Photo: Carol Dienger Costa Rica: Hidden Treasures Highlights:
Includes:
Trip Number: 09510a Price: $3,145 Deposit: $200 Capacity: 15 Leader: Kathleen Giel
The Trip  Photo: Carol Dienger The treasure-seeking conquistadors called it the "rich coast," but Costa Rica offers much more than gold. The country's exotic plants and flowers, colorful birds, unusual wildlife, and diverse biological zones will challenge your senses. We'll get close to nature in a variety of ways, from exploring rainforest and oak forest to mangrove swamps and seashores. Though our days will be filled with as much activity as you like -- hiking, bird-watching, snorkeling, horseback riding, and kayaking -- you'll also have the freedom to just relax in this tropical wonderland. You're likely to see a variety of wildlife, including monkeys, coatis, sloths, bats, the resplendent quetzal, toucans and hummingbirds We'll also see an incredible variety of insects, reptiles, and brilliantly-colored amphibians. The flora includes orchids, bromeliads, ginger, and the ceiba -- the sacred tree of the indigenous people of Costa Rica – as well as hundreds of other species. We'll travel comfortably by bus and enjoy spectacular scenery along the way, feasting on tropical fruits and healthy, fresh, local cuisine. While this isn't a luxury trip, we will stay in very pleasant lodges.
 Photo: Angela White Note: The following day-to-day itinerary may vary according to the availability of accommodations. Day 1: Arrive at San Jose's international airport. It is an inexpensive taxi ride to our nearby hotel. In the evening, we'll have a welcome dinner. Day 2: After breakfast we'll drive south from San Jose, stopping along the way at the famed La Paz Waterfall and Gardens where we'll see butterflies, frogs, snakes, and hummingbirds. The area attracts a large number of butterflies and birds -- there are at least 800 varieties here alone. After lunch we'll continue to the misty and beautiful cloud forest. At elevations of over 7,000 feet, nights here can be chilly, but our lodge will be warm and comfortable. Day 3: We'll do some early-morning bird watching, which should reward us with sightings of quetzals, scarlet macaws, tropical warblers, collared trogons, many hummingbirds, and any of 200 other species. In the afternoon, you can hike the local trails or take a horseback ride to a waterfall (not included in the trip price). Day 4: Following an early-morning birding walk and breakfast, we'll follow the Pan American Highway south, to the 10,600-foot Cerro del Muerte, high above timberline. Here we'll stop briefly to visit the paramo highland scrub and tussock fields. This unique ecosystem is found only here and in the Andes, in South America. Passing the city of San Isidro del General, we will go west to the Pacific coast and arrive at our destination with a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean. This drive will take the entire morning.  Photo: Angela White Days 5-7: Our accommodations overlook the beautiful coast of Ballena Marine National Park. This is one of Costa Rica's newest parks, dedicated to protecting nesting grounds for brown boobies, frigate birds, and ibises. From December to April, humpback whales and their offspring ply the waters here. We'll stay at a private reserve overlooking the sea, in some beautiful accommodations. We'll spend our days hiking, exploring the tide pools, enjoying the beach, whale and dolphin watching, swimming, and snorkeling. There are miles of trails, and the bird life in the forest behind us is prolific. Snorkeling should be excellent in the clear, turquoise water. Optional horseback riding is available (not included in the trip price). Days 8-9: Heading south to the lowland tropical rain forest of the Osa Peninsula, we will get beautiful views of the Pacific coastline. We will stop in the town of Palmar Sur to take a close look at the perfectly shaped spheres made by the indigenous population that lived in this area a thousand years ago. Owing to its isolation, biological diversity, and its large areas of old-growth forest, the Osa Peninsula is one of Costa Rica's most important natural areas. Here, we'll be surrounded by the rainforest. The dining hall is open-air; while you eat you might see white-faced capuchin monkeys grabbing bananas from the nearest trees, or a beautiful blue morpho butterfly dancing above your table. There is a short walking trail near our cabins. We'll visit the mangrove environment of the Gulfo Dulce, relax at the beach, and then kayak along a shore populated by flocks of scarlet macaws and other species endemic to the mangrove. On one of our days in this area we'll visit Matapalo Wildlife Refuge, where we'll enjoy a beautiful beach. Evening presentations will help deepen our understanding of the area. Days 10-12: We will take our bus to a road junction by the Rincón River and cross the Osa Peninsula using a four-wheel-drive minibus to reach Drake Bay. We will then take boats down the coast to our Costa Rican-owned lodge located just north of Corcovado National Park. This lodge, located in a tropical forest preserve, gives us access to the west side of the park. Later in the day we'll have free time to explore the wonderful trails and beaches all around the lodge. Over the next two days there will be plenty of time for birding, swimming, hiking, and optional horseback riding.  Photo: Angela White Days 13-14: Today we leave this seaside paradise, passing the largest area of mangrove forest on the Pacific coast of Central America on our way to Sierpe. During this boat ride we will see the seashore landscape, seabirds, and maybe caimans. From Sierpe we will take our bus north, stopping at Manuel Antonio National Park where we're almost sure to see large numbers of monkeys and several other species of mammals. The beach here is noted as one of the most attractive in Costa Rica, so we'll take time to enjoy it. We will stay in a nearby lodge for two nights. There will be opportunities for ziplining, hiking, birding, and boating. Day 15: As we awake once again to the chattering monkeys and the calls of beautiful birds, we'll relax at the lodge and its environs before heading back to San Jose (with a stop for shopping) for our farewell dinner. Day 16: Departure day. After breakfast, it's an easy taxi ride to the airport. Getting There The trip begins and ends in San Jose, Costa Rica. You must make your own travel arrangements to the starting point. Airport transfers are included, and will be arranged by the leader. You will need a passport that is valid for at least six months beyond the trip date. This trip does not include San Jose or attractions in the Central Valley. The leader will be happy to assist participants who wish to extend their stay.
Although we won't have the luxury of four-star hotels, we will stay in very nice lodges. Rooms will all be double-occupancy, so if you're a solo traveler, you will be assigned a roommate. For days five to seven, a few of the rooms may be triple-occupancy, but these rooms are extra-large.
This is an active leisure trip, though you'll have plenty of opportunities for more strenuous pursuits. The trip is suitable for old and young alike, as long as you are in reasonably good health, enjoy the wilderness, and have a good-humored and flexible approach to traveling in Latin America. Keep in mind that Costa Rica is still a developing country -- things don't always run exactly like they do at home. There may not be hot water in all our accommodations, rain will fall, clothes will get muddy and/or wet, and plans will change, but that's all part of the charm of international travel. A few of the bus rides will be long, but we'll mostly be on good roads, and the views will be great. To take advantage of the dry season, we've scheduled this trip during
December and January. The main part of our trip takes place in or
near
the Osa Peninsula, which has year-round tropical weather that ranges
from very warm to hot and humid. We can expect daily rain showers.
Temperatures vary with elevation.
The Central Valley, which includes San Jose, is known for its eternally
spring-like weather, with average temperatures in the high 60s. At
lower
elevations it is likely to be warm and humid. Cloud-forest nights and
mornings can be chilly.
The leader will send a detailed packing list to each registered participant. Conservation  Photo: Angela White In Costa Rica, we will get an up-close look at conservation in action. The country has long been committed to protecting, rather than exploiting, its natural resources. Indeed, as Pulitzer Prize-winning author Robert Cahn puts it, "the Costa Rican park system is in some ways the most remarkable national park system in the world." All told, it contains 34 protected areas, including 28 national parks, and the entire system encompasses about 11 percent of Costa Rica's land area. When forest reserves and wildlife refuges are included, the country's federal lands total about 25 percent. By comparison, our national parks cover about one-thirtieth of our total land area. There are severe problems, however, and signs of a weakening in this protection. Outside of the national parks and preserves, almost the entire country has been deforested. The nation's forests are falling at a faster rate than anywhere else in the western hemisphere, and, as a percentage of national land area, reportedly nine times faster than the rainforests of Brazil. The present government (and the electorate) must be convinced of the need for true and permanent protection of the environment.
This trip requires a $200 per-person deposit. An additional payment of $300 per person is due six months prior to trip departure. International trip prices are subject to change and are based on double-occupancy or group accommodations as described above. Single rooms may not be available or may cost more than the listed price. If you have any questions regarding double occupancy, please contact the trip leader. See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy. The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner. The Sierra Club accurately and fairly budgets and prices our trips. However, unforeseen costs such as devaluation of the dollar compared to other currencies and fuel surcharges assessed by our international providers, may necessitate adjustment in trip price. We will make every effort to mitigate and absorb these fees. If a price increase is necessary, however, you will have 14 days after announcement to cancel without penalty.
General Notes About Sierra Club Trips
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Kathleen Giel loves Latin America for its rich biological diversity and friendly people. She has been involved in the Sierra Club's outings program since 2000. Kath has a B.A. in botany and has traveled widely and independently to over 50 countries. She is an avid outdoorswoman and devotes much of her time to travel. When Kath is at home in northern California, she's often hiking the local trails, backpacking and botanizing in the High Sierra, or riding her bike in the Sonoma wine country.