I was lucky enough to visit Costa Rica at the end of November 2017 and I must confess to being completely surprised by how beautiful it was.

I had read much about Costa Rica being one of the most biodiverse countries to be found in the World. This rugged, rainforested Central American country didn’t let me down and I don’t think I have ever seen such a wide variety nor more colourful numbers of insects, birds, animals, flora and fauna. To see flocks of Scarlet Macaws roosting in the evening light in the treetops was a particular treat, but I also will not forget waking up to hummingbirds feeding, toucans so close you can almost touch them and butterflies the size of a large mans doubled hands width.

Another highlight was the early morning light when the rainforest is all misty and the views have pockets of cotton wool clouds hanging in the treetops.

Be prepared though, as you need to be reasonably fit for this ride. The long hours in the saddle some days are tiring, not so much as to faster paces, but riding in heat and high humidity can leave you feeling physically drained if not used to it.

However this ride is a real adventure, a wonderful, colourful and interesting journey starting inland, traversing through the rainforests and ultimately ending at the Pacific Ocean.

Sarah Dale – March 2020