Corcovado National Park
World-famous
Go on
your own:
·
If
you have a vehicle you can drive to Carate, 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;
·
OR
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. (about $3 one way).
·
If
you go on your own you will need to arrange for your own park permits in
advance.
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
$75/day
per group plus transportation costs and $10/per person park charge.
The Corcovado trip with William is tremendous!
Greg
– Campbell, CA
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
Arrange with William when you get
there
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.
Waterfall
hike: $25 - $35 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, usually with
a trained biologist, 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
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
4 hours, including travel time
Waterfall Rappelling
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 to descend them, backwards, often
through rushing water.
During the drier months might be just a trickle, 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
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
Combo Tour:
Tree Climb + Waterfall Rappelling +
Hike
Go for the gusto and do all three
in the same day.
5 – 6 hours.
$120/person
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.
Rainforest Facials & Spa
Nearby Tierra Spa
offers facials and spa treatments, using only organic, handmade Costa Rican and
local rainforest ingredients.
The facial includes mud treatments with healing clay harvest from
a nearby river; fragrant ylang ylang;
nurturing coconut milk emollients; and exotic indigenous flowers. Relax in a lovely
little spa by the sea, surrounded by exotic flowers, essential oils and
rainforest. You
will leave refreshed, rejuvenated and glowing!
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