On the Trail of the Great Green May 20-29

This tour will take you to the last remaining in for the critically endangered ( ambigua). Throughout this trip you will be searching for and observing the Great Green Macaw, while also learning about the conservation efforts for this . You will also have the opportunity to view the other macaw species in Costa Rica, the (Ara macao), which is also endangered in Costa Rica.

Day 1 San Jose Day 5 Mi Pedacito Arrive in San Jose, Costa Rica where Visit nearby Mi Pedacito de Cielo, you will be picked up and transferred another Route site offering to your hotel for a welcome and intro- prime Great Green Macaw habitat, duction to the trip. Overnight at Hotel and another chance to visit a macaw Bougainvillea. nesting tree. Mi Pedacito de Cielo translates to “My Little Piece of Day 2 Tirimbina Heaven,” and it will not take you Make your first stop at the new- long to appreciate why it was so est addition to the Costa Rican Bird named. This charming site overlooks Route, Quebrada Gonzalez. Que- the San Carlos River and is the per- brada Gonzalez offers access to the fect place to relax after a morning of impressive Braulio Carrillo National birding. Enjoy a homemade feast by Park, a park that protects 115 acres of the owner and learn about this fam- highland and cloud forest. ily’s efforts to protect rainforest habi- Of the 864 species of found in tat. Return to Maquenque Eco-lodge Costa Rica, 550 have been reported in the afternoon where you will have at Braulio Carrillo…truly worth the the option ($) of exploring on foot, stop! Continue on to Tirimbina Rain- or trying a new perspective of seeing forest Center where you will learn Photos by Mark Stafford and Amy Leist the rainforest…on horseback! Over- about this site’s ongoing conservation night at Maquenque. efforts and the role that eco-tourism has taken in this region. Overnight at you have the option of doing some Day 6 Laguna Lagarto Tirimbina. afternoon birding on the trails and Just a short distance away is yet suspension bridges, or opt to take the another excellent location for seeing Day 3 Albergue famous Chocolate Tour of Tirimbina. the endangered Great Green Ma- Spend the morning visiting one of Overnight at Tirimbina. caw, the Bird Route site Laguna del the remote sites of the Bird Route, Lagarto Lodge. This site offers 1,250 Albergue El Socorro. Albergue is Day 4 Maquenque acres of prime habitat to explore. nestled in the mountains, and boasts Journey deep into Great Green After birding, learn about how the the highest elevation of any of the Macaw country as you head toward history of this site and its role in sites, offering a chance to view bird Maquenque Eco-Lodge, a newly protecting habitat for the macaw. species not found elsewhere in the created 148-acre reserve just north of Another emblematic species to be Bird Route. Meet the landowner, Jose Boca Tapada de San Carlos. This site on the watch for here is the Agami Miranda, who will take you on a tour offers access to the newly created Heron, typically found hiding near of his operation and share stories of Maquenque National Wildlife Ref- the lagoons. Enjoy a buffet lunch, recent Great Green Macaw sightings. uge and provides some of the best keeping an eye on the feeders out Enjoy a home-cooked meal and get viewing opportunities of the endan- front, and in the afternoon return to an understanding of the migration of gered Great Green Macaw (GGM). Maquenque Eco-Lodge for one last the Great Green, or Lapa Verde, as it’s Spend the day looking for the ma- evening. commonly called in Spanish. Return caw, stopping at a nest tree for the to Tirimbina for the afternoon where GGM. Overnight at Maquenque. Day 7 Termales del Bosque known to exist in Costa Rica. Spend the remainder of your day at Villa Pack up your things and begin to Lapas, birding and enjoying the head south, making a stop at the amenities at this site abundant on house where Great Green Macaw colonial charm. research began a decade ago, launch- ing the regional effort to bring this Day 9 Carara National Park species back from the brink of Arise early to take advantage of the extinction. Continue on to Termales birding at Carara National Park. del Bosque, a lodge located at the Carara lies within the northernmost base of the Platanar volcano and the region of Pacific rainforest remaining Juan Castro Blanco National Park, in Costa Rica, and is the beginning providing a unique ecosystem. The of the transition zone into the tropi- main agenda item will be relaxation, cal dry forests of the northwest. An as this site boasts seven natural hot abundance of birds utilize this park, spring pools, which vary in tempera- including several species of trogons, ture, and are surrounded by forest. motmots, antbirds and manakins. Overnight at Termales del Bosque. Visit a Scarlet Macaw nesting tree Day 8 Villa Lapas and learn about the Scarlet Macaw research project that is based out of Leave the trail of the Great Green Carara. In the afternoon you are in Macaw behind as you head toward for a real treat, as you will take a the Pacific coast of Costa Rica and birding boat tour through the man- the opportunity to see a different grove swamps on the Rio Tarcoles. variety of birds, and the other macaw Be prepared for a staggering number of Costa Rica, the Scarlet Macaw. of shorebird species that will appear Your destination on this day is Villa around every bend of this relaxing Lapas (Macaw Village), aptly named ride. Overnight at Villa Lapas. as this private reserve is but a short distance from Carara National Park, Day 10 Departures where one of the largest remaining You will be shuttled to the airport for populations of Scarlet is your flight home. Photos by Bill Volkert, Holly Robertson and Yehudi Hernandez

Rate: $1,750, based on double occupancy. Single room supplement is $408. Price of tour includes daily breakfast, lodging, ground transportation, guides, entrance fees, $50 donation to Rainforest Biodiversity Group, and activities not noted as Optional ($). Price of tour does not include airfare, airport tax ($26), alcoholic beverages, snacks, bottled water, meals other than breakfast, activities indicated as optional, or gratuities.

Register by: February 20, 2010 (50% deposit due at time of registration). To register or for more info, contact Holly Robertson at [email protected].