CANO NEGRO WILDLIFE REFUGE
Cano Negro near the border of Nicaragua, is one of the hardest places in Costa Rica to get to independently, but worth joining a day tour for a visit. Most visits start out on the Rio Frio, where you board a boat and glide up or down the river through canyons of green towards the Florida everglade like lake Cano Negro. In this case, getting there is half the fun. There are literally thousands of birds and plants, and many fish (if you are lucky, a freshwater shark's fin will slice the surface), mammals, reptiles and amphibians in and along the river.
aerial photo: Raul Cole
At the height of the dry season, there are a few hiking and horse trails exposed, but most of the time the only way to explore Cano Negro is by boat.
Birdwatching:
During the summer green season water from the mountains is plentiful and the Rio Frio overflows its banks at Cano Negro. The entire reserve turns into a shallow lake that serves as a wintering site for migrant American birds. During the winter dry season from November until April, the water level is continually falling, and by the beginning of the summer, all that is left is the main channel of the Rio Frio. Among the many birds usually present in the winter are: Glossy Ibis, Black-necked Stilt, Anhinga, American Widgeon, Northern Shoveler, Wood Stork, White Ibis, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Snail Kite, Green Backed Heron, and Blue-winged Teal. This is one of the best places to see the Nicaraguan Grackle, whose only Costa Rican habitat is Cano Negro and other marshy areas just south of Lake Nicaragua.
Wildlife: A boat ride down the Rio Frio is also an excellent opportunity to spot any or all of three species of monkeys, and hundreds of amphibians and reptiles that frequent the banks.
Cano Negro tour
The Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge and the Rio Frio are biological humid areas considered to be one of the richest in biological diversity in Costa Rica. Here you can find a great variety of resident and migratory birds plus three different species of monkeys, also iguanas, sloth, turtles and caimans.
The tour starts at 7: 30 a.m. from the Arenal Volcano area when we pick up all Nature Lovers from their hotels in a very comfortable bus for the 1-½ hour Transfer to Los Chiles, a culturally mixed village only 4-km from the Nicaraguan border. Here your boat waits for your river adventure, at that time we begin our 4-hour floating safari through Tropical Rain Forest and pastures until we arrive at the marsh. An experienced English - Spanish speaking guide leads the tour. We bring you back at your hotel at 4h30 pm.
Some birds are residents in the area and it is possible to see hundreds of them especially during the dry season. Some of them are Anhinga or Snake - bird (Anhinga anhinga), Roseate Spoonbill (Ajaia ajaja), it is possible to see little groups of this bird eating in the surroundings of the river. Wood Storks (Mycteria americana), the Jabirus (Jabiru mycteria), the largest bird in Central America and very endangered. Also the Olivaceous Cormorant (Palacrocorax olivaceus), that makes its nest in the area, it is also the most popular bird in the refuge. Caño Negro has the largest colony of cormorants in Costa Rica.
Along the river we can see howler monkeys (Alouata palliata), spider monkeys (Ateles geoffrogi), white-faced monkeys (Cebus capuccinus), also the three-toed sloth (Bradipus variegatus) and some reptiles like caimans (Caiman crocodilos), Jesus Christ lizard (Basiliscus basiliscus) and turtles.
This trip includes a home made box lunch, regional fruits, canned drinks, natural juices, beers, bottled water and cookies. All this is served in the surroundings of this green country side. Don’t forget to bring light clothing, camera, binoculars, sun cream and insect repellent.
Price is $48 per person from La Fortuna, $53 if staying at Arenal Paraiso, Los Lagos, Montana de Fuego, $55 Tabacon, $60 Arenal Lodge, $67 Observatory Lodge (price vary according to the distance between the hotel and La Fortuna). Half price for kids under 12, free if under 6.
If you would like to reserve this adventure, just tell us for what date, how many people, and what hotel you will be staying at.
other tour from Arenal Volcano : the Venado Caves Rafting Arenal map
Arenal Volcano Tours
Location: 210 Km. (131 mi.) from San Jose in
the Los Chiles and Guatuso lowlands, Alajuela,
25 km. (16 mi.) west of Los Chiles
Area: 9,940 Ha. (24,552 acres)
Average Temperature: 26 C (79 F)
Annual Rainfall: 3,000 mm (117 inches)