Hiking activities in Costa Rica
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Catarata San Luis
A popular (but strenuous) hike visits the Catarata San Luis, a gorgeous ribbon streaming in three tiers from the cloud forests into a series of swimming holes just screaming for a picnic. The distance from the parking area to the falls is only a few kilometers, but it’s steeply graded downhill, and the rocky, muddy terrain can get very slick. It’s important to go slow and turn back if it becomes too difficult. However, your efforts will be worth it as the waterfall is simply breathtaking. Alternatively, you may wish to join a guided hike to the falls, offered by the fantastic Ecolodge San Luis. Hikes must be reserved at least a day in advance. And be warned, you may…
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Parque Nacional Corcovado
All of the lodges offer hiking tours to Parque Nacional Corcovado, usually a full-day trip to San Pedrillo ranger station (from US$75 to US$100 per person), including boat transportation, lunch and guided hikes. Indeed, if you came all the way to the Península de Osa, it's hard to pass up a visit to the national park that made it famous.
Some travelers, however, come away from these tours disappointed. The trails around San Pedrillo station attract many groups of people, which inhibit animal sightings. Furthermore, most tours arrive at the park well after sunrise, when activity in the rain forest has already quieted down.
Considering their hefty price tag, these tours are…
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A
Santuario Ecológico
Offering hikes of varying lengths, Santuario Ecológico has four loop trails (the longest takes about 2½ hours at a slow pace) through private property comprising premontane and secondary forest, coffee and banana plantations, and past a couple of waterfalls and lookout points. Coati, agouti and sloth are seen on most days, and monkey, porcupine and other animals are common. Bird-watching is also good. Guided tours are available throughout the day, but you’ll see even more animals on the guided night tours.
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B
Reserva Sendero Tranquilo
An 81-hectare private reserve, Reserva Sendero Tranquilo is located between the Reserva Biológica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde and the Río Guacimal. Trails here are narrow to allow for minimal environmental impact, and group size is capped at six people, which means you won’t have to worry about chattering tourists scaring away all the animals. The trails pass through four distinct types of forest, including a previously destroyed area that’s starting to bud again.
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C
Sendero Valle Escondido
This trail begins behind Pensión Monteverde Inn and slowly winds its way through a deep canyon into an 11-hectare reserve. In comparison with the more popular reserves, Valle Escondido is quiet during the day and relatively undertouristed, so it’s a good trail for wildlife-watching. However, the reserve’s two-hour guided night tour (at 5:30pm) is very popular, so it’s best to make reservations in advance.
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Punta Río Claro Wildlife Refuge
If you want to head inland, you can also explore the Punta Río Claro Wildlife Refuge, which can be accessed from the Río Claro Trail or from Playa San Josecito. When hiking without a guide, make sure that somebody knows when and where you are going. Should you get lost, try to find a river or stream, which you can follow to the ocean and then re-establish your bearings.
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Waterfall Trail
This scenic hike departing from the Arenal Observatory Lodge is an easy, 2km round-trip hike, which takes about an hour to complete. The terrain starts out flat then descends into a grotto where you'll find a thundering gusher of a waterfall that's about 40ft high. You'll feel the mist long before you see its majesty.
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D
Santa Maria's Finca Agroturistica
One of the new night hikes in the area, this two-hour walk departs at 5:30pm and offers possibilities of sloth, armadillo and snake sightings among other animals. It was just a year old at research time and already popular.
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Old Lava Flow Trail
Branching from Park Headquarters is this interesting and strenuous lower elevation trail. It follows the flow of the massive 1992 eruption, is 4km round trip and takes two hours to complete. If you want to keep hiking, combine it with the 1.8km El Ceibo trail.
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El Ceibo Trail
This scenic 1.8km trail through secondary forest, accessed from Park Headquarters, can be combined with the Old Lava Flow Trail or completed on its own in about 80 minutes.
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Cerro Chato Trail
The ultimate hike in the national park, the Cerro Chato Trail meanders through pasture before climbing quite steeply through remnant forest and into patches of virgin growth reaching into misty sky. Eventually the trail crests Cerro Chato, Arenal's dormant partner, and ends in a 1100m-high volcanic lake that is simply stunning. It will take between two to three hours each way, though the hike is only 8km round trip.
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Arenal 1968
Near the highway turnoff to the park, this new trail system is worth checking out. Arenal 1968, a private network of trails and lookouts along the original 1968 lava flow, is located 1.2km from the turnoff, just before the ranger station.
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E
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Coast to Coast Adventures
Trips incorporate rafting, biking and trekking.
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F
Jacamar Tours
Recommended for its incredible variety of naturalist hikes. It’s located on the ground level of Hotel Arenal Carmela.
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Reserva Absoluta Nicolás Wessburg
Inland from Montezuma is a private conservation area that was the original site of Nicholas Olof Wessburg and Karen Mogensen’s homestead. Although the reserve is closed to visitors, you can either hike or go horseback riding along its perimeter – tours can be arranged through operators in town or at the Los Caballos Nature Lodge finca.
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Reserva Biológica Nosara
The private 35-hectare reserve behind the Lagarta Lodge has trails leading through a mangrove wetland down to the river (five minutes) and beach (10 minutes). This is a great spot for bird-watching, and there’s a good chance you’ll see some reptiles as well (look up in the trees as there are occasionally boa constrictors here). Non-guests can visit the reserve for self-guided hikes or guided nature walks.
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Sendero Los Miradores
From the park headquarters (not the ranger station) is the 1.3km Sendero Los Miradores, which leads down to the shores of the volcanic lake, and provides a good angle for volcano viewing.
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Sendero Los Heliconias
From the ranger station (which has trail maps available) you can hike this 1km circular track, which passes by the site of the 1968 lava flow (vegetation here is slowly sprouting back to life). A 1.5km-long path branches off this trail and leads to an overlook.
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Sendero Las Coladas
This track branches off the Heliconias trail and wraps around the volcano for 2km past the 1993 lava flow before connecting with the Sendero Los Tucanes, which extends for another 3km through the tropical rainforest at the base of the volcano. To return to the car-parking area, you will have to turn back. You’ll get good views of the summit on the way to the parking lot.
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G
Cerro Amigos
Take a free hike up Cerro Amigos (1842m) for good views of the surrounding rainforest and, on a clear day, of Volcán Arenal, 20km away to the northeast. Near the top of the mountain, you’ll pass by the TV towers for channels 7 and 13. The trail leaves Monteverde from behind Hotel Belmar and ascends roughly 300m in 3km. From the hotel, take the dirt road going downhill, then the next left. Note that this trail does not connect to the trails in the Monteverde reserve, so you will have to double back.
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Osa Aventura
Specializes in treks through Corcovado.
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Ocarina Expeditions
Offers naturalist-led treks in Corcovado and Chirripó, as well as volcano and cloud-forest hiking.
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