Costa Rica National Park Chirripo

Located north east of San Isidro in the Talamanca mountains, the park with it´s 50.000 hectares contains the highest mountain of Costa Rica called "Cerro Chirripo" with about 11.500 feet. The scenery in the park changes depending on the altitude from rocks to oak forest until green forest and cloud forest. You will not see as many animals as in the other parks, besides goats, rabbits and Tapirs also a puma and the famous Quetzal bird.

Park entrance is located 9 miles from San Isidro. From San Isidro a bus leaves twice a day (5 am and 2 pm) to San Gerardo de Rivas on about 3900 feet, where the park entrance is. Accommodation and food can be found in simple cabins, but they can be occupied.

There are several ways to the top. After 5 miles of walking up, which takes about 5 hours, you get to a cabin on about 7800 feet where you can spend the night. From there you continue to Refugio Natural on 9900 feet, where 5 people can sleep. This 3 miles long part takes about 5 hours. After that, you continue on a 2 miles long trail until 10200 feet, which is a comfortable one and a half hour walk. There is the base camp for climbing up in the morning. Yet you have to pass 2 miles more. Start very early, because the clouds cover the view and can bring rain. In about 2 hours you should be on top of Cerro Chirripo.
If the weather is nice, you can walk on other trails near the top, which lead to:

top of Cerro Terbi - (11.300 feet)
to Cerro Ventisqueros - (view down to peninsula Osa and Isla Caño)
to lagune Chirripo - (well of Rio Chirripo)
to lagune Ditkebi - (bigger lagune on the atlantic side)
to Valley Las Morrenas - (has some smalls lakes with clear water)

As an alternative you can take the way back passing "Sabana de los Leones", where many birds and cold rivers exist. The park is not suitable for only a short visit. You should come good prepared with water, food, sleeping bag, rain protection and warm clothes, because it can get freezing cold on top.

Hint: Our information to the national parks get updated frequently. If you could not find an answer to your question, email us, we like to help. Have fun in Costa Rica !