Bewildered
Well-known member
Hello all,
I have always wanted to go to Costa Rica but as a student wasn't financially able. Well, I've saved up for a few years now of summer jobs and have a gap year now so I'm going to make my dream a reality. Given the fairly limited funds, I'm going to try to do it mostly on my own but I'll hire local guides at lodges I'm sure.
I've tentatively put together the following itinerary:
1st night: somewhere in San Jose, possibly Hotel Bougainvillea but I'll probably just find somewhere cheap as I wont be here for long
2-3rd nights: La Selva OTS
4-5th nights: Natural Lodge Caño Negro
6-7th nights: Arenal Observatory Lodge
8-10th nights: Cerro Lodge
11-13th nights: Esquinas Rainforest Lodge
14-15th nights: Savagre Mountain Lodge
So I have a few general questions. The broadest is, does this look like a solid general itinerary? I think I've covered all the main areas... will birding Cerro/Carara get me most of the dry forest species or should I consider going somewhere like Palo Verde? Next, is Arenal worth doing or will I get essentially everything I could see there elsewhere? There seems to be a few things that are possible there that I wont see elsewhere so I think I'll keep it unless suggested otherwise. Finally, is there anywhere else I should add? Honestly, I could make this into a 3 week trip but I don't really know where else I should go. Bosque de Paz comes to mind but they seem to be sold out already for the entire general time frame I'm planning on going.
Thanks for any advice.
I have always wanted to go to Costa Rica but as a student wasn't financially able. Well, I've saved up for a few years now of summer jobs and have a gap year now so I'm going to make my dream a reality. Given the fairly limited funds, I'm going to try to do it mostly on my own but I'll hire local guides at lodges I'm sure.
I've tentatively put together the following itinerary:
1st night: somewhere in San Jose, possibly Hotel Bougainvillea but I'll probably just find somewhere cheap as I wont be here for long
2-3rd nights: La Selva OTS
4-5th nights: Natural Lodge Caño Negro
6-7th nights: Arenal Observatory Lodge
8-10th nights: Cerro Lodge
11-13th nights: Esquinas Rainforest Lodge
14-15th nights: Savagre Mountain Lodge
So I have a few general questions. The broadest is, does this look like a solid general itinerary? I think I've covered all the main areas... will birding Cerro/Carara get me most of the dry forest species or should I consider going somewhere like Palo Verde? Next, is Arenal worth doing or will I get essentially everything I could see there elsewhere? There seems to be a few things that are possible there that I wont see elsewhere so I think I'll keep it unless suggested otherwise. Finally, is there anywhere else I should add? Honestly, I could make this into a 3 week trip but I don't really know where else I should go. Bosque de Paz comes to mind but they seem to be sold out already for the entire general time frame I'm planning on going.
Thanks for any advice.