Corcovado National Park, South Puntarenas

Ecologically varied, the Corcovado National Park is among the most biologically intense places on earth.

Located on the wild and untamed Osa Peninsula, this national park is breathtakingly beautiful and is one of the remotest parks in the country.

Home to the largest and only tropical primary lowland rainforest in the world, the Corcovado National Park is also the habitat of a plethora of endangered plant and animal species.

EcoTourism at its Best

Created in 1975 to protect this gorgeous region from illegal gold mining and logging, the Corcovado National Park is today, an extremely popular ecotourism destination.

Mostly undisturbed because of its isolation and inaccessibility, it is home to the beautiful Scarlet Macaws as well as the Resplendent Quetzals, the Red-Eyed Tree Frog and the Tapir, the largest terrestrial mammal in Central and South America.

Variety of Ecosystems

Exotic and lush, the Corcovado National Park is home to thirteen major ecosystems that range from mangrove swamps and jolillo palm groves to montane forests, lagoons, beaches, freshwater herbaceous swamps and primary lowland rainforests.

Encompassing over 41,000 hectares the park protects over 140 different mammal species; 400 bird species, 20 of which are endemic; 116 amphibian and reptile species, 40 species of fish and at least 500 species of trees.

Habitat of the rare Harbor Squirrel Monkey and the Harpy Eagle, the Corcovado National Park also is a great place to spot the poison arrow frog, indigenous wild cats, crocodiles, pumas and jaguars as well as four species of sea turtles.

Map of the Area

Click to enlarge map - Map of the Area

Best Hiking in Costa Rica

Extremely hot and humid most of the year, this park has plenty of rainfall but is a joy to hike through with its dense forestation that opens up onto stunningly beautiful beaches.

With its virgin beauty, visiting this park allows you to experience nature at its finest and promises an incredible adventure for those who dare to trail blaze their way through this amazing region.

Hiking is very popular here, and there are four ranger stations found at strategic locations from each other. The best way to see this park is to take a guided tour, as there are plenty of wild animals that roam around.

Hire a guide in Drake Bay or Puerto Jimenez to have the perfect adventure vacation.

Getting to Corcovado National Park

You can get to the Corcovado National Park via Puerto Jimenez or Drake Bay.

These two towns serve as the main entry points to the park.

To get to Puerto Jimenez you can fly out directly from San Jose city, while to get to Drake Bay you can fly to Palomar Sur then take a taxi to Sierpe and then catch a boat ride to this small town.