This tour is a great opportunity to get in contact with local culture and wildlife. For centuries, daily activities of towns and villages of the Sarapiquí region have revolved around the river from which the region takes its name. Declared a National Monument in 2000, today the Sarapiquí River provides habitat for a wide array of bird species and provides a means of transportation and commerce for the inhabitants that live along the river.
This trip down the river takes the visitor to hidden settlements on its shores, and introduces one to what it is like to live in close relationship with the natural world. Besides experiencing a river adventure, the visitor has the opportunity to interact with local people and explore wetland ecosystems during guided bird walks.
- Birding in riparian, wetland, forest and reforested habitats, including quality primary growth forest and a rare Yollilo Palm wetland
- Exhilarating ride on the Sarapiqui and Toro Rivers
- Contact with local culture and authentic food
Day 1 .......... Sarapiqui River
Travel by river on an amazing boat ride to Bosque Tropical del Toro (BTT), situated on the banks of the Rio Toro. You will eat lunch at BTT and spend the afternoon birding and exploring the rare Yolillo wetland habitat. Meet the staff of BTT and learn about the reforestation efforts on this property. Overnight at Bosque Tropical del Toro.
Day 2 .......... BTT/Finca Paniagua
Arise early to bird Bosque Tropical del Toro and then travel to Finca Paniagua, another remote site of the Costa Rican Bird Route. This new family-run reserve has an unusually high number of difficult to observe birds, including the Collared Forest-Falcon, Blue-crowned Motmot, White-whiskered Puffbird, Black-faced Antthrush, and Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant. After lunch, travel to Puerto Viejo and El Gavilan Lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 3 .......... El Gavilan Lodge
Bird the grounds of El Gavilan Lodge, and hopefully capture a glimpse of the Green Ibis that makes regular appearances at this site. Have breakfast and travel to San Jose for departure or the next stop on your itinerary.
This Tour Includes:
- Accommodation as specified
- Private bi-lingual guide
- All transportation
- All activities
- Daily breakfast and lunch
- $20 donation to Rainforest Biodiversity Group
- Costa Rican Bird Route Map and Guide
# of People* With Guide 2 $ 484.00 3-4 $ 381.00 5-6 $ 299.00 7-8 $ 303.00
* Prices are per person, based on double occupancy. Single occupancy supplement is $30.
To sign up for this tour, or if you have questions, please contact Raquel Gomez at Raquel@costaricanbirdroute.com
