From the Field: Campanario Biological Station at Osa Peninsula Costa Rica

From Angie Rocha, Expedition Guide aboard Safari Voyager

We anchored early in the morning, just when the sunrise was touching the leaves of the trees. As usual, there were also a few clouds to let us know that we had just arrived at the rain forest.

Guests standing by sign for Campanario Biological Station

That morning, we visited Campanario Biological Station, which is located in the Pacific lowland at Osa Peninsula. It's near Corcovado National Park and stretches nearly 170 acres inland from the sea. The station is proud to be home to a wide array of rare and endangered flora and fauna, including at least 124 species of mammals (including 58 types of bats), 71 reptiles, and 375 varieties of birds, of which 18 are endemic. The station also has three permanent streams and a beautiful coastline with 4 small pristine beaches and several rocky points. In an average year this area sees 4-5 meters (about 15 feet!) of rainfall making Campanario one of the wetter areas in Costa Rica  

Young woman climbing out of root cave

We decided to do a new long trail walk with a local guide from the Station. We entered through a new path. As we got deeper into the rainforest, we found many army ants and leaf cutting ants, a tapir food spring, and even spider monkeys!

There was a garlic tree with an incredible root formation that created a natural root cave that we were able to enter. It was amazing, and the guests loved it! Later, we jumped into a little waterfall to cool off.

Two guests in a waterfall in Costa Rica

Soon Mother Nature brought us more wildlife on our adventure. As we continued walking, a spider monkey showed up with a baby. Of course, we were all really excited to see the baby. Suddenly, a red coat manaking (one of the 375 varieties of tropical birds) perched right front of us looking for its own attention. 

Mother and baby monkey

As we walked, rain came just to give us at nice cool off at the end.  All told, we walked 3.11 miles. We finished off by eating star fruit right from the tree. What a beautiful day in Paradise.