Reefs to Rockies

Reefs to Rockies Owners:
Sheridan Samano
Lynda Gregory


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Reefs to Rockies specializes in designing unique itineraries to adventurous locations made famous by their spectacular flora and fauna. We believe that traveling to diverse destinations is a process of discovery, and that amazing lessons are waiting to be learned. Reefs to Rockies is committed to promoting the principles of sustainable and responsible tourism. We believe that it is our duty as tra

vel planners to consider the impacts our itineraries have on the environment, on wildlife, and on local communities. To show our commitment to sustainable tourism, we donate 1% of our annual gross sales, not profits, to conservation efforts in the areas we visit. We also adhere to the guidelines set forth by the International Ecotourism Society for sustainable tourism. When you travel with Reefs to Rockies, you can be confident that all of the details will be taken care of. You will receive personalized attention and excellent customer service from our team. Let Reefs to Rockies take the guesswork out of the planning process so you can travel with confidence, as you embark on an “adventure of a lifetime”.

Can you ever really have enough sloth sightings? 🦥We're going to go ahead and say no.Our New Mexico group spotted this o...
08/14/2026

Can you ever really have enough sloth sightings? 🦥

We're going to go ahead and say no.

Our New Mexico group spotted this one hanging in a tree at their dinner spot in Dominical earlier this week. Not on a guided hike. Not on a scheduled excursion. At dinner. Just casually hanging out and scratching that itch like she owned the place.

This is Costa Rica doing what Costa Rica does best — reminding you that the wildlife doesn't clock out just because you're trying to eat. Pura vida!

Have you ever had a wildlife encounter over dinner? We want to hear it. 👇

In Costa Rica, you learn quickly — look up, look down, look everywhere. 👀Our New Mexico group has been doing exactly tha...
08/12/2026

In Costa Rica, you learn quickly — look up, look down, look everywhere. 👀

Our New Mexico group has been doing exactly that this week.

Up — two yellow-throated toucans sharing a branch, bills that somehow still look impossible no matter how many times you see them. Up again — a mottled owl found on a bamboo. Owls are always a special sighting.

And then — down. Crouched on the trail, completely locked in on something at their feet.

We know that look. That's the look of people who came to Costa Rica for exactly this moment.

There are birds. And then there is the resplendent quetzal. San Gerardo de Dota - one of our favorite places in Costa Ri...
08/10/2026

There are birds. And then there is the resplendent quetzal.

San Gerardo de Dota - one of our favorite places in Costa Rica to find this legendary bird. Binoculars up, cameras up, and that smile on Kyle's face says everything you need to know about what we were looking at.

The resplendent quetzal is one of those birds that stops you cold whether you've been birding for forty years or forty minutes. Emerald green feathers that seem to generate their own light. A crimson chest. Tail feathers that can reach three feet long on males during breeding season. The ancient Maya considered quetzals sacred. It's not hard to see why.

Trip participant Monica captured this male perfectly. We think she nailed it!

You don't have to be a birder to be completely undone by this bird. Trust us on that one.

Behind every unforgettable wildlife encounter is a guide who knew exactly where to look. 🌿Meet Arlet and Kyle — right be...
08/06/2026

Behind every unforgettable wildlife encounter is a guide who knew exactly where to look. 🌿

Meet Arlet and Kyle — right before leading our group on a night hike at Hacienda Barú last evening. Within minutes they had spotted a common potoo — one of the most bizarrely camouflaged birds on the planet — and a red-eyed tree frog, arguably Costa Rica's most iconic wildlife ambassador.

Neither of those finds happen without guides who know this landscape intimately, move through it quietly, and have trained their eyes to see what most people walk right past.

This is what we mean when we say our guides make the difference. Not just in what you find — but in how deeply you understand what you're looking at when you do.

Good people. Great eyes. Even better company!

08/04/2026

First full day in Costa Rica. We were on our way to lunch. Then this happened.

A mama sloth and her baby, right off the trail.

This is the thing about Costa Rica that never gets old. The wildlife don't wait for your scheduled excursion. They show up at any time reminding you exactly where you are and why you love this place so much. Pura vida! 🦥



Have you ever had a wildlife encounter that stopped you mid-stride? Tell us below. 👇

We're here.Through the trees, the Pacific. Beyond that — one of the most biodiverse and beloved national parks in the wo...
07/31/2026

We're here.

Through the trees, the Pacific. Beyond that — one of the most biodiverse and beloved national parks in the world. Manuel Antonio National Park packs more life into its 1,685 acres than most places ten times its size. You can feel it as soon as you arrive.

This is where the next two weeks begin.

Costa Rica is where Reefs to Rockies got its start 20 years ago. And we fall in love with her all over again every time we visit. Some places just do that. They get into your blood and they stay there.

Stay close. The wildlife is already showing up.

We recently learned of the loss of a dear friend Teresa Johnson Weedin. From Easter Island to East Africa, Teresa and he...
07/27/2026

We recently learned of the loss of a dear friend Teresa Johnson Weedin. From Easter Island to East Africa, Teresa and her husband Jim were keen explorers. Teresa always showed up with an open heart and an unquenchable curiosity for the natural world. She saw things that most people only dream of.

Teresa and Jim supported us since our beginning — not just as travelers, but as friends. That means more to us than we can say.

To Jim and her family — Lynda, Ruben, and I are so deeply sorry for your loss. We hope that somewhere in the grief, memories of those wild and beautiful places bring moments of comfort and peace. She was loved and she’ll be missed.

And now for something completely different. Meet the horned puffin, arguably one of the most dramatically dressed seabir...
07/27/2026

And now for something completely different.

Meet the horned puffin, arguably one of the most dramatically dressed seabirds in Alaska and absolutely aware of it.

With colorful bills, expressive faces, and unbelievable charm, puffins often steal the show. This shot by pro guide Michelle Theall is a result of her wanting something different. A puffin flying straight at you with a mouth full of fish is on most photographer's shot list. And Michelle has captured that shot numerous times.

This shot stood out because it's different. Dark rocks, sea spray and motion. When we saw it, we said "wow" out loud. That says something.

And, it's a major reason why we're thrilled to have Michelle leading photo trips for us!

Lake Clark gives you all of this — bears on the beach at sunrise, wildflowers, nursing cubs, and then these ridiculous, wonderful clowns of the sea showing up to remind you that nature never runs out of surprises.

One last reminder — our July 15–21, 2027 Lake Clark expedition is open for registration. This week showed you what's waiting.

🔗 Full itinerary on our website and in Comments.

Theall

This is the one. 🐻A mother brown bear, completely at ease. Two spring cubs nursing — unhurried, trusting, alive to nothi...
07/23/2026

This is the one. 🐻

A mother brown bear, completely at ease. Two spring cubs nursing — unhurried, trusting, alive to nothing but this moment.

Our photographer and pro guide Michelle Theall said it best:

"Photographing them nursing is almost guaranteed and is such an intimate and special experience that there's absolutely nothing like it. They allow us a rare peek into their world."

This is the heartbeat of everything we believe about wildlife tourism. That our greatest responsibility in the field is to have minimal impact. To be present without being intrusive. To receive what the wild offers with gratitude and care.

This is Lake Clark in July. And we have a 2027 expedition open for registration right now.

July 15–21, 2027. Small group. Pro guide. This shot waiting for you.

🔗 Full itinerary on our website and in Comments.

Michelle Theall

Address

Denver, CO

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 5:30pm

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