San Gerardo de Dota - 4 to 10 December 2012

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We were picked up on time by a driver called Jonny who had a little English and we set off to San Gerardo de Dota. Hopsey the manager at Cerro Lodge had told us it would take about two and a half hours. We were heading for Trogon Lodge which is located in Savegre, San Gerardo de Dota, near Cerro de la Muerte, one of the Costa Rica’s highest peaks. We travelled along the coast road passing huge plantations of palm trees. The palm trees produced fruit for palm oil and we also passed a couple of large processing plants nearby. The road was quite good and we travelled through Jaco following the Central Pacific coastline, before arriving at the small village of Dominical which is a surfer’s paradise where waves apparently can reach over 10 feet high on its 4 km long beach strip. There were a few hotels, lodges, resorts and restaurants in the area and was extremely popular with American surfers. We had been informed that the beaches here were quite polluted so had not wanted to dwell here not that we were surfers anyway.







We continued on and a little further along the road was the road to San Manuel National Park. This coastal National Park is small only 682 hectares and gets quite busy and again we did not have this on our agenda this time. A short distance further on one reaches the Panama border so we had now travelled nearly the whole length of Costa Rica on our journey. Although to put it into comparison Costa Rica is only a little bigger that Scotland. We turned inland and as soon as we did Jonny said the road would be a little ‘bendy and bumpy’ now. Well it was - as well as steadily climbing higher and higher into the Talamanca Mountains, it felt like you would never get to the top. Ages later we finally saw way below us the town of San Isidro de El General, which is a key transportation and farming centre in the valley and is the largest town in the region. We climbed down out of the mountain and headed through the town joining the Pan-American Highway. The road however did not get much better and again we started climbing with the usual hair-pin bends. Visibility was also bad in places as the cloud would suddenly descent and obliterate the road ahead - I was so glad that Jonny seemed to know the road, as it was not a very pleasant drive at all.





We finally stopped at the Restaurant Las Georgina, established in 1947, it offered rooms for those ‘stuck on the mountain’ during times when the cloud stopped you travelling any further.............. We had a quick break and watched some colourful hummingbirds including the Violet Sabrewingfeeding before setting off again. Jonny said that we were at the highest point in Costa Rica at an altitude of 3300 meters (not very good for ones ears it was like being on an airplane). There were spectacular views though of the surrounding area and valley far below us - if one ‘dared’ to look that is....... The Cerro de la Muerte or ‘Mountain of Death’ is renowned for being dangerous and treacherous because previously many travelers lost their lives trying to climb over the mountain with its dense cloud, fog and heavy torrential rains together with extremely steep cliffs and mud slides - we were lucky though as we only had a little cloudy sections and some light rain.





The journey continued and we were getting very tired constantly watching the road - goodness knows how Jonny managed as he had been driving now for four and half hours and you could not let your attention lapse for one minute - definitely would not recommend driving across these mountains to anyone unsure of the area. We finally turned off the highway and onto a dirt track that descended steeply into a valley, curving around the sides of the mountain. The road dropped quickly with sheer edges dropping hundreds of meters straight down - a close your eyes area........ Finally after a further ‘very long’ 6km we saw the roof tops of Trogon Lodge below us. We had dropped from 3000 meters at the top of the track to 2300 in just 6km........... This track into the valley had been cut down the mountain about 50 years ago when the Savegre Hotel was built at the bottom and Trogon Lodge (our hotel) was the second one built on the mountainside about 3 km up the valley. About 150 people currently live in the valley many related to each other and working in the tourist trade with some farming.







We finally pulled in off the track and drove up along the fast flowing Savegre River to reach Trogon Lodge. The Manager/Bird Gide, Greivin Gonzale, came out to welcome us and said that our room was the best they had ........but it was also the highest one to get to! We said goodbye to Jonny and thanked him for getting us here safely...........Greivin said that he would carry our luggage with one of the other staff and it is just as well they did. We walked through the beautifully scented flowered filled gardens and we could see what an idyllic location this was nestled into a steep valley but could also see our room high above all the rest - it was quite a stretch with a ‘mountain’ of steps at the end as well. The clear waters of the Savegre River full of wild trout ran through the property and continued down through the valley. A collage of green trees and mountains were all around us and the peaceful setting was enhanced by the sounds of the river in its endless travel through the scattered rocks. We passed several small trout ponds in different stages of growth and Greivin said that once they reach a mature size they were moved to the pond in front of the restaurant and used for us guests to consume! The last time we had such fresh trout was in the Willow Tree Pub in Winchester with Eddie and Alison, which had just been caught on the River Test and that was so delicious we hoped this would be the same. Its a shame that the pub closed last year as it was one of our favourite locals in Winchester and Jim the manager was an amazing chef.





Trogon Lodge has 22 chalets all in pairs equally spaced throughout the gardens and our room was the only individual chalet, No 23 which we believe was the ‘honeymoon suite‘ - think they made a small mistake here........ We were greeted with a decorated chalet covered in flowers from the gardens, they were everywhere; roses, fuchsias, hydrangeas, arum lilies, daisies, black eye susans, as well as bright red geraniums all over the room, bed and bathroom as well as in little vases. The bed had several blankets as well as a thick quilt, I think we were going to need them as it was much colder here than where we had just come from. We had left temperatures of about 30 degrees which dropped rapidly as we climbed up the mountain pass. The chalet also contained a gas fire unit which they told us was especially necessary as the area’s was renowned for really chilly nights........I suppose it will get us acclimatized for our return to the UK soon........ The bathroom had a large Jacuzzi bath with hundreds of candles and views out to the garden and mountain side - very romantic....... There was also a small kitchen area with coffee machine as well as a separate shower room as well. Best of all though were the views from the large windows - they were outstanding. We could see the whole of the valley rising steeply all around us as well as the river running through the gardens below. The gardens disappeared as the thick forest took over and then the tall trees were layered on top of each other right up the sheer sides of the mountain - would like to stay here for ever.....





The lodge was quiet and peaceful with only 14 people staying on our first night including ourselves and we soon settled in to the tranquillity of the surroundings. After dinner in the restaurant we climbed back up the 66 steps (yes 66) to our room for our first night in the valley. Whilst we were at dinner the staff had been in to turn the gas fire on high and leave us chocolates, but there was also another surprise under the blankets - two very full hot water bottle and ‘boy’ did you need them as it was turning really chilly already. I thought an animal had managed to get into the bed (thinking not another cat or dog!) Every night we were at the lodge the staff would walk up the ‘mountain’ of steps to light our fire and leave behind a hot water bottle not forgetting the chocolates..........





The temperatures were very changeable in the valley, so cold at night down to zero but after breakfast when we returned to our room and sat out on the balcony overlooking the valley we would have to apply sun tan lotion, such fluctuations in a short period of time. Also the cloud and mist would suddenly descend and you would have light rain only to see the sun coming out on the other side of the valley - pure heaven.





Greivin, the manager was brilliant, always wanting to take us on walks to see what wildlife could be found around the lodge. I think he was surprised that we were staying in the valley so long as they do not get many visitors from the UK and if they do they only stay for a day or two. The other guest were mainly German, American and Dutch tourists as most were in CR. So we soon became a ‘novelty’ to the staff who all called us Mr Paul and Mrs Shayla.





We booked an early morning bird tour with Greivin who always made us fresh coffee in the restaurant before setting off up the mountainside. One day he had filled the coffee machine wrong and coffee and hot water was going everywhere - all over the lovely hand carved wooden counters. The chef would not be amused when he came on duty so we helped him clear it up grabbing tea towels from the kitchen (oh what a mess a little bit of ground coffee makes). We finally set off on our walk and started off down the valley and then turned upwards into a forested area. We walked for a while with the last part scrambling up a muddy track through tall trees before coming out into a small field covered in large funny looking marrows or melons. We walked a little through the field making our own track then ‘perched’ ourselves on the edge of the mountain under a ripe Avocado tree, awaiting the arrival of a Resplendent Quetzal.





We had seen one of these colourful birds high up in the canopy at Monteverde (through a spotting scope) and were expecting to see much the same here. We waited in the same position for about an hour and were getting quite tired as it was difficult standing in the same spot on a narrow muddy track - not able to move very much unless we wanted to roll down the mountain that is.......... just as we were thinking that the birds were not going to show a female arrived and perched right in front of us. Several minutes later the most magnificent male arrived, all we saw was this lovely flash of emerald green, it was such a beautiful bird and again it perched right in front of us - how lucky is that on our first day............ Even if you are not an avid birdwatcher you would be amazed when you get to observe a male Resplendent Quetzal (pronounced ket-sal) up close, considered to be one of the most gorgeous birds in the New World. With its bright green plumage, crimson breast and belly and its incredible streamer-like feathers, watching a male Quetzal in its magical flight, is a unique and breathtaking experience........ As they flew in across the valley all you could see was its fluttering metallic green body float across the sky........... A memory that will stay with us for a very long time. Alas the female, although colourful is not as magnificent as the male, as she does not have any tail feathers although her under-tail is stripped liked other Trogons - just as well the female human species outshines the male then - no comments please!





Paul and I repeated the visit to the mountainside a couple of days later on our own and were surprised that it had become more popular, the farmer had even dug out the track and installed a wooden fence for the ‘bird watchers’ to enjoy the birds, without having the risk of rolling down the mountainside - word had got out that the Quetzals has arrived........... Greivin did tell us later that the farmer was now charging the birding guides $2 dollars to take tourist on to his land but who can blame him. On the way back Paul managed to pick up yet another dog...........I do not know where we are going to put all these animals when we get home........





As mentioned in a previous blog, indigenous populations of the New World admired the beauty and grandness of the Quetzal and were frequently represented next to their own ‘gods’, in sculptures. The Mayans called the Quetzal, KUKUL and it was their Holy Bird. In Aztec mythology, they were QUETZALCOATI, ‘The Feathered Serpent’. The nobility of these indigenous groups used the bird’s long streamer-like feathers for headdresses and cloaks. Chroniclers reported that they did not kill the birds for their feathers but instead caught them alive, had the plumes removed, and then returned them to the wild to grow new ones - early conservation techniques.........



Over the next few days many guests came and went, usually only staying a day or two, coming mainly hoping to see the Quetzal. A long way to come to see them but so worth the effort. It is one of the best places in CR to see the species as it inhabits this area all year round. The reason being that there are numerous Avocado trees here which is their main food supply so they do not need to leave the valley to find food. In other areas of CR they are not always around as they move to where they have a food source. Greivin said that because of the steepness of the valley there is always one level where the fruits are ripe and when that source is exhausted the birds will just move up and down the mountain as the fruit on the trees ripens.





Whilst at Trogon Lodge we did meet another person from ‘home’, a lady called Cheryl who was travelling on her own, she came from Burnham-on-Sea in Somerset where both Paul and I had fond memories from our childhood. The majority of guests were either Dutch or German travelling in groups around Costa Rica and we met up with some interesting people in the bar most evenings.





We spent our days walking the trails on our own or with Greivin and really enjoyed our time at the lodge. One day we walked to Savegre Lodge at the bottom of the valley (3km), the track then continued for a while before disappearing and the dense jungle continued into unexplored areas with no roads or tracks. On the way we passed a few houses, a couple of small cabanas, a church and a school. A couple of children were being collected and we watched them skipping down the track on their way home - happy people. There is only one track into the valley from the main road and when there are mud slides it is impassable but everyone seemed to enjoy living in this isolated area. The grounds of the Savegre Hotel attracted many Hummingbirds, we also spotted a couple of Flame-coloured Tanagers, Wilsons and Flame-throated Warblers and the Slaty Flowerpiercer with its strange hooked beak used for guess what?





After a short rest we started the long walk back up the valley, we knew this was going to be a hard climb so we stopped first in a small coffee shop/restaurant owned by Trogon Lodge and had hot chocolate and the lady owner also brought out some free corn bread which was delicious. Hopefully this huge input of sugars will get us up the hill quicker. Even though it was a delightful walk through beautiful scenery with no-one but us and a few birds we were so exhausted when we got back that I do not think we will do it again. Although there were lots more tracks and trails that we would have liked to complete, the problem was one had a long walk just to reach the start of these trails - maybe another year. As we wandered back to our room, knowing that we still had a mountain of steps to climb (66) we were greeted by Greivin who said he would like to take us for a ‘walk’ later to see wild boar or even a Puma but we just said - not today - maybe tomorrow...........





Whilst we were staying at the Lodge we could not believe it but we actually saw Quetzals every day - well I did! Paul got a little ‘quetzalled out’ or rather he wanted a couple of ‘sleep ins’...... So I set off early into the forest to find them - it felt safe here wandering around on one’s own, although a little strange walking alone in the forest (would not do this in the UK) but the only company you got was the birds. I decided one day to return to the avocado tree on the mountainside and when I arrived there was a couple of other hardy adventurers also looking for Quetzals (the farmer did not arrive to charge us $2 though). Sure enough as if ‘on cue’ the birds arrived, swooping across the valley to eat their fill of the ripe avocados and I saw several with their mouths full of the ripe fruit. In the Costa Rican cloud forests, Quetzals primarily eat wild avocados which can be as big as a pear, these are swallowed whole. They then spit out the large seed once they have digested the thin skin. The discarded seed then might grow into another avocado tree for future generations to enjoy and multiply............. The large seeds are often regurgitated at some distance from the source tree. Because Quetzals are among the only frugivorous (fruit-eating) birds able to eat these large fruits, it is thought that the wild avocados rely on the Quetzal to spread the avocado seeds (chicken and egg comes to mind).









I met an elderly american chap who had the biggest camera lens that I have ever seen and was constantly asking his personal bird guide, Herman to help him. Herman kept raising his eyebrows to me but was very kind and gentle with the chap. We noticed a very small Hummingbird’s nest with two little chicks inside on a low bush just in front of the avocado tree. The guide thought it was a Volcano Hummingbird but had not seen the female. I decided to walk wait near the nest and a while later was rewarded with the female arriving to feed her young, placing her huge beak right down the chick’s throat. I managed to take a photograph which Herman was able to identify but later Greivin thought it maybe a Ruby-throated - these Hummingbirds are so difficult to identify so if anyone reading this blog knows what it is let me know.........





We so enjoyed our stay in San Gerardo de Dota, in fact it probably was our favourite place in Costa Rica, nice name too. The staff were so helpful, they had such a busy schedule only getting four days off a month to see their families. Greivin had long travelling distances to see his wife, daughter (15) and son (9) who lived near San Jose - he was always busy but never stopped smiling or being helpful. He was looking forward to spending 4 days with them at Christmas. The Cooks, Waiters, Gardeners, Bar and Cleaning Staff were always pleasant and could not do enough for you. On our last day I was dreading carrying my case down those 66 steps but just as I got outside the door the Chef arrived and took my case, heaving it up on to his shoulders and carrying it right to the bottom of the hill.................bless him.





The taxi arrived with Luis our new driver which we had arranged with our next destination to take us on to the Orosi Valley. We knew though we had a mountain to climb before we got there as we had to get back to the 'sort of' main road up the precarious mountainside, but one could always close one's eyes - see you there.............

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Comments

[Geoff]

WOW
that place sounds amazing and such great photos again, hummingbird best being a particular great one. You guys are going to hit earth with a bump when you get back to the UK, sounds as though CR is a real paradise and the lodge looks amazing ;o) x

[silvernomads]

It was Wow
Hi there - yes it was 'wow' in fact the whole of Costa Rica is - and cannot wait to return one day, even though we have not quite left yet - one more blog to post. That being said we are really looking forward to catching up with everyone back in the UK and of course the other half of our family in Dubai too - love from us two xxxx