José Calvo, certified photo instructor, and Rodrigo Moterani, staff
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Daily Expedition
Reports
22 Nov 2022
Playa Zapotal and Manglar Palmares, 11/22/2022, National Geographic Quest
Aboard the
National Geographic Quest
Costa Rica, Panama & Colombia
After navigating all night, we arrived at the first stop of our Wild Costa Rica Expedition: Playa Zapotal, an idyllic, grey sand beach on the Nicoya Peninsula. Here we had our first taste of what the Guanacaste dry forest has to offer. It didn’t take us long to see our first troop of howler monkeys.
In the afternoon, we took Zodiac tours through the Palmares mangrove forest, where we saw numerous birds.
Rodrigo Moterani was born in Brazil, where he still lives. After spending his teen years playing with camcorders and VCRs, Rodrigo ended up working in the field of television journalism and video production in his home country. He graduated with a de...
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Today’s expedition was filled with unforgettable moments, beginning at the Curu Wildlife Refuge. The day started with a fascinating sight, a pair of gartered trogons building their nest at a termite mound, a stunning display of nature's intricacies. We also spotted a variety of bird species, including scarlet macaws and crane hawks gracefully flying overhead. The forest was alive with activity as we observed black hawk howler monkeys and playful capuchin monkeys swinging through the trees. On the forest floor, a white-nosed coati foraged for food, and a white-tailed deer elegantly moved through the underbrush. Among the most memorable sights was a rare tayra stealthily making its way through the dense foliage. Later in the afternoon, we set sail for Tortuga Island where the adventure continued. Our guests enjoyed a delightful cocktail hour, soaking in the beautiful beach scenery. Wildlife sightings were plentiful here too, with peccaries and more deer spotted on the island. The pristine beach provided the perfect setting for a swim, allowing everyone to cool off and relax after an exhilarating day. Today was an incredible blend of wildlife exploration and relaxation—a truly unforgettable experience!
Today we spent all day at the Hacienda Guachipelin where we had a multitude of activities from which to choose. The hacienda is a private conservation area and resort. Here we had the options of getting into the water from natural hot springs in the middle of a very scenic tropical forest. We enjoyed nature walks and waterfalls, plus a wonderful zipline adventure through the forest and rock canyons. Some of the highlights of the day were encountering a very active group of spider monkeys at Rincon de la Vieja, swimming at the waterfalls at La Chorrera, soaking in the hot springs and therapeutic mud, and of course, the thrill of the multiple ziplines over unreal scenery.
An early wake-up call right after breakfast had us ready for our first adventure. We explored the unique and exuberant coastline of the province of Guanacaste accompanied by blue skies and warm temperatures. We took a walk through the dry forest which included interesting plants, lush trees, and colorful birds. Howler monkeys resting in the branches of a tree caught our attention, especially the playful behavior displayed by a juvenile howler monkey. We took a panga ride in the blue waters to obtain a better understanding of the geology, observing the formations of the coast and cliffs in the region. We navigated the Pacific Ocean and were able to see Nicaragua in the distance. Back on board, we enjoyed an interesting presentation by Matilde on the studies of turtles. This was followed by time to enjoy the beautiful beach of the Junquillal Wildlife Reserve, including some swimming. We also had the opportunity to go on nature walks to look for iguanas and birds, and to learn about the conservation areas protected by the government. After dinner we listened to a presentation by Alex Ugalde concerning the management and protection of national parks.
