Costa Rica: National Parks & Tropical Forests January 19 - 31, 2019 (13 Days) with Hamilton Professor of Biology Emeritus Dr. Ernest H. Williams An exclusive Hamilton Global Adventure for 16 alumni, parents, and friends. © by Don Mezzi © T R Shankar Raman © by Steve © by Lars0001 3 San Carlos Rio Frio Costa Rica Altamira Village Dear Hamilton Alumni, Parents, and Friends, Lake Arenal I am delighted to invite you to join me in January 2019 for Monteverde Tortuguero 3 Cloud Forest National Park a wonderful trip to Costa Rica. As we travel from volcanic Reserve Doka Estate mountain ranges to misty cloud forests and bountiful jungles, San José our small group of no more than sixteen travelers, plus an Hacienda 2 Nosavar Santa Ana expert local Trip Leader and me, will explore these habitats up- close. Quepos San Gerardo 2 The biodiversity found in Costa Rica is astonishing for a country with Manuel de Dota 2 Antonio an area of just 20,000 square miles (approximately four times the size of National Park Finca don Connecticut): more than 12,000 species of plants, including a dazzling variety Tavo of trees and orchids; 237 species of mammals, including jaguars and four Main Tour species of monkeys; more species of birds (800!) than in all of North America; Optional Extensions more species of butterflies than on the entire continent of Africa; and five # of Hotel Nights genera of sea turtles as well as the endangered American crocodile. Corcovado Airport Arrival/ National Park Our travels will merge daily nature observations with visits to Costa Rican Departure national parks, farms, villages, beaches, cloud forest, and the capital city, San Jose. We will also mingle with Costa Rica’s people, including a tour of the family-owned Doka Estate coffee plantation and a meal with local schoolchildren and their parents. Throughout our travels we will dine on regional foods and, of course, have a wonderful time learning together as we HAMILTON COLLEGE see so many exciting sights. It is almost impossible to believe that there could be so many wonders in FACULTY LEADER such a small place without witnessing them for yourself. I hope you will join us to explore the diverse experiences of Costa Rica. Sincerely, Ernest H. Williams An ecologist and life-long naturalist, Ernest William R. Kenan Professor of Biology Emeritus Williams has conducted field studies in Mexico, Hamilton College Wyoming, and New York on the population biology and conservation of butterflies. His P.S. Our group is limited to only sixteen participants, so don’t recent books include The Nature Handbook: A delay—contact Hamilton Global Adventures at 888-344-5170 or Guide to Observing the Great Outdoors (2005, [email protected] to reserve your space soon. Oxford Univ. Press), which is a field guide to patterns in nature, and Pathways to Excellence in Teaching (2012, Couper Press), an edited volume of essays. He is also coauthor of the Stokes Butterfly Book (Little, Brown & Co.). Williams received his Ph.D. from Princeton University in 1976 and recently retired after teaching for 34 years at Hamilton, where he was recognized for excellence in teaching. Exploring nature is his passion, and it has taken him to many places, including the Galapagos Islands and several countries in the Caribbean. Hopper, Phrictus quinqueparitus © Geoff Gallice A Chestnut Mandibled Toucan, Ramphastos Ambiguus Swainsonii © Cephas ITINERARY (B)= Breakfast, (L)= Lunch, (D)= Dinner Saturday, January 19, 2019: DEPART HOME | ARRIVE SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA | SANTA ANA Upon arrival in Costa Rica, at Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), a local representative will meet and accompany you to our hotel in Santa Ana, about 20 minutes outside of the capital city of San Jose. Travelers who arrived early for the optional, pre-trip extension to Corcovado National Park will join us at the hotel today. The evening is free to relax or explore on your own. Overnight at Studio Hotel. Sunday, January 20: VISIT COFFEE PLANTATION | SAN CARLOS | WELCOME DINNER After breakfast, we gather for a welcome briefing. Then we board our coach and begin our ride northwest from San Jose into the northern lowlands of Costa Rica along the Pan-American Highway. As we travel through the countryside outside of San Jose, we will be treated to many fine views of the country’s agricultural landscapes, and stop en route to visit Doka Estate, a 100-year-old coffeefinca (plantation) and Costa Rican National Heritage Site. Locally owned by the Vargas Ruiz family for more than 70 years, this finca is a modern operation that uses time-honored techniques, such as the oldest working water-powered mill in all of Costa Rica, to produce delicious gourmet coffee. As we tour the estate, we will see the various steps in the production of this important national export, and learn about the history of coffee’s introduction to Costa Rica and more. Female Green Basilisk © Charlesjsharp After lunch at the finca, we will continue on to our resort in Aguas Zarcas de San Carlos. We check-in, then join our Trip Leader for a welcome drink and orientation walk, followed by dinner at the resort. Overnight at El Tucano Resort and Thermal Spa for three nights. (B,L,D) Monday, January 21: NATURE WALK | CRUISE THE RIO FRIO | SAN CARLOS | PM AT LEISURE Early this morning, when many birds are most active, you may choose to join our Hamilton faculty leader and our trip leader for a nature walk in the area around our resort. Return to the resort for breakfast, after which we travel to Costa Rica’s remote northern border, near the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge. This reserve is home to hundreds of species of wildlife, and is an important stopping point for many migrating species of birds, including Costa Rica’s largest colony of neo-tropical cormorants. Board a small touring boat to explore the Rio Frio, a complex inland waterway where we will likely see wading birds, such as Northern Jacanas and Wood Storks, as well as many turtles and butterflies. We might also be lucky enough to spot larger animals, such as spider- or howler monkeys, sloths, or caimans. After lunch, we return to our resort for an afternoon at leisure, perhaps relaxing in the soothing waters of the resort’s hot springs. Gather this evening for dinner at our resort. (B,L,D) Tuesday, January 22: ALTAMIRA VILLAGE | SCHOOL VISIT & COMMUNITY LUNCH | PM AT LEISURE We immerse ourselves in local culture this morning, as we set out to experience “A Day in the Life of a Costa Rican village.” Begin by meeting one of the leaders of the Altamira village community, who will teach us more about life in the village. From there, we continue on to a local school (when in session) to meet students, their parents, and teachers, to learn about Costa Rica’s educational system. Afterward, the students and parents will host us for lunch, featuring traditional Costa Rican casado, a meal that typically contains rice, beans, plantains, salad, and chicken or beef. Return to our resort for an afternoon at leisure. Gather this evening for dinner at our resort. (B,L,D) Wednesday, January 23: White-faced Capuchin Monkey BOAT RIDE ON LAKE ARENAL | OVERLAND TO MONTEVERDE CLOUD FOREST © Steven G Johnson This morning we take a relaxing boat ride on Lake Arenal, enjoying views of the cone of the Arenal Volcano in the distance and the peaceful, verdant lakeshore. We may spot more of Costa Rica’s diverse birds and wildlife. We drive onward, sometimes over unpaved roads, to the Monteverde Cloud Forest, stopping en route for lunch at a local restaurant. Monteverde (with an elevation of 4,600 feet) is renowned for its unique environment and diversity of natural life. The mountainsides on which the forest is located trap the warm, humid air rising from the ocean, creating dense clouds that provide near-constant moisture and support a large number of mammal, bird, and plant species. Our hotel is set on a private, 150-acre farm adjacent to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, a protected area where this exceptional natural diversity is preserved. Overnight at El Establo Mountain Hotel for three nights. (B,L,D) Thursday, January 24: AM AT LEISURE or OPTIONAL HANGING BRIDGES TOUR | MONTEVERDE CLOUD FOREST NATURE WALK The morning is at leisure for independent pursuits. Or, you may choose to join an optional Hanging Bridges excursion (at additional cost: $45 per person), and discover the lush cloud forest from a unique vantage point. On this excursion, you will follow a system of six suspension bridges (the “Sky Walk”), some almost 1,000 feet in length, that span the canopy of the Monteverde Cloud Forest, examining the flora and fauna of the rainforest from a bird’s-eye view. Every step of the way, a local naturalist guide will explain the unique characteristics of the canopy and point out animals, birds, and plants peculiar to this treetop milieu. Our entire group then gathers for lunch at a local restaurant specializing in regional food (and delicious handmade chocolates). The afternoon is dedicated to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, as we set out on a guided nature walk through this acclaimed 26,000-acre reserve. Founded in 1972 as a refuge for local wildlife, Monteverde today is a protected region dedicated to scientific research and education. Stretching down both the Caribbean and Pacific slopes of the Tilaran Mountain Range, the reserve exhibits eight Monteverde Biological Reserve © SA 3.0 distinct ecological zones. This variety of habitats combined with a yearly average rainfall of 97 inches results in a very large and diverse plant community, with more than 300 species of orchids alone.