La Amistad International Park in
Costa Rica |
We
no longer have kept in touch with local guides who can lead backpacking
hikes deep into the primary forest of La
Amistad. So we urge you to go to San Vito, ask around at the supermarkets
or pharmacies (many clerks speak english) for recommendations for contacts
and/or for guides who would be familiar with the terrain and animal and plant life in an area
that is very difficult to access and which is one of the least visited in all of Costa
Rica.
Hikers should make their own trip arrangements with
any leads turned up, and may end up forging their own trail on a hike much of the time.
Costs are minimal for your visit - you arrange your own air and land transportation,
your own food and meals and all your backpacking equipment, and payment for your guide.
Most residents of areas close to the Park, other locals, and potential guides
may speak only Spanish.
A backpacking trip to the largest protected
area in Central America can include a visit to a landmark the locals call El Silencio -
approximately 20 kms deep into one of the most remote sections of La Amistad park. The
trip could include a stay on a small coffee finca near the principal market town of San
Vito, and any number of days/nights in the forest, with transportation to
and from the Park, and
guide, arranged by you in advance.
In addition, we encourage visits to these other
locations in Costa Rica.
Note: We suggest a travel agent who specializes in green travel. For
flight arrangements contact Janet at Earth Routes; call 207-326-8635 or email her at travel@earthroutes.net
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Some Facts:
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habitats: tropical lowland wet forest (rain
forest), tropical highland forest (cloud forest), subalpine rainy paramo (tundra) |
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size: ~250,000 hectares (617,760 acres) strictly protected and an
additional 340,000 hectares of buffer zones with controlled development in Costa Rica, and
440,000 hectares (1,087,259 acres) in Panama |
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elevations: from sea level to
~3,400 meters (~11,900 feet) |
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access: there are no paved roads to the park.
Access is generally by horse or foot. The Caribbean side of the park can be accessed near
Cahuita, the Pacific side from near San Vito. Both are about a 6 hour drive from San Jose. |
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more facts: the international Peace Park extends past the international
frontier into Panama. It is the largest protected region in Costa Rica, has more virgin
forest than all of the other parks, and it has been estimated that about two-thirds of the
total species found in Costa Rica exist within La Amistad. It shouldn't be a surprise then
that it is very difficult to visit this park… as usual the only reason that the
region hasn't been exploited is its inaccessibility. |
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attractions: backpackers may be
rewarded with glimpses of Baird's tapirs, giant anteaters, all six species of neotropical
cats - jaguar, puma, ocelot, margay, oncilla and jaguarundi as well as monkeys, coatis,
over 600 bird species, 115 species of fish, and almost 300 reptile and amphibian species. (Above reprinted with permission. Copyright © 1993-99 Ray and Suzanne
Krueger-Koplin. All rights reserved.)
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