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Published: February 5th 2014
Start of the Hike to Sirena
Typical Pacific Coast black sand beach with furious waves, Corcovado National Park.The Costa Rican park ranger greeted me with the familiar phrase, "pure life," as I was waiting for the insanely high tide to ebb before continuing my trek along the beach in Corcovado National Park. I wasn't feeling any
pura vida as I recalibrated my overly optimistic expectations as to how long it would take me to reach the campsite at the Sirena ranger station still a very long 12 kilometers away. The sea breeze was small comfort from the muggy heat and I was able to rest a bit before plodding thru nearly knee high waves around the headland. I eventually made it to Sirena in one piece. Details below...
$US ≈ 500 Costa Rican
colones (col). Most purchases can be made with US$ at the official rate.
Puerto Jiménez
Somewhat necessary stop to organize a trip to Corcovado and most people blow in and out of Port Jim as quickly as possible. I liked the place and ended up staying 2 nights both before and after my brief and battered trip to the park.
Accommodation and food I was intercepted at the ferry boat dock by an old, shriveled ex-pat pretending to own Cabinas The
Coconut Palm Shoot
These were everywhere, Corcovado National Park. Corner but was in reality the first foreign tout I'd ever met in any country. He said he had rooms for $10 so I followed him since I had no idea where I was going to stay and the price was right. Turned out a room with a fan and shared cold water bathroom (hot water totally unnecessary in sweltering Port Jim) was more like 6,000 col (private bathroom 7,000 col, dorm 5,000 col but I don't recommend the dorm as the windows have no screens and the mosquitoes are fierce). The cabinas have WiFi and a refrigerator but no kitchen. Extra luggage can be left for 500 col/day during Corcovado trips but free if you stay another night upon returning (hard not to if using public transport as the
colectivo truck returns from the park at 18:00). There's a bakery open early (pastries and coffee each 500 col) and several
sodas (basic restaurants) but I took all my meals at Soda Valeria where a
casado (plate with meat, chicken, or fresh fish and several side dishes but always black beans and rice) with a
refresco (fruit juice) went for 3,000 col. BM Market has everything for a trip to
Sun Bleached Whale Bones
Several species of whales visit offshore but not this time of year, Corcovado National Park. Corcovado as well as decent ice cream that needs to be consumed
muy rapido in Port Jim's intense heat. Nice fruit stand near the cabinas where 3 excellent pineapples go for only 1,000 col.
Transport There are buses to San Isidro (continuing to San José) leaving at 5:00, 9:00, and 13:00 or 14:00 for 4,270 col. The trip takes well over 5 hours but there is a stop about halfway where a massive
casado with drink is only 2,500 col. For Corcovado, the
colectivo truck departs Port Jim for Carate at 6:00 and 13:30, returning at 8:00 and 16:00. Fare is 4,500 col one way. Heading to Panama, catch a boat to Golfito then a bus from there to the border.
Corcovado National Park Because I arrived in Port Jim late on a Friday afternoon, I had to run around town first to the park office, then the national bank where park fees are paid, and back to the park office to procure the permit. When I found out that camping stoves were oddly prohibited in the park, I opted to go for only one night to preclude carrying 3 days of food for the hike to the
DENIED!
Waiting for the receding tide at the cliffs which offered exactly zero shade, Corcovado National Park. Sirena ranger station 20 km from the end of the road at Carate. Park entry fees are $10/person/day and camping is $4/person/night (payable at the bank in dollars or colones but in another oddity a passport is needed to pay in local currency).
After the truck arrived in Carate ~8:15, it took me 40 minutes to walk to the La Leona ranger station at the park boundary and sign in. Those first 3 km were right out on the open, unshaded beach and it was already scorching hot that early in the day. A better strategy would have been to take the 13:30 truck to Carate and free camp on the beach before starting the trek early the next morning. From La Leona the trail continued in the shade but close to high tide around 10:30 I encountered the massive bluff and was forced to rest. After that, the trail weaved in and out of the trees but there was one very long stretch on the beach right at midday where the sand was super soft making the hiking even tougher than it had been. The last obstacle was the crossing of the Río Claro but that was easy
as I neared the camp close to low tide and reached Sirena around 16:00. I set up the tent and took a short hike before dinner. No hikes after 18:00 for safety reasons. The camp had decent showers and it was a relief to rinse off the fetid mixture of sweat, sunscreen, insect repellent, and grime permeating every pore of my body. Crashed before 19:00. There is lodging at Sirena and meals can also be ordered but they're no bargain at $20 for breakfast and $25 for lunch and dinner. The cynic in me says this is why camping stoves are prohibited as a way to "encourage" tourists to buy the overpriced meals (locals pay half). Moreover, this was only implemented a year or two ago and clearly has nothing to do with safety precautions.
At 5:45 the next morning I walked the Espavales loop around camp in half an hour or so. There wasn't much light and I didn't see anything. Packed up the dew-soaked tent, had breakfast
sans café, and bolted from camp around 7:20. It wasn't as hot on the way out and I made better time reaching La Leona just after 13:00. Ate the last
Coati
Lots of these critters living in packs, Corcovado National Park. of my food there while resting in the shade for an hour before heading to Carate to catch the 16:00 truck back to Port Jim.
Sorry to say, but overall, Corcovado was a major disappointment especially since it is an extremely arduous, painful hike to get there. It probably would have been better staying 2 nights at Sirena and I did try to extend my stay there upon arrival. Unfortunately, the rangers were unwilling to help even though there was a phone in camp that could have been used to call the park office in Port Jim to figure something out. I found out after the fact that the trip can be paid for over the internet with a credit card yet the park office staff was insistent that I had to (quickly) pay at the bank leaving me little time to plan. I actually saw many more birds and a greater variety in Port Jim than I did in the park. There was a Fire-billed Aracari chillaxin' outside my cabina window one morning. That was cool.
Chirripó National Park
Costa Rica's highest mountain is at an altitude of 3,820 meters or 12,530 feet. Space for the
Crossing the Río Claro
Corcovado National Park refugio can be hard to come by but I got lucky and I was able to snag a bed for the following night after arriving in San Gerardo. The costs are $15/person/day for the park entry and $10/person/night at the
refugio. Two days/one night is certainly enough to complete the trip but many people opt for a second night after tagging the summit. It's a long trip - almost 20 km from the trailhead to the summit - and the trail is very steep in sections. There were many people jogging to the top and back in the same day which qualifies as madness to me.
Accommodation and food I had to spend one night in San Isidro at the Hotel Chirripó before I could connect to San Gerardo (for Chirripó) the next day. I could have opted to take a late bus at 18:45 but the park office would have been closed. The hotel was fine for the night - 9,000 col for a single fan room with TV, share bathroom with hot water showers (much cooler in San Isidro than around Port Jim), WiFi, and complimentary coffee and cookies for breakfast. Or opt for the 3,000 col
Great Curassow Male at Sirena
Nearly threatened bird. Female was present too but much smaller and lacking yellow nose knob, Corcovado National Park. buffet breakfast gorge. Not much open at night for dinner, just a few fast food places, but Pollo Crispy was OK. The central market has many cheap
sodas open for breakfast and dinner.
Right on the edge of the park, I stayed at Casa Mariposa in a dorm for 7,500 col. There are also private, double rooms running 18,000 col and up. No WiFi or breakfast but a PC is available for limited use, there's free coffee, and they'll hold extra luggage while on the mountain. It's 2.5 km uphill from the MINAE office. Next door is Hotel Urán where excellent
casados and breakfasts cost 3-4,000 col.
On the mountain at 3,400 meters is Albergue los Crestones that can house dozens of trekkers in fairly comfortable 4 bed dorms. There's clean drinking water, proper toilets, and cold water showers. Gets cold up there at night.
Transport Buses from San Isidro to San Gerardo leave from the market at 9:30, 14:00, and 18:45 for 1,300 col including a large backpack. Trip takes almost 1½ hours. Ask the driver to stop at the MINAE office to inquire about trekking permits and walk the rest of the way to lodgings.
Fire-billed Aracari, a Small Toucan
Perched right outside my window in Puerto Jiménez. Return buses depart at 5:15, 11:30, and 16:00. From the Transportes Blanco bus depot (I think mistakenly called Terminal Quepos in some guidebooks) near the Pan American Highway I caught a bus to Quepos via Dominical at 15:30 for 2,400 col taking almost a ridiculous 3 hours for the 80 km journey. While waiting for the bus, can eat at Soda Pepe Frut around the corner where a fish
casado with tamarind juice was 2,500 col.
Chirripó Summit Hike After a huge breakfast at Hotel Urán, I left Casa Mariposa at 8:20 with the intention of getting up early in the morning for the 5:00 sunrise on the summit. But on the way up the mountain I decided it would be better if I could haul ass up to the
refugio and tag the summit at sunset instead. Then I could leave early the following morning in time for the 11:30 bus to San Isidro and an afternoon bus from there to the beach. Otherwise, I would have to take the 16:00 bus to San Isidro which would have been too late to connect anywhere except San José which at that time I didn't plan on visiting.
On
Staring Contest with the Aracari
Not even sure if they have eyelids... the hike, I reached the 7.5 km water refilling station at 11:10 and took a 20 minute break before continuing to the
refugio, getting there at 14:50. I checked in and informed the
jefe that I was going for the summit straight away. He wasn't about to stop me but did try to discourage me with the feeble excuse that there would be no light on my descent (which was only partially true). I told him I'd make it up and back in less than 4 hours which would get me back to the
refugio ~30 minutes after sunset. Dumped my large pack, reorganized for the summit, and left at 15:08. Met a
tico (citizen of Costa Rica) on the trail and we got to the summit together at 17:08 where it was really cold and windy but still sunny. The peak was above the extensive cloud layer and all we could see was Volcán Barú in Panama poking above the clouds to the southeast. Snapped some pics, documented the trip in the summit register, and we were outta there after only a few minutes on top. After ~1½ hours descending it was too dark on the moonless night to
continue without my headlamp. But the trail was easy to follow and fairly flat at that point and we made it back exhausted but unscathed to the
refugio just before 19:00. I had a quick chow, cleaned up a bit, and crashed ~20:00.
Sleep was at a premium and I woke before 5:00, swilled a yogurt smoothie and a surprisingly good cappuccino from an aseptic box, and bolted for San Gerardo at 5:20. Leaving that early had the distinct advantage of not having to hike in the sun. The trail is in the clear above the forest for 4 kms below the
refugio. I made incredible time to Casa Mariposa and got there before 9:00 which was plenty early for another coffee (freshly brewed this time) and repacking all the gear I'd left behind. Walked down to the San Gerado plaza from where the bus would leave which it did at 11:30. Reached the center of San Isidro ~13:00 and walked to Tranportes Blanco where I got the tix to Quepos.
Quepos
Gritty, slightly seedy, and cheap... loved it. And the public bus to Manuel Antonio National Park was a nice bonus. Even though there's probably nicer
lodging options on the road to Manuel Antonio I preferred to stay in Quepos as away from the town you're kind of stuck at your accommodation unless you've got your own transport or take taxis or the bus everywhere (stops ~22:00). I opted for Quepos over other nearby beach towns like Dominical or Uvita because it was close to Chirripó and I wanted something near the beach after the preceding 11 days included round trip hikes of 27 kms on Volcán Barú, 40 kms in Corcovado, and another 40 kms on Chirripó. I also thought I was going straight to Monteverde and I could have gone Quepos-Puntarenas-Monteverde in ~6 hours and skipped San José.
Accommodation and food After the long hike down from Chirripó and the bus ride that took forever, I was not up for a long search for a place to sleep. One block from the bus terminal was Hotel Sanchez offering fan rooms with cable TV (
muy importante for El Superbowl), WiFi, and cold water share bathrooms for 5,000 col. I took it without hesitation even though it was kind of grimy and probably should have been called Hotel Dirty Sanchez. But it was quiet and
Albergue los Crestones
Chirripó National Park reasonably comfortable. Below was Soda Sanchez that I only ate at one time after they snuck a 10%!s(MISSING)ervice charge onto my bill.
Sodas at the market and Restaurante El Pollito serve
casados for ~2,500 col and frosty
resbaladera (like Mexican
horchata but with barley instead of rice) which reminded me of eggless egg nog and just as thick. No hidden charges at those places.
Transport Plenty of buses throughout the day to San José but definitely opt for the much quicker
directo service for 4,520 col that arrives at the Tracopa terminal 3 hours after departure. There's a 10 minute stop to grab some grub and use the facilities so I hit the head and got a 2,000 col
casado to go. Between Quepos and Manuel Antonio, the bus runs every 10-15 minutes for 285 col. Also buses to San Isidro and up and down the coast to Puntarenas, Dominical, and Uvita.
San José
I could have blown through Costa Rica's capital on the way from the Pacific Coast to the Caribbean but I decided to spend 2 nights and use the time to get visa pages added to my passport at the heavily fortified US
Summit Finally in View
Chirripó National Park Embassy. Made an online appointment yesterday before leaving Quepos and had the augmented passport 30 minutes after they opened for business this morning, all for a whopping $82. Last time I did this it was free. By contrast, a passport renewal only costs $110. Go figure.
San José doesn't really seem to have anything interesting for the traveler and it's a bit chaotic to navigate as there are dozens of bus "terminals" (used loosely as each bus company uses what is essentially it's own garage) scattered all over town. At least the altitude is a welcome relief from the coastal heat and humidity and there's a really good market for souvenirs, T-shirts, high quality coffee, and
sodas.
Accommodation and food Currently staying at Hostel Van Gogh only for it's proximity to the Caribeños bus terminal (departures for the Caribbean Coast, i.e., Tortuguero, Limón, and Puerto Viejo). It's $14 in a 6 or 8 person dorm with breakfast, unreliable WiFi, and a nice kitchen. If I knew my way around I probably could have found a single hotel room for the same price or less.
Transport Leaving tomorrow for Tortuguero National Park will involve 2 bus rides via
Cariari and Pavona followed by a ride in a small boat. The park is purportedly one of the most inaccessible places in Costa Rica.
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D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
Costa Rica
You can do without the hot water but not the screens in the windows. That you for sharing your story. What a great adventure. The photos are amazing. Happy travels.