The Osa Peninsula
When we visit the tropical rain forest it is impossible not to expect wildlife hanging out of every tree. In our first outings to the forest, we started realizing that things are not like in television and the animals are not where you want them to be. Suddenly, the good pictures in magazines earned a tremendous amount of respect.
As our groups moved through the jungle, our naturalists were paying attention to every sound, movement, and smell to increase our chances of seeing wildlife. Sure enough, at least one of the groups had successful sightings from this careful attention. Without knowing, we were training this morning for our visit to the jungle of Osa Peninsula and the Corcovado National Park.
In the morning we visited the site of “Playa Caletas” with options to walk on trails or go horseback riding. The group on horses were able to see monkeys, sloths and many birds. One of the walking groups sighted the incredible “Turquoise Cotinga” but not even such a colorful name can begin to describe the beauty of this incredible bird.
Finally in the afternoon it was time to walk around at the famous Corcovado National Park. This is the only place along our travels where we are actually sharing the space with such elusive animals as jaguars, tapirs and bushmasters. We were not sure if we would see any of these rare animals, but the fact that the trails we were using are part of their territories was enough to increase our expectations.
At the end of the trail, the swimming hole was a refreshing reward for the hikers, cool waters among a jungle of gigantic trees, the perfect setting for this unforgettable experience. Back in the park headquarters we found a Tamandua Anteater resting on a palm frond: a perfect ending for our “Day in an Authentic Tropical Rain Forest.”
When we visit the tropical rain forest it is impossible not to expect wildlife hanging out of every tree. In our first outings to the forest, we started realizing that things are not like in television and the animals are not where you want them to be. Suddenly, the good pictures in magazines earned a tremendous amount of respect.
As our groups moved through the jungle, our naturalists were paying attention to every sound, movement, and smell to increase our chances of seeing wildlife. Sure enough, at least one of the groups had successful sightings from this careful attention. Without knowing, we were training this morning for our visit to the jungle of Osa Peninsula and the Corcovado National Park.
In the morning we visited the site of “Playa Caletas” with options to walk on trails or go horseback riding. The group on horses were able to see monkeys, sloths and many birds. One of the walking groups sighted the incredible “Turquoise Cotinga” but not even such a colorful name can begin to describe the beauty of this incredible bird.
Finally in the afternoon it was time to walk around at the famous Corcovado National Park. This is the only place along our travels where we are actually sharing the space with such elusive animals as jaguars, tapirs and bushmasters. We were not sure if we would see any of these rare animals, but the fact that the trails we were using are part of their territories was enough to increase our expectations.
At the end of the trail, the swimming hole was a refreshing reward for the hikers, cool waters among a jungle of gigantic trees, the perfect setting for this unforgettable experience. Back in the park headquarters we found a Tamandua Anteater resting on a palm frond: a perfect ending for our “Day in an Authentic Tropical Rain Forest.”
