When it was decided to construct a new highway from San José to Puerto Limón on the Caribbean coast via Guápiles, environmentalists were concerned that the virgin rain- and cloud-forest on the eastern watershed of the Central Valley would be under threat. It would be easy to imagine ribbon development of motels, sodas (similar like American diners), filling stations and settlement lining the road and running the environment. In 1978 it was therefore decided to set up the Braulio Carrillo National Park, named after one of the country’s  19th-century presidents.
The park includes a range of five altitudinal life zones and holds a tremendous variety of fauna and flora. The new highway effectively cuts the park in two, but gives an excellent opportunity to get a flavor of the area, with luxuriant vegetation draped with epiphytes and lianas visible through the mist, along with foaming waterfalls and vast tracts of Gunnera, which, with its massive leaves, is known as “the poor man’s umbrella.” As the road nears the Caribbean coastal plain, look out for the Rio Sucio Bridge (Dirty River Bridge). The view upstream shows the confluence of the Rio Sucio and the Rio Hondura, which is a crystal clear mountain stream. The Sucio, on the other hand, has its headwaters on the ash-covered slopes of the Irazú Volcano, turning the water a reddish brown.
Braulio Carrillo National Park contains 84% of primary forest and altitude-wise it ranges from 36m (118ft) at La Selva to 2906m (9535ft) at the summit of the Barva Volcano, the greatest altitudinal range of any Costa Rican national park. Rainfall and temperature correspondingly vary greatly. The range of wildlife is staggering. It is estimated that the forest contains around 6000 species of plants, with 600 trees, providing a habitat for more than 500 species of birds, including rarities such as the Resplendent Quetzal, King Vulture, most of the toucan family, the Bare-necked Umbrellabird, Flame-throated Warbler, Black-crowned Antpitta, Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher, (Ptilogonys caudatus), Golden-browed Chlorophonia (Chlorophonia callophrys) and a vast range of hummingbirds, trogons, eagles and parrots. Among the common mammals there are numerous felines such as Jaguar, Ocelot and Puma, and there are also Baird’s Tapir, Pacas, Raccoons, Peccaries and three types of monkeys. Butterflies abound inside the park and you would be unlucky not to see a Blue Morpho, a Magnificent Owl, a Zebra Longwings (Heliconius charithonia) and the Swallowtails. Hikers should beware of snakes because the park contains two of the most venomous: the Bushmaster or “Matabuey” (Lachesis) and the feared Fer-de-lance or Terciopelo snake (Bothrops asper).
For administrative purpose and because of its size, the Braulio Carrillo National Park is divided into two sections: the Quebrada González Sector and the Barva Volcano Sector (explaining that while many think that the Barva Volcano is an  independent National Park, this belongs to the Braulio Carrillo National Park).
The Quebrada González sector is the part of the park that is bisected by the Guápiles Highway. There are two ranger stations, the Zurquí station – just past the road tunnel of the same name – with an information center and three short trails, varying from 1 to 3km (0.6 to 1.9 miles) in length; and the Carrillo ranger station that is further 22km (14 miles) along the road, close to the toll booth in the center of the road. Here there are two further trails. One, named La Botella (the bottle) leads to waterfalls and a view down the Patria Canyon.
In the other hand, the Barva Volcano sector has to be approached from a different direction. The road from San José winds through coffee plantations and dairy farms to the village of Sacramento, where paved roads ends. From here there is a rough track to the station. A 3km (1.9 mile) trail leads up through deciduous forest and cloud forest to the summit of the Barva Volcano, which is extinct, but there is an impressive crater filled with a blue-green lake. Unlike the Poás and the Irazú volcanoes, the crater rim has epiphyte-laden cloud forest trees, with a range of highland forest birds, including those named above. For the really intrepid hiker there is a 30km (19 miles) trail from the top of the Barva Volcano to La Selva Biological Station, involving a descent of some 3000m (9843ft). This could take about four days and hiring a guide is strongly recommended.
Last but not least, if you’re already in the Braulio Carrillo National Park, it’s definitely worth visiting the Aerial Tram, located at the end of the protected area (towards Guápiles). This unique tram lets visitors travel in one of its twenty cable cars and to go through the forests’ canopy in order to spot flora and fauna that would otherwise be hidden from view. Visitors must realize that it isn’t a zoo, where animals will be spotted at all times, but even if tourists don’t see many creatures, the visit is still worth it. The Aerial Tram also offers a restaurant and a visitor’s center. (Tel. 2257-59-61 or fax 2257-60-53).
The Braulio Carrillo is one of the easiest parks to access from San José, but its tropical splendor and magnificence set it apart from the rest of the country. After only a thirty or forty minute drive from San José, you will encounter this amazing place, which reminds people of what ¾ of the country used to be like, only fifty years ago. Whenever you go to this park you will find that the vast majority of people are just passing through. Weather is  not a major consideration (March and April are slightly drier). You can expect afternoon shower year round and should always be ready for a downpour.
Getting to the Quebrada González Sector:
To the Quebrada González sector take the Guápiles Highway toward Limón from San José. This highway winds through the Park, and passes by two ranger stations; the Zurquí sector and the Carrillo (Quebrada Gonzalez).
By bus
Take a bus from the route San Jose – Guápiles – Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo, which takes about 1.5 hours (Empresarios Guapileños, 2222-2727 /2222-0610). It is important to note that you must warn the driver that you are going to the park, because otherwise it will not stop. Visitors who don’t want to travel by bus, might take a cab (the approximate cost from San José is $40)
Getting to the Barva Volcano Sector:
To the Barva Volcano sector, drive through Heredia, then turn north and drive through Barva, San José de la Montaña, and Sacramento. The last 4 km to the ranger station is generally only accessible by hiking. The station is two miles (3 km) northeast of Sacramento on a jeep trail.
By bus
Take a bus from the route San Jose – Heredia, which takes about 45 minutes (Rapiditos Heredianos, 2233-8392 / Busetas Heredianas, 2261-7171 / Transportes Unidos La 400, 2222-8986) and then take another bus Heredia – Sacramento – Volcán Barva , which takes about 2 hours.
Quebrada Gonzalez Sector Location: 20km (12 miles) northeast of San José, going through the San José-Guápiles Highway.
Barva Volcano Sector Location: 21 km (13 miles) Northeast of San Jose, between Irazu and Poas Volcanoes in Heredia, Costa Rica.
Quebrada Gonzalez Sector GPS Coordinates: 10.066692,-84.005939 (10°04’00.09″N, 84°00’21.38″W)
Barva Volcano Sector GPS Coordinates: 10.119942,-84.122278 (10°07’11.79″N, 84°07’20.20″W)
Size: 46,000ha (113,666 acres)
Altitude: 36m (118ft) to 2906m (9535ft) at the summit of the Barva Volcano
Schedule: from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Braulio Carrillo National Park Ranger station telephone: +(506) 2268-1038 / 2268-1039
Central Volcanic Cordillera Conservation Area (ACCVC) Telephone: +(506) 2268-1587 / 2268-8091
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192
Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Braulio Carrillo National Park, Costa Rica at Google Maps
The Chirripó National Park is one of the Costa Rica’s wilder parks which protect a number of important ecosystems. Chirripó refers to both the name of the highest mountain in Costa Rica, which reaches 3820m (12,533ft), and the name of one of the National Parks. Chirripó takes its name from the Talamanca Indian word meaning “Place of Enchanted Waters”. The park is located approximately 30 km northeast from the city of San Isidro  del General, which covers 50150ha (123,918acres). This park include parts of San Jose, Limón and Cartago, three provinces in Costa Rica, and contains miles of trails that wind through more ecological zones than you will find in most entire countries, in fact, five different ecosystems are differentiated largely by altitude like the lowland tropical wet forest, premontane tropical wet forest, lower montane wet forest, montane wet forest and subalpine wet forest (páramo, a strange area of high moorland with clumpy grassland and stunted dwarf trees, a habitat that is vulnerable to fire caused by the drying winds). At lower levels, there are oak, mixed and cloud forest sections, with an understorey of ferns and bamboo, which are rich in flora and fauna. The park climate has only two seasons, a dry one approximately from December to April and a wet one from May to November.
Chirripó was considered a sacred mountain by the pre-Colombian Indians, although it is believed that only the tribal leaders and shamans were allowed to the summit. In fact, some curious rock formations known as Los Crestones were treated as a shrine. Some 25000 years ago the summit was covered with glacial ice and the highest levels today are marked by bare rock with glacial features such as U-shaped valleys, ribbon lakes and moraine deposits, with biting winds and temperatures that frequently drop to minus 10°C, belying the fact that this is a mere 9° north of the Equator. Some of the oak trees are magnificent specimens reaching 30m (100ft). There are thought to be healthy numbers of Baird’s Tapirs and Jaguars in the forests, although they are rarely seen, in fact there is one extremely remote part of the park that is known as the “Savannah of the Lions” – a reference to the large number of Pumas known to exist here. Over 400 species of bird have been recorded and there are good numbers of woodpeckers, woodcreepers and trogons. As well Spider Monkeys are more obvious.
The number one attraction in Chirripó National Park is climbing the Cerro Chirripó, the highest peak in Costa Rica. Although it is a very wild park is relatively accessible by foot. If you wish to climb Cerro Chirripó, you will need to  contact the National Park Service to book a place and have to do some advance planning, as only a certain number of people are allowed on the trail each day and the climb is very popular in the dry season, so it’s a possibility that you may be told that there is a long waiting list. You should register with the ranger station arrival. Although the climb is straightforward and does not require any rock-climbing skills, it is a long uphill drag and the complete hike there and back normally takes two or three days. Camping is not allowed in the park and fires are banned. The hike begins at around 1229m (4000ft), passing through pastureland and then thick cloud forest. About halfway to the huts is an open-sided rest station, which should only be used for accommodation in an emergency. After 14km (8.7 miles) the accommodation huts are reached, surrounded by a swampy, treeless grassland. Accommodation needs also to be booked at the simple refuge huts. Bear in mind the climate and adopt a layered approach to clothing. It can be quite hot at lower levels and rain can be expected anywhere, even in the dry season.
The summit can be extremely cold, so a good sleeping bag is needed (it snowed lightly on New Years Eve on the peak). But with the clear air, a sun block is indispensable because the park is close to the equator, and at this altitude, you can get badly burned and end up in the hospital. Also take sunglasses, first-aid kit, insect repellent and a torch – the refuges have no lights, so sufficient food and water must be taken too. The following morning, it is a 90 minute walk to the summit of Cerro Chirripó. You will have a chance to see the epiphytic ecosystem up close and personal, an even better experience than a canopy tour, because your feet are planted firmly on the ground and you can spend as much time as you want for free. There is a choice of spending the day around the summit area and returning to the huts for the night or making the descent on the same day. There are some times that you may want to avoid Chirripó National Park because there are a large number of national hikers, and the refuges can fill up. These can be on the dry season weekends, especially Easter weekend, which can be very crowded. Otherwise whenever is a good time to go, even in the rainy season, it rarely rains before early afternoon, so if you are up with the sun you can be pretty exhausted before you have to duck for cover.
Considering that Chirripó is the 38th most prominent peak in the world, this journey is a once in lifetime experience for most tourists and with luck there will be clear visibility and views of both the Pacific and  the Caribbean.
Getting to Chirripó National Park:
Take the Pan American Highway East out of San José to Cartago, go over Cerro de la Muerte until you reach San Isidro del General after a total of 153 km (92 miles) approx. 3 1/2 hours. From here on Chirripó National Park is some 20km (12 miles) northeast of San Isidro. There are several entrance stations.
There are no paved roads into the park. Access is generally by horse or foot from one of the four entrance stations (4WD required to reach each of them).
By bus
Take a bus from the route San Jose – San Isidro de El General and Chirripó National Park, which takes 3.5 hours (MUSOC, 2222-2422). We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.
You can also take a bus San Jose – Quepos which takes 3.5 hours (Transportes Delio Morales, 2223-5567) and then take another bus Quepos – Buenos Aires (Gafeso).
By plane:
You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Quepos airport, either with Sansa, TravelAir or Nature Air airlines, both with daily flights. From here you can rent a car and drive or take taxi to Chirripó National Park, passing through Dominical and San Isidro del Genereal, which is about 1.5 hours.
Location: 20km (12 miles) northeast of San Isidro. Covers parts of San José, Cartago and Limón provinces.
GPS Coordinates: 9.325236,-83.608769 (9°19’30.85″N, 83°36’31.57″W)
Size: 50,150 ha (123,918 acres)
Altitude: from 900m (3000ft) rising to 3820m (12,533ft)
Schedule: the ranger station just south of San Gerardo de Rivas in Canáan is open 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Chirripó National Park Telephone: +(506) 2742-5083 / 2742-5084
Pacific La Amistad Conservation Area (ACLA-P) Telephoe: +(506) 2771-4836 / 2771-3155
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192
Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO San Isidro del General, San Jose, Costa Rica at Google Maps
La Amistad International Park is the largest and most remote National Park in Costa Rica. This 194000ha (479000 acre) park area represents a dual effort from Costa Rica and Panama, which is equally split between them. Is the largest nature reserve in Central America and together with a 15 km buffer zone, it represents a major biodiversity resource at  a regional (20% of the regions species diversity) and global level. The name of this vast area translates as the International Friendship Park and derives from the fact that it extends into Panama. Together with a number of other parks, reserves and Indian reservations, it forms the 600,000ha (1,482,000 acres) La Amistad Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Much of the park is unexplored, and has more virgin forest than all of the other parks. La Amistad International Park has eight different life zones from tropical lowland rainforest to cloud forest and the tundra-like páramo. The park is surrounded by other parks and reserves for the indigenous peoples like Chirripó, Talamanca, Tayni, Ujarrás, Telire, Abagra and Salitre.
Because of the remote and virgin landscape, the wildlife statistics (mostly “estimated”) are incredible. In fact it is thought that up to two-thirds of all Costa Rica’s species are found at La Amistad, including a large number of its endangered species and many endemics. This makes for hikers and backpackers a hugely rewarded experience with all six neotropical cats, like the Jaguar, Jaguarundi, Ocelot, Puma, Oncilla and Margay, along with the rare Baird’s Tapir, monkeys, Giant Anteaters and Coatis.
More than 600 species of birds have been identified, including the country’s largest number of Resplendent Quetzals, the amazing Three-wattled Bellbird and the rare Umbrellabird. This may also be the last stronghold of the Harpy Eagle, although many ornithologists consider that it may extinct in Costa Rica. There are also 115 species of fish, 300 reptiles and amphibians and over 900 flowering plant species – and more are being discovered all the time. In La Amistad you can find approximately 1,000 fern species, 500 tree species and 130 different types of orchids. Compared to other parks and reserves of similar size around the world, the diversity found here is unequaled.
The park covers much of the Talamanca mountain range, rising from 150m (490ft) on the Caribbean side to 3550m (11,660ft) at the highest point. There are a few trails, but they are often overgrown and poorly marked. It would be foolhardy to venture far into  the park without a guide.
Tres Colinas Sector
Visitors require excellent physical condition, as the travel time is 6 days with cold and rainy weather. There are local guides, private transportation services and camping areas. The community of Tres Colinas offers cabins to stay.
Getting to Tres Colinas Sector:
From Buenos Aires, follow the route to San Vito, take the exit in Paso Real and continue for 6 km. Take the exit to the community of Potrero Grande, where you take the road to Tres Colinas, approximately at 23km. Travelers will need a four-wheel drive vehicle, because it is a gravel path to Coto Brus. From Buenos Aires the whole trip takes about 2 hours.
Pittier Sector
It has natural trails for adventure hiking and wildlife watching, as well as camping areas. The travel time is approximately 4 hours. This sector has research facilities.
Getting to Pittier Sector:
Take the Pan-American Highway south to Paso Real, where you must be diverted to San Vito and then continue 45 km to the Pittier Biological Station. At the end of the path you will need a four wheel drive vehicle becuase of the road conditions. There is no bus service to here so it is necessary that visitors bring their own vehicle, or take a taxi for your transportation.
Biolley Sector
It has guides for entrance to Sabanas Esperanza and Valle del Silencio. For Valle del Silencio travel a good physycal condition is required as it takes about 8 hours to get (13 km). This site features a rustic lodge equipped with a living room, kitchen area, bathroom and beds. It is an excellent place for bird watching as well as tapir and jaguar tracks. This site provides facilities for research.
To enter to Sabanas Esperanza visitors requires the accompaniment of a local guide. The Los Gigantes del Bosque trail is located near the Altamira Biological Station, PILA administrative campus.
Getting to Biolley Sector:
Take the Pan-American South road and take the exit at km #221, in a place called Paso Real, and then continue for 15 km on the road to San Vito, up to the community of Las Tablas de Potrero Grande, where you take another turn and continue along a gravel path for 20 km. This road is passable all year round in four-wheel drive vehicle and in dry season any vehicle can make it. From the community of Altamira, you can only  use a four wheel drive vehicle due to the characteristics of the access road to the Altamira Biological Station. From Perez Zeledon it takes about 3 hours.
Santa Maria Sector
Visitors will need the company of a local guide to enter this sector of the park, which leads to a hill covered by moors over 3000m in elevation. The way from Santa Maria takes about 5 hours, but the Chamber of Tourism of the community has a very rustic lodge near the boundaries of the park where you can stay. During the tour you can observe the Caño Island, the middle basin of the Térraba River and a wide variety of birds, among which highlights the quetzal.
Getting to Santa Maria Sector:
Take the Pan-American Highway South from San Isidro de Perez Zeledon to Buenos Aires until you reach the town of Santa Marta de Brunka located in km #184, then turn north on a gravel road until you reach the community of Santa Maria, located 15 km from Santa Marta. Access can be done in four-wheel drive vehicle all year.
Getting to La Amistad International Park in Costa Rica:
Take the Pan American Highway East out of San José to Cartago, go over Cerro de la Muerte until you reach San Isidro del General after a total of 153 km (92 miles) approx. 3 1/2 hours. From here on La Amistad is on your left 15 miles (25 km) southeast away until you reach the Panamanian border. There are several entrance stations.
There are no paved roads into the park. Access is generally by horse or foot from one of the four entrance stations (4WD required to reach each of them). Altimira Station is the park headquarters, and is located 12 miles (20 km) north of Guácimo. Other entrances are from Tres Colinas Station at Helechales, and in the Las Tablas region, Pittier Station at Progresso, and La Escuadra Station northeast of Santa Elena.
By bus
Take a bus from the route San Jose – San Isidro de El General and Chirripó National Park, which takes 3.5 hours (MUSOC, 2222-2422). We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.
You can also take a bus San Jose – Quepos which takes 3.5 hours (Transportes Delio Morales, 2223-5567) and then take another bus Quepos – Buenos Aires (Gafeso).
By plane:
You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Quepos airport, either with Sansa, TravelAir or Nature Air airlines, both with daily flights. From here you can rent a car and drive or take taxi to La Amistad International Park, passing through Dominical and San Isidro del Genereal, which is about 1.5 hours.
Location: Talamanca Cordillera, extending over the border into Panama.
GPS Coordinates: 9.324061-83.21025 (9°19’26.62″N, 83°12’36.90″W)
Size: 194000 ha (479,000 acres)
Altitude: 150m (430ft) rising to 3554m (11,660ft)
La Amistad International Park Telephone: +(506) 2200-5355 / 2730-0846 / 2742-8090
Caribbean La Amistad Conservation Area (ACLA-C) Telephone: +(506) 2795-1446
Pacific La Amistad Conservation Area (ACLA-P) Telephoe: +(506) 2771-4836 / 2771-3155
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192
Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Guacimo, Puntarenas, Costa Rica at Google Maps
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