I’m off to Costa Rica tomorrow morning at 6 a.m.! And I am beyond excited.

I will be on the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica for six days–from Sunday through Friday. And our itinerary is nothing less than amazing.

Here are some highlights of the coming week:

• a Monkey Tour, likely to also feature sloths and scarlet macaws.
• sunset on a black lava rock beach.
• the Osa Interactive Gardens, a butterfly farm dedicated to forest conservation and environmental education. Wow! This is me.
• the Sierpe River Tour, featuring crocs (keep your feet in the boat; not that kind!), hundreds of bird species, monkeys and more.
• a trip across the Golfo Dulce, during which we just might see a humpback whale (please, Jesus, I’ve been a good girl!), to visit the Osa Wildlife Sanctuary and some of Costa Rica’s most elusive wildlife.

One day I actually must choose between a bird tour or a monkey tour. Heaven, help me!

This awesome trip was put together by the equally awesome Out of Chicago! and its founder Chris Smith and his team. It’s a complete package. Once I land in San Jose, I really don’t have to worry about a thing. All meals, local transportation, and tours are in place.

I’m going with a small group of other photographers, and we’ll have both photography instructors and local guides who will teach us about what we are seeing.

Friends, this feels like the trip of a lifetime! We will have internet at Crocodile Bay, our home base, so I’ll share a few photos and blog a bit during the week. Follow along! But don’t expect me to spend too much time at my computer…