Tips for keeping SAFE while hiking Corcovado National Park
 

Your Safety should always be FIRST Priority

* Drinking water: The water at the ranger station is potable, but if you are concerned, bring some type of water purifier. The park recommends you carry 1.5 liters of water for the La Leona and Los Patos hike, but I've seen my clients drink this within the first 2 hours. Know your self and your water needs, dehydration and heat-exhaustion are common illnesses in the park.

* Sunscreen: It's recommended to use sunscreen, a hat, and long sleeved shirt on the hike from Sirena to La Leona. While much of the hike is through the jungle, there are long stretches along the beach that benefit from sun protection.

* Insect Repellent: Recent outbreaks of Dengue Fever in Costa Rica are a concern. Currently there is no Malaria to be worried about. Also, bug spray helps with the sand flies and no-see-ums...

* Solo Hiking? No: It's best to hike with a guide or a hiking buddy. There are several tricky river crossings and tricky rocky ocean/beach crossings that need to be navigated at low tide...

* No Swimming: Crocodiles and Bullsharks rule the ocean here and love to swim at the mouth of rivers. In addition, the currents and tides are quite powerful.

* River Crossings: Cross carefully and quickly, and never risk crossing the rivers at high tide or during heavy rain.

* Snakes: Watch where you step and touch. There are Fer de Lance and other poisonous snakes in the region. Be especially careful around rivers and streams where they come to eat frogs, especially at night.

* Ants: Seemingly harmless, their bites sting for up to one hour...

* Peccaries/Wild Pigs. There are two different species of peccaries in Corcovado, the Collared and the White-lipped Peccary. They run in packs and can be very aggressive. If threatened by a group of peccaries, climb a tree until you are six feet or higher off the ground.

Very useful tips! As amazing and wonderful as the Osa is, you can't take for granted that it's wild and remote...

Great advice as always Ballardo.

Also thought I'd mention - secure your food! I met some young kids in Corcovado (at La Leona, they ate dinner with us before heading into the park early next morning) and then I ran into them a few days later in Puerto Jimenez. They ended up having to come back early as they hadn't secured their food properly and all was full of ants and bugs.

I forgot one of the most important safety tips...

* Don't hike off-trail.

Here is a story of 3 guys who did and they could have lost their life...

http://www.roadjunky.com/article/628...h-in-corcovado

Safety First! Pura Vida

Those guys were some real geniuses-one of them wanted to eat a sloth.

RAC - you would be surprised at the crazy and stupid things tourists/travelers do in Corcovado...

Like getting up close and personal with the wild pigs or a Tapir mother and it's baby. Or crossing Rio Claro at full tide. What are they thinking!!

It's a jungle out there!

Thanks for posting. Excellent advice!