As much as I love spending time with guests on the safaris it's always a treat to be able to explore a new area and spend time taking images just for myself. I was also looking forward to relaxing for a bit but the photo opportunities were so numerous and diverse I could never get myself to rest until it was dark out.
There are numerous trails to explore and wildlife abounds. The tiny town of Punta Banco is a ten minute walk down the road and is a wonderful place to capture locals in their environment. An added bonus is the possibility of seeing a member of the near by Ngobe indigenous tribe.
I stayed for three nights and would have loved to spend a few more days!
The owners, Peter and Lisbeth Aspinall were extremely knowledgeable and shared their experiences daily. Lisbeth gave me a guided tour and was amazing at spotting wildlife. Peter was equally knowledgeable in the area of local flora and fruit growing techniques. The fruit from their orchards was available daily. What a treat for me! I drank juice several times a day. Not your milk carton variety, fresh picked and squeezed! Hard to find in Alaska!
In short the scouting was a success. Journeys and I will be offering a new CR trip based in the Monte Verde Cloud Forest and Tiskita Jungle Lodge in the near future!
Here is an overly large sampling of images all taken within walking distance of the lodge, all except those of the surfers and large ocean rocks. Those were taken in Pavonnes, a small surfing community five miles back up the road. Awesome!!
