Compare Costa Rica Photography Holiday by Creative Escapes vs Flavors of Costa Rica by Tours of Distinction
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 10 days | 8 days |
| Price From | $ 2,735 | $ 3,199 |
| Price Per Day | $ 273 | $ 400 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Premium |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Airfare included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included | N/A |
7 Breakfasts | 3 Lunches | 7 Dinners |
| Description |
Sandwiched by the Pacific Ocean on one side, and the Caribbean Sea on the other, with lush jungles, pristine beaches, never-ending wildlife, and lots of happy people in between – this is surely one of the most beautiful countries in Central America. Our 10-day Costa Rica photography holiday combines exhilarating adventure, captivating wildlife, gorgeous coastlines and neck-aching volcanoes; you’ll see such vibrant, deep shades of green you’ll think there’s been an addition to the color spectrum. Our ever-friendly Costa Ricans guides will waft you through the highlights of this stunning country; ziplining 2.5 km through a cloud forest, night shooting active volcanoes, grinding your own coffee tico style, then lazing on a powder white Caribbean beach. There is truly something for everyone in Costa Rica, the country that holds number one position on the Happy Planet Index. It won’t take long to realise why … |
This tour of Costa Rica teems with curious wildlife, endless beaches, tropical rainforests and rumbling volcanoes. Discover San Jose, Tortuguero, Arenal and Manuel Antonio! There is something to refresh everyone’s sense of fun and adventure. Come along and discover Costa Rica at its finest. Refresh yourself on our 8-day fully inclusive and guided tour. |
DAYS 1 & 2 : SAN JOSE
It’s only a short hop from the airport to our luxury boutique hotel in the heart of San Jose – Costa Rica’s spectacularly set capital city – ringed by jagged mountains, lush plants- tions and volcanoes on all sides. Our hotel, the Grano de Oro, is the finest hotel here, a 40-room former Victorian mansion, is a true oasis, a sanctuary in the heart of the city. Here we begin the basics of photography; understanding in very non-techy language how to confidently use your camera. Later, we’ll swing by some of the opulent museums of gold and jade, capture some colorfully arresting murals and hipster buskers in historic neighborhoods, and then kick back and drink the buzzing night- time atmosphere at Calle La Amarula. Welcome to the world’s happiest place!
DAYS 3 & 4: MONTEVERDE
Today, we head north, to Montverde Cloud Forest Reserve, extending over 35,000 acres and eight life zones atop the Continental Divide. Home to over 100 species of mammals, 1,200 amphibians plus jaguars, pumas and the resplendent quetzal, we’ll check into our junior suites, and get ready for our first adventure. At nightfall, a new world awakens in the clouds, and we’ll be there to capture the nocturnal biodiversity of the tropical forest by flashlight, led by experienced guides. Next day, we’ll delve further into the skills required to shoot great nature photography, then board the sky tram. Soon, high inside the forest, we’ll walk along sky trails at the level of the treetops, with spectacular views of the entire Biological reserve. Then, for those brave enough, we’ll descend 2.5 kilometers of zip lines up to 40mph, chance to silently observe the forest in all it’s might.
DAYS 5 & 6 : TURRIALBA
Costa Rica is home to a great number of volcanoes, six being active and another 61 dormant or extinct. Today, we’ll venture first to Irazu, the highest volcano in Costa Rica, from which on a clear day you can see both the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. After an afternoon shooting over the emerald lake and surrounding moonscapes, we’ll take a short drive to Turrialba, to our stunning ranch with fabulous views of an active volcano – chance to learn the art of night photography in plush, safe surroundings. Next day, we’ll switch into black and white mode, going behind the scenes at a working coffee plantation, chance to get your hands dirty roasting beans, grinding, blending then a private tasting (and some liqueurs too).
DAYS 7 & 8: PUERTO VIEJO
East today, to the Caribbean, to where the flora and fauna meets gorgeous beaches, crystal clear blue waters and unspoiled, authentic seaside towns. Here we’ll chill, chance to get into the Caribbean rhythm, and capture portraits in this untouched paradise. Today, we’ll find our own adventures, meeting rainforest fruit farmers, local surfers, and hawkers cooking up a storm in their rickety shacks. This is Costa Rica in second gear, and a smorgasbord of photographic opportunities to capture one of the last original communities. In your free time, take a snooze in the grounds of our luxury hotel, learn how to surf, or learn the art of creole cookery in our lunch spot at Maxims. Later, we’ll review all of the shots of the day, beachside – with cocktails, of course.
DAYS 9 & 10: SAN JOSE
Our final stop back to the luxurious Grano de Oro, chance to put all your skills in portraiture, documentary, action, nature and landscape photography into practice, and work closely with your tutor to develop some shots for our final nights pop up exhibition in the grounds of the hotel. We’ll help pinpoint your emerging technique, give you tips on where to develop your skills, and some advice on the best kind of kit to suit your style. Finally, to round the trip off, we’ll host a pop-up outdoor exhibition overlooking the city of San Jose, then head out to celebrate all of our creative exploits. Next day, you’ll have time to relax and explore Costa Rica one last time before the plane flight home.
Day 1 - Arrive San Jose, Costa Rica
Transfer to the airport and board your flight to San Jose, Costa Rica. Upon arrival in San Jose, we transfer to our hotel. Once settled, we get together for a welcome cocktail and dinner. (D)
Day 2 - San Jose - Tortuguero National Park
Our Costa Rica adventure truly begins today. Enjoy some coffee and biscuits before departing to a remote area of Tortuguero. On the way, we will stop in Guapiles town for a hearty breakfast. After, we continue to a pier where our boat to Tortuguero awaits. Upon arrival, we check-in and enjoy lunch. In the afternoon, we visit Tortuguero village and the Turtle Museum.
Tortuguero, is one of the rainiest regions of the country, and it shelters the biggest biological variety of the nation; 11 habitats were identified so far in the park. The forest is the most important area of the coastline where coco palms are abundant.
We return to our lodge for an evening of rainforest pleasure and dinner. (B,L,D)
Day 3 - Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica
After breakfast, we enjoy a boat tour in the morning to the small canals for wildlife observation. Tortuguero National Park, with its 21,000 hectares of preserved tropical rain forest, provides one of the best opportunities to experience a wide range of tropical wildlife. We hope to spot a variety of monkeys, toucans, green macaws, and caimans, among others, while gliding through the vine laden canals with our naturalist guide.
After, we return to lodge for lunch. Later, we enjoy a small hike on the lodge’s trails. (B,L,D)
Day 4 - Tortuguero National Park - Arenal
This morning, we transfer by boat back to La Pavona pier and continue by bus to Guapiles where we will enjoy a delicious lunch. After lunch, we are lead over to la Fortuna de San Carlos where the impressive Arenal Volcano resides. La Fortuna de San Carlos is home to one of the most beautiful volcanoes in the world. Cloud forests, a beautiful volcanic lake and an incredibly diverse population of wildlife is just part of what we will find in this amazing area of Costa Rica. Near the volcano, you will find the largest lake in Costa Rica, Lake Arenal. After, we check in at our hotel and enjoy a welcome drink. There will be time to relax and refresh before our wine and cheese cruise on Lake Arenal. We return to the hotel for dinner in these beautiful surroundings. (B,L,D)
Day 5 - Arenal
Adventure awaits today! After breakfast, we visit the Sky Adventure facilities. Here, we will have the opportunity to observe the forest from a different perspective and have some fun! Sky Walk (Hanging bridges), Sky Trek (Zipline) & Sky Tram are all included; the choice is yours. The Sky Walk is an impressive series of bridges and paths. Here, we can experience spectacular views. Several bridges take us alongside the tree canopy, some of which have colonized the bridges. We may even spot birds and howler monkeys at their own level.
The Sky Tram is a 20-minute aerial tram tour that reaches a wide observation deck at the highest point of the Arenal Reserve where we can observe the rain forest, Arenal volcano, and lake. Sky Trek is all about getting active above the treetops. It consists of a system of zip lines that allow us to observe the rainforest and its landscape from a different perspective.
After we travel to Don Juan Chocolate for a chocolate and coffee tour. Here, we will get the chance to learn the importance and history of coffee to ‘Tico’ culture and Costa Rica’s development. Then, we continue with our chocolate tour – the perfect compliment to coffee! We experience the aromas and history, and participate in the chocolate making process.
Return to the hotel later this afternoon. Take some time to relax and use our hotel’s facilities and hot Springs. (B,D)
Day 6 - Arenal – Manuel Antonio
This morning, we have breakfast at our hotel then head out for Manuel Antonio. On the way south, we will stop at the Tárcoles River to appreciate the Crocodiles as well as the Guacalillo mangrove. The river of Tárcoles offers us the opportunity to observe American Crocodiles with sizes over the four meters long, iguanas and basilisks in their natural environment. Specialized bilingual guides will accompany us offering wide educational information on the biology of the crocodiles and diverse aspects of the ecology of this natural refuge. During the tour we enter the Guacalillo Channel, an estuary where there are four different species of mangrove (black, red, white and buttonhole) that constitute an important refuge for the red macaw.
After, we continue to Manuel Antonio. Upon arrival, we check-in to our hotel and have dinner. Manuel Antonio is a small oceanside village tucked into nature. Famous for its national park, this tiny yet bustling town is located off Costa Rica’s central Pacific coast and without a doubt, is one of the country’s most celebrated spots. (B,D)
Day 7 - Manuel Antonio
Today, we journey to nearby Manuel Antonio National Park. Manuel Antonio National Park is 7,000 acres; however, it also has an additional 136,000 acres of a Marine Park Reserve. It is one of the smallest and most popular national parks in Costa Rica. The protected rainforests of Manuel Antonio National Park provide a home for 350 species of birds and 109 species of mammals. Among the birds native to the region, we may see scarlet macaws, toucans, motmots, parakeets, hawks and tanagers. Of course, the most popular animals are the various monkey species that call Manuel Antonio National Park home. White-faced capuchin, spider and mantled howler monkeys may greet us. Once inside the park, we may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the endangered red-backed squirrel monkey. Other commonly seen animals include both two- and three-toed sloths, coatimundis, peccaries, iguanas and armadillos, as well as a host of reptile and amphibian park dwellers.
We return to our hotel for some time at leisure. Enjoy the pristine beaches, shop the local markets or relax by the pool. (B,D)
Day 8 - Depart Manuel Antonio
After breakfast this morning, we transfer to the airport and board the flight home. The tour may be over, but the memories of all the beautiful places we have visited on this trip will stay with you. (B)
