Discover Corcovado National Park, a wildlife haven on the Osa Peninsula home to 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity.
While Drake Bay and the surrounding coastline is known for stunning virgin beaches, most people come to this area to visit nearby Corcovado National Park.
The national park is home to a range of exotic fauna and flora and, with a savvy guide and just a couple of hours you can get glimpses of these. A day tour is usually enough for visitors, but some wildlife enthusiasts stay for a few days.
In this guide to Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica, I explain your options for visiting, how much it’ll cost you and what you can do here.
Overview of Corcovado National Park
The national park is the largest in Costa Rica. It measures 424 km2 spanning the majority of the Osa Peninsula, a chunk of land that looks like a foot jutting out from Costa Rica’s south-eastern coast into the Pacific Ocean.
Incredibly, Corcovado is home to around 2.5 % of biodiversity on Planet Earth. Within its primary and secondary rainforest, you can spot animals including tapirs, a range of monkeys and, if you’re lucky, endangered species such as jaguars. If the gods are truly on your side, then you might even see humpback whales from the shores of the immaculate beaches.
At the national park there are 6 ranger stations – or entry points: San Pedrillo, Sirena, La Leona, El Tigre, Los Planes and Los Patos. The ranger stations are spread out from one another and to explore multiple you’ll need a few days. However, the most popular ranger stations are Sirena, San Pedrillo, La Leona and Los Patos and most people visit 1 or 2 of these with a day tour.
How much does it cost to go to Corcovado National Park?
The price you pay to visit Corcovado National Park depends on how long you plan on staying here. For a day tour covering 1 of the ranger stations, such as Sirena, expect to pay at least $100 US including all expenses. Prices for multi-day tours start at around $300 US for a 2 days/1 night excursion. A self-organised trip costs roughly the same as a tour.
Tours to Corcovado National Park
You can either take a single day tour to Corcovado or spend up to 4 nights as per park rules. Day tours typically set out from either Drake Bay, in the west of the Osa Peninsula, or Puerto Jiménez in the south, and last around 6 h including transport time.
To book a tour, there are a few operators in Drake Bay town (Agujitas) but also online vendors including:
- Viator – I booked my tour here
- GetYourGuide
- Sukia Travel
- Osa Wild Travel
- Selva Connections
The price for a tour should include boat transport, guide fees and the park entrance fee, which is $15 US for foreign non-residents. Food is only available at Sirena and El Tigre stations and should also be included if visiting these areas.
A multi-day tour is the most convenient way of organising an overnight trip as the operator takes care of everything. The price includes transport, accommodation, meals, guide fees and the park entry fee. Sirena is the typical destination for multi-day tours as it’s the only station with lodgings.
Self-organised trips to Corcovado National Park
Your final option for visiting Corcovado is to organise everything yourself. However, I don’t recommend this as tours typically work out the same cost-wise without the hassle. But if you’d like to know how, here’s the information.
For overnight stays (maximum 4 nights) you can either lodge at Sirena for $30 US per night or camp at either Sirena or San Pedrillo for $4 US a night. You must bring your own equipment to camp. Catering is only available at Sirena and the prices are: breakfast ($20 US), lunch ($25 US) and dinner ($25). You can also rent a locker at Sirena for $4 US.
You need to contact the park authorities to make a reservation beforehand for either a single- or multi-day tour. I believe they then provide you with information about hiring a guide.
You also need to sort out a boat to and from the national park. There is little information online about how to do this and I was unable to find out while in the area. Your best bet is to speak with the park authorities when making a reservation or with locals in either Drake Bay or Puerto Jiménez.
Again, this is a lot of hassle and an organised tour costs pretty much the same, so you may as well save yourself the stress.
Here’s the link again to the Corcovado tour I did – which I recommend.
Can you visit Corcovado National Park without a guide?
You cannot visit Corcovado National Park without hiring a licensed certified guide and paying the park entrance fee. Guides are trained on how to minimise the impact of tourism on the area to protect the biodiversity.
Corcovado National Park Wildlife
The national park is home to an astounding amount of wildlife. There are at least 375 species of birds, 124 species of mammals and around 8,000 insect species.
Some of the more impressive animals within Corcovado’s forest include Baird’s tapirs (dantas), collared peccaries (sainos) and pumas.
Smaller species include agoutis, coatis and several types of monkeys including howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, white-faced capuchin monkeys and spider monkeys. Sloths can also be seen hanging out high up in the trees.
There’s an impressive array of vibrantly-coloured birds here too including yellow-throated toucans, orange bellied trogons and macaws. Several species of snakes can also be found lurking in the forest including highly-venomous Fer-de-Lance vipers and boa constrictors.
The beaches and rivers at Corcovado are beautiful but can be deadly. American crocodiles prowl the salty waters of the Sirena River at high tide and, on rare occasions, so do bull sharks. Unfortunately, this means no swimming at lots of spots, but seeing such incredible creatures more than makes up for it.
The luckiest of visitors get sightings of whales and dolphins further out to sea. Whale species include humpback whales, killer whales and sei whales, while dolphin species include bottlenose dolphins, Risso’s dolphins and spotted dolphins.
Are there jaguars in Corcovado National Park?
Yes, there are jaguars in Corcovado National Park but seeing one is incredibly rare. Not only do these solitary wild cats keep their distance, but according to a study by the University of Cambridge, there are only around 60 of them in the park.
What to do in Corcovado National Park
Spotting wildlife is the must-do activity at Corcovado National Park along with hiking and there are trails at each of the ranger stations.
Some of the popular longer-distance routes include the hikes from Leona to Sirena and from Los Patos to Sirena. And in San Pedrillo, Sirena, El Tigre, Los Patos and La Leona there are extensive networks of shorter routes to explore.
In San Pedrillo there is also a waterfall and in Sirena there is a natural pool formed by the Calor River to enjoy. Between July and December turtles nest in La Leona and you can watch hatchlings take their first steps. If it’s views of Corcovado you want, then head to the trails in El Tigre which lead to the highest points in the park.
How to get to Corcovado National Park
The easiest way of getting to Corcovado National Park is with a boat from either Drake Bay or Puerto Jimenez to Sirena Station. From Drake Bay this takes 1 h and from Puerto Jimenez 1 h 30 min.
Alternatively, you can hike or horse ride into the park. However, this is only recommended if you know the trails well or go with a guide as distances are long and you can easily get lost in the dense jungle.
You can’t drive to Corcovado National Park as there are no roads leading to it. This is unlikely to change as it’s a protected area important to the planet’s biodiversity.
If you’re starting your journey from San José, then check out my complete travel guide to Drake Bay where I explain how to get to Agujitas (Drake Bay town) from the capital city.
When to visit Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica
The best time of year to visit Corcovado National Park is during the dry season which runs from December to April. During this period hiking trails are in better condition and wildlife is easier to spot.
However, when planning your trip, keep in mind that the Sirena Station is closed for the entire month of October for maintenance and San Pedrillo closes May 1 to December 1.
The rainy season (May – November) can make spotting wildlife more difficult within the forests, but July to November is peak whale-watching season.
What to bring to Corcovado National Park
Come to the national park prepared for all weather conditions. I recommend wearing sturdy, waterproof shoes to support you along the trails and shorts to keep you cool – even during the colder rainy season average temperatures can climb above 20°C.
Make sure to pack a waterproof jacket too. This is particularly handy if the water is choppy during your boat ride to the park as you can get sprayed.
I would apply sunscreen and mosquito repellent before getting on the boat. You can do this when you arrive, but only before entering the park, as you aren’t allowed to spray anything within ranger stations.
If you’re staying in Corcovado National Park for multiple days, then I’d bring a couple of changes of clothes as you will get sweaty and potentially wet while exploring.
Corcovado is a perfect location for wildlife photography and if you have a camera then I also recommend bringing it.
At all ranger stations you’ll find toilets, public telephones, potable water and information desks. There are no services between stations and, unfortunately, you aren’t allowed to bring your own food into the national park.
Is Corcovado National Park worth it?
Visiting Corcovado National Park is an excellent way to explore nature in Costa Rica and, with the help of expert guides, you can spot a range of animals and plant life. While a trip to the Corcovado can be costly, the extensive biodiversity makes it a unique experience.
More Costa Rica travel guides on A World Over
Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica is one of the world’s most biodiverse areas and a must-visit destination when exploring the Osa Peninsula.
Keep in mind that certain ranger stations close at different points of the year and that tours sell out, so organise your visit in good time.
I have a complete guide to Drake Bay, which is packed with fun recommendations for exploring the area. And you can find all of my Costa Rica travel guides here.
More wildlife spotting in Costa Rica: Cahuita National Park.