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Corcovado National Park

FREE BAGGAGE AND CAR STORAGE IN PROPERTY: If you want to do a Corcovado hike, you can leave your luggage safely with us until you return. As well as your car parked at the hotel.

IMPORTANT: LIMITED OVERNIGHT SPOTS FOR LA SIRENA IN CORCOVADO NATIONAL PARK! PLEASE MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS FOR THE CORCOVADO NATIONAL PARK A FEW WEEKS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL IN PUERTO JIMENEZ.

Everyone that wants to go into the national park needs a certified licensed guide and entrance permits. No one is allowed to enter Corcovado without a guide for day hikes or overnight hikes. Please contact the guides we recommend to arrange your tour and to buy your permits several weeks before your stay

We recommend the following guides and tour operators to make your Corcovado National Park arrangements:

A highly recommended Corcovado Tour Operator that we work with is Surcos Tours. Top English speaking guides work with Surcos Tours year around. Contact them through Tel: (506) 8603 23 87 or Email them: reservations.surcostours@gmail.com. Website: surcostours.com.

Osa Wild is a sustainable and rural tourism agency. They can set up day tours and overnight stays in Corcovado. Website: www.osawildtravel.com.  (506) 2735-5848, Cel. (506) 8765-3330, Peninsula de Osa, Costa Rica. Email: osawild@gmail.com.

Ficus Tours is another tour agency run by Roger and Flor, both ticos and have personally selected guides offer multiple day adventures to Corcovado National Park and can assist you with your reservations! Please visit www.ficustours.com to book your reservation!

*Whichever travel agent you choose, please mention that you found their info through Cabinas Jimenez website.*

The Osa Peninsula is home to the world famous Corcovado National Park which has been described as “One of the most biologically intense places on the Planet” by the National Geographic Society. The park hosts 2.5 % of the world’s biodiversity and 25% of Costa Rica’s biodiversity and is truly the most spectacular activity on our Peninsula.

“Corcovado National Park is truly the crown jewel of Costa Rica’s park system.”

NOTE: NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO ACCESS THE PARK WITHOUT A QUALIFIED AND CERTIFIED GUIDE. PLEASE INQUIRE ABOUT CORCOVADO OR CONTACT OUR ABOVE TRAVEL AGENT and GUIDE CONTACTS FOR RESERVING YOUR GUIDE – ESPECIALLY IN HIGH SEASON (DECEMBER – MAY, JUNE – AUGUST).

GENERAL INFO ABOUT CORCOVADO HIKES

Everyone that wants to go into the national park needs ​a certified licensed guide​ and entrance permits. No one is allowed to enter Corcovado without a guide for day hikes or overnight hikes. Please contact the guides we recommend above to arrange your tour and to buy your permits several weeks before your stay.

We have learned that many of our guests are not properly prepared for their visit to Sirena Ranger Station for multiple nights, and assume entry into this remote research station is available by “just showing up.” Following is some information that we recommend you review if your visit is to include a visit to Sirena Ranger Station.

Overnight Stay at La Sirena National Park Ranger Station

La Sirena Ranger station is the only place where guests can stay overnight in Corcovado National Park.

To arrive at La Sirena Ranger Station you’ll first have to book a guided hike through one of the above mentioned travel agents. Your guide will help you arrange transport to the park entrance. You’ll hike around 8 hours into the park from a place called Carate, which is the end of the “road” on the East side of the Osa Peninsula. If you take ground transport Carate will be where you’ll be “let off” the bus or taxi, from there you have to hike into the park for around 1 hour to a Ranger Station called La Leona. At that Ranger Station they’ll check that you’re with a guide and that you have park permits.

From La Leona Ranger Station it is another 6-7 hour hike (The map says 5, but this is for VERY fit and fast hikers.. normally it’s 6-7 hours). Hence usually the hike begins very early, so that you arrive in La Sirena in the afternoon.
The hike is through forest and along the beach. Be aware that it gets VERY hot during the day and you’ll sweat a LOT. You should bring at least 3 liters of water with you, and bring food to snack on. You should also wear good comfortable shoes and lightweight breathable clothes. In the rainy season it can rain anytime, so bring rain protection for yourself and your gear.

NEW IMPROVED ACCOMMODATIONS

Sirena is the only ranger station that offers overnight lodging. It’s dorm-style, with shared bathrooms, showers, and sinks for laundering. Mattress, bed linens, and a mosquito net round out the amenities, and it’s all solar powered, lights out at eight. The dorm capacity at Sirena Ranger Station is 70 individual beds divided among 3 rooms. To ensure availability it is always best to reserve in advance.

It is now mandatory to purchase meals at the station, you cannot bring your own food anymore. Breakfast costs $20, Lunch is $25, and Dinner is $25. The overnight stay is 30$ per person per night.

The entrance ticket to Corcovado National Park is $15 per day, meaning if you stay 2 nights in Sirena, you’d have to pay for each day you’ve spent in the park. The park entrance tickets are ONLY available in advance through the travel agent or guide or the MINAET.

La Sirena Ranger station fills up fast – and often in the high season there are no beds or meals available anymore. Please contact the above mentioned travel agents to make your reservations. Cabinas Jimenez does not provide guided services into the park. Please contact the travel agents DIRECTLY.

How to get to Corcovado

You may access the Corcovado National Park via hike from Carate. Either way you will need a travel agent and guide to set this up for you in advance.

Puerto Jimenez is located around 2 hours drive from area called Carate which is the end of the road – cars cannot go further. From Carate you’ll start your hike into the park. From Carate it’s around  3.5 km to the first Ranger Station La Leona, where you’ll enter Corcovado National Park.

HOW TO GET TO CARATE: You can take private transport to Carate, which is often the preferred choice. You can also choose to go by public colectivo bus to Carate which costs around 9$ each way. The colectivo takes around 2 1/2 hours and is a very bumpy ride – it’s basically a cattle truck that now has two benches on each side to transport people. The colectivo bus goes twice a day, at 6 am and at 1:30pm from downtown Puerto Jimenez, around 5 minutes walk from us – Cabinas Jimenez.

You’ll have to take ground transport if you’d like to hike into the park or if you come out of the park (either private transport or colectivo bus).

There is also another option to get into the park which is by boat from Drake’s Bay.

Discuss your transport and hiking options with the guide/ travel agent before your Corcovado hike.

General info about Day Hikes to Corcovado

Reservations are also required for day hikes into the park, which are usually around the La Leona Ranger Station. This requirement was introduced in 2010. You may also go for a day hike close to the park and hike along the park boarders – and avoid having to purchase the entry tickets. Along the Corcovado park border you may see similar wildlife and nature as inside the park.

Usually for a day hike you’ll enter the park at La Leona Ranger Station, hike for around 3-4 hours, and turn around to go back. You won’t arrive at La Sirena Ranger Station, but you’ll be hiking the same route.

Sirena Ranger Station is not accessible for day hikes from Puerto Jimenez. To visit Sirena Ranger Station, you need to make reservations with a Travel Agent or Guide who will take care of the reservations for you.

If you want to do a day hike that is NOT in Corcovado National Park we can help you through Cabinas Jimenez to set this up, depending on availability. There are guides that offer hikes to Carate, Cabo Matapalo, and La Tarde which are all beautiful jungle and nature hikes, and are not located in the National Park so they do not require permits to enter. However, note that it is always advisable to make reservations in advance, so if you would like to do a hike NOT to Corcovado, please let us know during your reservation process.

 

What guides recommend to bring for your hike

  • Mosquito repellent
  • Sunscreen
  • Flashlight (important for the Station)
  • Water – 3 liters for the first day. You can refill water for free at the Ranger station, or you can buy water as well, the price for a bottle of water at Sirena is $5
  • Hiking shoes and water sandals for the river crossing
  • Bring your own medication that you need
  • Extra plastic bags/water proof bags to protect clothing and cameras from rain
  • You can bring battery chargers/ camera chargers, there is electricity at the Ranger Station
  • Swimsuit
  • Mosquito net
+506-2735-5090
Puerto Jimenez, Osa Peninsula
info@cabinasjimenez.com