Costa Rica Info Link

Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Osa Costa Rica

Osa Wildlife Refuge Costa Rica was created on April 26th 1999 in order to protect forested beach areas on the southern tip of the Osa Peninsula at Cabo Matapalo in the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.

The Osa Peninsula is one of the most biologically diverse and humid places on the planet. With over 700 species of trees, 365 species of birds (many of them endemic), 117 species of reptiles and almost 10,000 species of insects, and it receives a total rainfall of 5,000 mm, with a less rainy season from January to March (50-150 mm per month), a long rainy season from April to December (with more than 200 mm per month) and the maximum monthly rain period from August to October (about 600-900 mm per month). The Osa National Wildlife Refuge holds the most important population of Caryocar costaricense, with densities of up to 4 trees per ha.

This refuge is without doubt a private Eden which joins rainforest nature with the tranquility and beauty of its beaches and spectacular views. Its forests, full of tropical fruits and flowers, attract many of the colorful wildlife residents of the area, such as macaws, toucans, parrots, monkeys, coatis, kinkajous, agoutis, sloths, peccaries, and occasionally even wild cats like pumas, jaguarondis, ocelots and jaguars.

There are no public facilities at Osa National Wildlife Refuge. Other nearby Costa Rican Parks include Carate National Wildlife Refuge, Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, Hacienda Copano National Wildlife Refuge, Pejeperro National Wildlife Refuge, Rio Oro National Wildlife Refuge and Corcovado National Park.

Getting to Osa Wildlife Refuge:

From San Jose, take the Pan-American Highway south towards Panama. At the town of Rio Claro, take the exit to Puerto Jimenez. The refuge is about 22 km south of Puerto Jimenez. The total distance from San Jose is about 7 hours.

By bus

You can take a bus from the route San Jose – Puerto Jimenez, which takes about 8 hours (Transportes Blanco, 2771-4744). From here you can rent a car and drive, take a taxi or take another bus from the route Puerto Jimenez – Carate beach, and then go to Osa Wildlife Refuge.

You can also take a bus from the route San Jose – Golfito, which takes about 8 hours (Tracopa-Alfaro, 2221-4214). From here you can take rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Osa Wildlife Refuge. In both cases we recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.

By plane:

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Golfito or Puerto Jimenez Airports, either with Sansa or Aerobell Airlines, both with daily flights. From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Osa Wildlife Refuge, which takes about 20 minutes.

Location: Cabo Matapalo in Osa Peninsula, southern Puntarenas, Costa Rica.
Puerto Jimenez GPS Coordinates: 8.535819,-83.303914 (8°32’08.95″N, 83°18’14.09″W)
Size: 1,605 ha (3,962 acres)
Altitude: from 0 to 200m above sea level
Osa Conservation Area (ACOSA) Telephone: +(506) 2735-5580 / 2735-5276
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Osa Wildlife Refuge, Puntarenas, Costa Rica at Google Maps

Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Refugio de Vida Silvestre Lagunazul Costa Rica

Lagunazul Wildlife Refuge Costa Rica was created on April 13th, 2000, in order to protect forested and beach areas on the Osa Peninsula at the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.

Lagunazul National Wildlife Refuge has an average temperature of 25ºC (70ºF) with an average annual rainfall ranging between 2,500 and 6,000 mm, making it one of the wettest places, with a relative humidity that exceeds 90% most of the year.

Biodiversity is extremely rich in marine and terrestrial species, with endemic species like monkeys, peccaries, sloths, coaties amongst others, and endangered species such as some big cats, like the jaguar and the puma. Birds native to the area as trogons, macaws, toucans, pelicans and gulls. At the refuge you can also watch dolphins, sharks and turtles, as well as the spectacular humpback whales which can be seen with their calves during the months from December to May.

There are no public facilities at Lagunazul National Wildlife Refuge. Other nearby Costa Rican Parks include Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, Pejeperro National Wildlife Refuge, Rio Oro National Wildlife Refuge, Carate National Wildlife Refuge and Corcovado National Park.

Getting to Lagunazul Wildlife Refuge:

From San Jose, take the Pan-American Highway south towards Panama. At the town of Rio Claro, take the exit to Puerto Jimenez. The total trip from San Jose takes about 7 hours.

By bus

You can take a bus from the route San Jose – Puerto Jimenez, which takes about 8 hours (Transportes Blanco, 2771-4744). From here you can rent a car and drive, take a taxi or take another bus Puerto Jimenez – Carate beach, making the stop at Lagunazul Wildlife Refuge.

You can also take a bus from the route San Jose – Golfito, which takes about 8 hours (Tracopa-Alfaro, 2221-4214). From here you can take rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Lagunazul Wildlife Refuge. In both cases we recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.

By plane:

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Golfito or Puerto Jimenez Airports, either with Sansa or Aerobell Airlines, both with daily flights. From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Lagunazul Wildlife Refuge, which takes about 20 minutes.

Location: Osa Peninsula in Golfo Dulce, southern Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Puerto Jimenez GPS Coordinates: 8.535819,-83.303914 (8°32’08.95″N, 83°18’14.09″W)
Size: 14 ha (35 acres)
Osa Conservation Area (ACOSA) Telephone: +(506) 2735-5580 / 2735-5276
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Lagunazul Wildlife Refuge, Puntarenas, Costa Rica at Google Maps

Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Hacienda Copano Costa Rica

Hacienda Copano Wildlife Refuge Costa Rica was created on July 26th, 1995 in order to protect forested river areas on the southern Osa Peninsula at the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. It lies entirely within the Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, near Puerto Jimenez.

The Hacienda Copano National Wildlife Refuge is privately owned, 100% Costa Rican capital which has properties under the forest regime, located on the south side of Puntarenas.

Hacienda Copano reforestation process started in 1991 by leasing their properties to the development of forestry projects with the planting of Gmelina arborea, a native of Southeast Asia introduced to America with very good results and high commercial potential for its ability for renewal and transformation.

The weather is typical of the Osa Peninsula, hot and humid, a wild area with very heavy rains and thick evergreen forest, making it one of the wettest places in the world. Rainfall is abundant all year long but in October and November it can rain over 700mm, which feeds innumerable waterways and encourages the growth of very tall trees laden with epiphytes. The dry season is from February through April.

There are no public facilities at this wildlife refuge. The nearest parks include Corcovado National Park, Piedras Blancas National Park, Golfito National Wildlife Refuge and Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve.

Getting to Hacienda Copano Wildlife Refuge:

From San Jose, take the Pan-American Highway south towards Panama. At the town of Rio Claro, take the exit to Puerto Jimenez. The total trip from San Jose takes takes 7 hours.

By bus

You can take a bus from the route San Jose – Golfito, which takes about 8 hours (Tracopa-Alfaro, 2221-4214). From here you can take rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve. We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.

You can also take a bus from the route San Jose – Puerto Jimenez, which takes about 8 hours (Transportes Blanco, 2771-4744). From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to the reserve. We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.

By plane:

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Golfito or Puerto Jimenez Airports, either with Sansa or Aerobell Airlines, both with daily flights. From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, which is takes 20 minutes.

Location: within the Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve in Osa Peninsula, southern Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Puerto Jimenez GPS Coordinates: 8.535819,-83.303914 (8°32’08.95″N, 83°18’14.09″W)
Size: 105 ha (260 acres)
Osa Conservation Area (ACOSA) Telephone: +(506) 2735-5580 / 2735-5276
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Hacienda Copano Wildlife Refuge, Puntarenas, Costa Rica at Google Maps

Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Reserva Forestal Golfo Dulce Costa Rica

Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve Costa Rica was created on June 27th, 1979 in order to protect forested lowland areas surrounding the Golfo Dulce (Sweet Gulf) and the Osa Peninsula in Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. These are fragmented, dense evergreen forests which provide a biological corridor, connecting Corcovado National Park with Piedras Blancas National Park.

This forest reserve is nestled in Golfo Dulce, a large bay ringed by rivers and secluded beaches with calm waters, which offers a great attraction to tourists seeking peaceful swimming, or to get pleasure from nature, wildlife and birdwatching. It is one of the few places in the world where you can enjoy the shade of the rainforest from a kayak or boat while observing its unique wildlife or swimming in crystal waters.

Most of the lowlands surrounding the Golfo Dulce are characterized by tall evergreen forest, from 100 to 140 ft, and it is one of the wettest places in the world, with an average annual rainfall of 150 to 200 inches.

The Osa Peninsula has been named by the National Geographic as one of the most bio-diverse places on earth, it is home to an abundant plant and animal life, with some of the rarest ones on the planet. This forest reserve is made up of a tropical rain forest and protects all timber-wood species in the zone. The most numerous tree species are Epená (Virola koschnyi), Purpleheart (Peltogyne purpurea, a species with extremely beautiful purple wood), and Camibar (Copaifera camibar), which is known as Camibar oil and is used in popular medicine to cure wounds, particularly as a scar healing method.

Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve is a great place to observe nature at its most pristine. Monkeys are the most common residents here followed by tapirs, coatis, tayras or tolomucos, anteaters, sloths, many big cats and numerous bird species as macaws, toucans, trogones, pelicans and gulls. Moreover, the region where the forest meets the sea at the mouths of rivers makes impressive mangroves that are breeding grounds for many marine species such as dolphins, rays, eels, jumping fishes, as well as spectacular humpback whales and their calves during the months from December to May.

Though there are no public facilities at Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, tourists are welcome to visit and enjoy the tremendous wealth of wildlife found here. Other nearby parks include Corcovado National Park, Piedras Blancas National Park, Golfito National Wildlife Refuge and Carate National Wildlife Refuge.

Getting to Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve:

From San Jose, take the Pan-American Highway south towards Panama. At the town of Rio Claro, take the exit to Golfito. Accessible either from the town of Puerto Jimenez or Chacarita, since the highway from Chacarita to Puerto Jiménez crosses a large part of this reserve. The total distance from San Jose is about 7 hours.

By bus

You can take a bus from the route San Jose – Golfito, which takes about 8 hours (Tracopa-Alfaro, 2221-4214). From here you can take rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve. We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.

You can also take a bus from the route San Jose – Puerto Jimenez, which takes about 8 hours (Transportes Blanco, 2771-4744). From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to the reserve. We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.

By plane:

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Golfito or Puerto Jimenez Airports, either with Sansa or Aerobell Airlines, both with daily flights. From here you can rent a car and drive or take taxi to Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, which is about 20 minutes.

Location: Osa Peninsula in Golfo Dulce, southern Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Golfito GPS Coordinates: 8.638792,-83.166678 (8°38’19.65″N, 83°10’00.04″W)
Puerto Jimenez GPS Coordinates: 8.535819,-83.303914 (8°32’08.95″N, 83°18’14.09″W)
Size: 60,565 ha (149,593 acres)
Osa Conservation Area (ACOSA) Telephone: +(506) 2735-5580 / 2735-5276
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, Puntarenas, Costa Rica at Google Maps

Location: on Osa Peninsula in southern Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Puerto Jimenez GPS Coordinates: 8.535819,-83.303914 (8°32’08.95″N, 83°18’14.09″W)
Size: 182 ha (450 acres)
Osa Conservation Area (ACOSA) Telephone: +506 2735-5580 / +506 2735-5276
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Palmar Norte and Palmar Sur Intersection, Puntarenas, Costa Rica at Google Maps

Agua Buena Wildlife Refuge Costa Rica was created on June 22nd, 1995 to protect forested rural areas inland of the Golfo Dulce, in the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.

Agua Buena Wildlife Refuge is located in a rugged wilderness area with very heavy rains, and dense evergreen forest, making it, undoubtedly, one of the wettest places in the world, as the region receives an average annual rainfall of 5076mm (200 in). Rainfall is abundant all year long but in October it can rain over 700mm, which feeds innumerable waterways and encourages the growth of very tall trees laden with epiphytes. This is why the forest in the refuge is thick and evergreen.

Due to its proximity with Corcovado National Park, Agua Buena National Wildlife Refuge has a very similar diversity of flora and fauna , where a wide range of mammals can be seen. All four species of Costa Rican monkeys live here, plus raccoons, agouties, coaties, pacas, kinkajous, deers, anteaters, sloths, collared peccaries and some wildcats, such as the margay, ocelot, jaguar and the jaguarondi. There are also various species of snakes, frogs, crocodiles, caimans, basilisks, iguanas, lizards, butterflies and bats. Nearly 150 species of birds have been identified at the refuge, including macaws (Scarlet Macaw), parrots, brown pelicans, ibis, herons, owls, Barn Owls, as well as Yellow-billed Cotinga, Orange-collared Manakin, Golden-naped Woodpecker, Riverside Wren and Baird’s Trogon. The refuge also covers part of Golfo Dulce, where ghost crabs can be seen along the beach, as well as dolphins and whales in the migration season.

There are no public facilities at Agua Buena National Wildlife Refuge. Other nearby parks includes Carate Wildlife Refuge, Corcovado National Park, Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve and Piedras Blancas National Park.

Getting to Agua Buena National Wildlife Refuge:

From San Jose, take the Interamerican Highway to Piedras Blancas until the Sierpe and then take the exit to Agua Buena National Wildlife Refuge. The total distance from San Jose is about 7 hours.

By bus

You can take a bus from the route San Jose – Golfito, which takes about 8 hours (Tracopa-Alfaro, +506 2221-4214). From here you can take a taxi to Agua Buena National Wildlife Refuge, which takes about 30 minutes. We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.

By plane

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Golfito Airport, either with Sansa or Aerobell Airlines, both with daily flights. From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Agua Buena National Wildlife Refuge, which takes about 20 minutes.

Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre RHR Blancas Costa Rica

RHR Blancas Wildlife Refuge Costa Rica created on July 26th, 1995 to protect forested and beach areas on the Golfo Dulce, Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.

The refuge is part of the Osa Conservation Area, southern Costa Rica near the town of La Gamba, so the average annual temperature is around 26ºC (80ºF), and humidity is maintained at relatively high levels, allowing the growth of a variety of ferns.

The RHR Blancas National Wildlife Refuge form and ensures a biological corridor and ecological diversity in the Golfo Dulce (Sweet Gulf). With its lush tropical rainforests and the many native plants and wildlife, the refuge also protects the north of the Golfo Dulce, beaches and bays.

With its dense forest, this refuge is essentially evergreen primary forest, which is also the habitat of many native trees and plants, as well as various animals such as sloths, monkeys, agoutis, peccaries, jaguars, parrots, macaws, toucans, trogones. There are also many beautiful waterfalls and rivers along the trails, beautiful beaches and a coral reef on the coast.

There are no public facilities at RHR Blancas National Wildlife Refuge. Other nearby Costa Rica Parks include Piedras Blancas National Park, Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, Golfito National Wildlife Refuge, Quillotro National Wildlife Refuge and Corcovado National Park.

Getting to RHR Blancas Wildlife Refuge:

From San Jose, take the Pan-American Highway south towards Panama. At the town of Rio Claro, take the exit to Golfito. The total distance is 342km (212 miles). The refuge can be accessed via the Torres Rd. (Calle Torres) near the cemetery or behind Banco Nacional – drive up to the steep, take the exit to the left and access the hiking trail on the right side of the road. It might be best to park in town and walk up to the trailhead or pay a local to park at their home to watch your car and personal belongings. Now you can also take the new Caldera Highway to Puntarenas and then follow the Costanera Highway until you get to Golfito.

By bus

Take a bus from the route San Jose – Golfito, which takes about 8 hours (Tracopa-Alfaro, 2221-4214). From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to RHR Blancas Wildlife Refuge, which takes about 15 minutes. We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.

By plane:

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Golfito Airport, either with Sansa or Aerobell Airlines, both with daily flights. From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to RHR Blancas Wildlife Refuge, which takes about 15 minutes.

Location: in Osa Peninsula southern Puntarenas, Costa Rica
La Gamba GPS Coordinates: 8.708611,-83.184517 (8°42’31.00″N, 83°11’4.26″W)
Size: 60 ha (146 acres)
Osa Conservation Area (ACOSA) Telephone: +(506) 2735-5580 / 2735-5276
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Golfito, Puntarenas, Costa Rica at Google Maps

Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre de Golfito Costa Rica

Golfito National Wildlife Refuge Costa Rica protects forested and beach areas surrounding the Golfito harbor on the Golfo Dulce (Sweet Gulf), in the Pacific coast. This small reserve occupies the forested hills behind the town of Golfito, which was spared deforestation and the planting of oil palms and bananas because of its steep slopes. That’s why the government finally declared it a protected area on November 11th 1988, in order to preserve the water supply of Golfito.

The refuge includes a chain of mountains and highlands that climb 500m above sea level and then plunge abruptly into the sea, forming a very jagged coastline with cliffs 200m high that alternate with tidal plains and estuaries. The ridgeline is the result of the weathering of volcanic and sedimentary rocks of great antiquity.

The Golfito Wildlife Refuge is located in a rugged wilderness area with very heavy rains and dense evergreen forest, making it, undoubtedly, one of the wettest places in the world, as the region receives an average annual rainfall 5076mm (200 in). Rainfall is abundant all year long but in October it can rain over 700mm, this is the same amount it rains in Coco Beach and Cartago during the whole year. An important aspect of the Golfito Wildlife Refuge is its location near the lower basin of the Rio Esquinas (Corners River), a unique area in the Costa Rican Pacific where there is no dry season. It is like a climatic island with conditions that are similar to those on the hot and humid plains of the Caribbean, but on the other side of the central mountain chain.

The heavy, abundant and almost constant rains feed innumerable waterways, which encourage the growth of very tall trees laden with epiphytes. This is why it has one of the tallest canopies in Central America, with some trees, such as Purpleheart (Peltogyne), Butternut or White Walnut (Juglans Cinerea) and the Silk Cotton (Bombax), reaching 43m (140ft) in height. There are also some unusual trees here, such as the Caryodaphnopsis, a very primitive plant that belongs to the Lauraceae family which grows nowhere else in the country, and a “living fossil” a Cycad called Zamia.  The forest in the refuge is thick, very evergreen. A fairly common palm that grows here is the black palm and its dry season goes from January through March.

The Golfito reserve is one of the most accessibles in the country, with a system of hiking trails that is reachable from the town of Golfito, leading to scenic overlooks and beaches. The downside of this is that it has suffered badly from hunting. For this reason, Golfito has fewer species to be seen than Corcovado, despite having similar conditions. Nevertheless a wide range of mammals can be seen. All four species of Costa Rican monkeys live here, plus Agouties, Coaties, Raccoons, Collared Peccaries, Pacas, anteaters and one of the smallest cats, the Jaguarondi. There are also various species of snakes, frogs, butterflies and bats. Nearly 150 species of birds have been identified at Golfito National Wildlife Refuge, including macaws (Scarlet Macaw), parrots, brown pelicans, ibis, herons and owls, Barn Owls, and a number of birds with limited distribution, such as Yellow-billed Cotinga, Orange-collared Manakin, Golden-naped Woodpecker, Riverside Wren and Baird’s Trogon. The refuge also covers part of Golfo Dulce, where ghosts crabs can be seen along the beach and dolphins and whales in the migration season. There is also a small coral reef.

An important aspect of the refuge is that is biologically related to other 2 parks, Corcovado and Piedras Blancas (White Stones). There are also great hiking opportunities on the North side of Golfito off the road to La Gamba. You can park next to the small waterfall on the left side of the road and walk up the river. On the other hand, there are no public facilities at this wildlife refuge, although camping permits can be arranged through the MINAE office in Rio Claro at 2789-9092.

Many species that are threatened or even extinct in neighboring countries still thrive here in the Golfito and Osa Peninsula area. In most of Costa Rica’s National parks it is possible to see several different habitats within the course of a day. An international effort is underway to catalog Costa Rica’s natural assets, but at the last count, this tiny Central American country was calculated to have just over 200 mammals (including six species of felines: jaguar, ocelot, margay, puma, jaguarundi and tiger cats), 857 species of birds, 10,000 insects and over 9,000 species of higher plants, including 1,200 orchids. Most of these species are to be found here, in the Southern Zone and around the Golfito area.

Getting to Golfito National Wildlife Refuge:

From San Jose, take the Pan-American Highway south towards Panama. At the town of Rio Claro, take the exit to Golfito. The total distance is 342km (212 miles). The refuge can be accessed via the Tower Rd. (calle Torres) near the cemetery or behind Banco Nacional – you continue till the slope, the you take the exit to the left and you will reach the hiking trail on the right side of the road. It might be best to park in town and walk up to the trailhead or pay a local to park at their home to watch your car and personal belongings.

By bus

Take a bus from the route San Jose – Golfito, which takes about 8 hours (Tracopa-Alfaro, 2221-4214). From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Golfito National Wildlife Refuge, which takes about 15 minutes. We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.

By plane:

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Golfito Airport, either with Sansa or Aerobell Airlines, both with daily flights. From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Golfito National Wildlife Refuge, which takes about 15 minutes.

Location: on the shore of Golfo Dulce in southern Puntarenas province.
Golfito GPS Coordinates: 8.638792,-83.166678 (8°38’19.65″N, 83°10’00.04″W)
Size: 1309ha (3234 acres)
Altitude: sea level to 400m (1312ft)
Schedule: from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Golfito National Wildlife Refuge Telephone: +(506) 2775-2620
Osa Conservation Area (ACOSA) Telephone: +(506) 2735-5580 / 2735-5276
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Golfito, Puntarenas, Costa Rica at Google Maps

Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Donald Peters Hayes Costa Rica

Donald Peters Hayes Wildlife Refuge Costa Rica was created on May 20th 1998, to protect forested areas near Golfito, overlooking the Golfo Dulce, Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. In fact, this private wildlife refuge is adjacent to the Golfito National Wildlife Refuge.

The nearby cities of Golfito and Puerto Jimenez need these refuges, as they help to protect the slopes and water. That is why this refuge was created with the goal to conserve the forest and native wildlife, as well as ensure the perpetuation of species, population or wildlife habitats and to serve for scientific or recreational purposes, as long as they don’t go against their main objective.

The National Wildlife Refuge Donald Peters Hayes protects a wide variety of flora and fauna, terrestrial and marine, typical of humid tropical forest of southern Puntarenas, with species of ferns, palms, orchids and tropical trees as the Vaco. The refuge has a large variety of birds such as macaws, toucans, hummingbirds, and mammals like coatis, monkeys and peccaries.

There are no public facilities at Donald Peters Hayes Wildlife Refuge. Other nearby parks include Golfito National Wildife Refuge, Corcovado National Park, Piedras Blancas National Park and Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve.

Getting to Donald Peters Hayes Wildlife Refuge:

From San Jose, take the Pan-American Highway south towards Panama. At the town of Rio Claro, take the exit to Golfito. The total trip from San Jose takes about 7 hours.

By bus

You can take a bus from the route San Jose – Golfito, which takes about 8 hours (Tracopa-Alfaro, 2221-4214). From here you can take rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Donald Peters Hayes Wildlife Refuge. We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.

By plane:

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Golfito Airport, either with Sansa or Aerobell Airlines, both with daily flights. From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Donald Peters Hayes Wildlife Refuge, which takes about 20 minutes.

Location: Osa Peninsula in southern Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Golfito GPS Coordinates: 8.638792,-83.166678 (8°38’19.65″N, 83°10’00.04″W)
Size: 211 ha (520 acres)
Osa Conservation Area (ACOSA) Telephone: +(506) 2735-5580 / 2735-5276
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Golfito, Puntarenas, Costa Rica at Google Maps