Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [335]
Return to beginning of chapter
CHIRRIPÓ FOR CHILDREN
Children come in all different shapes and sizes, and patient parents know that it can take a lot of energy to keep up with your kid’s stamina. But, if we’re permitted to make a sweeping generalization, it’s that Chirripó – and indeed much of the southern zone – is not one of Costa Rica’s more kid-friendly corners. Rough trails and foul weather aside, nature here is wild and difficult to access, which means that it’s probably best to bring the kids elsewhere in the country – or least wait until they grow up a little bit.
Return to beginning of chapter
SLEEPING & EATING
The only accommodations in Parque Nacional Chirripó are at Crestones Base Lodge (Centro Ambientalista el Parámo; dm US$10), housing up to 60 people in dorm-style bunks. The basic stone building has a solar panel that provides electric light from 6pm to 8pm and sporadic heat for showers. The lodge rents a variety of gear including sleeping bags, blankets, cooking equipment and gas canisters for a few dollars per day.
Reservations are absolutely necessary at Crestones Base Lodge. Your tour company will likely make reservations for you; but for those traveling independently, it is virtually impossible to make reservations before your arrival in Costa Rica. Once in Costa Rica, however, it is necessary to contact the Minae office (2771-3155; fax 2771-3297; aclap@sinac.go.cr) in San Isidro. If space is available, you will be required to pay by credit card in order to confirm the reservation. You must present your reservation and payment confirmation at the ranger station in San Gerardo de Rivas on the day before you set out.
Fortunately, the lodge reserves 10 spaces per night for travelers who show up in San Gerardo and are ready to hike on the following day. This is the more practical option for most travelers, although there is no guarantee that there will be space available on the days you wish to hike. Space is at a premium during holiday periods and on weekends during the dry season. The ranger station opens at 6:30am – the earlier you arrive, the more likely you will be able to hike the following day.
Crestones Base Lodge provides drinking water, but no food. Hikers must bring all of their own provisions.
Camping is allowed only at a special designated area near Cerro Urán – not at Crestones or anywhere else in the park.
Return to beginning of chapter
GETTING THERE & AROUND
See details under San Gerardo de Rivas (Click here) for directions on how to get here. From opposite the ranger station, in front of Cabinas El Bosque, there is free transportation to the trailhead at 5am. Also, several hotels offer early morning trailhead transportation for their guests.
Return to beginning of chapter
THE ROAD TO LA AMISTAD
* * *
From San Isidro de El General, the Interamericana winds its way southeast through some glorious geography of rolling hills and coffee plantations backed by striking mountain facades, towering as much as 3350m above. Along this stretch, a series of narrow, steep, dirt roads lead to some of the country’s most remote areas – some nearly inaccessible due to the prohibitive presence of the Cordillera de Talamanca. But it’s worth enduring the thrilling road for the chance to visit Parque International La Amistad, a true wilderness of epic scale.
Return to beginning of chapter
BUENOS AIRES
All it takes is a quick glance at the town’s Del Monte processing plant to realize that pineapples are big business in Buenos Aires. Unless you’re interested in getting a good price on a truckload of sweetened pineapple rings, there is little reason to give the town more than a passing glance.
However, if you are planning to visit the Reserva Biológica Dúrika (below), you should either contact