Corcovado National Park might be Costa Rica's most adventurous national park. I absolutely adored it. Corcovado offers beaches, wildlife viewing, a fabulous nighttime bug tour, snorkeling, dolphin- and turtle- watching and fabulous hikes. At the tip of Drake Bay, which is on the edge of Corcovado National Park, I sat high above a lovely beach and enjoyed a beer as I watched the sunset. It was one of my most favorite experiences in Costa Rica. Even the trip through the Humedal Nacional Terraba-Sierpe, a river delta, was impressive. The boat (read taxi) driver was amicable and stopped to show us the major points of interest in this impressive wetland. It might possibly be one of Costa Rica's best off-the-beaten-path travel destinations.

Corcovado National Park covers 44,178-hectares (103,000-acres) of land in the Osa Peninsula and is the last rain forest on the Pacific coast of Central America. Technically known as a tropical wet forest, Corcovado has 13 distinct ecosystems and is home to 500 species of trees. These habitats range from mangrove swamps to rain and cloud forest.

Corcovado has an abundance of wildlife and includes the largest population of scarlet macaws in Costa Rica. Other wildlife viewing possibilities in Corcovado include:

• monkeys
• turtles
• agoutis
• sloths
• bats
• crocodiles
• tapirs
• skunks
• peccaries
• anteaters
• jaguars
• ocelots
• numerous bird species

It is estimated that there are approximately 200 jaguars in Costa Rica and these are believed to live in Corcovado. There are also 300 species of birds in Corcovado National Park including toucans, hummingbirds, trogons, wrens, eagles, macaws.

Although it is not as easy to travel to Corcovado National Park because of accessibility issues as to other parks in Costa Rica, it is worth the effort. The easiest access to this area is via boat. This is also the least expensive option. It is possible to fly in.

The best time to go hiking and/or camping in Corcovado National Park is during the dry season which is from December through April. There are several park stations in Corcovado: Sirena, Los Patos, and San Pedrillo. At Sirena station there are basic accommodations and camping at the latter two stations.

Hiking in Corcovado National Park

The main hiking routes around Corcovado National Park are well marked and well traveled. It is relatively easy to do these routes on one's own.

However, if you would like to develop some knowledge of the Corcovado area, including the flora and fauna, it's a good idea to hire a guide. There are experts available who have considerable knowledge and are good at spotting wildlife.

Sirena station to San Pedrillo in Corcovado National Park

From Sirena station, there is a trek to San Pedrillo station and a nearby waterfall — Llorona. This trek requires planning, including an understanding of how to read tide tables. There are three river crossings on this hike in Corcovado and these are difficult to navigate during high tide. It is important to inform oneself about the tides and leave two hours before low tide. Please note that sharks and crocodiles are residents in these rivers at the zone where fresh and saltwater meet. Crossing should be done with care.

The Corcovado National Park hike is 23-km (14 mi) and can take from 10-15 hours. The first 18-km (11 mi) is along the beach which can mean extreme sun and heat. Hiking part of this at night may be an option to avoid heat exhaustion. The final 7-km (4 mi) are on a trail that follows the coastal forest.

Sirena to La Leona in Corcovado National Park

A second hike goes from Sirena to La Leona, in Corcovado National Park, which is 17-km  (10 mi) long and follows the Pacific coastline. Corcovado's forest helps keep this hike cooler than the San Pedrillo option. This second hiking option follows the shoreline through coastal forest and along deserted beaches. It has one river crossing and there is a camp at La Leona. Just past La Leona (2.5-km/1.5 mi) is a local lodge where hikers can take a colectivo (collective taxi, e.g. share with others that get picked up along the way) to Puerto Jimenez.

Sirena to Los Patos in Corcovado National Park

An 18-km (11 mi) route through the heart of Corcovado National Park, this hike passes through plenty of forest. There is an uphill portion that is steep for the last 6-km (3.75 mi) and it might be an idea to do the hike in reverse to avoid this uphill haul. A beautiful waterfall is located at Los Patos. There is a campsite and cold-water showers. If you don't want to camp at Los Patos, 14-km (8.75 mi) beyond Los Patos is the town of La Palma. This portion is downhill and is shady. It's likely to take 4 hours to hike.

Public trail Bahia Drake to Corcovado National Park

An easy-to-follow public trail leads from Bahia Drake to Corcovado and is a route dotted with pretty, sandy inlets, windswept beaches and secluded coves. The coastline is craggy and stretches 10-km (6.25 mi) and the rainforest grows along side the coastline. There's a great chance to see wildlife and visitors will likely see a scarlet macaw.

Highlights on the route to Corcovado include:

• Playa Cocalito is a secluded cove which is perfect for swimming. It is just west of Punta Agujitas and is a short detour of the main trail.
• Playa Las Caletas is in front of Corcovado Adventures Camp and is excellent for snorkeling.
• Punta Rio Claro Wildlife Refuge offers a lovely waterfall. Be sure to watch where the two rivers join.
• Playa San Josecito offers a long stretch of white sand beach which is great for bathing, swimming and snorkeling.
• La Selva is a private reserve which is a short steep climb from the beach to a lookout point offering fabulous views.
• Beyond this point on the path, which leads into Corcovado National Park, be sure to be self sufficient, especially have enough water as there are no spots to purchase water or find lodging.

Weather in Corcovado National Park and on the Osa Peninsula

Forty meters (13 ft) of rain falls annually. Dry season is from January through April. The wettest time is September and October.

More travel info about the Corcovado and Osa Peninsula

Corcovado National Park is located in the Peninsula de Osa and visitors can learn more about the peninsula.

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