Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [373]
The journey between Sirena and La Leona takes six or seven hours. You can camp at La Leona; otherwise, it takes another hour to hike the additional 3.5km to Carate, where you can stay in a local lodge or catch the collective taxi to Puerto Jiménez.
SIRENA TO LOS PATOS
The route to Los Patos goes 18km through the heart of Corcovado, affording the opportunity to pass through plenty of primary and secondary forest. The trail is relatively flat for the first 12km. You will hike through secondary forest and wade through two river tributaries before reaching the Laguna Corcovado. From this point, the route undulates steeply (mostly uphill!) for the remaining 6km. One guide recommends doing this hike in the opposite direction – from Los Patos to Sirena – to avoid this exhausting, uphill ending. Near Los Patos, a lovely waterfall provides a much-needed shower at the end of a long trek.
The largest herds of peccary are reportedly on this trail. Local guides advise that peccary sense fear, but they will back off if you act aggressively. Alternatively, if you climb up a tree – about 2m off the ground – you’ll avoid being bitten or trampled in the event of running into a surly bunch. Hint: peccary herds emit a strong smell of onions, so you usually have a bit of a heads-up before they come crashing through the bush.
You can camp at Los Patos, or continue an additional 14km to the village of La Palma. This four-hour journey is a shady and muddy descent down the valley of the Río Rincón. If you are traveling from La Palma to Los Patos, be prepared for a steep climb.
If you don’t plan on traversing the park, a 6km day hike from Los Patos to the Laguna Corcovado is feasible, though this requires spending two nights at Los Patos.
It is highly recommended that you take a guide with you on this route as getting lost – or much worse – is a very real possibility.
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TOURS
The main routes across Parque Nacional Corcovado are well marked and well traveled, making the journey easy enough to complete independently. However, hiring a guide can greatly enhance this experience, not only because you will not have to worry about taking a wrong turn. Besides their intimate knowledge of the trail, local guides are amazingly knowledgeable about flora and fauna, including the best places to spot various species. Many guides also carry telescopes, allowing for up-close inspection of the various creatures.
IT’S A JUNGLE OUT THERE
The birds are brilliant, the animals are enchanting and the forest is fantastic. But Parque Nacional Corcovado is the real deal, 100% wilderness, and the dangers should not be underestimated. Every season, travelers to Corcovado become injured, sick or even dead; take some precautions to make sure this is not you:
The number one danger for hikers is heat exhaustion and dehydration. This is the rainforest: it is hot and humid and you are going to sweat more than you realize. Make sure you carry enough water: a 1L or 1.5L bottle (which you can refill at each ranger station) is the bare minimum per person.
Do not drink untreated water from any stream – this is a surefire way to get a nasty case of giardia. However, prior to setting out for Costa Rica, you should consider investing in a water treatment device, such as a filter and pump system, a UV wand or even a bottle of old-fashioned iodine tablets.
Wear a hat, sunblock and insect repellent. The number two danger for hikers is sunburn and subsequently sunstroke, especially while traveling on the exposed coastal trails. Although malaria and dengue are relatively minor risks in Costa Rica, mosquitoes are a huge nuisance in Corcovado so take precautions and cover up.
Travel light, as the pleasure of the hike is inversely proportionate to the weight of your pack. Although it’s tempting to carry gear for every conceivable type of situation, overloading your pack is