Osa Peninsula, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica
The tropical rainforest contained on the Osa Peninsula is widely considered the most species-rich in Central America. Species found here that are critically endangered or absent in the rest of the country includes jaguar, American crocodile, scarlet macaw, spectacled caiman and Baird’s tapir. Harpy eagles, which are probably extinct as a permanent resident in the country, have been sighted on several occasions.
So, right after breakfast, we went for a nature walk on the private preserve of Caletas bordering the Corcovado National Park, and soon we saw why this part of Costa Rica is considered one of the most intensive biological places on the planet. Over the course of two-hour walk we got to see a vine snake swallowing a frog in front of us, scarlet macaws flying free and perching up in trees so close to us that we could not believe it!
We went back to the ship for lunch, and the National Geographic Sea Lion cruised for 40 minutes south in order to drop anchor in front of the well known Corcovado National Park.
Some of the guests took the waterfall trail, a short trail that leads up a nameless creek that begins just behind the ranger station. They saw quite a few cycad plants along the banks, in what it looks like healthy populations of this “living fossil” plant. The trail ended at a lovely waterfall, and later on, this group went swimming in a river pool. This was one of the highlights of the day. Taking this dip and cooling off in the middle of the rain forest was a remarkable moment of the day.
Heading back to the ship, we spotted howler monkeys as well as a “bird-eating snake” that had captured a bird. The warning calls of the other birds of the same kind were trying to make the snake release the prey. We witnessed all this and realized how intense this rain forest can be.
The weather could not have been better for our nature walks exploring one of the most remote parts of Costa Rica. Now we are ready to started cruising to the next country, Panama, where snorkeling and the Panama Canal transit are waiting us!
