Exploring the Rainforest of Costa Rica

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November 2009

Another early morning as we prepare for our rainforest excursion in Costa Rica. We had docked at Puerto Limon (Limon), the capital city. After a short drive through the city, our tour bus dropped us off at the Tortuguero Canals for what was advertised as a leisurely hour cruise through the jungel canal. Everyone was to keep a lookout for wildlife. For me anyway, it got tedious fast!

We were constantly stopping to get a closer look at a bird here, a bird there, everywhere a bird! Throw in a sloth, a line of small bats on a tree, and you have the wildlife in the jungles of the Tortuguero Canals. I guess I won't soon be hired by the Costa Rican Tourism Board to promote that activity.

Once off the boat we were treated to a bowl of fresh fruit before reboarding the bus, and driving TWO hours to the rainforest.

Our visit to the rainforest included a walking tour where we learned about some of the plants and animals of the forest floor. Most interesting was viewing the army ants working so industriously. After hiking for about thirty minutes we boarded the gondolas that took us from forest floor to the canopy layer nearly 1200 feet into the air. While we didn't reach above all the trees, we did glide quietly above many. Unfortunately, we did not see any monkeys or other mammals. Neither did we see a multitude of birds in the upper layers of the rainforest. If you take this trip, as we did, to see rainforest wildlife, you will be extremely disappointed.

Only after a lunch in the cafeteria, did we see some small toucans that were in the trees near the visitor's center.

By late afternoon we were ready for our two hour return drive to the ship. One advantage of a trip this long is that you get to see the local countryside, and a glimpse into how the local inhabitants live.

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