Hacienda Guachipelin and Rincon de la Vieja Volcano
Today our expedition took us to a real Costa Rican ranch named Hacienda Guachipelin, on the outskirts of an impressive volcano. For the first time in our cruise, we left the rocking movements of the Sea Voyager and, instead, we took motor coaches that drove us for over an hour into the deep mainland of Guanacaste. This remarkable territory is located in the northwestern section of the country.
As soon as we got to the hacienda we split according to our chosen activity; some decided to experience the forest horseback riding while others preferred their own traction (our feet). Regardless of which activity we signed up for, all of us had the chance to walk through a very pleasant but highly threatened type of forest: the Tropical Dry-Rain forest. This environment has earned this confusing named since half of the year is very dry and the trees will drop down their foliage as the understory turns brown. Even so, the other half of the year big thunderstorms spray the forest everyday bringing colors, blossoms and newborns to the thirsty plant life.
The national park provides home to several species of mammals, reptiles and birds. By the way, one of these mammals decided to be at the end of our trail as a nice close up for the walkers. The white nose coati, member of the raccoon family, can be found on the ground or climbing on 100 feet tall trees. This animal, likewise his close cousin the raccoon, will find any food source to be just fine for him.
The National Park was named after the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano which is the main attraction. This volcano is known as a massif volcano because of its numerous cones, craters and lagoons. There are fumaroles, boiling mud pools, steam vents and sulfurous springs. Every now and then the smell of sulfur and the sound of boiling water made us feel that the earth under our feet was alive, very alive!
But the day was not even close to the end yet. Back on the hacienda, a delicious barbecue lunch and a refreshing swimming pool was welcoming us with open arms. Little by little, it was time to go back to our floating home. Thus, as the sun was slowly setting down, we were back on the Sea Voyager for sunset cocktails and ceviche.
And so, another great day passed but memories will last…
Today our expedition took us to a real Costa Rican ranch named Hacienda Guachipelin, on the outskirts of an impressive volcano. For the first time in our cruise, we left the rocking movements of the Sea Voyager and, instead, we took motor coaches that drove us for over an hour into the deep mainland of Guanacaste. This remarkable territory is located in the northwestern section of the country.
As soon as we got to the hacienda we split according to our chosen activity; some decided to experience the forest horseback riding while others preferred their own traction (our feet). Regardless of which activity we signed up for, all of us had the chance to walk through a very pleasant but highly threatened type of forest: the Tropical Dry-Rain forest. This environment has earned this confusing named since half of the year is very dry and the trees will drop down their foliage as the understory turns brown. Even so, the other half of the year big thunderstorms spray the forest everyday bringing colors, blossoms and newborns to the thirsty plant life.
The national park provides home to several species of mammals, reptiles and birds. By the way, one of these mammals decided to be at the end of our trail as a nice close up for the walkers. The white nose coati, member of the raccoon family, can be found on the ground or climbing on 100 feet tall trees. This animal, likewise his close cousin the raccoon, will find any food source to be just fine for him.
The National Park was named after the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano which is the main attraction. This volcano is known as a massif volcano because of its numerous cones, craters and lagoons. There are fumaroles, boiling mud pools, steam vents and sulfurous springs. Every now and then the smell of sulfur and the sound of boiling water made us feel that the earth under our feet was alive, very alive!
But the day was not even close to the end yet. Back on the hacienda, a delicious barbecue lunch and a refreshing swimming pool was welcoming us with open arms. Little by little, it was time to go back to our floating home. Thus, as the sun was slowly setting down, we were back on the Sea Voyager for sunset cocktails and ceviche.
And so, another great day passed but memories will last…
