FARMINGTON – UMF’s Office of Global Education invites area residents to experience Costa Rica’s rich biodiversity and wide array of remarkable ecosystems through a Jan. 4 to Jan. 14, 2020, guided tour with UMF Professor of Creative Writing Jeffrey Thomson.
During the 11-day tour, trip participants will explore the diversity of Costa Rica’s rainforests, cloud forests, mangrove swamps, and beach ecosystems. Thomson, who has written two books about Costa Rica and has led student classes there for 20 years, has curated an itinerary that emphasizes the natural history, ecological patterns, tropical conservation, and the political and cultural systems that make Costa Rica a world-renowned destination for eco-travelers.
Trip highlights include:
- Bird watching in the world-famous San Gerardo de Dota Valley, noted for tanagers, toucanets, and quetzal
- Hiking in the tropical cloud forest and paramo (subalpine grassland)
- Hiking in the largest piece of lowland rainforest remaining in Central America, with the opportunity to see all species of monkey native to Costa Rica, as well as sloths, anteaters, scarlet macaws, and big cats
- Boating tours into the Caribbean estuary of the Tortuguero River, a noted turtle sanctuary, with caiman, neotropical otters, tapir, and a wealth of bird species
- Visits to off-the-beaten-path towns to experience authentic village life
The trip involves up to five miles of walking each day, and all participants must be able to carry and manage their own luggage. The program fee of $3,250 includes all entrance fees, local guides, in-country transportation, accommodations, and meals. The fee does not include flights to and from Costa Rica, and other personal expenses.
Learn more about the January 2020 UMF Alumni and Community Trip to Costa Rica at www.umf.maine.edu/alumni/january-2020-alumni-trip-to-costa-rica/
Those who may be interested in participating in the January 2020 UMF Alumni and Community Trip to Costa Rica are asked to complete this online pre-registration form: www.umf.maine.edu/alumni/preregistration-for-the-january-2020-umf-alumni-and-friends-trip-to-costa-rica/ Completing the pre-registration form is non-binding, and no payment or deposit is required at this time.
