Last night we requested a to-go breakfast from our hotel because we have an early morning ahead of us. This hotel has been the only one that we’ve seen this as an option…likely because they know many of their guests go to nearby national parks and attractions before 7am. If you’re staying in Costa Rica, it’s definitely worth seeing if this in an option with your hotel. The bagged-breakfast arrived around 6am, which was perfect for us. We planned on having an early morning to visit Braulio Carrillo National Park and this helped us to get a jumpstart on the day.
If you’re wondering why we start our mornings early, rightfully so. We usually like to get to popular destinations before the crowds, but this trip has been a little different. As we’ve mentioned in previous posts, the weather in San Jose has been VERY rainy. We’ve noticed that the rain usually begins in the afternoon, we’ve been starting our adventures early to beat the rain.
Braulio Carrillo National Park is located just northeast of San Jose on the Guapiles Highway. The highway leading to the national park is one of the most scenic highways in the entire country…and it’s not just us who think that. The picturesque drive really begins after the Zurqui tunnel, which is the only tunnel in the whole country…and did we mention it goes through a mountain!?
This highway and tunnel are actually the reason this area ended up being protected as a national park. Conservationists came to realize the vast wildlife that use this area as a conduit from the high elevations of Irazú Volcano (over 11,000ft) to the nearby Caribbean coast. The scenic highway alone is a great way to admire the dense flora and magnificent fauna that this vast primary and secondary forest has to offer. Even if you are just driving towards the Caribbean and don’t have time to do any of the hikes, the highway has a few viewpoints that are worth a quick stop.
There are many different designation trails in this national park that vary in difficulty and length, but, we’ve heeded numerous warnings about the many hikers that have gotten lost. Some blame it on the vastness, some on the density, some on the unclear trail markers…but in any case, make sure you plan ahead and inform someone (outside of your immediate group) of your route and expected trail times.
We planned to do an early morning hike through a fairly common trail, Sendero Las Palmas. This trail is a 1.6km loop right off of the Quebrada Gonzalez Ranger Station. The minute we began the hike, we saw a wild peccary scurry across the trail in front of us! It was too fast to capture…to be honest it scared the heck out of us…but it showed us just how active this rainforest is in the morning hours.
The forest was dense and teeming with life. We heard tons of birds above us and mammals scurrying around the forest floors, but because it was so dense, it was challenging to spot them all.
After we finished the hike, we wanted to explore the rainforest in a different way…by way of an aerial tram! The tram is located on private grounds just east of the national park, at a place called Rainforest Adventures. If Rainforest Adventures sounds familiar to you, you might recognize the company from the Caribbean or Central America. They offer various tours, coasters, and other aerial experiences in Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, Panama, and have two locations in Costa Rica (Braulio Carrillo and Jaco).
Though Rainforest Adventures is just outside of the national parks parameters, it’s still the same forested region, with much of the same flora and fauna. The price for the tram is $50pp. Here’s where we say it’s expensive and might not be worth it, but if prices are in USD, you know exactly who they’re catering to. It’s a fun experience that brings you through two levels of the rainforest canopy. It’s also worth noting that you gain access to their well-maintained trails, plus their bird, reptile, and plant exhibits on the property (they also offer ziplining for an additional cost).
You start at ground level on a closed gondola-type vehicle, and almost immediately begin your ascent. As we mentioned earlier, you get to experience two different levels of the forest. On the way up, you’ll find yourself within the valley where you might be able to spot some foraging fauna. When you reach the top, you turn around to make the roundtrip back. Here you’ll find yourself at (and sometimes above) the tree canopy where you can spot birds and even monkeys! There were a few times on the way back that we forgot just how high up we were…until we looked down! And remember, the quieter you are, the more you’ll hear and potentially see. All in all, we thought it was a worthwhile experience and a really unique way of exploring the rainforest.
After we got off the tram, we took advantage of one of their included trails. After 1km of hiking, we heard some shuffling in a nearby tree. It took us a moment to locate the source, but when we did we noticed a Northern Tamandua (also known as a Lesser Anteater) staring right at us!
We spend a few minutes staring at each other before it scurried further up the tree branch…likely for cover from the ensuing rain! Not long after, the skies opened up and it began to downpour. Weather up this elevation (especially near the continental divide) can change pretty quickly, so always make sure you pack a rain jacket! Luckily, we were near the end of the trail and were able to find cover, but this marked the end of our Rainforest Adventures. We hopped in our car and began the drive back towards San José.
By the time we got out of the rainy weather, it was well afternoon. We decided to stop at Las Delicas del Maiz for a nice linner (you know, a lunch/dinner). We didn’t realize that this was the spot for all the locals because it was absolutely the busiest restaurant we’d been to in Costa Rica! It seemed thematic, and Joey said it reminded him of a Costa Rican version of the now-defunct RoadHouse Grill. The service was quick and we got sweet and salty chorreadas (corn pancakes) and shared a pollo fajita dish.
After filling our bellies with a delicious corn-based meal, we made our way back to the hotel to get some rest. The rain continued for the rest of the day, but we never let it put a damper on our day. Besides, we needed the rest after our morning and early afternoon adventures. We put in another request por desayuno para llevar (for breakfast to-go) because we have an early morning reservation for Poás Volcano National Park, one of Costa Rica’s more famous active volcanoes…so stay posted!