Mexico to Brazil

januar - august 2024
We are currently travelling from Mexico City through Central America and South America to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil by August Læs mere

Liste over lande

  • Paraguay
  • Brasilien
  • Uruguay
  • Argentina
  • Bolivia
  • Chile
  • Peru
  • Vis alt (17)
Kategorier
Rejse med rygsæk, Bus, Par, Kultur, Dykning, Vandring, Natur, Fotografi, Selvopdagelse, Ødemark
  • 55,2krejste kilometer
Transportmidler
  • Flyvning31,4kkilometer
  • Bus10,4kkilometer
  • Bil6.453kilometer
  • 4x43.104kilometer
  • Motorbåd708kilometer
  • Gåture492kilometer
  • Tog322kilometer
  • Færge121kilometer
  • Vandring114kilometer
  • Helikopter80kilometer
  • Tuk Tuk60kilometer
  • Cykel38kilometer
  • Padling/Roning9kilometer
  • Cable car6kilometer
  • Sejlads5kilometer
  • Hest5kilometer
  • Motorcykel4kilometer
  • Campingvogn-kilometer
  • Campingvogn-kilometer
  • Svømning-kilometer
  • Husbåd-kilometer
  • Krydstogtskib-kilometer
  • Skiløb-kilometer
  • At blaffe-kilometer
  • Barfodet-kilometer
  • 144fodaftryk
  • 239dage
  • 2,0kfotos
  • 1,0kkan lide
  • Off the beaten track - Ometepe

    22.–26. mar. 2024, Nicaragua ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Nicaragua is a bit off the tourist path compared to some of the other countries we have been. And the place we are staying on Omtepe is also off the beaten path too or more accurately well beyond where the paved road finishes. Things are a lot quieter and rustic here. The restaurant opens to serve you, we are the only westerners staying in the village.

    We got here by taking a two hour bus then a one hour ferry then a 90 minute Tuktuk. Ometepe is an island on Lake Nicaragua the largest lake in Central America. It is primarily formed by two volcanoes - one only is active.

    We have had a fairly relaxed few days walking around the village of Merida. Yesterday we went kayaking in a mangrove swamp with lots of birds, caiman and monkeys to see. Today we went horse riding.

    Interesting to know that ocean based bull sharks are able to swim up the river from the Caribbean (takes about two weeks) and there is a population in the lake. They used to think they were a separate freshwater species until they tagged them and saw them coming and going.

    Added a few birds to my list despite no binoculars including Nicaraguan Grackle, Southern Lapwing, Amazon Kingfisher and Banded Wren. But best of all was Orange-Chinned Parakeet my 1,000th life-bird.

    Day after tomorrow we head back to Costa Rica where we will be back on the more beaten track.
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  • Monteverde Butterfly Gardens

    29. marts 2024, Costa Rica ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    We are now in Monteverde (Green Mountain) and this is a lovely cloud forest location in Costa Rica.

    We have seen lots of butterflies during our travels so far but often without the good camera or without time to focus on photography. Having been deprived of my camera in Nicaragua I was keen for some
    wildlife photography opportunities so this morning we popped down to the Monteverde butterfly gardens and were not disappointed with the native Costa Rican butterflies on display.
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  • Cloud forest

    29. marts 2024, Costa Rica ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    This afternoon we visited the local cloud forest and took the hanging bridge walkways. We walked about five km along the forest floor whilst also taking 8 different hanging bridges in and above the canopy.

    The various sights small and large were amazing. Here the plants are the stars and the sheer variety of them is overwhelming. We did add four new birds to our trip list but the forest itself provided the strongest impression. We also saw monkeys.

    Anyway the photos say it all so I will shut up. Tomorrow we go birding again in this rich cloud forest habitat.
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  • Zip Lines

    29. marts 2024, Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Costa Rica is a fairly developed country and that means regulations and health and safety. So for example our accommodation (for the first time on this trip) has smoke and CO detectors.

    All of this gives me the confidence to be a bit adventurous and do the zip-lining that is on offer here and a fun way to see the cloud forest from within and above.

    This zip-lining tour was 3.5km of zip lines with the longest one being a kilometre. It took a couple of hours to complete. The last zip line was a km long and done superman style - felt like proper flying.
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  • Birding Monteverde

    31. marts 2024, Costa Rica ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    We have just spent a couple of wonderful days birding around Monteverde. I have written extensively about it in my blog (wildscot.blog) so won’t repeat it here but some great photos to share

  • Talamanca Highlands

    1.–3. apr. 2024, Costa Rica ⋅ 🌙 8 °C

    Down the western spine of southern Costa Rica run the Talamanca Highlands which includes the highest mountain in Costa Rica at just under 4000m. We came to this area for the birding which has a high number of regional endemics (found nowhere else)

    We left Monteverde yesterday on the 5.30am bus getting to the capital San Jose at 10.30. We have arranged a car hire for two weeks and they let us pick it up three hours early. I think our effort at Spanish helped.

    We arrived at our lodge at 2200m in time for some birding adding several new species from our balcony.

    This morning we were out the door at 4.45am and birding in the cold 3 degrees at 5.30am. Lots of good birds including a crazy busy hummingbird feeder video.

    Costa Rica has some amazingly colourful birds which makes their choice of national bird quite understated (see photos).
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  • Bioluminescence Kayak Tour

    3. april 2024, Costa Rica ⋅ 🌙 28 °C

    We arrived on Osa Peninsular yesterday (after 5 hour drive) and immediately went on a kayak tour. There were basically three parts to this

    First we kayaked around the mangroves and saw various wildlife including the stunning American Pigmy Kingfisher which I have heard three or four times but never seen. Also several birds from home Osprey, Grey Plover and Turnstone.

    Next we had a chill on the beach with fresh fruit and swam in the pacific watching the sunset.

    Then a nighttime Kayak until we came to a place where we could see the phenomenon known as bioluminescence. This is caused by tiny plankton. Nothing to show on film as it was so dark and they were so tiny. But it was magical. You ran your hand through the water and could see hundreds of tiny stars or jewels twinkling. We did a snorkel in the dark and it was like flying through space at light speed.
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  • Corcovado wilderness and… RESCUE

    4. april 2024, Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Yesterday we sent off early to trek into the heart of the Corcovado National Park. This legendary part of Costa Rica has 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity (trees, plants, animal, bird and insect species). That is very high.

    We had planned a 20km jungle and beach trek with the hope of seeing new wildlife including 5 species of cats (jaguar and puma included), ant eaters, armadillo, tapir and many new birds. We had one night booked at the remote research station which only has 20 beds. This had to be booked over a month in advance.

    Our guide was great and in the morning we saw lots of wildlife (see photos) as we entered the national park. We stopped for lunch and a swim by a small waterfall which cooled us down in the heat of the day. Our progress was determined by the tide as we needed to pass a headland and then continue for an hour and a half on the beach.

    Alas clambering over a rocky scramble I (Michael) felt a sudden pain in my calf a knew immediately I had pulled the muscle. This had happened to me once on a Munro and I was out of action for four weeks.

    The guide went into rescue mode and an ATV was arranged to collect me. First I had to get back a painful half a km to before the rocks. Whilst waiting we did see an Ant Eater which was nice and a Black Hawk.

    The ATV took us back to the trailhead and transport was arranged to take us the 90 minutes back to town.

    A mixture of emotions. Very disappointed not to have another day and a half to explore this amazing wilderness. The hike had cost $$$ and should have been a top experience for Costa Rica.

    But on the other hand very grateful that this happened in Costa Rica which had a rescue protocol (I was 6th rescue this year) and that we are both safe and relatively well.

    After removing all the ticks from the jungle (!) and having a shower and hot meal we have reflected that we have been pushing it hard the last week or so and perhaps this is natures way of telling us to slow down, well I will have to as will be physically restricted for the next few weeks.
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  • Carara national park

    7.–10. apr. 2024, Costa Rica ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    This place was packed full of nature! First thing in the morning we woke to a troop of about 40 howler monkeys moving through the trees above our cabin. The alpha male howling his dominance. The whole group eating fruit and dropping the stones on our roof - bang, bang, howl, bang. Quite the alarm clock.

    Then last thing at night we find a scorpion in the shower. We just put a cup over it, had our shower and asked staff to move it in the morning.

    Costa Rica - Pura Vida!

    In between was lots of wildlife and bird watching with a wonderful guide called Santiago. I (Michael) am able to get around ok providing not too much gradient. More info about the wildlife sightings in the blog.

    After three weeks in Costa Rica, a country smaller than Scotland, I have seen more bird species here than I have ever seen in the whole of the UK in my 49+ years. Remarkable.
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  • Owl’s That!

    8. april 2024, Costa Rica ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    We haven’t had the confidence to go out looking for owls on this trip, partly because of security concerns meaning that driving at night is unwise and partly because there are a lot of things you can stand on that have the name poisonous in their title and/or job description.

    So when our excellent guide Santiago offered to take us out at night looking for owls we jumped at the chance. Six owls and one nightjar later we were delighted albeit rather tired as beyond our normal 8pm bedtime. (Yes really as we get up at 5am most mornings).

    Next up we move to La Fortuna and the beautiful Arenal Volcano.
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