Corcovado National Park

Fast Facts

Location:In Osa Peninsula to the west of Costa Rica
Attraction type: National Park
Significance: Most diversified wooded land in Central America
Best Time to Visit: January to April
Visiting hours: Daytime
How to Reach: By bus from Puerto Jimenez or Golfito; alternatively by boat from Golfito
Nearest Airport: Puerto Jimenez, and Golfito

Corcovado National Park is a flamboyant representation of bio-diversity in Osa Peninsular region of Costa Rica. Not many national parks in Central America can boast of the diversity one discovers here. From habitats to animal life, every aspect of Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica is wondrous. A trekking adventure in this exuberant tropical forest would be an experience of lifetime.

All imaginable features of a tropical rain forest exist with abundance in this national park. Amazing buttresses, tall trees, abounding herbaceous vines, and large lianas complete the tropical layout of this forested land rising from sea level to an elevation of over 2400 feet. As you move inwards from the beach, you would come across beach and coastal marine habitats followed by mangrove swamps, palm forests, lowland rain forests, and highland cloud forests in succession.

The animal species spread over this 161 square miles Costa Rica Corcovado National Park is as fabulous as its vegetation. Red-backed squirrel monkeys, jaguars, Baird’s tapirs, and white-lipped peccaries are some of the endangered and exclusive animal species you would discover in this forested park. Among the birds, scarlet macaws and harpy eagles, and 16 different species of humming birds are noticeable. The amphibian and reptile species are a veritable world of splendor. You would be surprised to note that there are over forty frog varieties, rain, dink, glass, and even poison arrow types. Lizards of ne rly 30 kinds abound this forest, while among the snakes the bushmaster and boas are particularly dangerous. Osa Peninsula is enriched with nearly 10,000 insect varieties which include over 100 butterfly kinds.

You could explore the entire national park or some of its portions on foot or bicycles. There are enticing camping spots where you might spend a couple of nights to enjoy nature’s tranquility. All your camping equipments are available on rent at Puerto Jimenez.

Staying in Corcovado National Park

The bunkhouses inside this national park provide reasonably good accommodation facilities and are needed to be booked in advance. Meals are also available in these bunkhouses. Camping is a specialty in Corcovado. The camping sites have arrangement for potable water, as well as radio and telephone connections for communicating with the outside world.