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About Sacred Earth Travel
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Arrival at international airport. A member of staff will assist you with custom procedures and will escort you to the arrivals lounge where the transfer guide will welcome you.
Transfer to hotel in San Jose
Overnight: Hotel Buenavista*** // Meals included today: none
After breakfast the group will depart to the Poás Volcano National Park. it is often foggy up here and mist floats like an apparition through the cloud forest draped with bromeliads and mosses. Inside the park, the Botos Trail just before the viewing platform leads to an extinct crater filled with a cold-water lake--Botos. The park protects the headwaters of several important rivers, and the dense forests are home to emerald toucanets, coyotes, resplendent quetzals, sooty robins, hummingbirds, frogs, and the Poás squirrel, which is endemic to the volcano. After the visit to the Poás, the journey is due south passing Orotina until we reach the Carara Biological Reserve area. Check in at hotel around lunch time. The afternoon is at your leisure. If all participants agree, we can go for an optional short walk in the hotel's private reserve to observe some of the bird species that can be spotted in the afternoon.
Overnight: Hotel Villa Lapas // Meals included today: breakfast, lunch & dinner.
This is a transition zone between a drier region and a more humid region of the south; therefore it presents a series of different habitats such as marshland, a lagoon, gallery, primary and secondary forests. Wildlife is fairly abundant in spite of the reserve's isolated location. Among the birds spotted in Carara, we can mention collared aracari, great tinamou, American egret, tricoloured heron, Turkey vulture, Laughing falcon, gray-breasted martin, violaceous trogon, and cayenne wood-rail. But perhaps the most magnificent bird, which is also the symbol of this reserve is the famous Scarlet Macaw, a species that is practically extinct in the Dry Pacific. Return to the hotel for lunch. Rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight: Hotel Villa Lapas // Meals included today: breakfast, lunch & dinner.
Departure after breakfast. This part of the journey will continue to go south from Carara on the same road to Manuel Antonio area. Passing by Quepos and Baru. Arrival to Playa Tortugua expected around early afternoon. Possibilities to do some bird spotting in the hotel's protected area during the afternoon.
Overnight: Hotel Villas Gaia // Meals included today: breakfast & dinner.
We have the whole day to enjoy this place and to make the most of the excellent conditions for birdwatching. A total of approximately 400 species are estimated to exist in the area. Among these we can mention: the boat-billed Heron, snowy Egret, green-backed Heron, purple Gallinule, northern mealy Parrott, blued headed Parrot, orange-chinned Parakeet, humming birds, trogons, mot-mot's, Kingfishers, Woodpeckers, Antbirds, Flycatchers, Manakins, warblers and many more.
Overnight: Hotel Villas Gaia // Meals included today: breakfast & dinner
Departure after lunch to the "Costanera" road, heading north until Dominical, then east, passing by San Isidro del General and the Cerro de la Muerte (the country's highest pass) until reaching the Savegre river valley. Depending on arrival time, an optional hike in the hotel's protected area can be done.
Overnight: Savegre Lodge // Meals included today: breakfast & dinner
In the morning, hike through the forest, where probably the most famous of all Costarican birds, the Resplendent Quetzal can be seen all year round. The tall damp cloud forest consists mainly of huge oak trees with straight, smooth trunks and branches covered with epiphytic plants. Among the birds, we will likely see the quetzal, which is also called the "phoenix of the forest" and several species of humming birds, black Guan, crowned Wren-thrush, trogons, and woodpeckers. Return to the lodge for lunch. Afternoon at leisure or time for another birdwatching hike into the hotel's protected area and gardens.
Overnight: Savegre Lodge // Meals included today: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Return to San José (accommodations not included today) Meals included today: breakfast (hot items not available if too early)
This tour can be booked with a minimum of 2 passengers but it is best suited for small groups between 6-10 participants. Maximum group size is 18. Please inquire for group quotes.
For booking inquiries and further information please contact Sacred Earth.
Accommodations are subject to change depending on availability at the time of booking
A pre-payment of 30% is due 60 days prior the arrival date of the group. The remaining due amount must be paid one week as the latest before the arrival date.
Cancellation Conditions
61 days or more before the arrival date: No fee
60-31 days prior the arrival date: 15% of the total amount
30-22 days prior the arrival date: 25% of the total amount
21-08 days prior the arrival date: 50% of the total amount
07-01 days prior the arrival date: 75% of the total amount
00 days or "No Show": 100% of the total amount
