On one of our hikes in Costa Rica, I completely stopped paying attention to the trail… because the ground was alive.
I noticed a steady line of leafcutter ants moving with purpose, each one carrying a perfectly cut piece of leaf like it was no big deal. And suddenly, I didn’t care how far we were hiking or how humid it was. I was locked in.
If you’ve never seen leafcutter ants up close, they’re mesmerizing. They climb trees, slice off chunks of leaves, and haul them back to their underground colonies. Not because they eat the leaves, but because they use them to grow fungus, which feeds the entire colony. Basically, these tiny ants are full-on farmers, running a system that works better than most human group projects.
The best part? This trail was right where we were staying.
We stayed at Hotel Lomas del Volcán in La Fortuna, and one of the things I loved most was how easy it was to access nature without feeling like we were roughing it. The hotel is surrounded by lush jungle, and the trails nearby made moments like this totally possible — no long drives, no crowded tour groups, just real Costa Rica right outside the door.
If you’re planning a trip to La Fortuna and want a place that feels peaceful, immersed in nature, and close to trails like the one in this video, you can check out the hotel here:
👉 https://expedia.com/affiliate/BG73YoT (AD)
This is exactly the kind of travel moment I love — nothing flashy, no big attraction checklist, just slowing down long enough to notice how wild and smart nature really is. Also slightly humbling, because those ants had their shit together way more than I did that day.
If you ever find yourself on a jungle trail, do yourself a favor and stop for a minute. Look down. You might end up watching an entire tiny civilization at work.
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