Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [343]
A local bus terminal at the northwest end of town runs buses to Neily and other destinations.
Neily ₡250; 30 minutes; departs 5:30am, 7am, 7:30am, 9am, 11am, noon, 2pm and 5pm.
Río Sereno ₡800; 1½ hours; departs 7am, 10am, 1pm and 4pm.
CAR
The drive north from Neily is a scenic one, with superb views of the lowlands dropping away as the road winds up the hillside. The paved road is steep, narrow and full of hairpin turns. You can also get to San Vito from San Isidro via the Valle de Coto Brus – an incredibly scenic and less-used route with fantastic views of the Cordillera de Talamanca to the north and the lower Fila Costeña to the south.
Return to beginning of chapter
PARQUE INTERNACIONAL LA AMISTAD
* * *
This 4070-sq-km international park was established jointly in 1988 by Panama and Costa Rica – hence its Spanish name, La Amistad (Friendship). It is by far the largest protected area in Costa Rica, and stands as a testament to the possibilities of international cooperation in the name of environmental conservation. In 1990 La Amistad was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site, and later became part of the greater Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, which protects a great variety of endangered habitats.
Although most of the park’s area is high up in the Talamanca, and remains virtually inaccessible, there is no shortage of hiking and camping opportunities available for intrepid travelers at lower altitudes. However, tourist infrastructure within the park is virtually nonexistent, which means that trekkers are limited to specific areas, and strongly encouraged (in some places required) to make use of local guides.
While tourists flock to Costa Rica’s better-known parks in the hopes of having an eco-adventure, La Amistad is truly as rugged as it comes. Tackling this pristine yet potentially treacherous environment is no easy task, but La Amistad is brimming with possibilities for wilderness exploration – if you’re afraid of growing old in an urban jungle, spend some time in this verdant one.
Return to beginning of chapter
ORIENTATION
The backbone of this park is the Cordillera de Talamanca, which not only includes the peaks of the Chirripó massif, but also numerous other mountains higher than 3000m. At this altitude, the landscape is characterized by the shrubby, stunted vegetation of the páramo, while slightly lower altitudes yield impressive oaks and the thick vegetation of the cloud forest. The lowlands of the Talamanca valley are fertile rainforest – a canopy of cedar, cypress and oak trees, with a thick undergrowth of palms, ferns and epiphytes. This diversity of altitude and habitat creates unprecedented biological diversity, thus attracting the attention of ecologists and conservationists worldwide.
Return to beginning of chapter
INFORMATION
Limited information is available at local Minae offices (San Isidro 2771-3155/4836/5116; San Vito 2773-3955; Calle 2 btwn Avs 4 & 6), but generally speaking, they’re minimally helpful.
To make reservations to camp or to stay in a refuge, it’s better to call directly to park headquarters at Altamira (2200-5355; park fee per person per day US$7). This is the best-developed area of the park, with a camping area, showers and drinking water, electric light and a lookout tower. A group of parataxonomists studying insects in this area has created a small display of butterflies and moths.
The thickly forested northern Caribbean slopes and southern Pacific slopes of the Talamanca are protected in the park, but it is only on the Pacific side that ranger stations are found. Besides the headquarters at Altamira, there are additional, little-used ranger stations at Potrero Grande, north of Paso Real; and Santa María de Pittier on the slopes of Cerro Pittier (2844m).
RESPONSIBLE TREKKING GUIDELINES
Consider the following tips to help preserve the ecology and beauty of La Amistad.
Rubbish
Carry out all your rubbish. Don’t overlook easily forgotten items, such as silver paper, orange peel, cigarette butts and plastic