Chirripo and Corcovado 9 day Trek

CUSTOM DESIGN THIS PACKAGE

Day 1: Cerro de la Muerte

Drive on the Pan-American Highway (2 ½ hrs) heading south to the Chirripó Highlands and Cerro de la Muerte (Peak of Death, 11,000’). Challenge yourself with the expertise of your resident guide to find the elusive Resplendent Quetzal and other cloud forest wildlife. After lunch at Vista al Cerro or similar, our staging area for the trek, you spend the afternoon in the quaint village of San Gerardo de Rivas. Equipment check and dinner. Overnight: Albergue el Pelicano Lodge or Similar [Lunch & Dinner]  

   
Day 2: Trek to Chirripo Base Camp  

Day 3: Summit of Mount Chirripo

Depart in the morning to begin trekking into Chirripó National Park. Today you hike in three stages as you ascend the mountain, eating snacks and lunch before arrival at camp by midday. The uphill trail is steep and can take up to 12 hours in poor conditions for slow trekkers. Fit, experienced hikers can do it in 6 to 7 hours. After passing the sign “Trail to Chirripó”, you begin a grueling uphill stretch called La Cuesta del Agua (allow 2 hours). This climb crests at Monte Sin Fe (“Faithless Mountain”). Expect to see colorful toucans, trogons, monkeys, and more as you pass through dwarf cloud forests draped in “Old Man’s Beard” mosses. Note: A water filter is useful for re-filling your water bottle. There are not many water sources on this day. Camp is 6 km below the summit. Overnight Shelter in National Park [Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner]
  
Arise early to begin trekking to the summit of Mt. Chirripó before the fog rolls in. Chirripó National Park protects 50,150 hectares of high elevation terrain. Cloud forest above 8,250’ elevation covers half the park. Along the way you will pass by numerous lakes and it is clear why the Talamanca Indians called this area Chirripó—“Place of Enchanted Waters.” On a clear day, the view to the Pacific and Atlantic is stunning. It’s about a 1 ½ to 2 hour ascent before descending to Valle de Los Conejos (Rabbit Valley). Hike to Cerro Terbi and Los Crestones reaching camp around early afternoon. Overnight shelter in National Park [Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner]
 
Day 4: Back to San Gerardo de Rivas

Continue descending to Refuge Llano Bonito. Hike back to San Gerardo de Rivas. Overnight: Albergue el Pelicano Lodge or Similar [Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner]

Day 5: transfer to Osa Peninsula  

Day 6: Corcovado National Park

Transfer from San Gerardo de Rivas to Puerto Jiménez. Then 1 ½ hour transfer is leading along beautiful remote beaches and through rainforest. to Carate, the wildest and most remote region on the mainland, a nature beauty, with trees full of monkeys and scarlet macaws with the highest concentration of breeding in the world! The tents face the ocean and are nestled under coconut trees. Where else can you wake up in the rainforest with the sound of waves crashing only steps away? Accommodation: Leona Eco Tentcamp. [Dinner]
  
Corcovado National Park has one of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. The climate is very hot and humid which enables the trees to grow to heights of 70 meters. The park contains a fourth of the tree species of Costa Rica. Corcovado National Park encompasses eight habitats from mangrove swamp to rain forest. The park protects over 400 species of birds, 116 species of amphibians and reptiles and 139 mammals. We will depart early in the morning to begin the long, hot hike through the forest where monkeys play in the trees above our heads and ant bears can be seen through the bushes and along the beautiful sandy beach. Hiking time is approximately 6 hours Accommodation: Shelter at the Sirena Ranger Station. [Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner].
 
Day 7: Sirena Ranger Station  

Day 8: Puerto Jimenez

Your base camp overlooks a spectacular, wild tropical beach surrounded by a vast rain forest wilderness. Habitat of jaguar, tapir, squirrel monkey, peccaries and a healthy population of scarlet macaws, this is one of the best places in Central America to watch wildlife. Today you hike and explore the surrounding environment including a night walk with flashlights in search of nocturnal wildlife. Accommodation: Shelter at the Ranger Station. [Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner]
  
We will depart early in the morning to begin the long, hot hike through dense rain forest. Hiking time is approximately 7 hours and once we arrive at National Park exit at Los Patos Rangerstation, we will be transported to Puerto Jiménez. Cabinas Agua Luna o similar [Breakfast]

Day 9: End of service  

Flight to San José & transfer to the Hotel