Painting-Travel-Art-Tours-Costa Rica-Itinerary

Price includes:

•All lodging & meals + taxes on lodging (13%) and meals (23%) included in this program.

•Full operational support services by Holbrook travels- 24 hour phone service

•Radio communication with the motor coach

• All entry fees to parks, conservation areas and guided tours

Price does not include:

• Personal expenses such as laundry service, alcoholic beverges, phone calls

• Airport departure tax (currently US$ 28.00 per person)

• Meals, snacks and others not specified

• Tips or gratuities for maids, bellboys, and all local guides while in the program
• Airfare to or from the tour

LANKESTER GARDENS

The University of Costa Rica manages the exceptional Lankester Gardens. It was started as a private garden by British orchid enthusiast Charles Lankester in 1917. In 1973 it was turned over to the university and became open to the public. Orchids are the big draw at this tranquil 11-hectare spot. There are more than 1100 orchids in the garden. There is also a Japanese garden, as well as areas full of bromeliads, palms, heliconias and other tropical plants. There is a good gift shop that is one of the few places where you can legally purchase orchids to take home.

This is a new part of our tour and one we are very excited about.

Sibú CHOCOLATIERS

This tour has become super popular...... you won’t want to miss it! Our visit includes a presentation on the history of cacao in Costa Rica and it’s arrival in Europe. We sample chocolate confections and tasting squares made on the premises with 100% organic Costa Rican cacao. Enjoy a demonstration on how to temper chocolate by hand, as well as glimpse artisan chocolate production. There will be an opportunity to purchase chocolate to take with you and to bring home.

SELVA VERDE LODGE

For over 30 years, the Selva Verde Lodge has been a haven for nature enthusiasts from around the world. The abundant biodiversity, and comfortable rainforest lodge, are ideal for adventure seekers, bird and wildlife watchers, artists and photographers. Selva Verde is home to 500 acres of vibrant tropical forest. They are committed to a sustainable future - not only for Selva Verde, but for the people and wildlife that call the Sarapiqui home. They carry and support Costa Rica's Certification for Sustainable Tourism, actively working with conservation partners, including the Sarapiqui Conservation Learning Center, to promote conservation and environmental education throughout the local community.

Art & Photography Tour - Costa Rica

SAVE THESE DATES!!!!

February 5-14, 2014

We will be uploading the 2014 itinerary soon! The itinerary below is a sample of what we did last year.

Day 1- Arrival

As soon as you arrive through Immigration you will be met and greeted at the SAN JOSE airport by a driver who will take you to the Hotel Bougainvillea. A meet and greet welcome dinner kicks off our tour! Overnight at Hotel Bougainvillea. (D)

Day 2- Let’s Get Started!

Start the morning off with a wonderful breakfast at the hotel buffet. Choose from lots of wonderful mouth watering tropical fruits, eggs, cereals and delicious Costa Rican coffee. After breakfast the group will gather in the garden to start sketching and taking photos. This is a time to get all the kinks and questions out of how the camera works, working with macro photography and the optimal use of drawing and sketching supplies. Lunch at the hotel. Afternoon visit to Lankester Gardens. Here we will experience this spectacular garden along with a fabulous orchid collection. This is an excellent opportunity to work on drawing orchids and photographing them with the macro setting on your camera. Overnight at Hotel Bougainvillea (B, L, D)

Day 3 - Up Early and Let’s Take off!

Today we will leave the Central Valley and head to the Sarapiqui Region of Costa Rica. On our way we will stop for our famous Chocolate Tasting Tour at Sibú Chocolatiers. After lunch at Sibú we will travel to Toucan Ranch where you will see many tropical birds up close and personal. Overnight at Selva Verde Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 5 -The Sarapiqui River

Rise and shine bird watchers! Another opportunity to get up early and see more of Selva Verde's migratory and permanent bird species. After breakfast we will be transported to the nearby Sarapiqui River for a scenic boat ride. See camains, waterbirds, howler monkeys, iguanas and more on this voyage through the rainforest. After the boat ride we visit La Finca to learn about the elusive tapir! Spend the rest of the day taking photos, drawing, painting or swimming in the pool! Overnight at Selva Verde Lodge (B, L, D)

HOTEL BOUGAINVILLEA

The gardens at the Hotel Bougainvillea make the hotel one of the most beautiful places to stay in Costa Rica. It has 10 acres of carefully tended and landscaped tropical gardens, featuring over 50 species of bromeliads, Costa Rican native trees, and numerous species of orchids, herb and cactus gardens. Our artists and photographers find the gardens an inspirational paradise where they can draw, photograph and discover the beauty of countless endemic Costa Rican plants and birds.The famed, radiant hummingbird and butterflies, typical of the Central Valley of Costa Rica, are easily recognized from the bird watching points.This garden is so gorgeous you won’t want to leave!

Day 6- More Chocolate!

This morning we visit Tirimbina for a tour of a cacao farm. The cacao plot, is cultivated in the ancient way – the cacao trees are mixed with other forest trees. See the way cacao was harvested and processed using the traditional methods of the Mayan and Aztec cultures. There is time to draw and photograph the cacao tree and its colorful seed pods. The remainder of the day is at leisure to sketch, relax or explore with guidance from Mindy & Nancy. Guided night tour - A Bug’s Night Out! Overnight at Selva Verde Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 7- Enjoy the Day!

Today is a leisurely day to work on art and photography, relax or participate in optional activities (these activities are extra and can be arranged once you are at Selve Verde Lodge) such as a zipline tour or white water rafting. Enjoy a farewell to Selva Verde dinner with pizza from their stone-fire oven. Overnight at Selva Verde Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 9- Costa Flores

This morning head back to San José stopping enroute at Costa Flores Botanical Garden. A guided tour of the display garden allows time for sketching and photographing amazing and bizarre, colorful tropical flowers like anthiriums, heliconias, bromeliads and gingers. Mindy will do demonstrations of painting and Nancy will on hand to help you improve your photography skills in “ plant portraiture”. Return to the Hotel Bougainvillea for a farewell dinner. Overnight at Hotel Bougainvillea (B, L, D)

COSTA FLORES

Costa Flores Botanical Garden is one of the worlds largest tropical flower farms. There are over 500 varieties of heliconias, palms, gingers, anthiriums and bromeliads grown on 300 acres for export to florists in North America and Europe. The display garden shows a variety of these plants on beautiful walkways that sculpt their way around a large pond with an open “boat deck”. The Deck is an awesome place to get to work and paint!

Day 8- Too Cute! Baby Sloths!

After an early breakfast we head to the Caribbean coast for a very special visit to the Sloth Rescue Center of Costa Rica. Our good friend Judy Arroyo will give us a behind the scenes tour of their rescue center. Learn about the 2 species of sloths found in the Costa Rican rainforest; Choloepus and Bradypus and their role in rainforest ecology. A canoe tour of the canal and fabulous lunch will also be provided. There is time to draw, paint and photograph these sleepy lazy, lovable mammals. Overnight Cariblue (B, L, D)

The SLOTH SANCTUARY of Costa Rica

In 1997 the sanctuary became affiliated and recognized by the Costa Rican government as a rescue for injured and abandoned sloths. The Sloth Sanctuary is home to over 150 sloths that have been injured, abandoned or confiscated. They have an international veterinary study station with a state-of-the-art equipped hospital, with many new enclosures to house the growing family of sloths in need of permanent residence. Learn about these gentle and often misunderstood rainforest mammals and what humans are doing to protect them.

Day 10- Back to the airport and homeward bound

The trip has come to an end and you will be transferred to the airport approximately 3 hours before you flight is scheduled to take off. The airport tax is $26 and can be paid with colones, US $$ or by credit card.

While this itinerary presents the trip as planned, actual details may vary due to weather, special events, unforeseen circumstances, or new and better options that become available. We alway strive to optimize the tour and your artistic vacation experience.

If you would like a printable copy of this itinerary email me at: MLighthipe@mac.com

Watch a video and see some of the great things you will see and do!

Day 4 - The Selva Verde Lodge

Early risers can take advantage of a bird watching walk before breakfast with Selva Verde's resident bird expert. After breakfast the group takes a leisurely guided walk with an expert naturalist in Selva Verde's reserve. The remainder of the day is at leisure to work on sketching, photographing, relaxing and exploring. Mindy& Nancy are available for demonstrations and one on one assistance. Guided night tour - A Frog Hunt!

Overnight at Selva Verde Lodge (B, L, D)

The Toucan Rescue Ranch

The Toucan Rescue Ranch is a privately owned wildlife rescue facility focusing on the care, rehabilitation and study of Costa Rican Toucans. At the ranch they receive sick, confiscated, and injured birds from government agencies and provide them a loving home. When possible they rehabilitate them and return them to the wild. Learn up close and personal about the Rainbow Keeled and Chestnut Mandible Toucan and their role in rainforest ecology.

How to Register for the Tour:

We are proud to be working with Holbrook Travel of Gainesville, Florida. Holbrook has been enriching lives through travel since 1974. They uphold the highest standards in the Eco-travel industry and own and operate the Selve Verde Lodge.

Cost is based on double occupancy. A $200 per person deposit and enrollment form is due by October 1, 2012. This deposit is refundable until October 29, 2012 excluding a $100 cancellation fee. Final payments are due no later than October 29, 2012. Cancellations received after this date are not refundable.

Contact Holbrook Travel at 1.800.451.7111 or by filing out this form online.

Travel/trip cancellation insurance is strongly recommended. For information call Travel Insured at 1.800.243.3174 or visit travelinsured.com. Holbrook Travel’s agency number is 15849.