Useful information for Corcovado National Park visitors
CORCOVADO STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES Go Up
For a better stopover is it important that you obey all of the norms inside the Park.
It is important to remember that you are visiting a Protected area and you should be as
cautious as possible because this place is a very fragile environment, also, once that you go in the
park we are altering its inhabits that is why paths are created and when you go out from them
cause an alteration in the inhabits that is why is recommended to walk for the paths already
established.
The animals that are found in this area are completely savage; therefore we recommend for your own security and the security of the animal to be in a prudent distance, observe them for a moment and leave the animal continues with its activity, this is to avoid some alteration or an
attack.
The trash that each visitor produces should be carried out when they leave the Area and NOT THROW IT AWAY ON THE PATHS, this is because the stations do not have dumps.
Rules:
- For your own security, we recommend to walk with 2 or more people, or someone that knows the trails.
- Inside the trails you should walk with closed toe shoes.
- Never go out from the trails.
- Do not touch the branches of the trees.
- Be careful when you walk around branches, leafage, because it’s the ideal place for
snakes, spiders, among other animals. - Do not swim on the prohibit places.
- Do not touch the animals.
- Do not feed the animals.
- Night walks are not permitted.
- Any kind of alcoholic beverage and drugs are not permitted inside the Park
- Do not walk on the floor with muddy boots
- NO smoking inside the building
- NO walking at night
- Turn off lights when not in use
- Hang all laundry on outside lines, not on railings
- Use your stove only in the cooking area or on the lawn
- Meals are available only with reservation. The kitchen is not available for personal cooking.
- Please wear close-toed shoes, since poisonous snakes can be anywhere.
- Pack out all of your trash!! This means everything you brought with you
In case you do not follow these instructions, you will be invited leave the Park.
For some conditions in the Park, The Reservations Department recommends a local tour guide with you, for your own safety and for you to get interesting info.
NOURISHMENT Go Up
Meals Schedules: (You will lose your food if you don´t arrive at the exact hour)
**ONLY WITH PRIOR RESERVATION**
Breakfast: 6:30am-7:00am.
Lunch: 11:30am-12:00md.
Dinner: 5:30pm-6:30pm.
PRICES and RESERVATIONS Go Up
This is a wilderness area with rustic amenities, please take a moment to read these few guidelines and do your part in helping us make ecotourism such as this more sustainable.
This is not a hotel with the usual amenities that are included. Think and pack for a wilderness
camping experience and you will be more than prepared.
There are basic facilities such as showers, toilets, sinks and clothes lines.
Also when walking on the trails stick to the middle to avoid degradation of the forest and confusion of trail direction. The Night walks are not permitted.
How can I make a reservation to Sirena station at the National Park Corcovado?
First contact us via e-mail: pncorcovado@gmail.com, then ask for the Reservation request form, fill it and after that send it to the same email. The next step will be the prepayment form that we will send you, so you can make the deposits at the Banco Nacional.
We will give you a limit date to pay the Reservation before 16:00 Costa Rican time [GMT-6]; if you cannot make the payment before the date and hour, the reservation will be cancelled. Any doubts please call or write us before making the payments because the Money is not
refundable.
We do not accept International transfers or International wire.
The account for the food is in colones Nº 100-01-094-002634-1 from Banco Nacional, this one is for food services ONLY!
The account for the other payments (entrance, lodging, camping, diving, anchorage or filming) is in colones Nº 100-01-000-041220-5 or in U.S.dollars Nº 100-02-000-605009-0 both from the Banco Nacional.
When the deposit (s) are done, you have to send the bank receipts via email pncorcovado@gmail.com or via Fax: 2735-5581 (between 8am to 4pm [GMT-6])
If everything is alright, we will send you the confirmation to the email that you gave us, you have to print it because you will have to present it at the entrance of the park with the receipts from the bank.
Important!! when the reservation has been paid, the money it is not refundable.
Thank you for your interest on the Corcovado National Park.
Prices (2011)
(all prices could change at any time)
Tickets or Admission to the Park:
- Costa Rican´s : ¢1600 per person / day.
- Foreigners: $10 per person / day.
Camping:
(Los Patos, La Leona, San Pedrillo and Sirena Ranger Stations. You must bring your own tent camp)
- Costa Rican´s y Foreigners: $ 4.00 US
Lodging in shared room:
(ONLY in Sirena Station, you must bring your bedding and mosquito net.)
- Costa Rican´s y Foreigners: $ 8.00 US.
Food Service:
(ONLY in Sirena Ranger station)
Foreigners:
- Breakfast: $15.00 US
- Lunch: $20.00 US
- Dinner: $20.00 US
Costa Rican´s :
- Breakfast: ¢4000
- Lunch: ¢5000
- Dinner: ¢5000
Important Notes :
1. The park entrance and all services offered by the park are made with prior reservation with a maximum of 30 days in advance to visit the park via email pncorcovado@gmail.com or in our offices from Monday to Sunday from 8:00 am to 4:00 PM.
2. The office is open all year round for reservations as the park, with the exception that the Sirena station that closes in the month of October due to maintenance and the rainy season, and San Pedrillo-Sirena trail closes starting From 01 May to 1 December for being the wettest months.
3. All prices are per person / day.
4. All reservations must be prepaid before the deadline in order to give effect to the space within the park. Without the confirmation slip provided by the tourist office you will not be admitted.
5. When the reservation is paid and cancellation is required or is committing a mistake with the bank deposits, then no refunds will be applied.
PN Corcovado, Puerto Jiménez office
Monday to Sunday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
email: pncorcovado@gmail.com
FOREST FIRES: CAUSES AND PREVENTION Go Up
1. The dry season (Jan.-April), when there are the most visitors, coincides with the most dangerous conditions and a major risk of forest fires. Because of fires the park has suffered, there are sacrifices that have been made so that thousands of people can enjoy the singular beauty of this park. The fires have been caused by visitors that litter glass or cans that concentrate the light of the sun until it produces fire.
2. Recommendation and concerns:
- Do not build fires anywhere in the Corcovado park.
- The use of fire wood is not permitted for cooking.
- Do not use gas stoves outside of the refuge. The strong wind can facilitate the ignition of the surrounding vegetation and result in an ecological disaster. No cooking outside the refuges.
- If you wish to smoke, do it only in the surroundings of the refuge. People that smoke on the trail create a risk of fire. In the refuges you can´t smoke.
- Do not leave cans or glass bottles because they can act as magnifiers for the suns light and create fire in the finer vegetation.
- If you observe people with dangerous or risky actions, remind them to be careful and respectful.
- If you observe signs of smoke or fire danger report it immediately to park officials and use tools or equipment that you have available to stop it.
- Your help is fundamental. Become a spontaneous volunteer.
Thank you.
ITINERARY - INFORMATION OF INTEREST Go Up
How to get to Puerto Jiménez?
By Car:
From San José, take the Interamerican Highway south for 5 hours or so. You will pass through San
Isidro and Palmar Norte. About 30 minutes after, you will reach the Chacarita gas Station. Turn left
and continue on this road until it ends in Puerto Jiménez. Duration: 7 hours
By Bus:
From San José you may take a direct bus via "Transportes Blanco" to Puerto Jiménez. This bus
station is located 50mts down the street from the San Carlos bus station.
Daily Schedule: 8am and 12md. Duration: 9 hours
Another route is if you take the bus from Tracopa Company to Golfito and from there a boat to
Puerto Jiménez.
By Plane:
There are two airlines currently serving the Osa Península with daily flights. Sansa and Nature Aire.
Sansa flies to Puerto Jiménez, Drake bay and Golfito. Nature Air flies to Puerto Jiménez, Drake Bay,
Carate and Golfito. Duration to Puerto Jiménez: 1 hour
By Boat:
There are two ways to get to Puerto Jiménez from Golfito by boat. From Palmar Norte, you may
take a boat down the Sierpe River to Drake bay. Duration from Golfito: 1 ½ hours or 45 minutes.
CORCOVADO PATHS AVAILABLES Go Up
How can you get to the National Park Corcovado?
There are three ways to get to Sirena Station; La Leona, Los Patos and San Pedrillo (the last one is closed from may 1st untill december 1st, every year)
To get to La Leona Station:
from Puerto Jiménez you can take a colectivo (a Taxi - bus) to Carate and from there you have to walk like 1 hour aprox. to La Leona
Schedule (be there like 15 min. before it goes out) Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes:
Pto Jiménez-Carate: 6am / 1:30pm
Carate-Pto Jiménez: 8am / 4pm
To get to Los Patos: from Puerto Jiménez you can take the bus to La Palma, once you get there you have to walk like 4 hours or hire a private taxi that can take you to Los Patos station.
Schedule, duration 1 hour:
Puerto Jiménez-La Palma: 5:00 am, 5:30 am, 8:00 am, 9:00 am, 12:00 am, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 3:30 pm, 4:00 pm, 6:00 pm.
La Palma-Puerto Jiménez: 4:50 am (Monday to Friday)
5:50 am, 9:30 am, 10:00 am,11:30 am, 1:30 pm, 3:00 pm, 4:30 pm, 7:00 pm
To get to San Pedrillo: from Puerto Jiménez you have to take a bus to La Palma and there another one to Drake bay, and from there a boat, another route it’s getting a boat from Sierpe.
Schedule:
La Palma- Drake Bay: 11:00 am/ 4:00 Pm
Drake Bay-La Palma: 4:00 am / 1:00 pm
Distances of the stations toward Sirena
La Leona- Sirena (16 km / 10 miles, 7 hours aprox.)
Sirena- Los Patos (20 km/ 12.5miles, 9 hours aprox.)
San Pedrillo- Sirena (24 km/15 miles, 11 hours aprox.)
Services offered on La Leona Ranger Station:
- Camping Area: you need to take your own tent and equipment.
- Drinkable water, showers and bathrooms: you must bring your own towel and personal
hygiene items
Services offered on La Sirena Ranger Station:
- Camping Area: you need to take your own tent and equipment (there is a platform with
15 people capacity, we don’t reserve it, it depends on who gets first)
that you will share the room with some more people, each room is for 4 people, there are
shared bathrooms, remember this is not a hotel it’s a station inside of a National Park, you
must be adapted to these kinds of conditions.
- Food Service: you have to be on time for each meal, and you must reserve the food and
make the prepayment before you get to Sirena, there is not a Go Up its just one kind
of plate, but we have vegetarian options. Remember that this is not a restaurant and you HAVE TO reserve your food before you go into the park.
Meals Schedule:
Breakfast: 6:30am-7:00am.
Lunch: 11:30am-12:00md.
Dinner: 5:30pm-6:30pm
Services offered on Los Patos Ranger station:
- Camping Area: you need to take your own tent and equipment.
- Drinkable water, showers and bathrooms: you must bring your own towel and personal
hygiene items
Services offered on San Pedrillo Ranger Station:
- Camping Area: you need to take your own tent and equipment.
- Drinkable water, showers and bathrooms: you must bring your own towel and personal
hygiene items
EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING TO USE IN CORCOVADO Go Up
What kind of clothes should I wear?
Use comfortable clothing; long pants with light colors, long sleeve shirts, t-shirts with light fabrics that dry easily, ponchos or rain coats, mountain shoes or rubber boots (shoes must be comfortable, do not wear new shoes it can hurt your feet) and another kind of shoes to
rest like sandals.
What else do I have to take for the hike?
Remember to take a 1.5-2L bottle of water and refill it in the ranger stations,
snacks (cookies, sandwiches, fruits, or what you prefer), small first aid with the
necessary stuff (bandages, medicines, gauze), sun block or sunscreen, sun glasses, backpack. Do not take a bag or luggage with you.
How do I avoid exhaustion from heat, dehydration and cramps?
- Wear light and fresh cloths, made of cotton, light colors and try to wear a hat or baseball cap.
- Drink lots of liquids to avoid dehydration and to balance the loss of water from sweating. It is recommended that you drink at least 2 liters of water. You can add a little bit of salt if you don’t have hypertension to avoid cramps.
- Try to eat light meals. Avoid greasy food because it increases corporal temperature.
Its adequate to eat raw vegetables (salads, fruits or vegetables). - Take time to rest during the hike. Stop walking for a few minutes and refresh yourself in the shadows. Drinking water helps your body to recover to the usual temperature. If you start feeling dizzy, stop walking.
How to avoid bites from ticks (especially dry season) mosquitos and snakes?
- Wear light color clothes to clearly see ticks on you. A hat can protect you from the sun
and keeps your hair tight. - Your pants should be inside of long socks with light colors; you can use tape to seal the break between pants and socks.
What to pack?
- Hiking Backpack (not suitcase or duffel bag)
- Trash Bags (to keep things dry and pack trash out)
- Mosquito Netting
- Towel
- Tent (if not getting a room)
- Sheets
- Hiking Boots
- Other shoes (i.e. Sandals)
- Medicine
- Water Bottle
- Snacks
- Sunglasses
- Flashlight / Headlamp
- Rain Jacket
- Bug Spray/ Repellent
- Sunscreen/ Sun block
- Camera
PHONES AND CONTACT INFO Go Up
Phone: +506 2735 5036
E-mail : pncorcovado@gmail.com
PRECAUTIONS Go Up
How to avoid bites from ticks (especially dry season) mosquitos and snakes?
- Wear light color clothes to clearly see ticks on you. A hat can protect you from the sun
and keeps your hair tight. - Your pants should be inside of long socks with light colors; you can use tape to seal
the break between pants and socks. - Use closed toed shoes, preferably mountain boots. You must use shoes that
your accustomed to. Do using them on sandals. - Ask a pharmacist about the use of repellents or bug spray. Be careful on the use
in children. - On the trails try to walk in the middle of the path, avoiding contact with the vege-
tation and bushes where the ticks usually reside. - Use repellent or bug spray. Avoid lotions with fragrances and perfumes.
- Use mountain shoes or rubber boots to avoid snake bites.
- Try not to hold trees, branches or roots.
Watch your step, especially in places with
lots of leaves on the ground. - Never stray from the trails.
In case of ticks:
- Do not use your fingers, gasoline, oil, nail polish, cigarettes, burning match, or other
“homemade” methods. - Use fine pointed tweezers to remove the tick; use soft and firm movements to take it
out. If the mouth-parts stay at your skin, it can become infected.
If you have doubts, visit the doctor. - Clean the affected area with adequate products like soap and water, among others.
In case of snakes:
- Immobilize the part bitten.
- Do not make incisions, do not use the turn stile.
- Do not use chemical substances or plants extracts.
- Do not suction with your mouth.
- Try to calm the affected person and look for a comfortable place for him to lay.
- Get help as soon as possible at the nearest ranger station.
In case of sun burn, exhaustion by the heat, dehydration, cramps:
- Move the affected person from the sun to the shade, put the legs up and have him drink
enough to restore the lost fluids. - Take off some of the affected person´s clothes; give him some air and water.
- In case of cramps, you should increase salt consumption. if the person does not recover rapidly, they should be taken to the hospital, so you will need to get help as soon as you can at the nearest ranger station.
Important information:
You will need a minimum of 2 or 3 liters of water per day, especially during the hike.
The recommended maximum weight for the backpack is 10kgs.
Remember you are responsible for your own security!
FIRST AID KIT Go Up
The first aid kit should have medicine to prevent and control the following problems and illnesses.
| -Muscle pain | -Sunburn, windburn or other burns | -Colds |
| -Stomach problems | -Wounds | -Blisters on the hand and foot. |
| -Sprains or twists | -Dehydration |
You should also bring medicine you take regularly for any other ailments that you may have.
CORCOVADO NATHIONAL PARK PICTURES Go Up
Departamento de Reservaciones Parque Nacional Corcovado
Programa de Ecoturismo Sostenible de ACOSA
SINAC-MINAET
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