volcanogirl

We're back from our Costa Rica trip - thanks to everyone who helped us in planning it. We had an amazing time. This trip consisted of staying at the Savegre Hotel in San Gerardo de Dota, the Arenal Observatory Lodge, and the Toucan Rescue Ranch. Loved all of them!

MichelleY

Looking forward to more!

hopefulist

Oh - I was hoping for a bit more detail. ;-)

volcanogirl

LOL - We had a power outage!

volcanogirl

We have a quick three hour flight to Costa Rica - I feel really lucky that we can take a direct flight and can get there so quickly. I had arranged for a driver from Savegre Hotel to pick us up at the airport. After breezing through customs and immigration, we head out the exit door to find our driver, Alexander, waiting for us, holding a sign with our name on it. He helps us load our luggage into his van, and we're off on our adventure. He asks what we want to do once we get to Savegre, and we tell him that we really want to see resplendent quetzals, the beautiful birds this area is known for. His response is, "Oh, but they are very difficult to see this time of year..." I have us booked with Marino Chacon, a guide I've read so many wonderful things about; I know if anyone can find the quetzals for us, it's Marino, but I'm a little worried that after traveling all the way here, we won't get to see them. Fingers crossed.

The drive is quite winding, and we encounter a minor accident that snarls up traffic for a while. We also drive by areas where landslides have occurred and the road is being repaired. Huge dark areas of dirt cover areas on the hill that used to be green. Alexander suggests stopping for a drink and a bathroom break. We stop at a little convenience store for drinks, and we're so excited to see Tropical, our favorite drink when we go to Costa Rica. Our favorite flavor, Mango, is right there in the cooler waiting for us. Our first little sip of Pura Vida, and all the stress of traffic melts away. As we get back into the car, it starts to rain, a pretty heavy downpour. Alexander remarks that it hasn't rained for about two months, so the rain is really welcome.

The valley we're going to was founded by the Chacon family, and they are also the founders of the lodge. The story is that members of the family were on a hunting trip years ago, and when it got dark, they decided to set up camp for the night where they were. When they awakened, they found they were in the most beautiful place they had ever seen and decided to move there and open the lodge. I love that we'll be staying at a family run operation. I ask Alexander if he's a Chacon, and he says, "No, but I'm married to one!"

What was supposed to be a 2 hour and 45 minute drive, turns into one that takes 3 and half hours, but we see some gorgeous views along the way. Alexander says this area is called Cerro de la Muerte, or Mountain of Death, catchy name! He explains that a lot of people have died trying to walk from place to place in this area because the temperatures get so chilly at night. I'm prepared; after reading so many trip reports and reviews, I packed a jacket and even a pair of long undies, something I never thought I would need in Costa Rica.

We arrive before dark, and I'm so happy to see what a sweet little place this is. There's a small reception area and restaurant, and there are gardens everywhere with colorful hummingbirds zipping about. Gorgeous hydrangeas are in bloom, and neat little succulents abound. We're in a valley, but huge green hills surround us.

We check in, and they give us the key to our cabin, number 107. We have a king bed, our own fireplace, and even a bathtub. It's rustic, but very comfortable. The temperatures are so nice, a big change from the 100 plus degree heat we left back home.

We head back to the lodge to go to dinner; I have us set up on the meal plan since this area is isolated, and I've read good things about the food here. They have a buffet set up which is usually kind of a bummer, but the food turns out to be delicious, with a lot of variety. Some of it is a lot more sophisticated than I am expecting, roasted pork with fig sauce? Tastes so good. Also fresh trout which this area is known for, lots of salads, fresh veggies, fresh juices, and a table full of little desserts including some puffy pastries with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce drizzle. So much for roughing it! The service is friendly, and after enjoying a little bit of everything we head back to our cabin.

It's dark on our walk, so I'm glad that we packed a small flashlight to bring with us; we cross a bridge over a small stream and ta da, we're back at our little cabin. It's gotten really chilly since the sun has gone down. I have a clock that tells the temperature, and it proclaims it to be 58 degrees inside our cabin. Glad we have the fireplace to keep us warm. The bed is really cozy and comes equipped with not one, but three thick blankets. We fall asleep at 8:00 which seems to be the norm in Costa Rica. We have a guided tour with Marino set up for the following morning, and we need to be there bright and early at 6:00 a.m. to head out and try to spot the elusive quetzals. We are loving Savegre Hotel and the San Gerardo de Dota Valley and are so happy that we decided to stay here.

volcanogirl

The sun comes streaming into our room at 5:30 a.m. the next morning. We wander down to reception at 6:00 to meet Marino. We've signed up for the group tour, and we're paired with a nice couple from Holland. Marino says that since it's not nesting season we'll head down the road in his car to see if we can find some quetzals feeding along the road. Apparently in nesting season you can see them right outside your cabin. We travel for about ten minutes, and then see big clusters of people all pointing upward into the same tree. I think we've found our quetzals!

All around us are guides with scopes aimed in the same direction. We scramble out of the car, and Marino shows us the first quetzal of the day. It's a beautiful male with long showy green tail feathers, honestly the prettiest bird I've ever seen. He flits from tree to tree and high over our heads feeding on tiny avocados. When he flies, his tail streams like ribbons behind him. Marino calls us one by one to peer through his scope to get an up close look. Then he spots another and another; we see males, females, juveniles. We spend about 2 hours on the road and are there long after everyone else has gone back to their hotels. I can tell Marino is having as much fun spotting them as we are! Their tails change color as the sunlight brightens and dims, looking variously turquoise, teal, and green. At one point, Marino darts across the road and scrambles over a ditch to come back with a little treasure, a small feather that has fallen from a quetzal's tail. He passes it around so we can all hold it and see it. He's very wise and patient, like a mixture between your favorite grandpa and the best ornithology professor you've ever had. He also shows us a tiny avocado like the ones the quetzals are feeding on. He has us pass him our cameras and phones, and he takes photos and videos for each of us through the scope. Cars and motorcycles come zooming down the road, and we all dash to the edge and then run back to get another peek. After not being sure we would see any at all, we end up seeing about 8 to 10 of these gorgeous birds. And just as we're packing up to leave, Marino spots an emerald toucanet which seems like a bonus.

He sees that I'm carrying the Garrigues and Dean "Birds of Costa Rica" book and tells me it's a good book. "You like it?" I say, and he tells me, "Yes, I helped to write it." And sure enough, there is his name right there inside the book under the acknowledgements. We feel really lucky to have him as our guide. He tells us that we're just getting started and that we'll all go back to the lodge to have breakfast together and then go out spotting again - our choice between hiking in the forest or going to a secret private garden.

glover

Following along and enjoying another visit to Savegre, Volcanogirl. Looking forward to seeing those quetzal pictures! How wonderful that you saw so many - even outside of nesting time. Can picture that little bridge to the cabin - think we stayed in the same one ! A lovely spot and such a nice family.

vic_jola

Volcano Girl: What a treat to read your descriptive report. We will have to save Savegre for a future trip. We wanted to go there next Feb. as part of our three week trip to CR but there was only one night available. Thank you for sharing your experience. Must get the "Birds of Costa Rica" that you mention. We are going to Osa and certainly hope to see many birds there.

volcanogirl

Thanks, glover; it was pretty wonderful. We would have been happy to see one, but to see so many was pretty amazing. Thanks for pointing us toward Savegre!

volcanogirl

vic, I hope you're able to make it there someday. It's taken several trips to Costa Rica for us to get there. I really like the "Birds of Costa Rica" book; we bring it on every trip and note on each page where we've seen that species. Marino would tell me, "We have plenty of time to write that down. I'll help you remember. Now please come take a look." He didnt' want us to miss anything. And he did remember every single thing that we saw. In total, we saw about 50 different species of birds in two days. Pretty good!

artiejay

Brings back many fond memories of birding with Marino in 2010 and 2011 - I can almost hear him excitedly (but quietly) saying mira, mira, mira - then moving a little down the trail and mira, mira, mira again - I could barely keep up with him!

Did you make it to Mirian's for lunch or birding out back?

Enjoying the read - thanks for the memories!

mlgb

Thanks for the report. Brings back memories, as RTJ said!

volcanogirl

artie and m, yes, things haven't changed. It's a wonderful place. We did not make it to Mirian's, but we did get to Paraiso Quetzal.

volcanogirl

After quetzal spotting, we all head back to the lodge for a hearty buffet breakfast - scrambled eggs, tiny red sausages, toast, pancakes, potato cakes that are like yummy hashbrowns, the best pineapple we've ever tasted, maduros, and of course, gallo pinto, our first of the trip. We're debating if we want to do the rest of our bird watching in the private garden or in the forest; Marino says that the garden is very nice and that we're likely to see more birds there, so we all agree that that will be our choice.

We pile into Marino's car and head up, up, up to an old abandoned orchard. On the way, we see a large-footed finch, an ochraceous wren, white-naped bush finch, yellow-thighed finch, and a rufous collared sparrow. When we reach the garden, there are apple trees, peach trees, avocado trees, and a beautiful view of the green valley below us. We pay an additional $10 each to the farmer who owns the orchard and maintains it, and Marino begins to set things up for us. He unloads 4 folding chairs and a huge umbrella to cover us. This is the easiest birding we'll ever do. He asks us to please have a seat while he gets fresh fruit from his car. Right in the center of the garden is a big tree upon which he places bananas, mangoes, and other fruit. Almost immediately the birds start arriving for a little nibble. There are also several hummingbird feeders that Marino fills, so the hummers start arriving too. Before we know it, we've seen a long-tailed silky flycatcher, hairy woodpecker, acorn woodpecker, silver throated tanagers, flame colored tanagers, a red tailed hawk, blue gray tanagers, a golden olive woodpecker (Marino is excited about this because he hasn't seen one since March!), elegant euphonia, golden-browed chlorophonia (gorgeous), green violet ear hummingbird (my favorite), stripe-tailed hummingbirds, scintillant hummingbirds, magnificent hummingbirds, and a white-throated mountain gem - best bird name ever in my opinion.

Marino has recordings of several bird sounds. He wants a closer look at the woodpecker, so he begins to play that specific call. He tells us the bird will hear it and fly down and land on the tree in front of us, and that's exactly what happens. It's pretty amazing to us how well he can predict their behavior. Bird whisperer. We just relax and watch nature at her best. Around noon, it starts looking dark and gloomy; the skies open up, and it begins pouring rain. Perfect timing because we're all ready to head back to the lodge for lunch.

volcanogirl

Lunch consists of trout (I'm learning that trout will be available at every lunch and dinner), beef with black peppercorn sauce, Thai style pork (fantastic!), rice, more of that delicious pineapple, fresh veggies, and some mysterious looking desserts - they look like something you would see at a church potluck. I point to one and ask the waiter what it is, and he says, "Pineapple fluff." There's also a fluorescent hot pink gelatinous one that he tells me is cheesecake. We take a little bit of everything, and it's all good.

I ask Marino about the trout, and he tells us that the fish weren't originally indigenous to this area. His father met a man from Minnesota who mailed him a container of tiny baby trout, which he then carried on horseback to release into the Savegre River where they reproduced like crazy. Turns out the environment is perfect for them! I love the story; there are so many things here that wouldn't even exist without the Chacon family.

volcanogirl

After lunch, we spend the day exploring the property. We stroll down to the Savegre River that runs through it. It's beautiful and fast running, full of moss covered boulders. Five foot tall impatiens and more hydrangeas bloom all around us. We explore a little further and come across a lake full of trout. Flocks of barred parakeets fly overhead in huge groups making a racket as they go. There are trails all over the property. We wander back to the hummingbird feeders by the restaurant. More hummingbirds here than we can count, and we get some nice photos and videos. I try out the slow-mo video function on my iPhone, and it's cool to see the beating wings of the birds in slow motion. As we're watching them, Marino wanders by, and asks, "Did you see the kittens?" No, we missed them. Marino points to the top of the huge expansive green hill that towers over the property and says, "Right, there, you don't see them?" We get out our binoculars, and yes indeed there is a mother cat with little kittens. No idea how he saw them, but he does indeed have the eagle eye!

Eventually we make our way to dinner which consists of trout!, chicken with olives, seafood stew, rosemary potatoes, cream of mushroom soup, and fresh veggies. Lots of good options. Dessert is awesome coconut cake, ice cream, and the fluorescent pink "cheesecake" which we find out is actually Jello. Afterward, we head to the bar next door, and it's amazing. A big fire pit in the center with a warm fire blazing, great drinks, games to play, books, and it's all very warm and modern looking, but still cozy. There's a large stained glass window with a quetzal image on it. We relax here for a while before heading back to our cabin. Tonight the temperature reads 59 degrees. We use the supplied wood and fire starter to build a roaring fire that takes the temp all the way up to a balmy 64. We're looking forward to going birding again with Marino in the morning - first to see more quetzals and then to explore the forest together.

Patty

Signing on!

volcanogirl

Hi, Miss Patty! Good to see you!

volcanogirl

The next morning, we meet Marino and our group at 6:00 for more quetzal spotting. We park close to a sign for the Kahawah restaurant and all head towards the groups of birders who are already there. This time we have a couple from Germany with us, Christina and Sebastian, and a family from Holland. Very few Americans on this trip. It's interesting and kind of strange that all of the tours are conducted in English; it's always the first language the guides start with - lucky for us. Marino points out several birds as we walk down the dusty road - a black billed nightingale thrush, black-cheeked warbler, and flame colored tanager. He spots a quetzal right away, but none of the rest of us can see it. It has its back to us, and the green feathers blend in perfectly with the avocado trees high above us. Another guide gets out a laser pointer, and once we see it, it seems so obvious! Then we see another and another - both males and females. Marino spots another emerald toucanet and a pygmy owl - he tells us this is the only owl to be out and about during the day, but if we want to see more, we can do a night hike to go make some more discoveries. Marino takes photos for all of us - most of the birds are very high up, so in the photos, they appear headless, but at least we got them! He tells us that we can all head back for breakfast together, and then go hiking in the forest to see what else we can see.

Breakfast today consists of juevos rancheros, really good taquitos, pineapple, papaya, gallo pinto, plantains, pancakes, a delicious fruit punch, and some tasty passion fruit juice. That's one of the things we always love in Costa Rica - the juices are always so good. I ask Marino if he knows how famous he is on the internet. I think he actually blushes! He's so humble and sweet, but almost everything I read about this area recommends getting him as your guide. I mention to the other people in our group that he helped to write the Garrigues and Dean book, and the father of the family from Holland promptly goes to the gift shop to buy it. I ask Marino if he will sign a little note to me in the front of mine, and he takes the book so he can think of what to write. Later he returns the book, and there's a very thoughtful, kind note from him inside. I ask if it's the first autograph he's ever given, and he chuckles and tells me it's not! We all get a kick out of that!

Finally it's time to head out on our next adventure - we're going to hike the La Quebrada trail. The property has 988 acres to explore, and more than 18 miles of trails. La Quebrada runs through primary forest and has a small stream that runs through it. It's beautiful and easy hiking with a few ups and downs, about two or two and a half miles in total. We see a collared redstart, acorn woodpeckers, and a fat, fluffy little white-throated mountain gem baby in a tiny nest. The trail is easy going but muddy. It starts lightly raining as we go, but we get some protection from the trees above us. We come to a muddy gulley, and as we hike down Marino says, "Hmmm, puma tracks" while he casually points at them. "And they're very fresh." We all snap pictures and continue on our hike wondering what's watching us as we go. We see a yellow-bellied sisken and a flame throated warbler before the skies open up and we all decide to head back for lunch. Seeing the puma tracks was a big thrill for us. That plus the quetzals makes this another excellent day at Savegre.

volcanogirl

As we come out of the forest, we're met with some amazing views out over the valley below us. Everything is green and beautiful. We ask Marino if we can sign up for the night hike, and he says that he'll take care of it. Owl spotting sounds like a fun way to spend the evening.

At lunch, we have a buffet that consists of bacon wrapped chicken, meatballs, corn, squash, yucca balls that are like huge tater tots (love these!), and fresh blackberry juice. We enjoy getting to know Christina and Sebastian. Sebastian is gluten free and has a slip of paper that translates his gluten intolerance into Spanish - my husband is gluten free too, so we think that's a great idea. He shows it to the waiter who shows it to the chef. The chef comes out and points out the items that have wheat. My husband is thrilled - this hotel really makes things easy on their guests.

It's interesting getting to know what our new German friends think of Americans. Sebastian says he doesn't understand why we're all going to church, class reunions, and on family vacations, and that he thinks we're all likable but uptight! Pretty amusing to us. He tells us that in Germany you can walk naked down the street and no one will bat an eye. Christina punches him and says he's exaggerating. They tell us the story of staying with friends in America who have an alarm system; they think that's absolutely crazy. They accidentally set it off while staying there, and the police, came which they also think is so strange. We're amused by their observations because we have an alarm system! My husband is going to Germany on an upcoming business trip, and Sebastian says he would be happy to show him around once he gets there. They're really fun, so we exchange email addresses and all agree to meet up at the bar that night and share our photos.

At 4:00, we meet Marino for our night hike. He first takes us back to the orchard garden where he sets up the umbrella and chairs. We have some nice sightings here - lots of hummingbirds, blue and white swallows, silver throated tanagers, white-naped brush finches, flame colored tanagers, and a family of acorn woodpeckers. As it starts getting dark, here comes the rain again. We're huddle under the umbrella and we make a mad dash for the car. Marino is worried that we won't see much in the heavy rain, but we decide to take our chances and head up, up, up the winding dirt road.