Costa Rica Overview – Victor Emmanual Nature Tours (VENT) – Relaxed & Easy Tour

I arrived at my first VENT tour hotel a little after 2pm and was ready for a restful afternoon/evening.  I would have gone out on the owl walk (scheduled for 5:30pm), but it started raining, so I decided to go down and meet some folks. I bowed out of the walk.  Since I had the weird shower at the last place I was really looking forward to a nice hot one.  What I found was more weirdness. There were three knobs on the shower all of which were marked “C” – I tried turning them on an off in all different ways but could not get hot water.  I called the desk and they sent up a housekeeper – I was grateful she set me up quickly.  Apparently in Costa Rica (at least the places I stayed) you turn on the hot water and let it run for a while before even considering turning on the cold.  Since Hot in Spanish is Caliente – “C” makes sense but Cold is Fria – so ????  Otherwise I skipped dinner (which was not included in the tour) and took some time to rest, organize my photos and repack my luggage for the remainder of the tour. 

We had a nice walk on the grounds the next morning at 6am and saw the Mottled Owl that was the target (along with some frogs) on the walk the night before.  We met Esteban, our local guide on the tour and fabulous.  He knew the answer to every question I asked and I asked him a LOT!  I continue to be impressed with his command of English and love the fact he makes (and understands) wordplay humor.  In my opinion, that is the best indicator of fluency.  Oh yeah, and he really knows his birds! 

I had a chat with David Ascanio, the VENT guide, about my physical limitations and told him I did not want him to change anything about the tour for me.  I just needed full information and I could make a decision to go (when to pull out my stool) or stay with the bus. 

We had a lovely breakfast at the hotel and departed on the tour @8am.  That is when we met the bus. It was fairly comfortable and everyone got a window.  The trip was supposed to have 9 people but some took a fall at home and had to cancel.  I was the only person who had never been on a VENT tour before, in fact they all knew each other from previous tours.  Everybody was from the US, but spanned the country from San Francisco, Ohio, Georgia, Florida and of course, Rhode Island.  They also all already knew David – in fact many of them picked this tour because of him.  Clearly VENT tours inspire loyalty, but I find that on most of the tours I have been on – that people find a tours company they like and they develop a intense sense of tour fidelity rarely going with another company. 

For me it is more about what Tour company I can use where my limitations will not affect the tour for the other folks, but I still get a good quality experience.  This is not easy to find and this tour did a good job on that. This is why I often arrange private tours. 

We were driving into the Talamanca Mountains to San Gerardo De Dota.  I got the front seat, although typically they rotate along the way and we started up the long and winding road.  Esteban explained that Costa Rica is a volcanic and very seismically active country.  It is part of the Pacific ring of fire and there was an active volcano the entire time I was there.  Not active like Hawaii or Iceland – but definitely smoldering and capable of eruption at anytime.  There are coffee plantations on the slopes but not very close to the top – apparently cooled lava makes great soil for coffee. 

Costa Rica is the final link between North/Central and South America.  It was the last landmass that showed up.  We traveled the Trans-american or Pan-american highway which runs from Alaska to Chile with the exception of a small section of Panama called the Darien gap. It is a length of dense jungle with no roads - happy that it is still unspoiled! Our first stop was at the top of a road leading down to our lunch spot.  It was not particularly birdy, but we saw lots of fungus.  Apparently, it was Fungi week on iNaturalist, so David took lots of fungi photos on the way.

Although it started raining a bit, the restaurant which, as most do, had very productive hummingbird feeders and lunch was quite tasty.  We spent lots of time with five new species and different flowers and feeders. 

Then came the walk I chose not to take.  David led me to a porch which overlooked the area where they were going to bird – unfortunately the feeder they went to was under cover and I could not see it.  I saw a bunch of birds and some great scenery.

Photo from "my porch" the group was under that green roof.

Cloud Art

The weather & road was good enough for us to get up to our highest point in the mountains 11,000 feet to get some high altitude endemics.  The habitat is called Paramo and has grasses and dense, brushy vegetation but no trees to speak of. 

That night there was a trip to see the Unspotted Saw-whet Owl (my favorite new bird name -- which was for me unspotted) – far from a guarantee and lots of walking.  A few folks got to see it, all heard it, but still I was glad I passed.  It was a long day and far from relaxed and easy – adding a night walk would have been really difficult and probably would have eroded the experience of the rest of the trip for me. The only thing I regret is it was a lifer for David – it would have been fun to see that, but he just felt bad because everyone did not see it.

Most of the Talamanca Mounts are between 7-9,000 feet and would be what’s referred to as Cloud Forest.  It doesn’t rain so often there, but the clouds that often lay on the surface are constantly emitting moisture into the air. Oaks are the most common in high elevation forest and bamboo (other endemic and invasive) is a common understory component. Trees are frequently covered in bromeliads (which are easily mistaken for birds). It is ideal habitat for the iconic Costa Rican bird – The Resplendent Quetzal.

The next day we left early to try to see the Quetzal, it was a very steep walk which I would have made up – but the down would have been worrisome & slow.  Esteban arranged for the farmer (who makes more money from charging folks to see the Quetzal than he does from farming) to drive me up in his 4WD vehicle.  The bonus was the farmer was waiting to take me down and he was a pretty amazing Quetzal spotter.  We had several fleeting sightings before one landed and posed for us for some time. I love being among birders who are seeing an amazing bird for the first time.  It is a communal feeling of joy that I can’t explain – I just hope you get to experience something like that someday.  This was my second experience like this of the trip – the first being the Sandhill Crane.

Waiting for Quetzal

David (the guide) and Susie looking at the Quetzal

Esteban (our local guide) Looking for the Quetzal

The habitat for the Quetzal

I spotted our next bird in the river from the bridge to the Lodge on the way back.  It’s always fun to get everyone else on the bird.  This one cooperated and a mate joined her shortly – we got to see some displaying (mating behavior) too.  After breakfast we had a quick, productive bird at the feeders at the Savegre Hotel where we stayed. 

Then we headed up the mountain to the primary forest trails.  David thought I would be able to do the trail down, but it was very muddy and again downhill, so I stayed at the top and would hop on a ride down later.

It was a lovely time in an open spot in the forest, I had my stool and my camera.  Got a little wet but not consistently and I met a couple from British Columbia.  We had a long chat before they continued their ascent.  After that is was very meditative.  I got picked up after about an hour and we stopped at an overlook to pick up some other folks who didn’t want to make the full walk down. 

We had another outing down by the river, but I wasn’t going to walk in the rain.  So I sat by the river for a while, then rode with Carlos, my wonderful bus driver, to pick up the other folks further down river.  In looking for a place to turn around, we had to drive the entire road, which was interesting, before circling back to pick up the rest of the team.  Carlos told me he had never been that far down the road before.  The trip was full of narrow roads that were a challenge to turn around on. This day left me wondering when we were going to actually have a relax and easy day…

That Relax and easy day would not be the next day either. A morning bird from the bench outside my room, quick breakfast so we were on our way before the road closed for 4 hours for construction when we’d be trapped and way behind schedule.  After we passed the construction we stopped a few places. We actually birded on a flat road at Tapantí Macizo de la Muerte National Park and stopped at another spot where Carlos & I birded the road while the rest of the group went off into the woods.  We actually got some great birds – including a Silvery-fronted Tapaculo.  I discovered later that Tapaculo translates to “Cover you ass”. 

Carlos - our driver (who was out of the bus birding with me)

Our Bus

It was another long travel day that ended in a spectacular visit to a butterfly farm - but we watched as they fed a butterfly to a bird… a little gruesome for my tastes but the circle of life and all. We also had a wonderful lunch and great birding at the feeders and the property.  We are definitely in a different habitat! Went from needing a fleece in the evening and early morning to I can’t wait to jump in the shower and get the sweat off of me. Welcome to the Caribbean lowlands!

The feeders

They made coffee (that was delicious) by pouring it through a sock?

The guides - Farm Guide, David & Esteban

Our accomodations were at La Quinta de Saripique is a Lodge is central to an area with Lowland Rainforest Habitat which is Humid, evergreen forest with a tall Canopy. It contains the highest plant and bird diversity in Costa Rica. This type of habitat loses ground on a regular basis due to demand for agriculture and pasture acreage, but there are spots where it is growing back.

We had a good birding at the Lodge’s feeders. Then we travelled to the La Selva research station which is one of the first bird research institute in Central America.  They have a tower and usually start there, but the guide thought he had a bead on an Owl in the forest so we headed there.  The birding was good and the hanging bridge was made from steel (not vines) so it was a little more stable than usual, but still not a great place to take photos – it is always moving.

Volcanos from near the Lodge

La Selva

The hanging bridge

The Ocelot's Toilet (the spot it marks)

In the late afternoon we went to a local park but were stuck in a Costa Rican traffic jam both ways!  We had less daylight left than we thought we would --cause - construction a universal issue! I was happy to get home for a shower to cool off.

The next day had the most wonderful morning despite the almost constant pouring rain. Went about an hour away to Cope’s house where he has a beautiful garden habitat that gives you the most amazing views of birds. He is also a wonderful artist! his business is doing so well he doesn’t have time to paint anymore. I wanted to buy two prints - the Ornate Hawk-eagle & the King Vulture. After showing him the birds I painted to prepare for the trip, he gifted me the second print.

Ah but you see there are three prints…

After birding the garden, when the rain let up a little (and I do mean just a little), Cope & his daughter, Alina road out to a birding spot with us… She looked at my pieces, practiced her English and told me she longed to go on Safari - so we looked at my most recent Safari photos together. When we were leaving she gave me another print - inscribed by her and a huge hug. What a lovely family & experience. I will never forget it!

The group looking for the Crested Owl

Cope's daughter Alina

Alina & Me looking at my Prep-paintings

Alina, Cope & Reina - our lovely hosts

The whole gang at Cope's - from the back left - David, Carlos, Esteban, Nancy, Jackie, Tate, (Front left) Reina, Cope, Pete, Kimberly, Susie, Me & Alina

We braved the rain to return to the entrance road to Le Selva and saw a few new birds as we birded from under the parking shelters. 

Our final full day in the Carribean Lowlands was very eventful and less rainy (for the most part). 

It was another long day - lots of rain but mostly not when we needed it not to be. It was raining when we started out for the Aerial Tram which got rained out the previous day, but it let up before we arrived. The road up was closed due to a landslide, but the tram folks had arranged to let clients through because the entrance was just below the event. So a normally very busy road, was devoid of cars.

That enabled us to bird the highway at the entrance which got me three new lifers. Anticipating the tram made me nervous, because I am not a heights person, but all the natural beauty distracted me. I loved it - it was slow & peaceful. Again we were fortunate to not have other people around and the guide could stop the tram to look at birds - that doesn’t usually happen.

Bottom of the tram -- garden

The other group went first

Then us...

Had a bunch of hummingbirds at the top in Verbena, a Vine snake & a Wandering Wolf Spider that I almost put my hand on was I reboarded the tram - Yikes! 

I was fascinated by the seed pods on this palm tree -- looked like green beans.

The trip back down

More rain during lunch at a typical Costa Rican cafeteria.

Cope's Murals at the cafeteria

Next up a boat tour -- that came close to being called off. There was a downpour just before we boarded the boat then it stopped until @5 minutes before we returned another deluge - no worries, just wet hair…

The last full day of the tour started with birding at the Lodge and an early departure back to the Central Valley. We stopped at Virgen Del Socorro to try to pick up a White-tipped Sicklebill which we did – I saw it from the bus , but very briefly and could not get my friend on it or a photo before it was gone.  The rest of the group saw it on their descent. 

Susie at the bottom

The view at the bottom

Next stop was for lunch and some feeders at a different altitude, which translates into different bird species!  It was pretty cool because those hummingbirds had no fear – I was circled many times by a Violet Sabrewing and have several eye to eye encounters with the Green Hermit.  So very cool!  Lunch was delicious but enough to feed a family of three!

Me with David at lunch

David chowing down! The portions were HUGE -- Esteban is shocked!

The crew from the second Tram - Pete, Kimberly, Esteban, Tate & Me

Cafe Latte and waterfall

The Waterfall

Another Waterfall

Our last stop was a little city park which apparently used to have feeders, they did not have them when we were there.  On to our final destination Xandari Resort & Spa.  The rooms and porch (great for birding) were spectacular and the dinner was delicious. 

My room & Porch

We had a lovely farewell dinner and all of us were leaving in the morning.  I rose early and heard some Owls before the sun came up.  I saw/heard 52 birds on my last morning and it was a lovely way to end the tour.

One more shot of our driver -- Carlos who took us to the airport too!

My final numbers:

Birds in Costa Rica - 360

New Life Birds - 274

Total Life Birds – 1,211

Total 2025 Birds - 935

As they say in Costa Rica – Pura Vida!