SOUNDS OF SILENCE
From a kayak in Tortuguero
Chameleon Worldwide’s Costa Rica specialist Dan Painter, explores its active side. “As we steered the noses of our kayaks along a slender channel and into the lush heart of Tortuguero National Park, the throaty chug of outboard motors faded until it was no more than a faint buzz, then evaporated altogether. The stillness that replaced it was richer than I could have imagined.
Except, of course, it wasn’t silence. At first I could hear only the splash-and-drip of our paddles dipping in coffee-coloured water, our guide motioning us forward past the hanging foliage. Then, gradually, I became aware of other noises. The plop as a pygmy kingfisher dived for prey. The rustle in the leaves as a family of howler monkeys, for once not living up to their name, peered down at us, lingering right at the water’s edge as we drifted past.
Wildlife all around seemed similarly relaxed: caiman did their best log impressions alongside us, iguanas lounged on branches above, and we could admire the gorgeous blue-green and chestnut hues of agami herons stiltwalking through the shallows. Somewhere in that thick jungle, I knew, stalked jaguars; I was both disappointed and relieved not to catch a glimpse of a spotted feline glaring hungrily from the bank. For two hours, I felt part of the natural rhythms of the rainforest in a way that just wouldn’t be possible in a speedboat.
It’s amazing what you can do in Costa Rica. Horseriding, mountain-biking, ziplining, waterfall abseiling and trekking appear on the menu, through mountains and rainforests, along beaches and rivers.
I’d started my trip high in the cloud forest, south-east of capital San José at Trogon Lodge. My bedroom window looked out right into the forest canopy – it was tempting to see whether I could birdwatch without leaving my bed. Almost. But the lure of spotting the aptly named resplendent quetzal was too much, and I joined the lodge’s guide at 6am on a hunt for this dazzling green-and-crimson bird.
My next destination, the Pacuare River, isn’t so peaceful – but it’s certainly wild. A 30km whitewater rafting trip promised not just foaming torrents but plenty of scenic beauty, too. After half an hour mastering the instructions yelled by our river guide – mostly ‘paddle left!’ or ‘right!’ or the more scary ‘GET DOWN!’ – we were ready for the main event: a narrow gorge tumultuous with rapids bearing such reassuring names as Double Drop and Pinball. Gasping and spluttering, I did at least find time to gawp at the Huacas waterfall (before being dunked underneath it). And during a moment of calm on our final stretch through the Dos Montañas canyon and beyond, lined with primary rainforest, I reclined on the raft and gazed up into the canopy, to see white-faced monkeys spying back down at me. Not for the first time, Costa Rica sprang a surprise to leave me speechless.”
adrenaline. Kayaking, biking, horse-riding and more.