Travel Blog Costa Rica

Guanacaste National Park

Guanacaste National Park was created in 1983 to connect the dry forest area of Santa Rosa National Park with the cloud forests of the Cacao Volcano and the Orosi Volcano areas with the Caribbean Rainforest. Overall the park has an area of 80300 acres. Rincon de la Vieja National Park is at the close distance of three miles away. Guanacaste National Park works as the perfect biological corridor. Big areas of the Guanacaste Park are recovered pasture lands that have been turned to forest, mainly by just letting the surrounding forest take over the pasture areas and make them wild once again. Scientists have realized that most wildlife species require migrating seasonally or during different life cycles to different life zones in order for species to prosper. Trails over Guanacaste National Park pass through different elevations, enabling you to pass through dry forest, evergreen forest, cloud forest, and rainforest on one same trail. The weather at this Costa Rica Park is probably one of the hottest and driest of the area of Guanacaste. The higher the elevation at any given part of this diverse national park, the higher the chances will be of getting drenched by rain, especially in the afternoons. Annual rainfall is between 70 to 120 inches depending on the elevation.

In general Guanacaste National Park has its life zones divided according to the elevation. The lower parts of the park are covered by dry forest. Cloud forest and rainforest areas are located in the higher regions of the park. This huge Costa Rica park is probably one of the most scientifically monitored national parks. It has three main research stations, Cacao, Maritza, and Pitilla Stations. Cacao Station is located in the southwest slope of the dormant Cacao Volcano at the edges of the cloud forest. Maritza Station is located on the western side of the saddle between Cacao and Orosí Volcanoes. The vegetation at Maritza Station has dry and transitional dry wet forest and it protects headwaters of several important Costa Rica rivers. Research on aquatic biology and on insects is also conducted at Maritza Station. Pitilla Station is on the northeastern side of Orosi Volcano in a very wet rainforest. The interesting characteristic about the Pitilla sector is that the wet rainforest found at this area resembles more the Caribbean wildlife, which lies at 110 miles away, than the Pacific vegetation which lies much closer (around 180 miles away). Another very interesting sector of Guanacaste National Park is El Pedregal. El Pedregal is a plain also known as the Indian Plain where a pantheon of around 100 chiseled petroglyphs representing supernatural beings are halfway buried in the ground.

Guanacaste National Park lodges about 140 species of mammals, 300 bird species, over 100 species of amphibians and reptiles, and more than 10 000 insect species. The most common mammals that can be spotted at this wild Costa Rica park are howler monkeys, white faced capuchins, long nosed armadillos, coatis, pumas, ocelots, black hawks, and collared peccaries among many many other. Trees can grow up to 98 feet tall at the wild Guanacaste National Park. Some of the predominant tree species are Monkey Apple, Santa Maria, and Tempisque.

Horseback riding or hiking tours to Guanacaste National Park can be arranged around the area.

Lomas de Barbudal Reserve

This 6536 acre reserve is of an amazing entomological (scientific study of insects) importance to Costa Rica biodiversity. This small forest reserve, located almost next to Palo Verde National Park contains a plethora of species that are unique in Costa Rica, which can be found in great numbers and diversity; making it an ideal place for entomological studies. Lomas de Barbudal is said to have four natural habitats over its’ stony ignimbrite (volcanic rock formed by the welding together of tuff material from an explosive volcanic eruption) terrain, about 70% of the area contains deciduous forest, gallery forest, riparian forest, and savannah woodland. Many endangered trees grow in this quaint Costa Rica reserve, such as mahogany and rosewood. The reserve is also known for its spectacular Yellow Bark or Tabebuia ochracea when all the specimens of this tree bloom in the same day and paint the entire natural reserve with yellow flowers. Blooming of the Yellow Bark tree usually occurs during late dry season after several days of unseasonable rain. Most of the trees of this amazing natural reserve shed their leaves in the dry season, just like the tree from temperate regions do in autumn. This type of dry tropical forest used to be very common on the Pacific slopes of Central America, but now only a few patches of this type of forest remains.

The small natural reserve of Barbudal is home to approximately 250 bee species, which represents a 25% of the entire world species. Many of these bees pollinate trees and vines from this natural reserve and from adjacent forests. 60 species of nocturnal butterflies and many different rare species of insects are found at this Costa Rica reserve. Many of the trees and shrubs of Barbudal Reserve are magnificent producers of pollen, nectar, resins, and fruits that attract and feed many bird species, insects, and mammals; probably the main reason why this relatively tiny natural reserve has so many species of bees and other wildlife species. The reserve has about 200 bird species, among which the endangered curassow can be found. Other birds that can be found at Barbudal Reserve are the king vulture, scarlet macaw, and the jabiru stork. Mammals that can be spotted at this stunningly plethoric natural reserve are white tailed deer, peccaries, howler and white faced monkeys, armadillos, pacas, fishing bulldog bat, giant anteaters, and coatis. Water resources at Barbudal are abundant and help the fauna and flora flourish as much as it has, apart that it gives great aesthetical value with its beautiful waterfalls.

Palo Verde National Park

The first thing that needs to be said about this incredibly diverse national park is that it is a birders paradise. Palo Verde National Park is located at the head of the Gulf of Nicoya, 18 miles from Cañas. This bird specie plagued National Park lodges resident and migrating waterfowl as well as forest birds. Inland birds such as scarlet macaws, great curassows, keel-billed toucans, and parrots may also be seen. A plethora of birds visit this spectacular National Park annually, especially in the dry season when a lot of the North and Central America species travel away from the winter season. Approximately 300 bird species have been recorded in the Palo Verde National Park. Palo Verde homes the only permanent colony of scarlet macaws in the dry tropics. Large flocks of herons including Costa Rica largest nesting colony of black crowned night herons arrive to Pajaros Island in Palo Verde Park. The only nesting site of the locally endangered jabiru stork is found inside this bird heaven Costa Rica Park. Other bird species to be found at Palo Verde are spoonbills, egrets, ibis, grebes, Black-necked Stilt, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Snail Kite, American Widgeon, Northern Shoveler, and Blue-winged Teal.

This interesting National Park simultaneously holds habitats of wetlands and tropical dry forest. The type of tropical dry forest found at Palo Verde Park is one of the very few remaining in the world. The habitat simultaneity found at Palo Verde is caused by the floods the Tempisque River carries over the dry tropical forest. It is said that this diverse national park contains about 15 different habitats mostly created by the unique topography it has, from the floodwaters, natural drainage, the overflow of the rivers around it, and the tide effects it receives. Some of the areas this beautiful national park has are: deciduous and evergreen tropical dry forest, lagoons, seasonal grasslands, brackish and fresh water wetlands, mangrove swamps, and tidal estuarine ecosystem of the lower Tempisque River.

The best time to visit this unusual and astonishing national park is during the dry season, especially from the months of September to March when huge flocks of migratory and endemic birds visit it. The dry season also increases the possibilities of sighting birds and other wildlife animals as they all tend to gather around the remaining lakes and marshals. It will only take some patience, stillness, and quietness of your part in order for you to sight incredible bird and mammal species on this magical area of Costa Rica. Birds are to be found in great numbers during the rainy season, but the downside is that large portions of the park are flooded. This Costa Rica Park has well maintained trails that lead to tropical forests, marshals, and overlooks to lagoons. Other trails lead to limestone caves and large waterholes. About 150 tree species have been recorded here including many endangered tree species.

So pack your binoculars, bug spray, light cloths, your sun protection and book yourself a tour to Palo Verde National Park and visit one of Costa Rica’s best bird watching destination.

Tenorio Volcano National Park

This wild Costa Rica park has an area of 31 794 acres that lodge two volcanoes, numerous rivers, waterfalls, thermal hot springs, and a lagoon. Tenorio National Park is located about 3.7 miles from Cañas on the Interamericana Norte area. Tenorio Volcano is a relatively active volcano with multiple craters that displays fumaroles, hot springs, and mud pots activity. The other volcano, Montezuma Volcano, is dormant and has one set of twin craters. One of the greatest assets Tenorio National Park has is Celeste River. Rio Celeste has emanations of sulfur and precipitations of calcium carbonates that give it an incredible light blue color to its water. This unique national park is surrounded by primary cloud forest and rainforest, with multiple life zones such as: very humid tropical forest, very humid tropical forest, transition to premontane,   premontane pluvial forest, very humid premontane forest, and low mountain pluvial forest. The average temperature at Tenorio National Park is around 75 F with 200 inches of annual precipitation. Tenorio Volcano stands at 6286 feet over sea level.

Tenorio National Park is on of those parks in Costa Rica that don’t get the affluence of tourists that other national parks get, but is definitely a recommended natural destination if you are into a hiking tour into the wild. Trails inside this amazing national park lead to picnic areas, swimming areas, as well as trails to Tenorio Volcano and Montezuma Volcano. Volcan Tenorio summit is surrounded by virgin forests and a small lake surrounded by epiphyte covered cloud forest. Tapirs and pumas are known to frequent the summit of Tenorio Volcano. The climb to the volcano’s summit can take about a two day trip. The hike to see the hot springs, mud pots, and the Celeste River takes around five hours. To make the best out of your visit to this wild and abundant national park and also to be safe, we recommend that you take a guide with you when you visit Tenorio Volcano National Park.

Turrialba Volcano National Park

Turrialba Volcano National Park is 40 miles east from San Jose with an area of 3900 acres. This National Park contains the densely forested Turrialba stato volcano, which is part of the Irazu Volcano massif. Turrialba Volcano is an active volcano with three main craters. The main crater of Turrialba Volcano is the deepest and most active of the three continuingly releasing sulfuric steam and vapors. The average temperature at this National Park is 60 F with annual precipitations ranging from 120 to 150 inches. This Costa Rica Park contains a very moist montane forest and a cloud forest, saturated with moisture and mosses, ferns, and bromeliads. This interesting National Park homes a great variety of hummingbirds, monkeys, weasels, coyotes, hundreds of butterflies, and around 200 bird species including the jilguero and yiguirrillo. Probably the most unique characteristic of this interesting Costa Rica volcano is that is one of the few volcanoes where you can go down one of its craters. Turrialba Volcano, along with Irazu Volcano, is among Costa Rica largest volcanoes. Currently the road that leads to the volcano has been fixed so 4wheeldrives automobiles can reach almost the summit of this ancient volcano and have a great view of the three craters.

Once in the Turrialba Town check out whitewater rafting tours to Reventazon River and Pacuare River, as you will not be disappointed with the great whitewater rafting these two rivers offer.

Tapanti National Park

Costa Rica has 68 protected conservation areas; certainly some are more visited than others. The most visited National Parks and Wildlife Reserves of Costa Rica are definitely worth visiting as their popularity is well earn, such as Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Arenal Conservation Area, Tortuguero National Park, Santa Rosa National Park, Irazu Volcano National Park, Poas Volcano National Park, among many others. But there are also a number of National Parks that are not frequently visited by tourist or locals but that don’t lack charm and wonderful features either. Tapanti National Park is one of those parks that offer good natural attractions but are not visited frequently. For starters, this National Park is 90 minutes away from San Jose. Wild and wet is how Tapanti National Park can be described. This Costa Rica Park was created as a reserve in 1982 and turned into a national park in 1992, currently protecting 15057 acres of rainforest slopes of the Talamanca Mountain Range.  With 150 rivers contained inside Tapanti National Park wildlife is lush and prolific. This National Park has two life zones: lower mountain rainforest and premontane rainforest. Birdwatchers and hikers will find this national park perfect if they don’t want to go far from San Jose.

There is approximately 260 bird species recorded in this Costa Rica Park, among which the following can be spotted: three striped warbler, common bush tanager, quetzals, eagles, parrots, toucans. There are also less easily spotted bird floor inhabitants such as tinamous and antbirds in Tapanti National Park. A great variety of hummingbirds can also be seen roaming around the flowering epiphytes (plants that hang on the canopy of the trees). Larger mammals, as in other National Parks, rarely let themselves be seen through the dense rainforests, but with some luck you might be able to see a jaguar, jaguarundi, ocelot, margay, and oncilla cats. Mammals that can be seen more easily at this National Park are monkeys, agoutis, raccoons, and squirrels.

There is a couple of trails that lead to various attractions that this hidden National Park has to offer, such as a swimming hole, and a viewpoint with great views, and a 300 foot waterfall. Fishing is also a relatively popular activity among the few visitors of the Tapanti National Park. Fishing is allowed only from May to June. It is recommended that this park be visited during the early morning as it clouds around midday and pours in the afternoons. 

Santa Elena Reserve

Santa Elena Reserve is a 765 acre community managed reserve, built in 1989 to protect a cloud forest area in Costa Rica. This cloud forest is located around four miles away from the Santa Elena Village. Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, together with the Children’s Eternal Rainforest, the Arenal Conservation Area, and the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve constitute a large conservation area of approximately 69 000 acres. This exuberant cloud forest reserve is less visited than its neighboring reserves, Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and Arenal Conservation area, not because it lacks charm but mainly because it is less heard of.

The four hiking trails at this lively cloud forest are well tended and have an overall distance of eight miles; these hiking trails connect you to three overview points and an observation tower.  From certain spots of this quaint Cloud Forest you might be able to see Arenal Volcano exploding. Of course, there are a number of elements you will need to have in your favor to see the Arenal Volcano, a clear day in a cloud forest, and the volcano to be exploding at the same time the sky is clear. Note that your chances of seeing the Arenal Volcano from Santa Elena Reserve are better in the morning.

Overall it is usually during the early morning that you will be able to watch most of the lush cloud forest fauna and flora from Costa Rica come to life. Clouds and rain usually overtake the Santa Elena Reserve in the afternoons, letting you only glimpse at the forest’s fauna and flora from between curtains of thick moist clouds. Seeing the rainforest through the clouds is also a nice experience also, and after all you are visiting a cloud forest, so clouds should be an asset. Night tours are also available with prior reservation. A night tour will let you experience the sleeping cloud forest, which is most definitely an enthralling experience to say the least.

Santa Elena Reserve also has a gift shop and a small coffee shop to grab a light meal. For accommodations you can book a lodge at Monteverde Town or at Santa Elena Town. Most of the lodges will offer you transportation to Santa Elena Reserve for an extra cost. The same weather conditions found at Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve are to be found here in Santa Elena, which means remember to bring insect repellent, sunblock, a light rain poncho, and bottled water. Actually, this is a recommendation that should be followed whenever visiting any natural destination in Costa Rica.

Poas Volcano National Park

Poas Volcano is among the most active Costa Rica volcanoes and records of its continuing activity have been dated back to 1828. You will find the view of this Costa Rica volcano absolutely spectacular and the fact that it is so close to San Jose makes it a perfect one day tour that is definitely recommended. Poas National Park was created in 1971 and it has an approximate area of 16000 acres. This Costa Rica volcano also has the uniqueness of being among one of the three volcanoes in the continent that can be reached by road and its crater is among the largest in the world. Poas Volcano belongs to the strato volcano clasification with almost a mile long diameter and 984 feet deep crater which is constantly bubbling and steaming with geyser-like eruptions.

At Poas Volcano National Park there are four different types of natural habitats, the stunted or dwarf forest which is the more predominant of the four habitats and the one to be found around the crater, habitats of little or no vegetation at all, arayan areas, and cloud forest areas. Among the flora that can be found at Poas National Park are mosses, lichens, bromeliads, cypress, small cedar, and small cypress. The fauna of Poas Volcano is not as plethoric as it is on other Costa Rica National Parks, but it is still amazing. Sooty robins, quetzals, emerald toucanet, marmots, shrews (one of the smallest mammal of the world), bats, around 79 bird species overall are part of Poas Volcano National Park wonders.

The average temperature at Poas Volcano ranges from 45 F to 70 F. It can get cold, so it is recommended to go prepared with a good jacket and long pants. This beautiful Costa Rica National Park receives an annual fall of 140 inches of rain, so be prepared for rain also. During the dry season (December to April), especially during the early morning, is probably the best time of the year to visit Poas Volcano National Park. It usually gets cloudy later during the day and the crater cannot be seen. But don’t despair if you cannot make it during the early morning and the view is cloudy, Poas is a windy region so while you look around the well marked trails of the cloud forest and stunted forest the view of the crater could clear.

Irazu Volcano National Park

Irazu Volcano National Park is another park that is great for a one day tour. Irazu Volcano is close to San Jose and with a paved road that leads to the crater. Irazu Volcano at 11260 feet above sea level is the highest volcano of Costa Rica. This National Park was created in 1955 to protect a round shape area around the Irazu Volcano of about 5705 acres. The activity of this Costa Rica volcano has been recorded since 1723. Currently the activity of Irazu Volcano is limited to gently smoking fumaroles. Once you get to the summit you will encounter a habitat that looks more like Mars than Earth. The areas around the four craters that Irazu National Park has are mostly barren, covered with ash and very scarce vegetation. The principal crater of Irazu Volcano contains a diameter of about more than half mile and is and 984 feet deep. The second largest crater of Irazu National Park is called Haya Crater with a diameter of about less than half mile and is 328 feet deep. The other two craters are smaller and one of them has a lake. On clear days, especially during the early morning, it is possible to see both the Caribbean Coast and the Pacific Coast from the summit of Irazu Volcano.

Temperatures at Irazu National Park can be below the freezing line, and the weather is usually windy, moist, bitter cold, and cloudy. The greenish color of the Irazu Lake is caused by rainfall that dissolves the minerals along the walls of the crater. The surrounding vegetation of Irazu Volcano is said to be premontane and montane wet forest, partly lichen draped interspersed with open grass and scrublands. The eruptions of Irazu Volcano over the centuries have made the surrounding soil farther from the volcano very fertile. A few altitude birds can be found at Irazu National Park, such as the volcano junco, clay colored robin, hop around, and volcano hummingbirds among others. Mammals that can be seen in Irazu National Park are coyotes, tiger cats, and long tailed weasels. Same recommendation as in Poas Volcano, you have to bring warm cloths, and rain gear.

Braulio Carrillo National Park

Before 1970 the only two ways to get from San Jose to the Caribbean Coast were by using the slow railroad and the other was driving through a narrow and impractical highway. It was in 1970 that the Government of Costa Rica decided that a modern highway needed to be constructed. The best route to reach the Caribbean Coast seemed to be the low pass between the Barva Volcano and the Irazu Volcano to the northwest of the Central Valley. The problem lay on the fact that this area contained a vast area of pristine rainforest. Finally, it was decided that the area would be turned into a National Park and that one main highway would be built in the middle bisecting the rainforest into two sections. This national park was named Braulio Carrillo in honor one of Costa Rica’s chief of state who opened the road from the Central Valley to Matina Limon back in the 1840’s. The Braulio Carrillo highway that connects San Jose to Guapiles was finished in 1987. The beauty of Braulio Carrillo National Park is that it can be visited just by passing by on the highway that crosses it. The view is really stunning, tall hills thickly covered with lush dark green rainforest on each side embrace this highway.

If you walk into this exuberant National Park you will have a chance to see an amazing variety of plant such as different varieties of orchids, ferns, and palms; just to name a few. There is an approximate of 6000 plant species contained inside Braulio Carrillo, which represents around half of the total plant species of Costa Rica. Braulio Carrillo National Park has an amazing variety of wildlife due to the many different altitudes the rainforest has. This National Park in Costa Rica has a total area of 118 00 acres and its elevations range from 9534 feet at the top of Volcan Barva to 165 feet in the Caribbean lowlands. Most of the rainforest of Braulio Carrillo is primary cloud forest and rainforest that lodge innumerable rivers and waterfalls. Actually, this Costa Rica National Park is fundamental for the protection of the water resources that supply the north sector of the Central Valley. Several dormant volcanoes are found in the overpowering Braulio Carrillo Park, these are the Chompipe Hill, Cacho Negro Hill, and the Las Tres Marias Hills. Barva Volcano is also located inside this Costa Rica park and it has several crater lakes; Barva, Dante, and Copey.

Braulio Carrrillo biodiversity is such that five of the Holdridge life zones are represented and in addition it has different habitats within, thanks to the elevations differences throughout the National Park. Temperatures at Braulio Carrillo can range from 35 F to 90 F and at nighttime around the Barva Volcano area temperature can go several degrees below freezing. Barva Volcano is one of Costa Rica volcanoes that can be climbed. Climbing the Barva Volcano can take about five hours roundtrip at a normal pace. Annual rainfall has been registered at around 180 inches at this Costa Rica National Park.

Bird species that can be found in the dense Braulio Carrillo National Park are quetzals, umbrella birds, toucans, trogons, guans, eagles; overall there is about 515 bird species that include local and migrating species. Mammal species like white face monkeys, dantas, puma and jaguar, sainos, bears, martilla, cabro del monte, guatusa and coyote can be spotted at the wild Braulio Carrillo National Park. Endangered species like the pavon and tepezcuinte are also residents of Braulio Carrillo. Frogs are very common in this area, such as the sapo Bufa Holdridgei and the matabuey.

The Aerial Tram, which is just past the northeastern exit of Braulio Carrrillo National Park is a recommended tour. This Aerial Tram consists of a one and a half mile of an aerial tram with 22 cars that can take up to five passengers and a guide over the dense canopies of the Braulio Carrillo Rainforest; providing a great slow view from the top were lots of plant species and bird species can be spotted. The whole ride takes 40 minutes each way.