Costa Rica | Nature Photography with Emily Carter

Upon arrival in San José, you will be met and taken to your hotel. Check-in begins at 3 pm. Elevation is 3,100 feet. Meet for orientation followed by a welcome dinner tonight at the hotel restaurant.

Depart from San José and head to Laguna Del Lagarto Eco-lodge. Arrive at the lodge in time for lunch. This afternoon, split into two groups: one group will spend the afternoon photographing small birds including flash for hummingbirds and the other will spend time photographing frogs and reptiles. At night, half the group will have the opportunity to for a flash photo session with bats.

Spend the morning at the eco-lodge, photographing and birding around the property. The lodge is located on 500 hectares of rainforest, with over 100 species of trees and 350 species of birds. There is a multitude of trails and photography platforms. Early morning will be spent on the platform for a toucan session. Later in the morning, visit the vulture blind. In the afternoon, groups will switch activities they did they previous day. One group will photograph small birds and the other frogs/reptiles. In the eveing, the second half of the group will have an opportunity to photograph bats.

After departing Laguna del Lagarto, head north to the Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge, often described as Costa Rica's Everglades. Like the Everglades, this immense wetland attracts numerous species of birds and is an important protected wildlife area. Arriving at the lodge, we'll check in and then continue birding on a walk around the grounds. This is one of the best places to see the Nicaraguan Grackle, whose only Costa Rican habitat is Caño Negro and other marshy areas just south of Lake Nicaragua.

After a morning snack, head to the dock and board a boat for an early morning tour through the wetlands. An abundance of wildlife can be seen in this remote 22,000 acre tropical wetlands. Gliding along lagoons and canals, be on the lookout for some of the 350 species of birds found in the refuge, including a colony of Nicaraguan Grackle, egrets, anhingas, Roseate Spoonbills and other waterfowl. We may also spot caiman, crocodiles, and monkeys. Return to the lodge for a full breakfast, then head out on foot to photograph some more species around the lodge and surrounding areas. Have lunch at the lodge and rest for a little while before returning to the reserve for another boat safari. Caño Negro is one of the few nesting spots for the endangered Jabiru Stork. Return to the hotel with time to freshen up and relax before dinner.

Depart for Sarapiqui area with a stop en route for some photography in the Medio Queso wetland area. Continue to Sarapiqui, located in the lush lowlands of north-central Costa Rica. This afternoon, enjoy free time for photography around the grounds, in search of some of the 300 bird species found here, including a variety of colorful hummingbirds, trogons, and toucans. After dinner, venture out on a night walk to spot a variety of nocturnal life including the colorful red-eyed tree frog, a must in every photographer's collection.

This morning, visit the Macaw Farm, a private initiative started by Don Alvaro Otoya that has turned into a successful breeding center for the two species of Costa Rican macaws: Scarlet and Great Green. Habitat loss and poaching have threatened these amazing birds, nearly bringing them to the point of extinction in some places. As a result, the need for reintroduction into the wild is high, in particular for Great Green Macaws. Projects like Don Alvaro's have allowed local authorities to bring the populations back in some areas, and now macaws can be seen flying high where they were absent for decades. The macaws at Don Alvaro's are not caged, and fly free through the surrounding rainforest. Take advantage of the opportunities to capture amazing images of macaws in flight, with more controlled light than in the forest, while contributing to the effort of protecting and reintroducing the macaws back to their habitat. After lunch, depart for Dave and Dave's Costa Rica Nature Park for a two-hour tour to photograph hummingbirds and other wildlife along the river trail.

This morning visit Copearte - the home and gardens of the artist, photographer, birder, and nature-lover known as Cope - to photograph bats, owls, hummingbirds, and other wildlife. Have lunch at Copearte and then continue to your San José hotel, where you can rest before this evening's farewell dinner.

This morning you will be transferred to the airport in San José for your flight(s) home. Check out is at 12 pm.