The Search For A Unicorn

We ascended sharply up the side of the mountain well before first light to visit Zunil Volcano. We weren’t visiting the volcano exactly, we were simply using the trail up the side of it. We were on a very specific quest for a nearly mythical creature. We climbed up, up, up by the light of our headlamps and a waning moon in search of a unicorn, well before first light. Anyone who has ever chased a unicorn knows they aren’t easy to see. One often has to climb to great heights in the middle of the night in order to see one of these magical creatures at dawn. And so we climbed exclusively uphill for 400m (1200ft) elevation gain. It was a brutal climb, but a great gluteal and quadriceps workout. The forest up in these elevations is a beautiful thing and the sunrise over the nearby mountains peaking through the bare spots in the branches is equally beautiful.

It was sunrise when we finally made it up to the elevation we were hoping for. We felt like pioneers without another soul in sight and the sheer elevation drowning out all of the sounds from the world below. Listening as the natural world wakes up around you is surely one of the best experiences being out before light can bring you. Then suddenly, as we ventured further, our steep, narrow trail became a full on dirt road! (We have no idea about where this roads originates but it was in great condition, certainly passable by 4×4!) We ran into a lovely flock of warblers and hummingbirds along this road but thought it best to get back into the forest to see if our unicorn had woken up.
As we were walking down we heard the very distinct “CLICK, CLICK, CLICK” sounds of the creature we were after high in a tree. We looked up and there it was — a real life unicorn — Horned Guan! Instantly our trip up the mountain was a success!

We walked back down the trail, the way we had come, and much to our surprise flushed and then relocated a Scaled Antpitta from the trail. This particular bird can be extremely difficult to see as they often skulk quietly along the forest floor. We walked down a bit further and then over to a new trail and continued to bird in the high elevations, finally getting to see one of my most wanted birds, Pink-headed Warbler. We had seen most of our targets so we started back down the mountain to our starting point– Fuentes Georginas.

We had arrived at Fuentes Georginas the night prior, just minutes before the workers closed up and went home for the night. Honestly, had we arrived even 5 minutes later, we may not have had a place to stay! I’m not sure what we would have done, as we would not have been able to hike up the mountain before dawn. But thankfully we had made it and this was the perfect little starting point for us. It exists because, at the base of the volcanic mountains, there are several thermal springs. Hot springs form when water comes in contact with molten lava and is heated to extreme temperatures. We had very comfortable accommodations with our own private hot bath, fed directly from the thermal springs themselves which we enjoyed the night prior to our trek. A private thermal bath from the comforts of your room cannot be topped! But “you know who” would not get in before calling in three Fulvous Owls!

Truly, Fuentes Georginas is a romantic place, where the air is cold enough to warrant snuggling under multiple blankets, but the hot springs can make you sweat! Before we trekked up the mountain, we went to sleep with the sounds of the fire crackling. This is an amazing place to visit if you want to take a swim in one of the thermal pools AND possibly see a unicorn.