Barro Colorado Island (BCI) and the Panama Canal, 12/21/2022, National Geographic Quest
Aboard the
National Geographic Quest
Costa Rica, Panama & Colombia
Barro Colorado Island and the Smithsonian Tropical Institution (STRI) have a symbiotic relationship with the Panama Canal and the town of Gamboa. This relationship has endured for almost 100 years since the island was set aside as a nature reserve in 1923. The island is an important spot for tropical biologists. Today we had the opportunity to visit both the town and the island.
Mauricio was born and raised in Panama City. He is studying at the University of Panama to obtain his bachelor’s degree in Biology and has worked on research projects collaborating with institutions like the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute an...
Enter travel details to receive reports from a single expedition
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Send Daily Expedition Reports to friends and family
*By clicking the submit button, I authorize Lindblad Expeditions to email me; however, I am able to unsubscribe at any time. For more details, see our Privacy Policy.
Please note: All Daily Expedition Reports (DERs) are posted Monday-Friday,
during normal business hours. DERs are written onboard the ship only and do
not apply to land-based portions of expeditions.
This morning, National Geographic Quest visited the Rio Seco Rainforest, nestled within the Piedras Blancas National Park in Costa Rica. Accessible only by boat, the area offers an untouched tropical paradise. Guests hiked through the lush rainforest and explored a vibrant tropical garden. The birdwatching was exceptional, with sightings of parrots, toucans, scarlet macaws, tanagers, and more. After returning to the ship for lunch, we repositioned to Golfito. There, we embarked on a kayak tour and Zodiac rides where we observed sloths, monkeys, iguanas, and an abundance of birdlife. It was a fantastic day filled with wildlife encounters and natural beauty!
It was our first day of activities on board National Geographic Quest , and what a way to start our journey! If there was a morning to enjoy nature, it was today, and everybody had the chance to appreciate a little of everything. We went for Zodiac rides on the Agujitas River, with wildlife sightings of trogons, toucans, Jesus Christ lizards, monkeys, herons, great green iguanas, sloths, and more. Everything was right there at the edges of the water, with the rainforest as a backdrop, accompanied by beautiful weather. After repositioning National Geographic Quest, we visited Caletas Beach where we went for a hike in the rainforest, a real experience with mud and lots of sounds from all the creatures every step of the way. We admired the beauty of the rainforest, including spider and white-faced capuchin monkeys. It was a memorable day.
Today guests had the pleasure of being led by our local guides and shipboard naturalists on a plethora of hike and walk options in Caletas. This beach is located just south of Drake’s Bay. Guests were delighted at the chance to see mantled howler monkeys, spider monkeys, several species of birds, and even a tiger rat snake. In the afternoon we cruised into Agujitas River for a cool Zodiac ride to find more wildlife. All in all, it was a wonderful way to spend our last day of the expedition and to cap off an amazing Central American season aboard National Geographic Quest .
