Costa Rica | Coastal Conservation and Tropical Forest Ecology with Indianapolis Zoological Society

Upon arrival at the Juan Santamaría International Airport, you will be met by a representative and taken to the hotel. In order to arrive in time for orientation, participants must book flights that arrive in San José no later than 4:30 pm. Hotel check-in available at 2:00 pm. This evening, attend dinner with a program orientation to follow.

Early this morning, travel by bus to La Pavona dock, with breakfast en route. Then board a private boat for the water transfer to Aninga Lodge. Located on the northern Caribbean coast, Tortuguero consists of a series of natural interconnecting canals and provides a unique opportunity to observe wildlife by boat. Along the inland waterways, you may see spider monkeys, three-toed sloths, wading birds, manatees, and spectacled caimans. From late June through late October, Tortuguero is the most important nesting site in the western Caribbean for the endangered green sea turtle. Other turtles that nest on these beaches include the hawksbill, leatherback, and the occasional loggerhead. Upon arrival at the lodge, relax with a cocktail and lunch. This afternoon, visit the Sea Turtle Conservancy museum to learn about sea turtle conservation. Meet with an STC research biologist at the John H. Phipps Biological Field Station for an orientation and slide presentation in preparation for your first evening of turtle monitoring. Spend the afternoon exploring the tiny town of Tortuguero. Have dinner at the lodge, then participate in turtle monitoring this evening. The monitoring is done in small groups during a shift from 8 pm to 12 am. You'll walk along the beach in search of nesting females and assist researchers with measuring and collecting data, including each turtle's size and nesting location. Please note: In order to participate in this activity, volunteers with Sea Turtle Conservancy must be 15 years or older (under 18 must be accompanied by an adult).

This morning, have breakfast at the lodge and then experience the flora and fauna of Tortuguero National Park while boating through the waterways. The extensive network of freshwater creeks and lagoons is home to seven species of river turtles, southern river otters, many crustaceans, and more than 50 species of freshwater fish. You may also see spider, howler, and white-faced capuchin monkeys, birds, three-toed sloths, caimans, and crocodiles. If lucky, you might spot an endangered West Indian manatee. Return to the lodge for lunch. This afternoon, set out on an interpretive hike along the lodge's trails. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure. Dinner at the lodge is followed by another evening beach patrol with STC from 8 pm to 12 am.

This morning, check out and depart for Selva Verde Lodge & Rainforest Reserve, first by boat and then by bus. Located in the lush lowlands of north-central Costa Rica, Selva Verde comprises an ecolodge and a 500-acre private tract of primary and secondary tropical rainforest with many trails and lookout points. Keep an eye out for tropical birds and wildlife among the dense vegetation. You'll have the chance to see species such as the Keel-billed Toucan, White-winged Becard, Sunbittern, Red-throated Ant-Tanager, and White-collared Manakin, among others. After lunch, take a guided hike in the primary forest reserve to a 700-year-old almond tree, which provides habitat for the endangered Great Green Macaw. Dinner at the lodge.

This morning, depart Selva Verde and visit Don Alvaro's Macaw Farm, where you'll get an up-close experience with the macaws that live there. The farm is home to previously caged or abused macaws, and is unique in that the macaws actually fly free through the surrounding rainforest. Continue to the town of La Fortuna; enjoy lunch en route. Upon arrival at Arenal Manoa, check in and enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure to relax in the thermal hot spring pools heated by the nearby Arenal Volcano. Dinner this evening is in the dining room. After dinner, hear a talk by Costa Rican biologist Willy Pineda. Weather permitting, the hotel affords excellent views of the immense volcano from every room.

This morning explore the rainforest at Arenal Hanging Bridges. The site consists of 15 bridges ranging from 16 to 330 feet long, offering a unique view of the forest canopy from below and above. Six of the 15 bridges are suspended in the upper canopy of this mature forest trail system. The elevation is approximately 1,900 feet. The trail system straddles different types of ecosystems, forming a transitional vegetation strip with high biodiversity where both highland and lowland species occur. Next, visit Arenal Vida Campesina to learn about agricultural practices in the region, like growing vegetables and dairy farming. While there, visit a sugar cane mill for a lesson in traditional methods of sugar cane processing. Before lunch, wake up your inner chef (and your appetite) by joining in a tortilla-making activity where you will learn how to make tortillas from scratch and cook them on a wood stove. This evening enjoy a farewell dinner at the hotel.

Have breakfast then transfer to Monteverde Biological Reserve by boat & bus. Monteverde's consistently cool and wet environment receives over three meters of rain annually and is home to an astounding variety of flora and fauna. More than 2,500 plant species have been identified here, including 300 individual orchid species and over 200 species of ferns. The beginnings of the reserve can be traced back to a group of Alabama Quakers that emigrated to Monteverde in the early 1950s. Visiting biologists discovered that the cloud forest located around the Quaker community was rich in plant and animal life. Due to the incredible foresight of the Quakers and the Tropical Science Center, the first non-governmental scientific and environmental organization in Costa Rica, Monteverde became the biological reserve it is today. After check-in, enjoy a guided hike in the cloud forests of the Curi-Cancha Reserve. Located in the Arenal Tempisque Conservation Area at the center of Monteverde, Curi-Cancha comprises 205 acres of forest, secondary growth, and open pasture. This evening, enjoy a talk by a local Quaker family and have dinner at their home.

This morning transfer to the airport for flights back to the U.S.