Cerro Chirripó is a bucket-list experience for hiking aficionados. On a clear day, you will have breathtaking views of the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean from the peak. But you will work for that view. It is a steep 36km hike round trip. Only 52 permits are given for overnight hikers, making it a rare experience worth bragging about.
Chirripó in a Nutshell
Tours start at the San Gerardo Sector entrance of Parque Nacional Chirripó for a steep 14.5km hike with a steady ascent to the Crestones Base Camp, where hikers sleep for the night. Then it's another 5.5km to the top of 3820m-high Cerro Chirripó via Valle de Conejos (Rabbit Valley), the park's most important cirque glacier, which once had many rabbits before weather conditions and human impact dispersed them.
Most visitors do an overnight hike, ascending on the first day, summiting at sunrise the next day, and then heading back down to San Gerardo de Rivas. However, local experts recommend spending two nights at base camp: use the first day to hike up, summit the next day and explore the area and trails around the peak, and then descend on the last day. There are various trails and a lake at the top, including the trail to 3812m-high Cerro Ventisqueros, Costa Rica’s second-highest peak, and the dramatic rock spires Los Crestones. Incredibly strong hikers can summit and descend in a day, but it’s a hard slog.
Plan in Advance
Permits to visit the park can be reserved online (serviciosenlinea.sinac.go.cr) six months in advance and for up to four people and a specific date and can be paid using a credit card. Make your reservation as soon as possible, as there's a daily limit for park permits. You'll receive a confirmation email with details about extra payment details for food and lodging at Crestones Base Camp. You have five days to confirm your reservation and discuss payment, as non-residents can only pay in person upon registration. Email info@chirripo.org or WhatsApp +506-8549-8022 with your entry permit number.
High season, January through April, is the best time to climb because there's minimal rain plus less cloud cover and fog. Weekends, especially during high season, and Semana Santa (Easter Week) are especially popular and sell out months in advance. Consider booking for a slot during the week when there is less demand or in May and December when torrential downfalls are less likely.
The park closes the last two weeks of May for trail maintenance and the last weekend in February for Carrera Chirripó (carrerachirripo.com), a grueling footrace from San Gerardo de Riva to Crestones Base Camp and back.
Spending the Night
No camping is allowed in the park making Crestones Base Camp ($US35 per person, per night), a no-frills dormitory-style lodge 14.5km from the trailhead, the only overnight option. The hotel accommodates 52 guests with beds, bathrooms, a communal dining area with hot meals for sale, and limited solar-powered electricity. Hikers can also bring their own cold food; cooking is not allowed. Don't expect a hot shower after a long day of hiking: there's no hot water and temperatures can drop below 0°C (32°F) at night. While the hotel provides soap, towels, sheets and light blankets, bringing a warmer sleeping bag and appropriate clothing is a good idea.
You need to check in by 4pm at the Parque Nacional Chirripó office to pay for your accommodations, get your permit and wristband for the next day's hike to the summit, as well as the Consorcio Aguas Eternas office just down the road from the park's office to pick up food and accommodation vouchers for the base camp.
