Day 1 ARRIVAL IN SAN JOSE You will be met at the airport and transferred to the Hotel El Refugio de los Artistas. Located just 15 minutes from the airport in the lush rolling green hills, this lovely B&B offers spacious comfortable rooms set among terraces, pool, and exquisite art galleries. Day 2 TRANSFER TO PUERTO VIEJO DE SARAPIQUI After breakfast at the hotel, we will be met by our guide and driver. After a short introductory meeting, we will travel the road to Sarapiqui through the Cloud and Rain forests with a stop at the Hummingbird Station and La Paz Waterfall Gardens, allowing us to see the diversity of plant and animal life and more than 20 butterfly species. We will stay at the Selva Verde Lodge, a complex of covered walkways in the lowland rain forest reserve that blends in with the natural landscape and provides myriad birding opportunities. Options: Rafting Day 3 LA SELVA BIRDING ACTIVITIES Various nature/birding activities in the area. Options: Horseback Riding Day 4 LA FORTUNA-ARENAL AREA After breakfast we will travel to the La Fortuna area located at the foot of the towering Arenal Volcano. We will do bird watching at various sites and visit the magical Hot Springs. Day 5 ARENAL AREA BIRDING Birding activities in the area Tour of Hanging Bridges, two miles of loop trails crossing 15 bridges in the primary rain forest. Day 6 ARENAL - LA ENSENADA After breakfast we will transfer to La Ensenada, a comfortable villa located in a natural wildlife refuge on the Pacific Coast Gulf of Nicoya. Ideal for bird watchers and nature lovers Day 7 LA ENSENADA AREA Boat trip to Mangrove area bird refuge and nesting ground for many showy water birds. Day 8 LA ENSENADA - PACIFIC SLOPE - CARARA, PUNTA LEONA After breakfast we will drive to the Central Pacific Slope. Here, on the border of Carara National Park is a meeting of several habitats — tropical dry forest, coastal marsh and southern rain forest. We will spend three nights at the Punta Leona Hotel — a unique development which combines environmental conservation, tourism, and research — very comfortable with many birds and access to clean and safe white-sand beaches. Day 9 PUNTA LEONA - CARARA AREA Visit to Carara National Park, home to 360 different birds, toucans, monkeys, and Villa Lapas Skyway — a 2.5 kilometer system of downward sloping trails and hanging bridges - a wonderful place to bird watch. Day 10 PUNTA LEONA PACIFIC COAST Birding and Beach activities Optional: Canopy Tour Day 11 RETURN TO SAN JOSE AREA After breakfast we will return to the Hotel El Refu Day 12 TRANSFER TO AIRPORT OR TRIP EXTENSIONS TO OSA PENINSULA OR TORTUGUERO. Click here for birding Itinerary for September 26-October 7, 2006 For registration forms contact: Sandra Pollack journeyweavers@aol.com ©copyright 2004, Journey Weavers. All rights reserved. Design: Marcelle Toor Designs