Category Archives: Country

Hotel El Icaco Tortuguero – Tortuguero Village

Leave a Reply

Tuesday 25/10/2022   Hotel El Icaco Tortuguero – Tortuguero Village

                                         Tortuguero National Park

                                         Limón Province, COSTA RICA

Participants: Bernardo (Guide), Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart, two others.

Seven of us left Hotel El Icaco in Tortuguero at 6:20pm, walking out through the northern end of town and along the beachside trail on a warm, dark, moonless night. In several places, we headed off onto small barely existent sidetracks. Tonight our two-hour wildlife tour was led by Bernardo, a local professional guide. 

Continue reading →

Loading

Popone Farm and Lodge – Rio Molino

Leave a Reply

Monday 24/10/2022   Popone Farm and Lodge – Rio Molino

                                        Calle Uno from the 32 route, 4 km south, in Calle 1, Guápiles

                                        Limón Province, COSTA RICA

Participants: Jorge (Our host and Guide), Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart

Wow, what a surprise package! Sue had selected this small eco-farmstay as a convenient stopover on our way across to the Caribbean side of Costa Rica from Hacienda La Pacifica just to the south of Guápiles.

Continue reading →

Loading

Hacienda La Pacifica

Leave a Reply

Thursday 21/10/2022 – 24/10/2022   Hacienda La Pacifica

                                                                   Liberia Guanacaste

                                                                   Guanacaste Province, COSTA RICA

                                                                          

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart

Hacienda La Pacifica was our base in the area for our four-night stay and the site of our daughter, Beth’s Costa Rican wedding to Pablo on Saturday.

Continue reading →

Loading

Station El Pilon – Rio Celeste – Los Teñideros – Catarata Río Celeste

Leave a Reply

Wednesday 23/10/2022   Station El Pilon – Rio Celeste – Sendero Misterios del Tenorio – Poza Catarata – La Laguna Azul – Los Teñideros – Catarata Río Celeste

                                               Tenorio Volcano National Park                                   

                                               Guatuso, Alajuela Province                                       

                                               COSTA RICA

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart

Our afternoon hike required a drive of around an hour from Hacienda La Pacifica (Canas) to get us to Tenorio Volcano National Park. After paying our entry fees of US$13 we headed off through the forest on a paved track. We were advised that the last attraction was closed as the bridge was washed out. 

Continue reading →

Loading

Soda Delicias del Pelado – Cerro Pelado

Leave a Reply

Sunday 23/10/2022   Route 926 – Soda Delicias del Pelado – Cerro Pelado – Solanea

                                       Tilaran, Guanacaste Province

                                       COSTA RICA

Participants: Beth Davies, Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report), Felipe Ureña-Araya, Pablo Ureña Vega, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart and some Pablo Runners – Alejandra Aguileta, Jorge Araya, María Matamoros, Alberto Morales, Sofía Robles, Eli Urdaneta, Felipe Ureña, Ligia, Bryan

Our morning ridge top walk with a group of Pablo’s running clients required a 30 minute drive from Hacienda La Pacifica (Canas). Again this was a private trail that required payment for the walk and parking. I was surprised by how many cars were already in the car park when we arrived at 6:10am.

Continue reading →

Loading

Selvatura Park – Monte Verde

Leave a Reply

Wednesday 19/10/202   Selvatura Park

                                             Monte Verde, Guanacaste Province  

                                             COSTA RICA

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart

We headed out before 8:00am this morning in an attempt to avoid as many people as we could, as often when we have recently encountered other people they seen more intent on getting their Instagram shots before walking off to the next Instagram-worthy stop. Lots are also engrossed in loud conversations and walking at a pace that would ensure they scared off any wildlife, so they would see very little. 

Continue reading →

Loading

Children’s Eternal Rain Forest – Bajo del Tigre

Leave a Reply

Tuesday 18/10/2022 pm Children’s Eternal Rain Forest –  Salida del Mirador – Quebrada Cuecha

                                             Bajo del Tigre, Monte Verde

                                             Puntarenas and Alajuela Provines, COSTA RICA  

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart

We were determined to get in some more sightseeing today after a short walk through Curi-Cancha Reserve this morning, Children’s Eternal Rain Forest being our choice. This claims to be the largest private reserve in Costa Rica and is so named because it was initially founded by donations from children in 44 countries around the world. 

Continue reading →

Loading

Curi-Cancha Reserve – Quebrada Maquina

Leave a Reply

Tuesday 18/10/2022   Curi-Cancha Reserve – Quebrada Maquina

                                         Monte Verde

                                         COSTA RICA

Participants: Beth Davies, Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report), Felipe Ureña-Araya, Pablo Ureña Vega, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart

After Sue, Beth, Pablo and Felipe had returned from their morning 8km run we headed out for a short local walk in the nearby Curi-Cancha Reserve. The rest of us had remained at our Airbnb on the edge of Monte Verde doing a spot of bird watching from our second-storey outdoor balcony. From here there were views across some open grassland and forest as far as the Pacific Ocean. I had the good fortune to observe two toucans fly across the grassland and land near the high point of a tree 100 and something metres away. Needless to say, I snapped off a number of photos at the 500mm end of my zoom lens and was very happy with the results. We also saw about half a dozen other species in close proximity. With the sun behind us and a thin cloud cover, there was plenty of bright, soft light to get great shots.

Continue reading →

Loading

Mistico Park – Arenal Hanging Bridges

Leave a Reply

Saturday 15/10/2022   Mistico Park – Arenal Hanging Bridges

                                          Tabacon, Provincia de Alajuela

                                          COSTA RICA

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart

This is a much more developed rainforest walk than El Silencio, which we completed yesterday. Here every step is on the fenced concrete path. There are about 16 bridges to cross which provide views through and above the forest canopy as well as passage across the creek gullies. We were to learn later that the fences were constructed using a steel skeleton over which chicken wire mesh was modelled to shape before several layers of concrete were moulded to form a continuous structure with no obvious joints. This must have taken a very long time to create! The end result was impressive and blended into the surrounding environment.

Continue reading →

Loading

El Silencio – Mirador El Silencia – Rio Desague – Arenal

Leave a Reply

Friday 14/10/2022   El Silencio – Mirador El Silencia trail around the base of Arenal (less touristy) – Rio Desague

                                      La Fortuna, Alajuela 

                                      Tabacon, Provincia de Alajuela

                                      COSTA RICA

                                                                          

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart

El Silencio Nature Preserve is found about 15 minutes drive out of La Fortuna west of Arenal by the Rio Desague. It consists of a series of trails through the heavy rainforest, views of Arenal Volcano and a side trail that takes you over a lava flow. The research Sue had done suggested this was a less touristy type of experience which we concurred with. The earthen trails were supported by wooden board-supported steps on the steeper sections, there were basic signs at track junctions to get your bearings and a couple of steel footbridges across the creek. This was a big contrast to our next experience at Mistico Park – Arenal Hanging Bridges.

Continue reading →

Loading

Rio del Toro – Blue Falls – Catarata del Toro

Leave a Reply

Thursday 13/10/2022   Rio del Toro – Blue Falls – Catarata del Toro

                                           Toro Amarillo

                                           COSTA RICA                                                                          

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart

Our last waterfall visit to this area around Bajos del Toro in central Costa Rica was part of a package deal that included yesterday’s Cataratas Las Gemelas – Pozo Azul – Catarata la Celestial – Blue Falls walk. It involves a short walk through the lush rainforest to one of Costa Rica’s largest waterfalls. The walk to the plunge pool involves a very worthwhile 80m descent where there are great views of the waterfall towering overhead, its aqua plunge pool and the deep canyon falling away below along the Rio del Toro.

Continue reading →

Loading

Chilamate Rainforest Eco Resort – COSTA RICA

Leave a Reply

29/10/2022 – 31/10/2023  Chilamate Rainforest Eco Resort                                    

                                               COSTA RICA                                                                 

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies, Cal Stewart, Kerrie Stewart

Nestled amongst trees at the edge of the forest we found ourselves at our final Costa Rican destination for this trip, Chilamate Rainforest Eco Resort. This family-run sustainable eco-lodge is located just off the highway in Sarapiqui about two hours north of San Jose. It is a private reserve consisting of 20 hectares of rainforest with monkeys, many species each of frogs, birds and insects.

Continue reading →

Loading