12 Day Costa Rica Wildlife & Landscape Photography Workshop
International Photo Workshop
Daily itinerary
Day 1 - San José
You'll arrive to the capital city of Costa Rica in San José and make your way by shuttle bus to your local hotel. There will be some time to rest and explore the city at your own leisure, before you meet for a group dinner in the evening at a restaurant that overlooks the spectacular Escazú mountains in the Central Valley. This will be a great opportunity for you to get to know your guides and fellow travellers, as you discuss the itinerary for the days ahead. It is the perfect time to ask any questions that you may have before the tour well and truly begins.
Read moreDay 2 - Arenal Volcano
You'll rise early and begin the adventure towards the Northern Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica, a remote wildlife region where there are very few human inhabitants. The focus for the next few days will be wildlife photography, as we immerse ourselves in the tropical rainforests of San Carlos.
Read moreDay 3 - Arenal Volcano
There will be many opportunities to photograph the extraordinary Arenal volcano, surrounded by a network of rivers and lakes. We'll spend our time exploring all around Arenal as we capture the volcano from different angles, including the postcard-perfect La Fortuna waterfall that tumbles forth from within the jungle, amidst a variety of abundant flora and fauna.
Over the next two days, there will be the option to engage in activities such as zip-lining through the forest canopy, walking across hanging bridges and taking boat rides for an exhilarating take on the scenery in the area.
Read moreDay 4 - Boca Tapada
On day four, we'll travel off the beaten track to Boca Tapada in the Northern Lowlands, between Ciudad Quesada and the Nicaragua border. This tranquil region is a bird photographer's paradise, where you'll have endless opportunities to photograph hummingbirds, parrots, toucans and the venerated king vulture which was recognised as a mighty god in the ancient Mayan culture.
Read moreDay 5 - Boca Tapada
We'll spend two nights in this spectacular tropical rainforest, in search of elusive reptiles and mammal species, such as sloths, white faced monkeys, pizotes, caimans, snakes and bats. If you're lucky, then you may even catch sight of a wildcat!
Read moreDay 6 - Sarapaquí
On day six, we'll continue exploring the Northern Caribbean lowlands, as we visit the enchanting Sarapaquí area. Here, the vibrant orange hues of the earth meet with lush green shades within the rainforest. In our sights today will be tropical frogs, including the red-eyed tree frog – the icon of Costa Rica – as well as the Blue Jeans frog, poison dart frogs, Splendid Leaf frog and different types of Crystal frogs. They make for the perfect subjects to practice macro photography techniques, as we use the wonderful forest lighting to our advantage, highlighting all of their spectacular and intricate details.
There will also be many opportunities to capture the teeming birdlife, with the area being home to many kingfishers, scarlet macaws and of course, the beautiful toucans.
Read moreDay 7 - Cerro Buenavista
On day seven, we'll rise early and travel to the spectacular Talamanca mountain range in the southeast of Costa Rica. This Highland area rises into the clouds and is surrounded by lush, green rainforest.
We'll spend two days in the area, exploring mountain valleys and breathtaking peaks, in search of the famous Resplendent Quetzal birds that are endemic to this region.
Read moreDay 8 - Cerro Buenavista
Among our other subjects will be hummingbirds, which live at the highest elevations within the Talamancas. Capturing these tiny birds is a thrill and we'll use multi flash set ups to photograph them as they flit around quickly, weaving between the vegetation as they feed on nectar.
In the evenings, we'll leave the wildlife for landscapes instead, as we photograph the wonderful hues of the sun tinging the clouds as it sets over Cerro Buenavista. This is also a great place to practice night photography, as the remoteness of the area means less light pollution and the ability to witness millions of stars blanketing the dark skies.
Read moreDay 9 - Dominical
On day nine, we'll head to the beach town of Dominical, a world-renowned surfing destination. The beaches here are beautiful, with rocks making for interesting foreground subjects as the waves roll in.
Later in the afternoon, we'll take a boat tour of the coast within the Marine National Park Bahía Ballena. This area is popular for whale watching and you can bet that there will be opportunities to photograph dolphins, humpback whales, turtles, as well as other marine wildlife.
The highlight of the day will be a visit to one of the best waterfalls in Costa Rica, the spectacular Nauyaca where crystal clear water cascades into an incredible pool below. Located deep within the mountainous terrain of the rainforests in the South Pacific, this breathtaking location offers up a number of compositions that will make for a truly memorable experience.
Read moreDay 10 - Orotina
On day ten, we'll rise early for breakfast and head back towards Nauyaca waterfalls for another photography session. Thereafter, we'll have lunch back at the hotel.
We'll spend the afternoon at the small town of Orotina, exploring at our leisure. There will also be the option later today to sit down as a group for a much-needed post-processing session.
Read moreDay 11 - Orotina
On day eleven, we'll get up early to meet the calls of the local birds, as we capture them in a buzz of morning activity. From there, we'll make our way to lunch and then embark upon an exciting boat tour of the Tárcoles River, in search of wildlife.
If we're lucky, we may spot crocodiles, migratory birds, iguanas, monkeys, raccoons and even crabs as we cruise the waters of this nature sanctuary.
In the evening, we'll make our way back to San José, where we'll check in to our hotel and meet together for one last farewell dinner as a group.
Read moreDay 12 - San José
This will be our final day in Costa Rica. After breakfast, you'll transfer by shuttle bus back to the airport for your flight home or onwards to your next destination – no doubt with a plethora of awe-inspiring images to remember a truly exhilarating adventure capturing the wildlife and landscapes of Costa Rica!
Read moreDisclaimer
We highly recommend that you get a travel and medical insurance. Your own domestic medical insurance and private health scheme will not cover you whilst you are overseas.
The tour is always dependent on weather, as the weather can indeed be highly unpredictable. When it comes to wildlife sightings, there is no guarantee that certain wildlife will appear on a given day.
Departure Schedule
9-20 Jun 2020 - Guided by Luis Solano Pochet & Adrián Zamora Cordero
Guides
Costa Rican Photographer, Advertising Designer, Blogger, TEDx Speaker, Adventurer and Dreamer. Luis is the Founder and Director of ToTheWonder®, the most important adventure photography blog and tour operator in Central America. Sony Alpha Ambassador for Latin America as well as brand ambassador for Patagonia, Petzl, La Sportiva, Sea to Summit and Trangoworld in Costa Rica.
He currently leads International Photographic Expeditions and Workshops through to ToTheWonder and continuously collaborates with Iceland Photo Tours as a photo guide.
Luis is recognized for documenting the spectacular landscapes of the world in an artistic, emotional and original way. For him the photos of the places he visits become tangible trophies of lived experiences. It is his way of sharing a little of this spectacular planet and keeping it forever.
Adrián is a Costa Rican advertising designer and photographer. He is also an avid adventure, sports and nature lover. He works as the Executive Assistant for ToTheWonder®, the most important adventure photography blog and tour operator in Central America. Adrián has been a Photo Guide for ToTheWonder Workshops since its beginning.
Photography is the best tool to preserve memorable moments in our lives. For this reason his philosophy of life can be summed up in living one day at a time. His passion for photography has focused on acquiring and sharing knowledge, and showing the wonderful world of photography to all those who want to be part of the great Explorers of Wonder community.
