Wildlife Rescue Center, Coastal Scenic Drive & Lunch

OVERVIEW

Follow a mostly coastal highway south to a wildlife center that rehabilitates abandoned and injured animals in hopes of releasing them back into the wild. The drive will be extraordinarily scenic with ocean on one side and lush vegetation on the other. You will cross several rivers and pass the Cahuita National Park before arriving at the wildlife facility in Puerto Viejo. Despite the name of the Jaguar Rescue Center, it primarily cares for sloths, monkeys, birds and marsupials that may have been attacked by dogs, electrocuted, orphaned or confiscated due to illegal trafficking. You will learn the stories of the animals while watching them being cared for in hopes of relocating them once they are rehabilitated. You can expect it to be an emotionally moving experience, especially when you hear about the many creatures that have been successfully released into a remote natural reserve. A tasty Costa Rican lunch follows.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a panoramic coastal drive south to a wildlife rescue center in Puerto Viejo.
• Watch the naturalists care for the animals, which include mammals, birds and reptiles.
• Learn why the animals were brought to the center and about their chances for recovery.
• Dine on traditional Costa Rican food at a restaurant in Puerto Viejo.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.