We were told that Costa Rica is all about nature; but with 26% of its land protected as national parks and reserves, it was difficult to pick exactly where to go.

Entering into southern Costa Rica from Panama, we started with the Osa Peninsula and a visit to Corcovado National Park. According to National Geographic, this small peninsula constitutes 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity, so it seemed like a safe bet for some wildlife spotting. We skipped the gravel road with its river crossings and opted for a boat transfer (without the bikes) along the Sierpe River to the township of Bahia Drake, on the edge of the park. The access difficulties keep the settlement small and lovely, however it is believed the road will be upgraded in the future, bringing with it more visitors and the associated impacts.

We visited Corcovado NP on a day trip. Our guide was excellent – experienced, knowledgeable and professional. Even so, he was aware of the high stakes he was dealing in. After a morning of spotting a great variety of birdlife, caimans and monkeys (far more than I have ever seen in the Amazon), he was visibly relieved when we saw our first toucan. It seems that toucans and sloths are the big ticket items that tourists want to see! When passing other groups on the trails, the guides whispered tips to each other and we wondered about the gameplay of sharing this privileged information. At the end of our tour, our guide went through all that we had seen with him that day, ticking each animal off on his fingers – he was clearly pleased with a successful day and the recommendations he might get.

New for us, our guide carried a powerful spotting scope mounted on a head-height tripod. We soon realised that scopes were standard kit for park guides in Costa Rica, but I’ve never had this equipment on any of the Brazilian, Ecuadorian, Peruvian or Bolivian wildlife walks I’ve been on. Even with binoculars, there is nothing more disappointing than your guide excitedly pointing to something in the foliage that you simply can’t find! The scope was quickly lined up and everyone filed through for a close-up look. The guides quickly helped their group take photos through the lense, thus capturing the prize for all, yet maintaining a buffer between the people and the wildlife.

On the peninsula we also did our first nocturnal wildlife tour. We had a wife and husband team guide us expertly through the night. You’d think it would be hard to spot wildlife in the dark, but it is the “eye-shine”, that is the reflection of our torch light in their eyes, that reveals their presence. There were some great finds and stories but a highlight was spotting two sleeping hummingbirds. They sleep with their heads tipped back, beaks pointed to the sky – so adorable!

After enjoying the relative remoteness of Corcovado, our visit to the very accessible Manuel Antonio National Park was a little different. After running the gauntlet of guides and tour operators offering their services, we independently entered the park’s pedestrian “highway”, the main trail that connects the park entrance to the beach. This gravel road was jam-packed with guides and their camera-wielding groups. I was truly surprised that any wildlife would stick around and endure these crowds, but there were plenty of sloths, birds and monkeys to be seen. Guides shouted over each other to be heard and vied for spots to position their scopes. It really did seem like a circus and you could feel the tension between the guides. That said, it wasn’t difficult for us to escape most of the crowds and find some quieter trails with more wildlife to enjoy.

As we continued through Costa Rica, the competitiveness of tourism businesses was relentless, with little variation in the activities on offer. We were happy with the two parks that we visited and the variety of wildlife we saw, certainly preferring the Corcovado experience, so we decided to leave the hype and crowds behind and make our way to Nicaragua.

Posted by Fiona

Full photo gallery of Costa Rica is here.

In Corcovado National Park, spotting caimans and herons through the scope.

Getting closer than I would ever dare, a photo taken through the scope.

A chestnut-mandibled toucan – a big ticket item on a wildlife tour.

Glorious, empty beaches around Bahia Drake.

Scarlet macaws were abundant in the almond trees along the coast here. They look like a vivid, flying rainbow when they move across the sky.

Some of the critters spotted on the night tour, from top left: gladiator tree frog; common basilisk; tailess whip scorpion (this is actually a spider), Bolivian wandering spider; trapdoor spider and leaf beetle.

This little lady was our local guide for the day in Bahia Drake. She showed us the way from our accommodation to the beach, stayed with our gear whilst we swam, then led us home. What a champion. She didn’t even want a tip!

After 28,000km, we got our first puncture in Sierpe. This was the nasty culprit!

The circus that is wildlife spotting in Manuel Antonio National Park.

Smuggly escaping the crowds, this guy was hanging out on a quieter trail.

Sun baking on a beach in Manuel Antonio NP, you are likely to come across one of these: a black spiny-tailed iguana.

Capuchin monkeys were everywhere.

Our visit coincided with our one year anniversary of being on the road – an awesome place to spend it!

We met Freddie by chance in a motorbike parts shop and spent a couple of nights in a caravan in his backyard in Orosi.

Common basilisk, also known as the Jesus Christ lizard because it is able to run on the surface of water.

Meeting a two-fingered sloth at the Sloth Sanctuary near Cahuita.

In the nursery of the Sloth Sanctuary.This little one had recently had her hair shaved for an operation so she was wrapped in cloths to keep warm. She looked pretty content to us.

Warning: sloths crossing.