Cocovado National Park Tour
**Must be booked in advance as park entry passes are limited each day.
LA LEONA STATION This is a full day hike; your guide will meet you early in the morning at the Carate air strip, and you will return mid afternoon. Please bring your bagged lunch.
For tours to the SIRENA STATION, a boat transfer will be arranged out of Puerto Jimenez. One option is to hike to Sirena and take a boat transfer back to PJ, where a taxi will be arranged to bring you back to Carate, or we can arrange a boat transfer both ways, in order to spend all your time in the Sirena area.
From Playa Lapa, the park is about 75 minutes walk along the beach or road, your preference. You will be entering the park via the La Leona Ranger station. This close proximity makes Playa Lapa the ideal launch pad for multiple trips into the parks southern areas by day, returning to the comfort and convenience of a clean bed and hearty dinner vs camping within the park.
Animals that you may see include 4 species of monkeys, tapirs, anteaters, macaws, Tucans, and other birds, a variety of lizards and frogs, sloths, agoutis, kinkajous, the blue morpho butterfly, and maybe a cougar. The best rule for those that are not camping is that If it won’t fit in a day pack, don’t bring it along. Bring only the bare essentials, which are the following:
- Wear loose cotton clothing, shorts, t-shirt, hat.
- Footwear is individual specific, but leather is not recommended. We prefer the rubber boots sold locally in the hardware store–they are tough, have excellent traction in the forest, are easy to take off and put on, and dry very quickly if you go over the top.
- Insect protection. Two different species of locally present mosquitoes carry dengue fever and malaria.
- Water. Two-liter bottle is adequate. Water is heavy; there is potable water for refills at all the ranger stations.
- Lunch, snacks and Treats, but just keep it light.
- Sunglasses and Sun Block.
- Camera, obviously.
- Plastic bags. One garbage size plastic bag that you can put your pack in to stay dry, and several zip loc baggies to carry items that must stay dry: passport, matches, camera, film, etc.
- Basic Essentials. Knife, lighter, flashlight, ballpoint pen, essential medications as needed.
- Cash. You will want some cash to buy cold drinks at La Leona Lodge or the Carate Pulperia upon your exit.
Cost TBA, minimum of 2. Group discounts available.