OSA CORCOVADO TOUR AND TRAVEL

Puerto Jimenez, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica More Information

Corcovado National Park For full details on the Park see:  Corcovado Guide

Introduction

Corcovado National Park is the largest of the 13 national parks that comprise the Costa Rica National Park system, its oft-heralded crown jewel.  Corcovado comprises a classic lowland tropical rain forest ecosystem but enjoys the diversity of the girding mountains.  Corcovado contains the largest expanse of contiguous tropical rain forest north of the Amazon Basin and owing to its presence along the isthmus separating North and South America has a biodiversity practically unrivaled on the planet.

The Park contains four ranger stations.  While San Pedrillo, La Leona, and Los Patos support camping only, Sirena Ranger Station, at the heart of the park, has dormitory style accommodations and three prepared meals a day.  Sirena stays booked well in advance, so all planned excursions into the park should be reserved in advance to ensure dorm space and food at Sirena.  Otherwise, you can still go and camp, though there is a limit on the camping permits also.  Frequently during our high season, the Park is "closed" because it has a bunch of people visiting.  This means that the ranger station in town does not issue permits.  It is not necessarily really closed, however, to campers with their own food. 

   

Fees as of December 2010 are as follows.  Please note that as of December 1, permits must be procured in advance even for Day Trips to the park.  You can no longer enter the park for any reason without permits secured and paid IN ADVANCE.

Getting There

The ideal way to enjoy Corcovado is to plan to spend at least two days in the park.  A three day trip is ideal to provide two days for hiking and one day for enjoying the diversity of the game trails and wildlife viewing at Sirena Ranger Station.  Since there is public transport twice daily from Jimenez to Carate and there is no public transport from Los Patos park entrance to Jimenez, the smoothest route to take is to enter at Los Patos and exit at La Leona.  This allows the Corcovado traveler to secure transport on the way in but be able to rely on transport being available on the way out.  Previously I was able to secure horses at Guadalupe just outside of La Palma to ride horseback through the river valley to reach the Los Patos park entrance.  However, the wrangler that provided this service is no longer able to do so.  When the Rincon River is not too high, a four-wheel drive taxi can carry hikers from Jimenez right to the Los Patos ranger station for $60-80, depending on the driver and subject to conditions in the river bed.  When the river is too high to allow this, hikers can get taxi transport for the same price to La Tarde entrance, which is a one and a half hour hike from Losa Patos.  It is possible to hike from Guadalupe (or La Palma) to Los Patos, but hikers should not try to add this to the walk to Sirena as it adds 8 kilometers (from Guadalupe) and is too much to do in a single day except for hiking masochists. 

For those planning on making the trip from Puerto Jimenez through Los Patos all the way to Sirena, be advised that the 20 km hike requires a fairly early start.  Hikers who do not arrive at the Los Patos ranger station by ten o'clock are not permitted to continue on to Sirena.

For visitors that are interested in a single day tour to Corcovado, the best way is to fly in by charter on Alfa Romeo ($395 round trip up to five passengers) and to hike out.  It's a ten minute flight, and the heart of the park, Sirena cannot be visited in a single day originating from Puerto Jimenez other than by air.  From Drake, single day tours are easily arranged to either San Pedrillo ($80) or Sirena ($95) ranger stations with access by boat.  The daily Puerto Jimenez-Carate colectivo makes it possible for overland travelers to make it to the park and back in a single day, but four hours are spent in round trip transport, and from Carate it is still an hour and a half round trip walk to the park entrance.  Therefore, hikers going in for a single day from Jimenez through La Leona by collective taxi only have a few hours to explore the southern park entrance before having to catch a ride back out.  For single day trips to the park, the best option is to plan to stay at least one or possible two nights in the Carate area.

La Leona Lodge ($60 per person, three meals included) is an ideal destination for people that wish to explore the park's southern end and enjoy the amenities of beach side fine dining and comfortable bedding and refrigeration.  Other regional lodges are described on our Carate page.

For Corcovado visitors coming from the Drake area, San Pedrillo is the nearest park entrance but is still an eight mile hike from Drake.  A wide variety of Drake tour operators provide one day tours around the San Pedrillo ranger station with transport in and out by speed boat.  Because the river mouths are all tidally influenced and are prime habitat for crocodiles and bull sharks at high tide, rivers are ideally best crossed at low tide.  When planning hikes, care should be taken, therefore, to hit these crossings as low tide where possible.  The trail from Sirena to San Pedrillo was closed last year owing to the technical challenges of the hike and can now be done only with special permission or clandestino.  That trail involves three river crossings with geographic separation that makes it impossible to cross all three in a single hike at low tide.  Therefore the hike from San Pedrillo to Sirena is one that is best undertaken with a professional guide that knows how to get across these rivers without being eaten by wild animals.  Again, it is technically closed and should not be considered except by those willing to secure special permission and a guide.

Sirena Ranger Station Amenities

The Sirena Ranger Station is a well-anointed picturesque facility in the middle of the jungle that has a roofed platform for tents, several thousand square meters of neatly trimmed yard for camping under the elements, dorm-style housing with two bunk beds per room for an occupancy of four per room, cafeteria with hot meal service, and park ranger and research offices.  The Park Rangers are very helpful and friendly.  At any given time, a variety of post-graduate research residents may be onsite from universities in Costa Rica and universities from other countries.  There is an extensive network of well kept trails in the Sirena lowland region.  Canoes were formerly available for rent to paddlue up the Sirena River at high tide, but these are no longer available to the public.  Located about 300 meters from the beach, Sirena also boasts a grass landing strip and daily charter flights from Puerto Jimenez, ten minutes away by air.

Corcovado Three-Day Guided Expedition Itinerary:  Los Patos - Sirena - Carate

Day One  

0500   Breakfast Puerto Jimenez
0520   Departure by taxi; arrival to either Los Patos Ranger Station or La Tarde entrance, depending on Rincon River Stage.  
0600   Register at new Los Patos ranger station and begin hike
0730   Pass through old Los Patos ranger station, fill water bottles
1130   Pack lunch in the forest
1500   Arrival and check in at Sirena:  soft drinks, showers, laundry, lounging
1800   Dinner, Sirena
 

Day Two

0630   Breakfast at Sirena
0700  Wilderness hike on one of the Sirena wildlife trails.
1100  Lunch at Sirena
1230  Wilderness hike on one of the Sirena wildlife trails
1800  Dinner, Sirena
 

Day Three

0630   Breakfast
0700   Departure (fill water bottles).  Hike along the beach trail to the La Leona Ranger Station
1400   Arrival at latest at Carate pulpería.  Depending on time you can stop at La Leona Lodge forty minutes prior for ice cold soft drinks, or, even iced cold beer (since you're nearly there).
1500   Departure by private taxi from the Carate Pulperia (or by Carate Colectivo at 1600 depending on the package selected)
1800   Back in Puerto Jimenez
 

Corcovado Two-Day Excursion Itinerary:  Los Patos - Sirena - La Leona

Day One  

0500   Breakfast Puerto Jimenez
0520   Departure by taxi; arrival to either Los Patos Ranger Station or La Tarde entrance, depending on Rincon River Stage.  
0600   Register at new Los Patos ranger station and begin hike
0730   Pass through old Los Patos ranger station, fill water bottles
1130   Pack lunch in the forest
1500   Arrival and check in at Sirena:  soft drinks, showers, laundry, lounging
1800   Dinner, Sirena
 

Day Two

0630   Breakfast
0700   Departure (fill water bottles).  Hike along the beach trail to the La Leona Ranger Station
1400   Arrival at latest at Carate pulpería.  Depending on time you can stop at La Leona Lodge forty minutes prior for ice cold soft drinks, or, even iced cold beer (since you're nearly there).
1500   Departure by private taxi from the Carate Pulperia (or by Carate Colectivo at 1600 depending on the package selected)
1800   Back in Puerto Jimenez
 

PRICE:  Three days excursions are offered in both deluxe and backpacker options.  Deluxe includes private transport in and out, dorm lodging, hot meals, breakfast and pack lunch on Day One.  Backpacker option depends on public transportation, and camping at Sirena.  Pricing is summarized below for both three-day and two-day trips.  Please note that a third option is two- and three-day trips entering and departing from La Leona rather than Carate.   Reserve Now.

What to Bring

The best rule is that If it won't fit in a day pack, don't bring it along.  You will be hiking 38 kilometers, 19 the first day, and 19 the second day.  The first day is a cool and relatively easy day, the second day is grueling, hot, and tiring.  Bring only the bare essentials, which are the following:

1)  Loose cotton clothing, shorts, t-shirt, hat, one change tops, and plan to wash your day one hiking clothes at Sirena and put them on wet for Day 2 the next morning.

2)  Appropriate footwear is individual specific, but leather is not recommended.  Day One can be done barefoot.  Day Two involves lots of rocks, so you should have something more than Tevas.  I prefer the $5 pair of rubber boots sold locally.  They are tough, have excellent traction in the forest, are easy to take off and put on, and dry very quickly if you go over the top.

3)  Insect protection.  Bring a strong repellant (i.e. one with DEET as an active ingredient).  Two different species of locally present mosquitoes carry dengue fever and malaria.  Also, for optimal comfort at the Sirena dormitory housing, a mosquito net is advised.

4)  Water.  Two-liter bottle is adequate.  Water is heavy; don't get carried away as there is potable water for refills at all the ranger stations.

5)  Snacks and Treats.  Every slightest creature comfort is magnified in the wilderness, so be your own judge, just keep it light.

6)  Sunglasses and Sun Block.

7)  Camera, obviously.

8)  Plastic bags.  One garbage size plastic bag that you can put your pack in to stay dry, one  small plastic bag for dirty clothes, and several zip loc baggies to carry items that must stay dry:  passport, matches, camera, film, SIMS, rolling papers, etc.

9)  Sheet(s).  Sheets are not provided at the dormitory.  Bring a second one to sleep on top of if you want, remember weight when packing.

10)  Basic Essentials.  Knife, lighter, flashlight, spare batteries, ballpoint pen, essential meds (anaphylactic shock remedy, insulin, lithium, birth control, etc.) according to your particular medical circumstances.

11)  Cash.  You will want some cash to buy cold soft drinks at Sirena and beers or pops at Carate.

One Day Ground Corcovado Tour

Hike the La Leona ranger station vicinity up to Madrigal River and inland.  Round trip by Carate colectivo.  Lunch, transport, park entrance fee, guide included:  2-person minimum:  $85 each.  3-4:  $75 each.  more than four:  $65 each.  For Reservations or More Information

One-Day Air

Explore Sirena on a lagoon hike.  Fly in at seven a.m., depart three p.m.  $790 for round trip air, plus $75 per person for permits, pack lunch and tour guide.  For Reservations or More Information

Corcovado Park Reservation Service

Corcovado National Park has well marked trails, making a self-guided experience completely reasonable.  Choose your dates and do it without a guide.  Osa Corcovado Tour and Travel will make your reservations and process payments and give you receipts and official vouchers for day use fees, meal fees, and overnight camping or dorm housing.  Check the table earlier on this page for applicable rates, and let me know what you wish to include with all your dates.  Remember that as of December 1, 2011, all park visits, including day trips require valid permits procured in advance.  The Ranger Stations will no longer accept payment for day use at the park entry stations.  Our fee for multiple day permitting is $30 for this service, and we provide you with all the receipts so that you can proceed directly to the Park without having to come to Puerto Jimenez to pay and retrieve your permits at the Ranger Station.  For single day permits, the reservation service carries a $10 fee. Please fill out the form below to request personalized Corcovado permit application or inquire by email here.  Please note that the fees are per group, not per person for the reservation services.

If you prefer to handle your reservations personally, you can do so by telephone to the National Park Service in Puerto Jiménez (506-2735-5036) or by email to pncorcovado@gmail.com.  The park does not handle credit cards, but can process wire transfers and direct deposit into their Costa Rican bank account.  Many people who reserve directly find out awkwardly that they have to come to Puerto Jimenez during business hours to pay at the bank and retrieve their permits at the Parks Office.  If you do this, be sure to do it between 8:30 and 3:30, Monday through Friday only.  It is well worth the reservation fee to have us do this footwork for you so you are ready to go to the park before you ever leave home.  If you have already made the reservations but simply need to pay, just forward us the reservation sheet you received from Parks, and we'll send you billing and final permit confirmations and park vouchers within 24 hours of receiving payment.

La Chancha Rock

For general reservations inquiries other than Corcovado Park travel, please fill out our Osa Peninsula Travel Information Questionnaire.  Alternately, write me.

Osa Corcovado Tour and Travel / CAFENET EL SOL
Travel and Tour Agency / Internet Café
Puerto Jiménez / Osa Peninsula / Costa Rica

English:  506 8632-8150   /    Español:  506 2735-5719   /   Fax:  506 2735-5717

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