or arrives quite late -- no matter how late.  After all, it's our first chance make a great impression and get your trip off to a great start.  He or she will take you to your hotel.

Overnight at: Hotel Bougainvillea.  

Day 02: Volcano and Culture
San Jose / Rancho Naturalista (B,L,D) NG

Today meet you'll meet your photography guide (Gene Tewksbury) and your Private Bilingual Naturalist Guide.  They will be with you for the next 10 days.

Depart before dawn with a pack breakfast to the Irazu Volcano, panoramic photo opportunities en route to the top of the volcano.

Irazu Volcano

At 3,432 km ( 11,260 ft. ) above sea level, Irazu Volcano is one of Costa Rica's most beautiful national parks. Still an active volcano, Irazu Volcano has a long history of eruptions, dating back to the Spanish colonies (1563). The most recent period of activity occurred during 1963 and 1965. This volcano's activity has been characterized by the emission of large clouds of steam, ash and cinders, often accompanied by small local or regional earth tremors, subterranean noises and rumblings, and showers of small and large rocks which usually fall near the rim of the crater. Irazu's summit has four craters: the main or western crater, the "Diego de la Haya," and two small craters, one southeast and the other northwest of the main crater.

After getting our fill of photos from the volcano we will explore the city of Cartago, the Costa Rican capital city until 1823 where the Los Angeles Basilica is located and home to the Costa Rica patriot saint, and the Orosi Valley with its colonial church.  

Overnight at: Rancho Naturalista.  

Day 03 & Day 04: Birds Birds Birds
Rancho Naturalista (B,L,D) NG

Two full days in Rancho Naturalista to explore the photo opportunities within their private jungle reserve.  We will also be exploring off location to areas like Guayabo Monument, the Tuis Valley or La Mina road.

Rancho Naturalista

Is located in La Suiza de Turrialba, with an elevation of 3,000 feet on the Caribbean slope allowing for mild temperatures in the day and perfect sleeping conditions at night.

Over 450 species of birds have been recorded in the area of Rancho Naturalista. These birds may be observed from this comfortable lodge and of course during our hikes into the jungle.  The Rancho Naturalista kitchen is famous for its excellent food, welcoming hospitality and stunning volcano views. 

Some of Rancho Naturalista birds species include the Snowcap, Tawny-chested Flycatcher, Green-breasted Mango, White-necked Jacobin, White-crowned Manakin, White-throated Flycatcher, Dull-mantled Antbird, Black-throated Wren, Cocoa Woodcreeper, Red-throated Ant-tanager, Thrushlike Schiffornis, Sunbittern.

Guayabo National Monument

This monument is one of the most important archeoligical areas discover in the country. Protected archeological structures like mounds, bridges, aqueduct, will make for unique cultural photo opportunities. Guayabo was the third pre-Columbian settlement in Latin America to receive a World Heritage distinction, after Peru's Machu Picchu buildings and Tipon.

Day 05: Rain forest
Turrialba / Puerto Viejo (B,L,D) NG

Travel to Puerto Viejo en route visit Veragua rainforest.

Veragua Rainforest Research & Adventure Park

Veragua Research Park sits on an 4000 acre private reserve surrounded by Rainforest.  The park is a buffer zone for La Amistad International Park (“Friendship International Park”), which is shared by Costa Rica and Panamá.  The park includes among other attractions, the largest indoor nocturnal frog exhibit in the world, a butterfly garden, reptile vivarium, hummingbird garden, a tram ride through the rainforest canopy, walking trails through primary rainforest and a waterfall; all surrounded by panoramic views of La Amistad International Park.

Overnight at: Hotel Villas Del Caribe.  

Day 06 & 07: Beach Time!
Puerto Viejo (B,L,D) NG

Two full days in Puerto Viejo for the beach photo experience.  These two days are going to be a bit of a rest.  A place to just enjoy a perfect beach with fun nighttime entertainment.  However Gene will still be leading photo shoots for morning sunrises and jungle walks for anyone who wants to join.  If you're up for some surfing or snorkling that's available as well. 

Visit the beaches of Cahuita, Punta Uva, Cocles and Manzanillo, also, there will be some rainforest and wildlife opportunities.

Day 08: Puerto Viejo / Tortuguero (B,L,D) NG

After breakfast Travel to Limon where a boat will be waiting to take you along the Caribbean coast north to Tortuguero, sailing along the Caribbean coast is complimented by the region's magnificent scenery.

Originally intended to protect a major nesting beach of the Atlantic green sea turtle, Tortuguero National Park now protects 77,032 acres or 30,812 hectares, one of the last large areas of tropical rain forest in Central America. Eleven habitats are found in the park. Three species of monkeys (Spider, Howler, and White-faced), Three-toed sloths, and River otters are frequently seen along the natural inland waterways and canals. Caiman, iguanas, River turtles, Basilisk lizards, and Poison dart (Dendrobates) frogs inhabit the area, along with more than 320 species of birds including all 6 species of kingfishers found in the new world, 3 species of toucans, 8 species of parrots, and other neotropical species such as the Slaty-tailed trogon, White-collared manakin, Purple-throated fruitcrow, and White-fronted nunbird and many more species

Overnight at: Tortuga Lodge and Gardens. 

Day 09 & Day 10: Turtles, Birds, Jungle Boat Trips
Tortuguero (B,L,D) NG

Two full days in Tortuguero to explore the park by boat, at dawn and dusk, there will also be the option of kayaking in the small creeks which make their way deep into the jungle.

Dawn Boat Trip

You will be in the rainforest when it wakes. Rise at the crack of dawn for coffee and a light snack before boarding a boat with your Guides for a visit to Tortuguero National Park. Eleven habitats are found in the park. Three species of monkeys (Spider, Howler, and White-faced), Three-toed sloths, and River otters are frequently seen along the natural inland waterways and canals. Caiman, iguanas, River turtles, Basilisk lizards, and Poison dart (Dendrobates) frogs inhabit the area, along with more than 320 species of birds including all 6 species of kingfishers found in the new world, 3 species of toucans, 8 species of parrots, and other neotropical species such.

Afternoon Boat Trip

You will often find that in the early afternoon the foraging is quite intense, but as the afternoon sun starts to go down, many creatures begin to think about bedding down for the night and others are just beginning their night time activity. If you’re lucky you might even get to see a mixed flock of Egrets coming into their rookery for the night or a pair of Tiger herons having a discussion about whose turn it is to sit on the nest. The White Faced Capuchins, ever mischievous may be the last to bed down, but as the afternoon light dims, the cacophony of the forest comes to a climax and then as if on cue… quiet.

Kayaking, a New Perspective of the Rainforest

Leave the lodge by boat with your Guides and your kayaks to the entrance of Caño Chiquero or Caño Mora. These creeks are designated for non-motorized boats only.  Kayaking gives you a whole new perspective of the rainforest, from this position you become the river, look up to see what the rainforest canopy looks like if you’re a river otter swimming in the creek, scan the under story of the forest and get ready for photographic opportunities you'll never get from a motorized expedition.  Close your eyes and listen to the sun dried seed pod of the Gavilan tree burst making a gunshot sound and dispersing its seeds, the call of the Chestnut Mandibled toucan in the distance and the sound of Spider monkeys crashing through the trees. There is no need to have previous kayaking experience, your Naturalist Guide will give you a full safety briefing and paddling instruction before your tour begins

Baby Turtle Hatching (mornings)

Escorted by your Naturalist Guide, you will walk the beach either in the early morning hours or just before sunset in search of a nest that has begun to hatch. Baby turtles dig their way out of the nest and then make their way to the water. Assuming that they can avoid the predators waiting for them both on land and in the ocean 25 to 30 years from now they will return to this very beach and the life-cycle will begin anew.  This is a photographic opportunity that few people will ever get.  These photos are sure to make your friends back home green with jealously.

NOTE: Cameras and Video are permitted for the hatching (morning), but NOT permitted for nesting (nighttime)

Standard Night Time Turtle Nesting (nighttime)

You will actually stand a few feet from a 300 pound Green Sea Turtle while she lays 80-100 eggs, covers up her nest, perhaps digs a false nest to throw off predators, and, finally, after more than an hour, returns to the sea. Escorted by the best Tortuguero Guides available, you will have the opportunity to see a major nesting beach for the Atlantic Green Sea Turtle up close. There are two, 2-hour tours per night. One leaves at about 8:00 p.m. and the other at 10:00 p.m. Start times are by lottery run by the Park Service and cannot be guaranteed.  Groups of up to 10 people gather at a dispatching point within 15 minutes of the hotel, and wait their turn for a tracker who is on the beach with a radio to report a turtle. Then up to five groups (of up to 10 per group) are dispatched per turtle.

Private Turtle Nesting Expedition with Picnic Dinner
NOTE: No cameras or video cameras are permitted by Costa Rican law, So we will just have to photograph this moment in our heads.

Day 11: Tortuguero / San Jose (B,L,D) NG

This morning departure by boat with your Naturalist Guide for the 1 ½ to 2 hours boat trip to Caño Blanco river port. Upon arrival the Costa Rica Expeditions van will meet you again for the drive back to San Jose.  The first hour is on a bumpy gravel road passing farmland and banana plantations. The main highway will cross through Braulio Carrillo National Park. All these sites have photography opportunities.

Arrive in San José mid to late afternoon on time for photography in hotel gardens

Overnight at: Hotel Bougainvillea. 

Day 12: Departure

Transfer to the International Airport at least three hours prior to the departure time for your flight out of the country.

Costa Rica Photography Safari Accommodations 

Hotel Bougainvillea

Located outside San Jose, in Santo Domingo de Heredia, Hotel Bougainvillea offers far more than just accommodations. All 82 rooms have unique furniture made of Costa Rican hardwoods and balconies with views of gardens, the city of San Jose and the Central Valley. There is a swimming pool, conference room, sauna, and tennis courts, as well as a restaurant. The hotel is an art gallery itself, in its lobby, hallways and restaurant; you will find an outstanding and eclectic art collection by well known local artists in different areas, from paintings, wood carvings, murals and stained glass. As well as a vast display of pre-Columbian artifacts. Guests find the gardens an inspirational paradise where they can relax and discover the beauty of many Costa Rican plants and birds. With its 10 acres of carefully tended tropical grounds, the Hotel Bougainvillea features over 50 species of bromeliads, Costa Rican native trees, and numerous species of orchids, ferns, herb and cacti gardens; and radiant humming birds typical of the Central Valley of Costa Rica.

Room Amenities: Non smoking room. 2 double beds, with a desk, flat screen cable TV, direct dialing telephone, Wi-Fi, safety deposit box, ceiling fans. Large glass balcony doors for fresh air and sunlight. Private bathroom or bath tub with hot water, hair dryer, basic amenities. Coffee maker, room service. Balcony with a city view.

Rancho Naturalista 

"This is a recommended destination for people who would like some quiet days of birding and nature study in a tranquil environment." Costa Rica Lonely Planet, Lonely Planet Publications 5th Edition. The ranch has a Spanish-style five bedroom lodge and six duplex cottages. Nine of the rooms have private baths, and hot water, two share a bath if the lodge is full. Meals are served family style in a dining room.

Hotel Villas Del Caribe

Located near Cocles Beach, south of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Villas del Caribe offers 26 units that are bright, fresh and clean, have private bathrooms and have been designed in modern Caribbean style which catches the coastal prevailing breezes for effective cross ventilation. All have ceiling fans and some have air conditioning. They are tastefully designed, decorated and furnished for comfort, with lamps, cushions, loungers and hammocks.  Terraces and/or balconies and fully equipped kitchens in the Villas.  Have a drink in the lobby terrace or at the TV Bar with free Wi-Fi. Take a dip in the swimming pool and enjoy the elevated thatched Jacuzzi. The Caribbean and international Sea Side restaurant, an authentic and traditional Caribbean style beach house, offers fresh made meals to guests. Located a few meters away from the beach allowing guests to enjoy the magnificent ocean view as well as the sounds of the surf.

Room Accommodations:  Superior Room A/C - Superior Rooms With a king size bed or two twin beds as needed, and a single sofa/bed, A/C, Cable TV, Mini-bar, private bathroom, ample balcony with hammocks and ocean view.

Tortuga Lodge and Gardens 

Tortuga Lodge, situated on 146 acres of private land on Costa Rica's northeast Caribbean coast, was our first hotel. It is now our newest hotel. Everything we have learned about designing nature lodges over the last 25 years has gone into the remodeling of Tortuga Lodge. What we learned can be summarized in three words: "Reflect the place." The Lodge has 26 deluxe rooms and one penthouse.

The essence of Tortuguero is slow-moving tropical rivers. Everything about Tortuguero is defined by the rivers. They are Tortuguero's roads and Tortuguero's soul. If a guest wants to bring home the essence of Tortuguero he/she must get in tune with the rivers.

The Lodge's restaurant starts at the river dock and reluctantly moves inland. Our kitchen prepares a daily fixed menu delighting our guests with local dishes served in creative ways.  Meals are served family style at your table.  We are happy to accommodate special requests.

Designed to blend into the river environment, the infinity pool features an environmentally-friendly purification system that uses an undetectable amount of salt instead of commercial chlorine. The water does not irritate the eyes.

The all-pervasive presence of the water blurs distinctions. As your boat moves slowly through the forest, you are immersed in a world where the forest merges with the rivers and the water becomes part of the tree. Land and water, indoors and outdoors lose part of their meaning.

During the season (July through October) the highlight of your trip to Tortuguero is actually standing a few feet from a 300-pound Green Sea Turtle while she lays 80-100 eggs, covers up her nest, perhaps digs a false nest to throw off predators, and, finally, after more than an hour, returns to the sea. 

Tortuga Lodge has 26 deluxe rooms, all with a view of the Tortuguero River.  Each room has either two queen sized beds or one king size bed (additional beds can be added to most rooms upon request) a private solar heated hot water shower and ceiling fans. Each room has almost as much window space as it does walls, windows are tightly screened but we did not use glass so that you are able to hear the sounds of the rainforest. Every room has a front porch where you can sit between the tropical rainforest and the Tortuguero River and read your book, view the birds in the garden or simply watch the river flow by. Downstairs rooms give you the feeling of being in the forest and the upstairs rooms give you a bird’s eye view of the canopy.

Costa Rica 2013: Photography Safari Pricing

Group size will be a maximum of 8 persons.  

• $3,795 (USD)

*Single supplement $625

Included in price:

• Accommodations: As featured in the itinerary.
• Meals: As indicated in the itinerary. (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
• Naturalist Guide services as indicated. Driver and Guide expenses
• Transfers: Arrival and departure transfers on the fixed days in the itinerary, early arrivals and late departures are billed separately.  Other transportation within the country is done by A/C van with Spanish speaking driver and Naturalist Guide.
• Porterage: When the tour includes international airport transfers, the handling of two bags per person is included. Baggage and personal effects are at the owner's risk throughout the tour.
• Taxes & Entrance Fees: Hotel taxes, entrance fees to National Parks, museums and places of interest are included unless otherwise specified.
• Sightseeing: As specified in the itinerary.
• Tax increases or new taxes charged for services that were not taxed in the past will be charged to the client

Not included in price:

Costs of obtaining passports, visas or tourist cards; excess baggage fees; personal expenses such as room service, beverages and laundry; personal communications charges; international airfare; sightseeing or meals not specified in the itinerary; personal insurance coverage (strongly recommended), gratuities, sightseeing or meals not specified in the itinerary. International departure tax (currently $28 per person)

TERMS & CONDITIONS

50% payment, is required 65 days prior to the scheduled trip, with the balance due 35 days prior to the trip.

Cancellation Policy

• If cancellation is made 65+ days prior to the scheduled trip, a full refund (less deposit guarantees at hotels, and guide deposit - approx  $375.00) is made.
• If cancellation is made 65-35 days prior to the trip a 50% refund will be given.
• If cancellation is received 34 days or less prior to the trip, the full value is forfeited. We strongly recommend cancellation insurance.
• If cancellation is made by Big Sun Photography itself for any reason.  Customers will receive 100% refunds.