Last Updated on March 28, 2024
My husband’s and my vacation home, Villa Cassandra, is located in Ojochal, Costa Rica. We were excited to be entertaining guests for the first time since moving in. One of the things my best friend and her daughter wanted to do while visiting was to see wildlife.
That would work nicely into my plans as well, which was to explore some of the Osa Peninsula. The only problem we were running into was that locals told us we couldn’t do Corcovado in a day from Ojochal. It was too far away. We were recommended to stay there for at least two full days.
Knowing our time was limited, we did some research. We concluded that we could make this a day trip with good planning. We left our villa at 6:45 AM and drove 45 minutes to the town of Sierpe. From there, we took a 40-minute boat ride through the Térraba-Sierpe mangroves, by way of the Sierpe River, with another 30 minutes or so across a bit of the Pacific Ocean before arriving at the San Pedrillo Station located at the Corcovado National Park.
Arriving in Sierpe
We checked in for our tour in a restaurant in the small town of Sierpe. Our guides offered beverages and suggested we have breakfast and use the facilities to freshen up. Everything was clean, the staff was friendly, and the menu offered typical local fare.
I’d read that we could purchase tickets to Corcovado National Park without having a guide, but that it was challenging as you must secure tickets in advance since they cannot be purchased at the park entrance. In the end, I’m glad we decided to go with a guide. Their insider information was so valuable, including that we’d need a reusable water bottle as no plastics are allowed in the park.
Just before 8:00 a.m., the guides began to collect guests, helping them onto the boats. We made our way down the Sierpe River towards the mangroves. Along the way, our guides explained about the brackish water we were going through – a mixture of fresh and seawater. These areas are known as estuaries and it was fascinating to learn that the Térraba-Sierpe mangrove swamp in Costa Rica is one of the largest in the world.
Being on the boat with the warm sun on our faces, the breeze blowing all around us, and the gentle water spray on our skin was ideal for enjoying the ride. Our guides were on the lookout for wildlife – birds or crocodiles – anything to bring further excitement to the trip.
Into the Pacific Ocean
Suddenly, the brackish water changed to the saltwater of the Pacific. We were advised to move towards the front of the boat as our captain maneuvered between the gentle flow of the river to the tumultuous waters of the Pacific.
It was an exhilarating experience.
With his keen eye, the captain spotted some birds on the water and slowed the boat to a crawl as he explained that when these brown birds are seen on the waters, whales are typically not too far away. We waited with bated breath, hoping to see whales, but to no avail.
Back on track, the boat moved through the waves, swells lifting us up and then returning to the surface with a jarring bang. Leaning into the movement was much like riding a horse.
“There is Bahia Drake,” our captain said. “We are not going there, but perhaps you will want to take the opportunity while you are here to see this lovely bay, where you can snorkel and play and relax on the beach.”
On the Beach of Corcovado
Suddenly, before us, the beach at Corcovado appeared.
“You might want to take off your shoes if you don’t want them to get wet,” our guide said as I slipped out of my hiking boots.
We were able to rinse our feet on the beach, though I wished I’d packed a small Turkish towel and a dry bag to put important things I did not want to get wet, like my cell phone, and shoes. Once again, I realized it’s the little things that would have made this trip so much easier, and it’s those items I’m making note of for future adventures.
Wildlife Sightings
I was concerned that my bad back would make walking the trail difficult. I was reassured that it’s an easy trail to walk, and I did find that to be true. For the first 50 minutes.
Excitedly, we came across a coati snuffling for food. He paid us no mind as he went from one area to the next, eating what he found, and moving on. Next, we saw a monkey, high up in the trees. The guide took his tripod and set up a small telescope to make it easier for us to see.
Each wildlife sighting was about 10 minutes long, but as we stood still, my spine began to ache and spasm. I did not want to ruin anyone’s trip, so I kept pressing on nonetheless and was glad I did when suddenly we spotted an anteater.
We all commented that he was so cute as he climbed into the tree, sniffing and eating what he’d found. He made his way down towards us and then, just as suddenly as he was coming down, he turned around and leaped deftly onto a loose branch.
Our guide laughed and said, “He will have to jump off soon, that branch will not hold him.”
No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the anteater leaped again onto a higher branch, much sturdier as the branch he had left went crashing to the forest floor.
Our guide proclaimed, “I told you, little fatty, you were not long for that branch.”
By this time, I realized my back could not take all of the stops and waiting. The guide left the rest of the group with a secondary guide and escorted me back to the main trail explaining how to get back to the starting point. That’s when I saw a spider monkey high in the trees overhead.
I made my way back over a gentle flowing creek where I cooled off for a bit before heading back to the station. I found a place in the shade, sat and watched the ocean and spotted a gorgeous scarlet macaw flying off in the distance.
I daydreamed about what it would be like to finish that hike in the future once my back was stronger, but thoroughly enjoyed the peace and serenity of the waves crashing up against the rocks and the views.
Lunch in the Park
My group of adventurers returned and we enjoyed the simple meal our guides had set out that included fruit, bread, meats, and cheeses. I smiled, thinking of our 2-year-old grandson, who loves both pineapple and watermelon!
We chatted and laughed as everyone shared their photos during their hike of the scarlet macaw, spider monkey, and howler monkey with his wizened old face.
After a brief lunch, the group returned to do an even more strenuous, but worthwhile hike to a stunning waterfall.
Back to the Ocean and Heading to Sierpe
After the waterfall hike, it was time to reboard our boat and make our way once again through the Pacific, across the divide between the salt and brackish waters, travel slowly through the mangroves, learn some local history, and get a fascinating ecology lesson about why the roots of the mangroves are so far above the soil. They need to breathe, and unlike normal soil where gaps enable the roots to take in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen, the marshy waters of this estuary’s gaps are filled with water.
Our guide pulled a small branch in from the water and sitting on the branch was a tiger-faced crab. We were all impressed with its bright colors. As the guide put him back into the water, still on the branch, he said, “The circle of life. A bird will come along now and lift him off this branch or, perhaps, he will escape into the water.”
We managed to make it back to Sierpe and to our villa in time to have a meal and head out to see the sunset. Another end to another amazing day in paradise. And a journey we managed to make all in one day.
