Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [113]
GETTING THERE & AWAY
If you have your own car, you can take a bumpy gravel road (4WD recommended) from Purisil to the park entrance.
Buses are trickier. From Cartago, take an Orosi–Purisil bus (make sure it’s going to Purisil; not all of them do). The bus can drop you 5km from the entrance. Inquire at Otiac or Aventuras Orosi about guides and other transport options (Click here).
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Orosi to Paraíso
From Orosi, a loop road heads north and parallels the Río Orosi before swinging around the artificial Lago de Cachi. The lake was created following the construction of the Cachí Dam (the largest in the country), which supplies San José and the majority of the Central Valley with electricity. Buses run from Orosi to the dam and nearby ruins, though this stretch is best explored by car or bicycle – and it’s worth exploring as this is beautiful countryside.
Sights here are all listed traveling north along the eastern shore of the lake, from Orosi around to Ujarras.
La Casona del Cafetal Restaurant (2577-1414/1515; www.lacasonadelcafetal.com; mains ₡4800-10,000; 11am-6pm; ) About 3km southeast of the dam, on the left-hand side of the road, you’ll find this charming lakeside restaurant in the middle of a coffee plantation. It is popular with local families who arrive to dip into fresh river trout or grilled pork loins glazed with tamarind sauce. Don’t miss the coffee-laced deserts, such as flan and ice cream. There is a small playground for the kiddies, as well as short trails and a lagoon with paddle boats for rent (in high season). This is a popular spot on Sundays.
Cabañas de Montaña Piedras Albas (2577-1462; www.cabinas.co.cr/costa_rica1.htm; s/d/q US$40/46/79; ) Across the main road from La Casona is the turnoff to these well-equipped cabinas in the hills beyond Cachi – an ideal place if you’re here to slow down and enjoy the scenery. Bright wood cabins come with fully stocked kitchen, cable TV, private deck with lake and mountain views, and there are private trails for hiking. Ideal for families.
Another 2km along the main road, and 1km south of the dam, on the right-hand side, is Casa del Soñador (Dreamer’s House; 2577-1186, 2577-1021; admission free; 8am-6pm), an artisanal woodworking studio run by Hermes Quesada. The son of renowned Tico carver Macedonio Quesada, Hermes maintains the campesino (peasant farmer) tradition of whittling gnarled coffee-wood branches into ornate religious figures and whimsical characters. His workshop displays sculptures of all sizes, with pieces available for purchase.
Past the dam, you’ll find the small village of Ujarrás at the bottom of a long, steep hill – a couple of store signs with the word ‘Ujarrás’ tell you that you’ve arrived. Turn left at a sign for Restaurant La Pipiola to head toward the old village (about 1km), which was damaged by a flood in 1833 and abandoned. The sign may not be visible so ask around.
The waters have since receded, revealing the ruins of the 1693 Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Limpia Concepción, a colonial stone church that was once home to a miraculous painting of the Virgin discovered by a local fisherman. According to the lore, the relic refused to be moved, forcing clerics to build the church around it. In return, the Virgin helped locals defeat a group of marauding British pirates in 1666. After the floods and a few earthquakes, however, the painting conceded to move to Paraíso, leaving the ruins to deteriorate photogenically in a remarkable overgrown park. Every year, usually on the Sunday closest to April 14, there is a procession from Paraíso to the ruins, where mass, food and music help celebrate the day of La Virgen de Ujarrás. The church’s grassy grounds are a popular picnicking spot on Sunday afternoons – but go in the middle of the week and chances are that you will have them all to yourself.
After Ujarrás, the road continues