On Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula, Corcovado National Park is famous for having some 3% of Earth’s biodiversity. It’s also home to 50% of the country’s animal species. Corcovado is 128,495 acres of primary and secondary rainforest, and there are no roads into the park. Travel to and from this spectacular Costa Rica national park is by flight, foot, boat, or horseback.
Close to the border with Panamá, the park covers the remote Osa Peninsula’s southwestern area. Corcovado is a naturalist’s dream:
There are 500 species of trees.
The park boasts 104 different mammals.
One can find 367 different bird species.
The park is home to 117 varieties of amphibians and reptiles.
There are also 40 freshwater fish species.
With a naturalist guide—which is always required—you’re likely to see tapirs, scarlet macaws, silky anteaters, and monkeys (howler, spider, squirrel, and white-faced capuchin).
If you are extra fortunate, you may see jaguars, ocelots, or pumas. The park’s trails wander past waterfalls, along rivers, and even to remote beaches.
The waters of the Dulce Gulf teem with marine species; humpback and sperm whales are in residence in December and January, while dolphins and pilot whales are year-round residents. Leatherback, Olive Ridley, and green sea turtles come ashore to lay eggs on the beaches.
Sirena station is the most popular within the National Park, where most of the park’s flora and fauna are found. The best way to get to Sirena station is by air with Adventure Air, a 15-minute flight from Puerto Jimenez.
From there, the adventure begins.
