Tag Archives: Costa Rica

Monteverde Cloud Forest – Biological Preserve

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Monday 17/10/2022   Sendero Cuecha – Quebrada Cuecha – Monteverde Cloud Forest, Biological Preserve

                                        Tronadora, Monteverde

                                        Alajuela Province

                                        COSTA RICA

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

We all headed off to explore the world-renowned cloud forest in Monteverde.  Cloud forests are unique ecosystems as they represent less than 1% of the remaining forests on earth. Costa Rica boasts 5% of the world’s biodiversity so for a small country it puts Australia to shame. The conditions were noticeably cooler than in lower altitude areas in Costa Rica, which made a pleasant change from the tropical heat. 

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Sloth’s Territory – La Fortuna

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Sunday 16/10/2022   Sloth’s Territory

                                        La Fortuna, Alajuela Province

                                        COSTA RICA

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

This is a privately owned and run sloth sanctuary. It consists of a relatively narrow corridor of remnant rainforest through which a population of sloths can be found. We were very fortunate to have Reuben as our guide today.

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Hotel El Icaco Tortuguero – Tortuguero National Park – Tortuguero Village

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Thursday 27/10/2022   Hotel El Icaco Tortuguero – Tortuguero National Park – Tortuguero Village

                                           Tortuguero National Park

                                           Limón Province, COSTA RICA

                                                                          

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

Following on from our guided night walk, canal canoeing and day walk over the previous 36 hours, today we opted to venture out on our own. Already fully aware that previously our guides had been the first to locate and identify 90% of our sightings we were hoping our observational skills may have improved a touch.

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Hotel El Icaco Tortuguero – Tortuguero National Park

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Wednesday 26/10/2022   Hotel El Icaco Tortuguero – Tortuguero National Park

                                               Tortuguero National Park

                                               Limón Province, COSTA RICA

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

For our afternoon we had booked a two-hour guided walk in Tortuguero National Park with our guide, Adrian. We got underway at 2:00pm after Adrian managed to gain us free park entry after Sue had had numerous failed attempts at making and paying for our reservations on the National Parks website, the only method provided for doing so. It turned out their system was down.

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Rio Tortuguero Canoe Trip

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Wednesday 26/10/2022   Hotel El Icaco Tortuguero – Tortuguero Village – Rio Tortuguero – Canales del Tortuguero Rogelio Pardo Jochs

                                               Tortuguero National Park

                                              Limón Province, COSTA RICA

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

Late yesterday we had been greeted by our English-speaking guide Adrian as we arrived at the carpark at La Pavona. This is the “ferry” terminal for transporting people, goods and everything else to Tortuguero 19km, 90 minute trip to the east on the Caribbean coast along Rio Suerte from La Pavona. There are dozens of these long, shallow draft, fibreglass craft constantly ferrying people back and forth along the narrow, shallow tidal canals. Masterful boatmen navigate these canals negotiating a multitude of sharp turns, shallows, concealed boulders and submerged fallen trees multiple times each day with barely the slightest of scrapes across the shallow bottom at low tide.

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Hotel El Icaco Tortuguero – Tortuguero Village

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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. 

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Popone Farm and Lodge – Rio Molino

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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.

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

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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. 

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Soda Delicias del Pelado – Cerro Pelado

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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.

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Selvatura Park – Monte Verde

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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. 

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Children’s Eternal Rain Forest – Bajo del Tigre

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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. 

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Curi-Cancha Reserve – Quebrada Maquina

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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.

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