点评:This wasn't just another wildlife tour— From the moment we arrived, Tía Adriana o Nani welcomed us like family. You immediately get the feeling that Kokopelli isn't just a tour company—it's a family operation built with pride, passion, and generations of knowledge. Everything about the experience felt first class, from the comfortable boat to the warm hospitality.
We were incredibly fortunate to have Angelo as our guide, and honestly, I don't think we could have asked for anyone better.
Angelo is studying to be an ornithologist and university student, but what really sets him apart is that he grew up on this river. His knowledge isn't something he memorized from a book—it's been passed down through generations of his family and refined while working alongside old-school local guides. He knows the history of the Sierpe River, the ecosystem, the plants, the wildlife, and the stories behind it all.
Before leaving, Angelo asked if we wanted to focus more on the mangrove ecosystem or on finding wildlife.
We chose wildlife.
Yes, we saw crocodiles, monkeys, iguanas, and countless beautiful birds...
But then Angelo's legendary eyes took over.
He somehow spotted a Laughing Falcon tucked away where none of us would have ever looked. Then a stunning Baird's Trogon. And the unbelievable highlight—a Gray-lined Hawk, which Angelo told us was a first for him on one of his tours. Seeing how genuinely excited he was made the moment even more special.
That's what makes Angelo different.
Many guides point in a general direction, let you take a few photos, and quietly scroll through their phones while the boat drifts along.
Not Angelo.
He's constantly scanning the forest, listening for calls, explaining behaviors, sharing fascinating facts, and making sure every single guest understands what they're looking at. He even brings along his own camera, capturing incredible close-up images so everyone can immediately see the bird or animal that would otherwise disappear into the canopy. It completely transforms the experience.
His passion is contagious.
By the end of the tour, it felt like we'd spent the morning with a friend rather than a guide.
As an unexpected bonus, we shared the boat with two German quantum physicists. Somewhere along the river we all stopped being strangers, and by the end of the tour we headed together to Perla del Sur, the restaurant at Donde Jorge Bar, Restaurante y Embarcadero, where we enjoyed an authentic Costa Rican meal, scrolled through our photos, relived the incredible wildlife sightings, and talked for another hour about how lucky we all felt to have experienced the river with Angelo.
A great tour ends when you step off the boat. An unforgettable one continues over lunch with people who were strangers just a few hours earlier.
Thank you, Tía, Angelo, and the entire Kokopelli family for giving us memories we'll be talking about for years.
翻译:这绝非一次普通的野生动物观光之旅——从我们抵达的那一刻起,阿德里安娜阿姨就以家人般的温暖迎接我们。你会立刻感受到,Kokopelli不仅仅是一家旅游公司,更是一个以自豪感与热情为基石、凝聚了几代人智慧与经验的大家庭。从舒适的游船到亲切热情的款待,整个体验都堪称一流。
我们非常幸运能由安杰洛担任我们的向导。说实话,我觉得再找不到比他更合适的人选了。安杰洛是一名立志成为鸟类学家的大学生,但真正让他与众不同的是:他是在这条河边长大的。他的知识并非从书本上学来的,而是由家族中几代人传承下来,并在与当地资深向导共事的过程中不断完善。他对西尔佩河的历史、生态系统、各类植物、野生动物以及背后的一切故事都了如指掌。
临行前。安吉洛问我们是想更多关注红树林生态系统,还是想寻找野生动物。
我们选择了后者。
没错,我们看到了鳄鱼、猴子、鬣蜥,还有无数美丽的鸟类……
接着,安吉洛那双“神奇的眼睛”开始发挥作用了。
他不知怎么地在我们根本不会去留意的地方发现了一只笑鹰。随后又发现了一只极其漂亮的贝尔德啄木鸟。最令人难以置信的是,他还发现了一只灰线鹰——据安吉洛说,这在他的多次导览经历中还是头一回见到呢。看到他那种发自内心的兴奋之情,让那个时刻显得更加特别。
这正是安吉洛与众不同之处。
很多向导只是指个大致方向,让你拍几张照片,然后就在船缓缓漂行时悄悄玩手机。
但安吉洛不是这样。
他始终密切观察着森林中的动静,仔细聆听各种叫声,讲解动物的行为习性,分享各种有趣的知识,确保每位游客都能明白自己所看到的景象。他甚至还会带上自己的相机。它能捕捉到令人惊叹的特写画面,让所有人都能清晰地看到那些原本会隐没在树冠中的鸟类或动物。这彻底改变了我们的体验。
他的热情极具感染力。
游览结束时,我们感觉自己整个上午都是在与一位朋友相处,而非仅仅跟着导游游览而已。
还有一个意外的惊喜:我们与两位德国量子物理学家同乘一条船。在河上的某个时刻,我们不再是陌生人了。游览结束时,我们一同前往了“Perla del Sur”——这家餐厅隶属于Donde Jorge酒吧及餐厅码头。在那里,我们品尝了地道的哥斯达黎加美食,翻看了拍下的照片,回味着那些令人惊叹的野生动物观赏经历。之后我们又聊了一个小时,感慨着能和安杰洛一起体验这条河流,我们真是太幸运了。
一次出色的游览,会在你离开游船时画上句号;而一次令人难忘的游览,则会延续到午餐时刻——与几个小时前还素不相识的人们一起分享这份美好回忆。谢谢您,蒂娅、安吉洛以及整个科科佩利大家庭,是你们为我们创造了多年后仍会津津乐道的美好回忆。