Vamos A Ver: Corcovado...getting our asses kicked by nature.

Corcovado. Where to even begin. The morning after VACTail, 6 of us headed on down to OSA (where I went for tech week many months ago) to stay with a PCV in Puerto Jimenez. After about a 9 hour bus ride down, we headed out to eat one last real meal & stock up on groceries for Corcovado. 5am the next morning…we were off.

Happy & clean before the adventure began...

Corcovado is a National Park on the Osa Peninsula in southwestern Costa Rica & encompasses an area of 425 square kilometers (263 square miles). It is widely considered the crown jewel in the extensive system of national parks and biological reserves spread across the country. National Geographic has called it “the most biologically intense place on Earth in terms of the biodiversity.”

As a reminder, I live way up North & West near the dot that says Tamarindo....

Tapir!

The park conserves the largest primary forest on the American Pacific coastline and one of the few remaining sizable areas of lowland tropical rain forests in the world. Corcovado is home to a sizable population of the endangered Baird’s Tapir (check, saw it) and even a small population of the very rare Harpy Eagle. The park’s rivers and lagoons are home to populations of both the American crocodile and Spectacled Caiman, along with Bull sharks. Corcovado is also on e of the final strongholds of the Jaguar within Central America and several other felines are also present, including Ocelot, Margay, Jaguarundi, and Puma. All four Costa Rican monkey species can be seen within the park, including the endangered Central American Squirrel Monkey, White-faced Capuchin, Mantled Howler, and Geoffroy’s Spider Monkey (check, check, check, & check…saw them all). Poison dart frogs and several species of snake (including the venomous Fer-de-Lance and Bushmaster) are also common within the park.

Did that sound like a Wikipedia article? Cause it was…

The journey began with a 3km walk on the beach just to reach the entrance to the park. We took some photos, washed the sand off our feet, filled up our water bottles, and thankfully started walking in the jungle-ish area compared to the beach with the sun beating down on us. After walking roughly 15km more, in the shade of the jungle, in the blistering sun on the beach, over fields of rocks that I still can’t believe no one sprained their ankles on, & through many streams & rivers, we finally arrived at our destination [pictured below]. It felt fantastic to take off our soggy boats, eat a delicious tuna dinner, and collapse into our tents to sleep. The lodge only turns on the electricity from 6pm-8pm, but no worries, we were all passed out by 7…

Monday was spent going on a few hikes around the park (which was so much better sin packs on our backs) and unsuccessfully looking for sharks and crocs. We did see some gorgeous birds & just general beautiful scenery and it was another day of tuna sandwiches and bean tortillas. We were slightly more awake that night, which was good since we had to pack up all our stuff for our 4:30am departure the following morning.

Scoping out the river we have to cross the next morning...

That next morning was when the fun really started. We gathered everything up by headlamp, laced up our boots, and headed out for the major obstacle of the day – the river. When we crossed the river coming in, the water only came up to my shorts. Now, however, we had to cross at high tide, and the water was now at our chests as we carried our packs over our heads. It was quite the experience but all went well and we continued on for the next 15km-ish with sore feet and I suppose just general soreness. I’m glad I went, but, I don’t think you could pay me to do it again.