Costa Rica - The Ultimate Wildlife Ecotour

Special Departures with Sirena - the Heart of Corcovado

14 Day Itinerary

These are special departures of our most value-packed itinerary featuring Sirena, the Heart of Corcovado National Park, and emphasizing wildlife and bird-watching "off the beaten path." This is our signature wildlife adventure, with many of Wild Planet's special touches, including:

More value than any other professional wildlife tour, including over 13 paid admissions to national parks, wildlife refuges, private wildlife reserves, and adventure activities such as canopy tours and hot springs.

Expert Local Naturalist Guides - Even biologists in some places

Breathtaking Rainforest Lodges - Many featured in Conde Naste, Travel & Leisure, and on Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel

Specifically designed to optimize the chances of seeing more wildlife by visitng a variety of different eco-systems, with no commercial "filler" activities.

Days 1-9 are the same as our regular Ultimate Wildlife program.

(Itinerary for days 1-9 is repeated below after Day 14.)

Day 10 Sierpe, Osa Peninsula:

Highlights: After a late morning enjoying the beaches and wildlife of Manuel Antono, we’ll transfer to Sierpe, on the Osa Peninsula. Our lodge, Estero Azul, is right off of the Sierpe River, and affords excellent riverside wildlife viewing and birdwatching. This evening we will prepare for our expedition to Sirena.

Wildlife: Osa is the absolute best place to see all 4 types of Costa Rican monkeys, (including rare squirrel monkeys) peccaries and other exotic wildlife, in greater numbers than anywhere else, and your best chance to spot jaguar and other big cats. It is one of the last stands for many extremely rare and endangered species including the Harpy Eagle and King Vulture. Over 400 species of birds including the largest population of scarlet macaws in the country.

Day 11 Sirena, the Heart of Corcovado, Osa:

WILD PLANET ADVENTURES EXCLUSIVE!
By special arrangement, today we will boat directly from Estero Azul to Sirena, the heart of Corcovado National Park. Our boat will stop along the way if we have the good fortune to encounter dolphins and whales which frequent the area. Our highly skilled captain will guide us through a thrilling wet landing right at the entrance of Sirena, deep in Corcovado. We’ll then spend the rest of the day hiking the trails around Sirena, looking for wildlife. Late afternoon we will head back to Drake Bay and transfer by 4WD to Villas Corcovado, a luxury lodge in Rincon, for some pampering after our special Sirena expedition.

Highlights: Corcovado is THE place you dream of when you think Costa Rica, and Sirena is the heart of Corcovado and the hardest to reach; The only other way to get to Sirena is by a 37 km backpack or a private small plane. Sirena’s remote location and difficult access is why it also is the most biodiverse part of Corcovado, and has the most wildlife --including many rare and indigenous species. Jaguars and Tapirs are regularly seen, Harpy Eagles have been spotted, bull sharks patrol the rivers and the trails are teeming with rare and endemic wildlife. Corvovado is one of the last stands for many extremely rare and endangered species, and all of these animals are seen in Sirena more often than any other part of Corcovado.

Corvovado also holds the largest remaining stand of virgin rainforest in Central America and is one of the last truly unspoiled and wild places in the world. This is truly a very special and exclusive experience, with limited departures offered for 2009.

Wildlife: Sirena is the absolute best place to see all 4 types of Costa Rican monkeys, (including rare squirrel monkeys) peccaries and other exotic wildlife, in greater numbers than anywhere else. But that’s not all! Tapirs are regularly seen, and Sirena is by far your best chance to spot jaguar and other big cats. Over 400 species of birds including the largest population of scarlet macaws in the country.

Days 12-13 Golfito Bay, Osa:

Highlights: Enjoy 2 nights of relaxation at Villas Corcovado, one of the most beautiful luxury lodges in Costa Rica. Villas Corcovado is strategically located on the Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, on the Osa peninsula between Corcovado National Park and Las Esquinas and Piedras Blancas National Parks. The 8 villas rise high above the calm emerald waters of the Golfo Dulce and afford incredible panoramic views of the bay. Winding paths from each villa lead to the pool, gourmet restaurant, and down to the bay. Choose from wildlife viewing and bird watching with our naturalist guide or optional dolphin excursions, sea-kayaking, or simply relax at this beautiful luxury lodge in one of the last untraveled and breathtaking parts of Costa Rica. After 2 delicious nights, we’ll depart for Dominical and one last opportunity to enjoy the beach.

Days 1-9 (same as regular Ultimate Wildlife departures)

Day 1-3 Cahuita National Park, Aviarios Wildlife Refuge

Highlights: Jungle Beach, Canoeing on Virgin Wetlands, Rainforest hiking, Sloth Refuge, Bird and Wildlife Watching.
Wildlife: Sloths, white-faced monkeys, anteaters, otters, caiman, morpho butterflies, poison-arrow frogs, and over 300 species of exotic tropical birds.

Start your adventure visiting the world-famous Aviaros Sloth Rescue Center, featured on Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel, where you'll interact with wildlife experts, watch feeding of newborn sloths, and learn about one of the most endearing and cuddly animals of the rainforest. Then canoe on Aviårios's own private wildlife refuge through virgin wetlands where rainforest canals (similar to Torgugeuro, but without the crowds!) are habitat for exotic colorful birds such as the Purple Gallenule, Boat-billed Heron and Northern Jicana.

In the afternoon, we'll hike in Cahuita National Park, a crowd-free rainforest beach teeming with monkeys, sloths, toucans and more. We'll usually see 5-12 troops of monkeys of 2 species (with 3-30 individuals in each troop) as well as 5-20 sloths of 2 species, and a wide variety of other wildlife common to the Caribbean lowlands. This easy-paced hike ends with relaxing on the beach before heading into Cahuita for a fresh-caught seafood dinner at one of the most acclaimed restaurants on the Caribbean coast.

Day 3-5 La Selva Biological Reserve, Sarapiqui River, Puerto Viejo River

Highlights: Whitewater rafting, flatwater wildlife expedition on a rainforest river, hiking in a Biological Station with biologists studying the rainforest.
Wildlife: Extreme biodiversity including 400 species of birds, rare rainforest frogs, river otter, agouti, coati, monkeys, anteaters and more.

The Sarapiqui is one of the highlights of every paddler's "dream trip." Passing directly through La Selva Biological Reserve, the river is surrounded by old-growth rainforest and exotic birds. The next day we'll run the Puerto Viejo river, a remote river that rarely sees any humans besides us!

Wild Planet Adventures Exclusive

Choose from rafts, inflatable kayaks or canoes for both whitewater and flatwater segments. More small boats spread out along the river means more eyes spread out along the river, which means we see more wildlife! And in the flat-water sections we can stop and observe wildlife for a more intimate experience of the rainforest and wildlife than any other conventional tour.

Eve 5 La Fortuna, Volcano Arenal, Hot Springs

Relax in a rejuvinating hot springs near the foothills of of Volcano Arenal. Then enjoy a night-time view of the volcano spouting lava.

Day 6-8 Monteverde Cloud Forest

Highlights:    Cloud forest, Canopy Tour. Naturalist-guided Hiking and Birding.
Wildlife:    Resplendent Quetzals, trogans, rare hummingbirds and hundreds of birds unique to the Cloud forest. Howler monkeys and other small mammals.
      The Bio-diversity and exuberance of life in the cloudforest is a result of clouds drifting in and dripping constant moisture on the dense canopy tops. A naturalist guide points out a stunning array of plant and birdlife, perhaps even the endangered Resplendent Quetzal. Later, a series of suspended bridges and platforms offers an unforgettable glimpse of life high amongst the canopy and the transcendent sensation of walking amongst the clouds.

Eve 8 Carara Biological Preserve

Highlights: Evening Scarlet Macaw migration, rare wildlife, giant exotic hardwoods.

Wildlife: Crocodiles, scarlet macaws, anteater, ocelot, peccaries, white-faced and spider monkeys, poison-arrow frog.
An old growth forest of striking complexity and density, Carara's giant trees include 10 of the rarest hardwoods in Costa Rica. The unique combination of ecosystems is habitat for many rare and endangered animals, including one of the largest populations of scarlet macaws in the country, which migrate twice daily from the inland rainforest to the coastal mangrove swamps.

Day 9-10 Manuel Antonio Park

Highlights: Spectacular world-class beaches
Wildlife: White-faced and squirrel monkeys right on the beach!
The most popular national park in Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio offers dense rainforests spilling down onto brilliant white sand beaches populated with friendly white-faced and squirel monkeys.