Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [112]
Cafetería Orosi (dishes ₡2100-3500; 7am-7pm) Adjacent to the Orosi Lodge is this recommended cafe that serves organic local coffee, as well as a mix of homemade pastries, salads and sandwiches – and even an excellent apple cake.
GETTING THERE & AWAY
All buses stop about three blocks west of the fútbol (soccer) field; ask locally about specific destinations. Buses from Cartago (₡400, 40 minutes) depart hourly from the corner of Calle 4 and Av 1.
Cachí Dam & Ruinas ₡300; 20 minutes; departs every 30 minutes from 6am to 9pm.
Cartago ₡400; 40 minutes; departs every 45 minutes from 5am to 9pm.
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Parque Nacional Tapantí-Macizo Cerro de la Muerte
This 580-sq-km national park (admission US$10; 6am-4pm) protects the lush northern slopes of the Cordillera de Talamanca, and has a rainy claim to fame: it is the wettest park in the country, getting almost 8000mm of precipitation a year. In 2000 it was expanded to include the infamous Cerro de la Muerte – otherwise known as the ‘Mountain of Death.’ This precipitous peak is the highest point on the Interamericana and the northernmost extent of páramo, a highland shrub and tussock grass habitat that’s most commonly found in the Andes and is home to a variety of rare bird species.
Known simply as Tapantí, the park also protects wild and mossy country that’s fed by, literally, hundreds of rivers. Waterfalls abound, vegetation is thick and the wildlife is prolific, though not always easy to see because of the rugged terrain. Nevertheless, this is a popular destination for dedicated bird-watchers, opening at 6am to accommodate all bird-nerd needs.
INFORMATION
There is an information center (2200-0090; 6am-4pm) near the park entrance and a couple of trails leading to various attractions, including a picnic area, a swimming hole and a lookout with great views of a waterfall. Rainfall is about 2700mm in the lower sections but reaches almost 8000mm in some of the highest parts of the park, so make sure you pack rain gear. Fishing is allowed in season (from April to October; permit required), but the ‘dry’ season (from January to April) is generally considered the best time to visit.
WILDLIFE-WATCHING
Quetzals are said to nest on the western slopes of the valley, where the park information center is located. More than 300 other bird species have also been recorded in the park, including hummingbirds, parrots, toucans, trogons and eagles. Though rarely sighted due to the thick vegetation, monkeys, coatis, pacas, tayras and even pumas, ocelots and oncillas are present.
HIKING
There are three signed trails leading from the information center, the longest of which is a steep 4km round-trip, while a well-graded dirt road that is popular with mountain bikers runs through the northern section of the national park. Unfortunately, Tapantí is not open to backcountry hiking. However, the bird-watching opportunities here are legendary, and most people are satisfied simply being able to spot a large variety of birds in such a small area.
SLEEPING & EATING
About 1km before the park entrance is Kiri Mountain Lodge (2591-7601; www.kirilodge.net; s/d incl breakfast US$24/45; ), which has six rustic cabins with private hot shower resting on 50 mossy hectares of land. Trails wind into the nearby Río Macho Forest Preserve, which is adjacent to Tapantí and inhabited by much of the same wildlife. A restaurant specializes in trout, which can be caught in the well-stocked pond and then served up any way you like.
Five kilometers north out of town, on the road to Tapantí, Monte Sky (2231-3536; www.intnet.co.cr/montesky/; per person incl meals US$45; ) is a 536-hectare