Nature Tour of Costa Rica 2016

In March 2016 we went on a tour of Costa Rica. Again it was organised for us by Reef & Rainforest it was not a group tour but just the two of us. It had been custom designed to meet our requirements.

We started on the Caribbean coast and finished on the Pacific coast. As usual our main interest was wildlife and a bit of adventure.Unfortunately for us British Airways had not started flying direct to Costa Rica when we went, so it was London - Madrid - San José. A bit tedious.

Our first night was at the Bougainvilla Hotel about 20 minutes from the airport (in theory but not in the rush hour). It had 10 acres of the most magnificent gardens we were very pleased that on the way back we would have longer to enjoy them.

Early the next morning our driver picked us up and took us to the coach meeting point exactly on time the coach arrived and took us to La Pavona stopping for breakfast en route. At La Pavona (note La Pavona is just North of Cariari and is not on any map) we boarded a boat to take us though the jungle waterway to Tortugero. The boat dropped us off at the jetty at Pachira Lodge just in time for lunch. At we arrived we could hear the howler monkeys in the jungle that surrounded the lodge.

After lunch we took a boat across the lagoon to Tortugero Village, not very exciting, so we walked to the Turtle Conservation Centre where we adopted a turtle called Moorsey.

Next morning we took an early boat to spot wildlife followed by a forest hike and then a canopy tour by zip wire.. All interesting, some more calm than others!  Afternoon another boat exploration of the canals through the rainforest with a very well informed guide. Today spotted an ant eater, emerald Basilisk, cayman, green river turtles, toucans, howler, spider and white faced monkeys, green kingfisher, tiger herons, blue and snowy herons, a long necked bird? huge tree iguanas, green line snake, two towed sloths numerous butterflies, humming birds, woodpeckers, parrots, and black vultures. A great start for the first two days.

Early breakfast then back and back upriver. The river was very low and the boat grounded several times but safely made it to El Ceibo for lunch. Here our hosts collected us and took us to Hacienda la Isla. Here we spent two nights in 'The Convent' . a superb room at the edge of forested area with butterflies and flowers and a cocoa tree outside the door. Rustic comfort with some suggestion of sophistication. We spent the whole of the next day at La Selva Biological Station birdwatching. If you are a keen twitcher this really is the place to go. We counted over 8 species in a single tree. However the most interesting thing we saw were some tiny Honduran white bats roosting under the leaf of a Heliconia plant.

Onwards and upwards to the Rio Pacuare just below the Turrialba Volcano. Here we board our raft to take us to Pacuare Lodge what a way to get to your hotel, fantastic! The Lodge is an Eco Hotel on the banks of the Pacuare. It is probably the most amazing place we have ever stayed. Accommodation brilliant, staff amazing, local wildlife sensational, the hike to the Cabecar Indigenous Reserve exhausting. The top two items without doubt was breakfast 22 metres up a Kapok tree, you zip-line in and abseil out, and the final raft trip leaving the hotel.

Our driver picks us up, after we had changed into dry clothes, and we drive up to Dantica Lodge in the Talamanca Mountains some 2,00 metres above sea level, quite a change especially the temperature. At dawn the next morning we are of to look for  quetzals. It was very cold but out wait was rewarded with a sighting. After breakfast we went on a guided bird walk along the Los Robles trail in the Savegre Forest Reserve. It was very enjoyable and many species were added to our list, including the extraordinary Black Faced Solitaire that has a call like a squeeking gate. Our room was a lovely cabin some distance from the reception. It is the only place we have managed to film humming birds while in the jacuzzi.

Today we start the last leg of our journey our driver collects us early to take us to Sierpe where we board our boat for a trip down the Rio Sierpe and the along the coast to Casa Corcovado. Quite a long journey I imagine it could be interesting if the weather was bad.  The temperature is noticeably higher on the Pacific coast.

The Casa has well spaced out cabins and birds are everywhere. We chill out for the rest of the day. The next morning we are off for a hike to the San Pedrillo Park station.We stopped for some while to watch a troop of ? monkeys inthe trees next to the path We take a walk up into the jungle to a waterfall and have a bathe in the pool nearby. We return to the beach by the park station for a picnic and a swim in the sea.

The next day it is a boat trip to Cano Island which is about 20Km offshore. On the trip across we come across a pod of dolphins and follow them for a while. When we reach the island we go snorkelling but the sea is not very clear and it was a bit disappointing. So after a picnic and a relax we head back to the hotel. Only one more day and we spend that chilling out at the hotel and doing a bit of local bird spotting and then to the Sunset Bar for our last Dacquiri,bliss.

Next morning we are off to the local airstrip to catch a plane to San José and another chance to enjoy the wonderful gardens of the Bougainvilla Hotel. It is just like staying in Kew Gardens. We spend the next day in the hotel gardens and generally gathering our strength for the long haul back to the UK.

Our thanks to Reef and Rainforest, Camino Travel, and in particular to our driver guide Abelardo. I think we will be going back.