I have always been attracted to remote places surrounded by wild nature, for me it’s like a reconnection with something we’ve lost in this modern age.
There are many countries I hope to visit in the coming years, but Costa Rica has been in my mind for a long time. I really appreciate the efforts they’ve made to preserve the environment, stopping deforestation and creating a lot of reserves and parks. In my opinion, it should be an example for many other countries.
So in November 2021 I decided it was the right time to go.
With a photographer friend, I rented a 4X4 truck and our journey started.
- Crested Caracara flying along a remote beach
(Sony A9 + Sony 200-600)
The main goal of this trip was to visit Corcovado National Park, named one of the most spectacular national parks in the world. Long renowned by National Geographic as "the most biologically intense area in the world when it comes to biodiversity".
How to get Corcovado National Park:
The first problem about visiting Corcovado is how to reach it. Since there are no roads into the park, you must arrive by air, hike, boat or horseback, often on trails that take 1-5 hours to access on foot.
We chose the boat option because we didn’t want to leave our truck far away. So we reached Bahia Drake, a beautiful location in the Osa Peninsula, and the next day we took a boat (1 hour) at dawn to the park.
Be aware that you need to have a large 4X4 truck to get Bahia Drake, otherwise you will not be able to cross some rivers (yes, there are no bridges!). If you don't have a 4X4, the easiest and most convenient way to get to Drake Bay is by flying.
Other starting points are Sierpe and Puerto Jimenez.
Since 2014, it has been mandatory to have a local guide in Corcovado, you cannot visit the Park by yourself!
There are strict limits on the number of people that can be in the park on any given day, so you must pay in advance for entrance, food and accommodation. This can be done easily in Bahia Drake by contacting one of the local tour operators.
Tours include the boat, the guide (for yourself or for a group), the food and the accomodations.
- Sunbathing Iguana (Sony A7rIII + Sony 24-105)
- A beautiful Pale-billed Woodpecker (Sony A9 + Sony 200-600)
I recommend having a night tour in the park. It’s a great adventure where you can see a lot of wild nocturnal animals. Don’t miss it!
- A stunning "Glass Frog" along a stream
(Sony A7rIII + Tamron 90 macro)
- Pelicans flying at sunset
(Sony A9 + Sony 200-600, at 25600 ISO!)
- Opossum caught on my reflex-trap (Nikon D5200+ Nikon 18-105), I explained this technique in a previous post @ilvime79/introduction-to-camera-trap-part
When to go:
Strongly recommended the period from December to April, from May to November is rain season !
- Our home for almost a month! (Sony A7rIII + Sony 24-105)