Great Adventure to Corcovado (Costa Rica)
May 6th, 2011, 10:28 AM
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Great Adventure to Corcovado (Costa Rica)
My adult son and I returned from Costa Rica on Monday (5/02/11) and had the most amazing experience in general and during our backpacking adventure through Corcovado specifically. We both enjoy hiking and adventure and wanted to explore all that Costa Rica has to offer. I found only snippets of information on Corcovado in Fodors, Frommers and the Lonely Planet. Through entries in TripAdvisor and Fodors, I realized that a visit to Corcovado was a must. It was only with the assistance of our new friend Nito (Dionisio Paniagua) who served as our guide and advisor that we identified and planned the most amazing adventure of my life. For folks who are reasonably fit and interested in a bit of adventure, the best way to experience Corcovado is by hiking from the Los Patos Station to the Sirena Station (Day 1); spend the next day exploring the area around the Sirena Station (Day 2), and hike out through the La Leona Station / Carate (Day 3). We saw an amazing amount of wildlife – all kinds of monkeys, birds, tapirs, reptiles (lizards, snakes and crocodiles), sharks and insects. It was an amazing adventure that I highly recommend.
A few notes:
You need a great guide. Nito was perfect for us as he helped with planning and coordination in advance and assisted us every step through the adventure. Nito has the uncanny ability to spot all sorts of wildlife, even at great distances (a VERY SMALL fraction of which I could have found on my own). We found Nito by reading posts on Trip Advisor. Many thanks to those who shared their experiences with Nito and provided references. There are some crummy guides out there so do your homework.
You need to spend some time getting in shape before the adventure and be able to carry 20-25 lbs in your own pack.
Accommodations (Tent camping vs. “Dorms”) – You absolutely must have a tent or mosquito net to keep the bugs away while you sleep. Nito arranged for a tent and light sleeping bags at Sirena so we didn’t need to carry the extra weight.
Meals – There is an area for cooking your own meals as well as a table for eating. Alternatively, you can arrange to eat in the mess hall by making advanced arrangements. The prepared food was excellent and hearty and highly recommended.
You’ll need a good walking stick – Have your guide make one for you from the bamboo near the Los Patos Station as you begin your hike.
We had a fabulous time and I’m happy to answer any questions.
A few notes:
You need a great guide. Nito was perfect for us as he helped with planning and coordination in advance and assisted us every step through the adventure. Nito has the uncanny ability to spot all sorts of wildlife, even at great distances (a VERY SMALL fraction of which I could have found on my own). We found Nito by reading posts on Trip Advisor. Many thanks to those who shared their experiences with Nito and provided references. There are some crummy guides out there so do your homework.
You need to spend some time getting in shape before the adventure and be able to carry 20-25 lbs in your own pack.
Accommodations (Tent camping vs. “Dorms”) – You absolutely must have a tent or mosquito net to keep the bugs away while you sleep. Nito arranged for a tent and light sleeping bags at Sirena so we didn’t need to carry the extra weight.
Meals – There is an area for cooking your own meals as well as a table for eating. Alternatively, you can arrange to eat in the mess hall by making advanced arrangements. The prepared food was excellent and hearty and highly recommended.
You’ll need a good walking stick – Have your guide make one for you from the bamboo near the Los Patos Station as you begin your hike.
We had a fabulous time and I’m happy to answer any questions.
May 7th, 2011, 05:00 PM
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Sounds like a great adventure. We first did that trek almost 20 years ago and at the time you had to do another day because there was no road (4wd or otherwise) and you set out from Palma on foot to walk to Los Patos. It's still one of the wildest places in the world that you don't need an expedition to reach. We just returned a few weeks ago from doing the southern route (Dos Brazos to Piedras Blancas camp then on to La Leona) and it's another Corcovado gem.
How does one go about contacting Nito?
How does one go about contacting Nito?
May 7th, 2011, 07:46 PM
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Nito Paniagua can be contacted at [email protected]. His family runs Surcos Tours, and if Nito isn't available one of the other employees would be: http://www.surcostours.com/
May 19th, 2011, 07:20 PM
#5
This brings back great of the trek my wife and I went on in the mid '90's. We also did the segment up the coast from Sirena to San Pedrillo. We hit the all-time great wildlife encounter: a jaguar!! It was feasting on a turtle it had killed when we came along.
Thanks for posting this, makes me want to go back and do it again!
Thanks for posting this, makes me want to go back and do it again!
May 23rd, 2011, 09:32 AM
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Puddlehopper123, thanks for posting your impressions of Corcovado.
It's important that people have a good understanding of what's involved, especially carrying your own pack all day in the heat and humidity of the tropical forest and about the bugs. With a good guide, you will always see some kind of amazing animals, but it's important to remember that Corcovado is not a zoo, and even the best guide can not guarantee which animals you will encounter, as the animals travel to where the fruit and food is and sometimes that's deep into the forest where there are no trails.
Nelson, it sounds like you had an incredible experience - the section of trail from Sirena to San Pedrillo is now closed year round. You are one of the very very few people to see a Jaguar. Even the researchers at the Rio Piro center have NEVER seen one, though their work is to offer conservation and protection for them.
Corcovado is a magical place, but you do need to be prepared for the adventure.
Pura Vida,
Ballardo Diaz
It's important that people have a good understanding of what's involved, especially carrying your own pack all day in the heat and humidity of the tropical forest and about the bugs. With a good guide, you will always see some kind of amazing animals, but it's important to remember that Corcovado is not a zoo, and even the best guide can not guarantee which animals you will encounter, as the animals travel to where the fruit and food is and sometimes that's deep into the forest where there are no trails.
Nelson, it sounds like you had an incredible experience - the section of trail from Sirena to San Pedrillo is now closed year round. You are one of the very very few people to see a Jaguar. Even the researchers at the Rio Piro center have NEVER seen one, though their work is to offer conservation and protection for them.
Corcovado is a magical place, but you do need to be prepared for the adventure.
Pura Vida,
Ballardo Diaz
May 24th, 2011, 05:08 AM
#8
Jaguarman, We were incredibly lucky indeed. When we returned home I e-mailed a researcher working with OTS (Organization for Tropical Studies) and he was bemused that a dozen years of Costa Rica field work had passed without seeing a jaguar. Instead, a few tourists on a 3-week trip get a sighting.
Our guide had us leave Sirena at about 2:00 AM so we could time the river crossings at low tide. Camping was not allowed, we had to make it all the way to San Pedrillo in one push. (As it turned out we still had to build a raft of flotsam to ferry our packs across the third river). At about 4:00 AM, near the Rio Corcovado, our guide was scanning his flashlight along the beach when he spotted the jaguar. There were five of us. We grouped together and slowly walked as close as we dared, maybe within 20-25 meters.
We could see that he (?) was feeding on a large (hawksbill?) turtle he had killed. We stood transfixed when he became curious about our lights and walked over to have a look! He approached to about 5 meters!! He never seemed threatening, just curious. He slowly walked past us then retreated to the edge of the beach, sitting in the tall grass.
We walked up and took a few photos of the turtle then moved on our way, stunned and exhilarated by what we had seen.
When he walked near us I continued taking photos, but he was just beyond the range of the small built-in flash. However, a couple of slides (back in film days) came back with a nearly invisible image of glowing eyes. I had the lab make a duplicate slide and push that. The results are full of noise and grain, but here he is:
http://www.pbase.com/image/134968325/original
I can scan some photos of the turtle if you are interested.
The entire trip was incredible, the Osa one of the most amazing places my wife and I have ever been. Thanks again Puddlehopper123 for posting your adventures.
Our guide had us leave Sirena at about 2:00 AM so we could time the river crossings at low tide. Camping was not allowed, we had to make it all the way to San Pedrillo in one push. (As it turned out we still had to build a raft of flotsam to ferry our packs across the third river). At about 4:00 AM, near the Rio Corcovado, our guide was scanning his flashlight along the beach when he spotted the jaguar. There were five of us. We grouped together and slowly walked as close as we dared, maybe within 20-25 meters.
We could see that he (?) was feeding on a large (hawksbill?) turtle he had killed. We stood transfixed when he became curious about our lights and walked over to have a look! He approached to about 5 meters!! He never seemed threatening, just curious. He slowly walked past us then retreated to the edge of the beach, sitting in the tall grass.
We walked up and took a few photos of the turtle then moved on our way, stunned and exhilarated by what we had seen.
When he walked near us I continued taking photos, but he was just beyond the range of the small built-in flash. However, a couple of slides (back in film days) came back with a nearly invisible image of glowing eyes. I had the lab make a duplicate slide and push that. The results are full of noise and grain, but here he is:
http://www.pbase.com/image/134968325/original
I can scan some photos of the turtle if you are interested.
The entire trip was incredible, the Osa one of the most amazing places my wife and I have ever been. Thanks again Puddlehopper123 for posting your adventures.
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