While investigating the incredible creatures of the Costa Rican night at the Parador Resort our guide, Danny, asked if we would be interested in taking a bicycle tour through the jungle the next day.
He didn’t have to ask twice.
The next morning we set out bright and early on what would be the most unique bike ride of our lives.
Our first clue that this would be a very different kind of outing was when we noticed a little green snake on our spokes just as we were getting ready to start.
He wasn’t bothering anything, and he was kind of cute, so we snapped a couple of photos and waited for him to move along.
Once our wheels were reptile free, we set out down a dirt road that disappeared into the dense forest.
As we rode along the rustic roadway, we noticed that trees had been planted in straight rows along the side of the road.
On closer inspection, we could see that they were used as fence posts. With an even closer look we found that the trees had grown around the wire making for a permanent connection.
Deeper into the growth we stopped to check out an interesting seed pod that looked like a seashell. Nearby, we found a number of plants proudly presenting bright red flowers. Crimson seemed to be the most common color, at least in this part of the rainforest.
As we learned at the weaving cooperative in the tiny village of Chincheros, Peru, the landscape is filled with plants and bugs that can be used to create vibrant dyes and pigments.
Danny demonstrated one of these by simply rubbing a leaf between his fingers and turning them blood red. This definitely had some practical joke possibilities, but instead we moved on.
Wildlife seemed a bit scarce, or at least they weren’t showing themselves much. We were mostly surprised by the lack of monkeys, since they seemed to be abundant everywhere else we had been in Costa Rica.
We did get a chance to get up close and personal with a few critters though. In addition to our reptilian send off, we saw several other fascinating lizards and interesting insects.
A couple of hours into our explorations, Danny had us dismount and led us down a steep path descending into the depths of the rainforest.
All he would tell us was that a surprise awaited us at the end of the trail.
The mysterious payoff did not disappoint. In fact, after pedaling for several miles through the tropical heat this emerald pool beneath a refreshing waterfall was a joy to behold.
We asked if it was OK to jump in, but it was just a formality. Almost nothing could have kept us from cooling off from the jungle sun in that inviting water.
We swam and frolicked for quite some time, but began to notice that we were getting a little hungry.
Danny had one more surprise up his sleeve, and it was a doozy. The last thing we expected to find out here was a sumptuous picnic spread out before us.
We devoured fresh fruits, tortillas, and Costa Rica’s famous coffee, made in a simple yet ingenious contraption known as a chorreador.
The ground beans are filtered through what looks disturbingly like an old sock. Luckily looks can be deceiving, because the finished product yields some of the best java we have ever had the pleasure to sip.
Yet another revelation during our day of two-wheeled discovery.
David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com
See all of our adventures in Costa Rica!
YOUR turn: Would you ride a bike through the jungle?
A HUGE gracias to Parador Resort and Spa for providing this adventure! As always, all opinions are our own.
Hiya very cool blog!! Man .. Excellent .. Superb .. I will bookmark your blog, thank you for sharing.
I visited the place last month.Best place to feel the adventure,recommended everyone to visit once.
Really a nice place to visit and explore things like this and i next coming years i promised myself that i will go there.
thanks for this precious post.