Chirripó National Park

Sizes: 50,150 hectares
Distance from San José: 151 kilometers
Camping: Permitted
Dry season: December through March

The upper reaches of the park, often cold and almost always cloaked in mist, contain the northern most example of the paramo life zone, which is typical of high-elevation plains much farther south. The park also contains extensive areas of lower montane and montane rain forest, offers excellent opportunities for wildlife observation and nature photography, and is one the few areas suitable for technical rock climbing in Costa Rica.

The tallest mountain in the country, Chirripó Peak, which towers 3,819 meters high, is part of the park of the same name.

Chirripó experiences wide temperature variation. It can be as warm as 24° C. during the day and then drop to freezing at night. Nights below freezing are common and the lowest temperature recorded in Chirripó and also in all the country is -9° C. You will need a warm sleeping bag, a warm hat, and a sweater, and long underwear and gloves are not bad idea.

Due to the high altitude in this area, it is not recommended to travel here after you spent a few days at the beach or at sea level, cause it will cause you altitude sickness. Symptoms of altitude sickness are chronic headache, nausea, lack of appetite, and sleeplessness. The only cure for it is to tought it out for a few days or go to a less higher place until symptoms disappear.

Accommodations are available in huts in the high peak region, though they are a bit run-down and smoky, and they provide a good base for day hikes. Enjoying this fascinating place involves some dues paying, however. The 15-kilometer, 10-hour hike to the summit area borders on grueling. You will need to carry up enough food, warm clothes, and water for the day. If you are carrying your own gear, you can also make the trip easier by staying at the first shelter, a little more than halfway up the trail.

This is one of the few parks that you need to contact in advance of arrival (like a week or so) and particularly so during the dry season when Costa Rican groups fill up the shelters

Important information about Chirripó National Park and La Amistad International Park:

- These two parks were declared in 1982 a "Biosphere Reserve" by the UNESCO, and in 1983 a "World Heritage Site".

- An estimated has been made that both parks shelter 60% of all vertebrate and invertebrate animals in Costa Rica