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6
May
2013
May Special
This month of May, Hacienda Guachipelin offers a very special discount: 25% off the regular rate. Guests will also receive $25 resort credit that can be applied for tours or massage. May is the month of the transition from the dry season to the rainy season. Actually May has a very nice weather, not very rainy and not very hot, yet the sunsets are still the famous Guanacaste sunsets.
guanacaste sunset
Rincon de la Vieja National Park is 14, 161 hectares big. It was declared This national park is named after the active Rincon de la Vieja Volcano. The summit is 1895 meters high. The main attraction is Las Pailas trail, a 3+ km trail with fumaroles, hot springs, mud pots and a strong sulfur smell , that surrounds the area. There are other attractions in the trail, like the little volcano, a very active hole that bursts with steam and a very loud jet like sound.
The mountain has another volcano, the inactive one, Santa María Volcano, whic has an altitude of 1916 meters, the highest by the way. The area has other attractions like the summit, presently closed to visitors due to activity, and very nice waterfalls. The most famous is La Cangreja, which is another “Rio Celeste“. This is a phenomenon that happens around volcanoes and the water turns blue.
(This offer only applies for reservations through Trip Advisor and does not apply with other offers or promotions, valido for the month of May)
22
Mar
2013
The North Face ® Endurance Challenge 2013
The North Face ® Endurance Challenge 2013 is an endurance race of 10 km, 21 km, 50 km and 80 km long. This race is part of an international circuit organized by The North Face and seeks to promote physical activity in the nature of safe and responsible manner, applying the philosophy of minimal impact, and also encourage the practice of trail running or mountain trail use to run.
The story of The North Face Endurance Challenge begins in 2006. When searching for Dean Karnazes (ultra marathoner well known in USA) to run 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 consecutive days, also known as The North Face Endurance 50 Endurance Challenge the idea was then born.
Launched in 2007, The North Face Endurance Challenge Series is committed to encourage riders to their limits and promote the sport of ultra-trail running. The circuits were designed to challenge even the most experienced riders, and also please the new trail running enthusiasts, and in turn incorporate the beautiful scenery of the venue.
This is a career that includes categories for people who are getting started in the sport, intermediate and expert. The courses are developed by natural terrain and difficulty of these varies according to different circuits.
The North Face Endurance Challenge now has a circuit in the United States made up New York, Washington, DC, Georgia, Kansas and California.
Due to the wide appeal of the brand and its growth in Latin America, The North Face decided to create a Latin American circuit that will accommodate the same characteristics of the circuit in the U.S. and allows us to offer our brand consumers worldwide a series of races with unique scenarios, different climates and with the stamp of quality The North Face Endurance Challenge.
Dare to know the experience of running in the mountains and dive deeper into nature.
We invite you to Never Stop Exploring!
Latin Tour 2013:
Ecuador – June
Costa Rica – June
Chile – October
Argentina – November
27
Feb
2013
The world’s top 10 wildlife destinations
Today on Fox News travel section Costa Rica was mentioned as the #1 world destination for wildlife.
Austin Lehman describes Costa Rica as:
A land of lush, primordial, protected beauty
Cradled between two continents and two seas lies a land as wild and primeval as any on earth: Costa Rica. Protected on this tiny isthmus are more species of wildlife and flora than any other place on the planet.
Costa Rica is considered part of a biodiversity hotspot.
Costa Rica is located in Central America. It borders both the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It has a 1,228 km of coastline 212 km on the Caribbean coast and 1,016 km on the Pacific.
Costa Rica shares a border with Nicaragua to the north and with Panama to the south. The area of Costa Rica is 51,100 km², slightly smaller than the state of West Virginia.
Rincon de la Vieja Volcano, is located on the pacific side. It is active and easy to explore. The international airport is very close to the Volcano, just 30 minutes.
6
Feb
2013
Day Trips Guanacaste
We received this wonderful review from our tours from a group of journalists, and we wanted to share it with everybody
“…..
Day trips
Outings are easily arranged with the local tour operators who eagerly welcome bookings at the lobby. Then there are those amiable tour reps who like to hang by the beach practicing their English as they ask what country you are from.
One day local tour operator Swiss Travel took us to Rincon de la Vieja, the largest active volcano in the country’s northwest and the closest to the beach. It’s part of a national park of the same name, which translates roughly to “old woman’s nook.”
In the morning we rode horseback through lush tall grasses bearing spiny Pochote trees. This stretch of heaven is the remnant of volcanic activity eons ago but the region is still very active. Guanacaste is located like much of Costa Rica in a volcanic zone. Just around us nine craters are visible.
Locals call this place “Little Yellowstone” because of the rich biodiversity and its numerous boiling mud pots. It emits an otherworldly ambiance as the sulphurous fumaroles cast small mushroom clouds over the terrain in some parts.
By the Rio Negro (so named due to the black lava rock), we bid the horses adios then resumed the next leg: white water tubing.
Churning around and around, laughing in hysterics the entire way, I couldn’t get over myself. I mean I’m no shrinking violet when it comes to battling rapids. A Niagara Falls-born gal I am, so hitting the infamous Niagara Gorge in a turbo jet is done on a lazy afternoon (okay I was a passenger on that one, but still) and splashing around rapids outside Ottawa I’ve done in a day.
But this one was like nature’s amusement ride. It helps its dry season from December through April so water levels are low. Still the turning action as I spun around this tempest in a teapot got my heart pounding as I twisted and turned through this jungle canyon.
Giddy with excitement, I snuck my neck inside the tube like a cautious turtle bracing myself for the unknown. Instead as I looked above a heavenly blue butterfly fluttered watching over me.
That night at the resort we laughed and reminisced on how we conquered the Rio Negro.
Boy would I do it again. ”
17
Jan
2013
Nice comment on Trip Advisor forum
Our adventures are popular in the Guanacaste area. The closeness to the beach and the fact that the volcano is active makes the area a popular destination. Adventures for all ages , plus nature and lots of volcanic activity makes the area the place to change the pace.
Here is a nice comment from a recent visit posted on the Costa Rica forum .
14. Re: Best Trips from Playa Hermosa
Jan 16, 2013, 6:47 PM
Yes, we called Guachipelin in the morning right after they opened and got there soon after.
We have amazing pictures and videos of my daughter’s adventures! I’ll make sure and show them to her when she’ll become a mother and worry about her kids! All those “Tarzan swings” and upside-down ziplining….good thing I didn’t know anything about them at the time they were happening!:-)))
9
Jan
2013
Sustainable Adventure Park
Level 4 Sustainability
Adventure Tours from Hacienda Guchipelin has recently been awarded with Level 4 in sustainability. This is a great recognition for the effort to be more sustainable in all of our practices and all of our work. The best part of it is that the staff has a new way of looking at things.
According to the the Ministry of Tourism of Costa Rica in the web site:
Sustainability, as a model of development, seeks to meet the current demands of society without compromising the rights of future generations to meet theirs. That is to say, the development of the country cannot be based on the unbalanced exploitation of resources (natural, cultural, social, etc.) to meet the demands of society (food, housing, health, employment) because these are the only resources we have, and that future generations have, to meet our and their own needs.
5
Jul
2012
Las Pailas Trail at Rincon de la Vieja
The most visited National Park in Guanacaste is Rincon de la Vieja Volcano. Every year around 70.000 visitors enjoy the wonders of this national park.
The most visited trail in Rincon de la Vieja National Park is Las Pailas. The trail has a total distance of 3.5 km. The hike lasts around 2 hours.
The main reason to visit is the secondary volcanic activity, not to mention the waterfalls and the pristine rivers. The volcanic activity is manifested as mud volcanoes and fumaroles, a roaring little crater, hot springs, boiling mud pools, sulfur springs, lagoons full of boiling water. Other attractions are the 200 bird species, large mammals like the tapir, smaller mammals like howler monkeys, capuchin or white faced monkeys, spider monkeys, and more. Here are some recent pictures of the flora in the park.
Some important regulations to follow are:
- do not use soap in rivers and ponds
- stay on the path, there are dangerous high temperatures of the waters and vapors
- never feed the animals
- do not interact with any for of wildlife
- do not extract anything from the park (plants, animals or minerals)
- the use of proper shoes is mandatory
The admission $10 per person. Las Pailas is open from Tuesday to Sunday. The entrance is open to visitors from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm, but the parks closes at 5 pm.
The park was created by Law in October, 1973. Its has an extension is of 14.083.9 hectares. It is divided into two sectors: Santa Maria and Las Pailas.
There is a little convenience store at the park’s entrance. Things like bug spray, water, beer, ponchos, sunscreen, and snacks are sold. Free WIFI is also available. Very convenient to stay connected.
14
Jun
2012
Carbon Offsets Program
Starting in July 2012, Hacienda Guachipelin is going to offer its Carbon Offset program. The whole idea is to give the conscious traveler the opportunity to offset his carbon footprint. Hacienda Guachipelin has preserved more than 400 hectares (1.000 acres) of forest and reforestation. This forest is important not only for the species that live there, but also because of the fact that it is a forest adjacent to the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano National Park, in Costa Rica’s.
By buying carbon offset credits you can continue to live travel in the knowledge that you are not contributing to the net gain in CO2 in our atmosphere. That is the idea with the protected forests here at Hacienda Guachipelin.
If you want to find out how much is you carbon footprint, check with this carbon calculator . Just as an example, if a couple is flying from New York to Costa Rica, the carbon foot print is approximately 4 tons. The cost of offsetting the carbon emitted is $100. Hacienda Guachipelin will be offering this service not only to guests but to all travelers. The offsets can be purchased at the Adventure Center, at the hotel’s reception, also on line, with major credit cards and Pay Pal.
reforestation hacienda guachipelin
For more info contact jbatalla + guachipelin.com
10
Jun
2012
Birds at Rincon de la Vieja
Rincon de la Vieja Volcano is slowly becoming a renowned birdwatching destination. Hacienda Guachipelin has sponsored several bird counts. This year’s event will most likely take place in October.
Birds are now becoming another reason to visit the area.
Cesar Guell
Here we will share a bird list provided the naturalist guide Cesar Güell. Cesar is a professional guide graduated from a Costarrican official training program for naturalist guides. What Cesar most enjoys is to share his knowledge with visitors. He really enjoys a day full of nature in the park or in the surroundings. The bird count in the area exceeds the 200 mark, but Cesar in his past year has registered 65 birds in his own personal list. Come to Rincon de la Vieja and experience the wildlife of Costa Rica with Cesar.
- Black Vulture – Zopilote negro – Coragyps atratus
- Turkey Vulture – Zopilote Cabeza roja – Cathartes aura
- Broad-winged hawk – Gavilan aludo – Buteo platypterus
- Crested Caracara – Carga huesos – Caracara cheriway
- Red billed pigeon – paloma piquiroja – Patagiones cayensis
- Inca dove – paloma inca – Colombina inca
- White fronted parrot – lora de frente blanca – Amazona albifrons
- Crested owl Buho crestado Lophostrix cristata
- Collared trogon – trogon collagero – Trogon collaris
- Keel billed Toucan – Rhamphastos sulfuratus
- Hoffmanns woodpecker Mellanerpes hoffmannii
- Masked tityra – Tityra semifaciata
- Red crowned ant tanager – Habia rubica
- Rufous naped wren – campylorhynchus rufinuca
- Tropical kingbird – Tyranus melancholicus
- Long tailed manakin – chiroxiphia linearis
- Yellow green vireo – Vireo flavoviridis
- White throated magpie jay – Calocitta Formosa
- White lored gnatcatcher Palioptila plumbea
- Kentucky Warbler Oporornis formosus
- Red crowned ant tanager Habia rubra
- Summer tanager Piranga rubra
- Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula.
- Northern Barred – woodcreeper – Dendrocolaptes sanctithomae.
- Olivaceous woodcreeper – Sittasomus griseicapillus
- Long-tailed Woodcreeper – Glyphorhynchus spirurus
- Dusky Antbird – Cercomacra tyrannina
- Great Curassow – Crax rubra
- Crested Guan – Penelope purpuracens
- Osprey – Pandion haliaetus
- White hawk – Leucopterni albicolis
- Roadside Hawk – Buteo magnirostris
- Short-tailed Hawk – Buteo brachyurus
- Swainsons hawk – Buteo swainsoni
- Gray-necked wood rail – Aramides cajanea
- Leser Ground cukoo – Morococcyx erythropygus
- Spectacled owl – Pulsatrix perpicillata
- Pacific screech owl – Megascops cooperi
- Common pauraque – Nyctidromus albicollis
- White collared Swift – Streptoprocne zonaris
- Ruby throated hummingbird – Amazilia boucardi
- Long billed starthroat – Heliomaster longirostris
- Turquoise browed Motmot – Eumomota superciliosa
- Yellow- eared toucanet- Selenidera spectabilis
- Groove billed Ani – Crotophaga sulcirostris
- Squierrel Cuckoo – Piaya cayana
- Lineated Woodpecker – Dryocopus lineatus
- Pale billed Woodpecker – Campephilus guatemalensis
- Dusky Antbird – Cercomacra tyrannina
- Bare crowned Antbird – Gymnocichla nudiceps
- Piratic Flycatcher – Legatus leucophaius
- Olive sided Flycatcher – Contopus cooperi
- Black phobe – Sayornis nigricans
- Great Kiskadee – Pitangus sulphuratus
- Boat billed Flycatcher – Megarhynchus pitangua
- Social Flycatcher – Myozetetes similis
- Tropical Kingbird – Tyrannus melancholicus
- Philadelphia Vireo – Vireo philadelphicus
- Tropical Gnatcatcher – Polioptila plumblea
- Kentucky Warbler – Oporornis formosus
- Red crowned ant Tanager – Habia rubica
- Red legged honeycreeper – Cyanerpes cyaneus
- Bronzed Cowbird – Molothrus aeneus
- Montezuma Oropendola – Psarocolius Montezuma
- King Vulture – Sarcoramphus papa
Tapir in Rincon de la Vieja NP by Cesar Guell
24
May
2012
Certificate of Excellence 2012
We are proud to have received from Trip Advisor a certificate of Excellence for this 2012. Our staff has worked hard every day to do the best effort to satisfy the guests in every possible way. Hacienda Guachipelin has been in operations since 1988 and Trip Advisor has been an important tool since the beginning. It would be almost impossible to inform clients in their own languages about the Hacienda.
The more involved we get with Trip Advisor, the better results that the Hacienda gets.
Trip Advisor Excellence Badge