costa rica drake bay osa peninsula corcovado national park costa rica

drake bay costa rica osa peninsula corcovado national park costa rica

costa rica drake bay osa peninsula national parks This peninsula, located in the southwestern corner of Costa Rica, is in some ways the wildest, the rawest and the purest of its lands. It is remote, with most of the transportation to and from the zone occurring only by air or by sea. It is home to the most exuberant forest of Central America. There are spectacular buttress roots, large woody lianas, and a famed Ceiba pentrandra (Kapok tree) of over 80n meters (240 ft.) in the heart of the peninsula. In fact, the lowlands of this region are the only wet forest still extant on the Pacific side of the isthmus. Many researchers have claimed that the forest is as impressive in height as the tall forests of the Amazon Basin or the dipterocarp forests of Malaysia.

Corcovado National Park is the heart of the Osa Peninsula, occupying virtually one third of its surface area. This park was created in 1975, encompassing 41,469 hectares. Its thirteen major ecosystems are representative of the neotropics and still sustain wildlife that exemplify the complete food chain. Jaguars still roam, as well as the largest terrestrial mammal of Central and South America; Baird's Tapir. Although the jaguar is extremely elusive in almost any ecosystem, the chance of seeing a Tapir are greater here than elsewhere in Costa Rica. At Sirena, a ranger station along the coast of the Park, one can find four different species of monkeys, which is a rare possibility anywhere in the Americas. Raucous calls of Scarlet Macaws will serve as background music to your visit, and a beautiful segment of the Pacific Ocean offers wonderful opportunities to snorkel, scuba dive, and sportfishing. Offshore there are seabird colonies, as well as Cano Island, which is itself a Park surrounded by a Marine Reserve. Dolphins frolic in these seas and even humpback whales spend a portion of the year in the area.

The peninsula is also a region of the important endemism (when something is indigenous to t certain area). The Black checked Ant Tanager, as well as subspecies of Trogaons and other Tanagers are found exclusively in this geographic area. This makes it a crucial focus of conservation and efforts are underway to expand the protected area. Forces opposing protection are illegal gold extraction, as well as lumber initiatives.

As a visitor you will have to decide whether you would like to approach the peninsula from the north or the south. In the north there are a series of nature lodges in the Drake Bay area, as well as along the coast a few kilometers forth of Corcovado National Park. Most travelers choose to spend at least three days in the region, although it could easily lend itself to a visit of five or seven days. Apart from visiting the beach, canoe or kayak in rivers and the ocean, or explore on foot for days. The climate is almost always hot, but fairly dry in the peak season from January to April. The lodges offer packages as well as opportunities to create an itinerary on the spot to meet one's wishes.

The south is also a center for operations, and is actually accessible by land. This can be time consuming but it is also the most economical option. Daily flights between Golfito and Puerto Jimenez insure timely travel for those interested in visiting this area in a timely fashion. Backpackers can make reservations to stay in the Park and receive meals from the Parks main office in Puerto Jimenez. Hiking treks are challenging and must be timed with the tides, but offers the reward of experiencing a primary jungle first hand. On any visit to Costa Rica, Corcovado and the Osa Peninsula are truly a must see.

For those interested, a trail runs along the beach from Drake Bay to Corcovado National Park. Littered along the path are small hotels, tent camps and rustic lodges (see below). Some provide more comfort than others, i.e. electricity, ceiling fans, etc., while others offer truly basic services. At certain times of the year, particularly the rainy season, the trail between the Rangers station and Sirena (the center of Corcovado National Park) is often closed due to heavy rains, therefore, we recommend that you check with the parks department before departing. If the park rangers have trips planned to Sirena, it is often possible to ride along with them. Otherwise, the hike is extremely long, hot and mostly along the beach.

Getting to Drake Bay
For those interested in visiting the area around Drake Bay, or even Corcovado's San Pedrillo Ranger Station, one must enter by way of Sierpe. The small coastal town of Sierpe resides along the river with the same name and serves as an entrance point for all those visiting the Drake Bay region. Most hotels have pickup and drop-off service at least once a day.

The road heading to Sierpe breaks off the Pan-American Highway just after Palmar Norte, or just south of the bridge. (Buses from San Jose with Tracopa Bus Company offers service to this region daily, as all buses to the border community of Paso Canoa pass by Palmar Norte) The first 3 miles of the road is paved, with the balance a combination of gravel and dirt; often littered with potholes. You'll first pass through the town of Palmar Sur and later numerous farms and banana plantations. The drive from the main road takes about 30 minutes. While it is a fairly direct route, one can easily get lost if you don't know your way. Taxis are available when needed.

The boat ride from Sierpe to Drake Bay takes about one hour, depending on ocean conditions and your final destination. The river portion is normally flat and comfortable, however, that can change where the river mouth meets the Pacific Ocean. Here it can get quite rough, with large waves and swells present. Once departing the river mouth you'll head south en route to Drake Bay. The river mouth is about the half way point of your trip.

There is an airport just a short boat ride across the bay from Drake Bay, however, it is usually used for charter flights. This will allow passengers to take advantage of tours and activities the same day they depart from San Jose or Drake Bay.