Corcovado National Park
World-famous Corcovado National
Park is a beautiful hour’s drive away. After the drive, it is a 45-minute
beach walk to the park entrance. This is a big day, so please gauge
your endurance. People
who are not in shape, or children not up to a lot of hiking, should skip it. We recommend leaving as early as possible,
for cooler beach hiking and better wildlife viewing. Be sure to wear good footwear and plenty of
sunscreen. You
need to bring drinking water and lunch.
You can:
Go on
your own:
·
If
you have a vehicle you can drive to Carate, which is
at the edge of the park, and hike in. If you don’t have a vehicle, you can hire a taxi to Carate
for the day;
·
You
can take the collectivo (public transport – truck
with bench seats), which passes by the Matapalo
entrance each morning at around 6:45 AM and leaves you back at Matapalo between 4-5 PM.
·
If
you go on your own you will need to arrange for your own park permits in
advance. Contact us if you need
information.
Go
with William as guide:
William,
our manager, has his own tour guide business and is happy to accompany you to
the park and serve as your guide for the day. He has been visiting
Costs:
Guide
fee: $75/day per group
Park
permits: If you book in advance, William
can usually procure permits for $10/per person. Sometimes he can’t, in which case it
is $15/person. (If you arrange in advance and cancel, you may need to reimburse
William for this expense, as it is not refundable or transferable).
Transportation:
If
you don’t have a rental car, there are the following options:
$75
for William to drive in his vehicle
$130
for taxi (subject to change)
$8/person/one
way on collectivo
William
will accompany you whichever way you choose.
My daughters and I thoroughly enjoyed our trip to
Corcovado with William and despite the language barrier, he was able to teach
us quite a bit. His knowledge of the bush is
remarkable.
Brian – Ontario, Canada
This
time we got to Corcovado.
What an adventure. And, believe it or not, thanks to
William’s eagle eyes, we saw a tapir and even got a few pictures. Also saw other
animals with his guidance.
A hike with him is an absolute must-do when here; he’s the best
guide around, not to mention he’s a love of a guy!
Terri
and Jeffrey – Tucson, AZ
It is best to let us know in advance
that you want to do this tour to give us time to arrange your permits.
Canopy Tour and Zip Line
Zip through the rainforest canopy! We have found the best and best-priced
zip line/canopy tour around.
You will careen through old growth forest with an experienced,
English-speaking guide, who is both informative and skilled. This company is extremely attentive to
equipment and safety and gets consistently rave reviews from our guests.
$40/person (credit cards accepted)
4 hours, including travel time
Best to arrange with us in advance.
Rainforest Hike
You don’t have to
go as far as Corcovado to see amazing wildlife. Primary forest is all around the house
and every foray reveals natural wonders. Just strolling down the road toward Matapalo Beach is a rich experience. You are likely to see monkeys, all
kinds of tropical birds, maybe a sloth, anteater or iguana. You just never know! There are various ways to do this, any
or all of them rewarding.
We supply you with an area map, so you can find your way around. Other options
include:
Hike with William:
William can guide you through towering stands of
primary forest to pristine waterfalls. With him you will visit places and see
things you would never see on your own. William offers a night hike, which is
limited to people over 12-years old. He does not speak English, but is very
knowledgeable about the area and an expert at spotting wildlife. In addition,
he is an absolute pleasure to be with. Be
sure to wear good footwear (no flip flops!)
Waterfall
hike: $30 - $40 per group, depending on
hike, or more with large groups. There are hikes with one waterfall,
and a longer one with two.
Arrange with William when you get
there
William is a real
gem. He took us on a hike to the waterfall
and on another hike to show us all of the "mucho animales".....it was great fun to speak in Spanish to
him and to try and teach him a few words in English.
He is a great asset and his wife too.
Fran and Peter – Quebec, Canada
A walk with William to the waterfall
was great. I
swear the man has radar eyes.
We would have missed a lot of animals he pointed out to us.
Lambert & Carol – Denver, CO
Hike with English Speaking guides:
There are
knowledgeable, English-speaking guides available, who can take you on fascinating,
entertaining and informative tours of the area. The hike, either with
a trained biologist or certified naturalist, gradually ascends through a
secondary forest rich with heliconias and
hummingbirds. Continuing onward, you trek through riparian habitat underneath a
gallery of giant tropical trees. Among myriad of waterfalls you learn
about the interactions of the animals and plants, tying together indigenous
knowledge to current medical applications. You will leave with a greater
understanding of our tropical forests and their importance to our future. It is
never the same hike twice... bring your camera and questions! About 3 – 4 hours. Wear hiking boots or sneakers.
$45/person
Best to arrange with us in advance.
Waterfall Rappelling or Cliff Canyoning
Hike up and around a series of waterfalls nestled
in lush rainforest (with nature education along the way). At the top of the
falls you receive thorough instruction covering the equipment, its proper use and safe rappelling.
The first waterfall is 45 feet and the second, King
Louis, is 100 feet. You will descend them, backwards, often
through rushing water.
During the drier months might be just a trickle or completely
dry, but the wilderness amphitheater is no less dramatic and the rappelling
just as exciting. We
can say first hand that this is a true adrenaline rush!
1/2 day. Snacks provided.
$85/person
We decided to
rappel the 110-foot waterfall in the jungle. What a rush!
Jack & Lisa – Prescott, AZ
Best to arrange with us in advance.
Tree Climbing
Scale the
Cathedral, a 200-foot tall fichus, aka the largest jungle gym around! Using
top-of-the-line climbing gear, this tour takes you up this massive, user-friendly
Strangler Fig (about 70 feet) for a unique perspective from a viewing roost 450
feet over the Golfo Dulce. Then it’s a
thrilling swing back down by rope, for an adrenaline rush! 2 – 3 hours, including informative
rainforest hike with English-speaking guide.
$55/person
Bring camera/binoculars
Best to arrange with us in advance.
Combo Tour:
Tree Climb + Waterfall Rappelling +
Hike
Go for the gusto and do all
three in the same day.
5 – 6 hours.
$120/person
Best to arrange with us in advance.
Horseback riding
Ride on horseback
through the rainforest to a secluded, stunning beach, where you can gallop (if
you want), explore the crashing waves and tide pools.
$45/person (group
discounts)
If William drives you,
he charges $20.
Arrange with William when you get
there
Massage
There is a
selection of massage available, from the rejuvenating Thai massage to
traditional Swedish. Any
of them is an ideal way to unwind from your travels and pamper yourself. To
arrange in advance, email Cecily at ccmamabee@yahoo.com.
Yoga
There are skilled yoga teachers and classes for all
levels on beautiful yoga decks surrounded by rainforest. For advance information on class times and
locations, google Matapalo Yogis.
You can also reserve a private individual or group
class to begin or refine your practice, with therapeutic adjustments and
personal assistance from our favorite teacher, Cecily. Contact her at ccmamabee@yahoo.com.
Bird Watching
If you’re on the Osa, you’ll be bird watching, whether you like it or not! As one of our guests
said, “For a birder, this is paradise!” You don’t even need to leave the house
to see an amazing number of exotic birds:
hummingbirds, toucans, Amazon parrots, parakeets, scarlet macaw and
hundreds more species.
With more than 850 species within a tight geographic area