Hiking facts
- Recommended travel time
all year round
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Edelweiss tips:
Costa Rica is a year-round holiday destination, so the best time to go on a hiking holiday depends on your own preferences. The dry season (December to April) is the perfect time to explore a variety of landscapes. During the rainy season (May to November), the biodiversity of the jungle is particularly evident. Costa Rica’s trekking highlights include hikes in national parks such as Corcovado, Rincón de la Vieja or Tenorio. These should be well planned: it is essential to obtain information in advance about local conditions and safety measures that need to be taken.
https://www.visitcostarica.com/de/costa-rica/things-to-do/adventure/hiking-costa-rica
Top hiking routes in Costa Rica
To the highest peak in two days Difficult
From the idyllic village of San Gerardo de Rivas, the route takes you up Costa Rica’s highest mountain, Cerro Chirripó, at 3,820 metres, in the national park of the same name. This region in the Talamanca Mountains captivates visitors with its lush mountain cloud forest, impressive wildlife and ice-blue glacial lakes. The two-day hike requires a good level of fitness, as the ascents and descents are steep and rocky. You’ll be rewarded with a magnificent view stretching all the way to the coast. It is virtually impossible to reach the summit in a single day. The modest Los Crestones mountain lodge is available for overnight stays – it’s best to book in advance.
- Tour duration 14 hrs 20 min
- Distance 39.3 km
- Ascent 2,480 m
- Descent -2,480 m
Walk to the waterfalls Light
The La Paz Waterfall Gardens nature park near San José is among Costa Rica’s most popular hiking destinations. The route takes you through cloud forests and rainforests to five thundering waterfalls. The Waterfall Garden Lodge serves as a visitor centre. This is where the “Eco Park” is located, home to over a hundred different species, ranging from monkeys and reptiles to a butterfly garden. This circular trail is a walk that is particularly suitable for families.
- Tour duration 1 hr
- Distance 2.44 km
- Ascent 80 m
- Descent -80 m
On the trail of the volcanic eruption Difficult
Arenal Volcano near La Fortuna had long been dormant until it erupted violently in 1968. That is where the name of the 1968 lava trail comes from. Until 2010, there were regular minor eruptions; since then, things have quietened down again at Arenal. On the trail, you walk through the jungle and across rivers towards the volcano; once you reach it, you’ll be walking across the solidified lava flow. At the end of the route, there is a lookout point offering breathtaking views. And in the evening, after a long day’s walk, there’s only one thing for it: a relaxing soak in one of the many hot springs.
- Tour duration 2 hrs
- Distance 4.86 km
- Ascent 110 m
- Descent -110 m
In search of the country’s most colourful bird Difficult
A colourful bird is the star on this circular hike. Los Quetzales National Park is named after its most famous inhabitant. There are now only a few places left in the world where the quetzal, a tropical bird with bright plumage and a long tail, nests. In the cloud forests of this protected area, the chances of spotting one are relatively high – particularly during the mating season between February and July. But you can also spot other animals along the hiking trail, such as sloths, otters and anteaters. However, the wild cats that also live here, such as pumas and jaguars, prefer to stay hidden during the day.
- Tour duration 3 hrs
- Distance 7.51 km
- Ascent 360 m
- Descent -330 m
Corcovado: tropical forests, endless beaches Difficult
Corcovado National Park is located on the Osa peninsula on Costa Rica’s southern Pacific coast. This excursion begins in Sirena, which is considered one of the country’s most pristine areas and boasts an incredible diversity of species – not only in the jungle, but also in the rivers and sea, where crocodiles, ground sharks and sawfish live. On your way to La Leona, you’ll walk through tropical forests and along endless beaches. At the lodge there, adventurers can stay the night in jungle tents.
- Tour duration 5 hrs 10 min
- Distance 19.7 km
- Ascent 160 m
- Descent -170 m
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