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Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Reserva Biológica Hitoy-Cerere de Costa Rica

Hitoy Cerere Biological Reserve Costa Rica was created on April 27th, 1978 and since then protects more than 40 species, including endangered species between the hills of the Talamanca mountain range on the Caribbean Brunca region, such as the silk anteater, ocelots and peccaries. Approximately 60km (37 miles) south of Limón in the Estrella Valley, between the Estrella and Telire Rivers is located in the Talamanca mountain range the Hitoy-Cerere Biological Reserve, surrounded by many indigenous reserves like Tayni, Telire and Talamanca, one of the least visited parks in Costa Rica, largely due to its extreme inaccessibility. This reserve protects a remote and pretty unexplored area of rain forest. This area belongs to La Amistad Caribbean Conservation Area of the Minister of Environment and Energy, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993.

The reserve has a humid tropical and a premountain pluvial forest. Just getting to the Hitoy-Cerere Reserve can make for an interesting all-day adventure, its rugged terrain and the uneven terrain combined with the heavy rainfall – an outstanding 4000mm (158in) a year with no dry season – make this park somewhat difficult to deal and will deter all but the most enthusiastic naturalist. One of the best ways of getting into the reserve is to walk the river beds upstream. This is also a good way to be able to sight the prominently patterned Sunbittern, a bird that frequents the tropical streams.

The name refers to the primary river basins, the Hitoy and the Cerere Rivers, which comes from the Bribrí language, hitoy meaning “moss-covered” and cerere referring to “clear waters”. The habitat is dense tropical rainforest, with all trees, dripping with epiphytes, bromeliads, orchids and lianas.

This is one of the best areas of Costa Rica to see large wild cats, as there is a great abundance of mammalian fauna including white-faced and howler monkeys, jaguars, tapirs, peccaries, rabbits, anteaters, sloths, pacas, deers, agoutis and armadillos. Also, there are over 300 species of birds and more than 30 species of amphibians and 30 reptiles. A big attractive of this reserve are the frogs and toads, which include the poison dark frog colored like the Dendrobates species. Other species are the cherepos, gallegos, chirbalas and many snakes. The invertebrates that live in this reserve are the bullet and leaf-cut army ants, huge dragonflies, red butterflies, metal colored bees and beetles. Also you can find spiders in every hide corner, but must be prepared to work for it; here the trails are poorly maintained and the uphills are difficult. The road to the reserve reveals vegetation like herpetecanthus stenophyllus, ticodendron incognitum and trees full of the colonial nests of Montezuma and Chestnut-headed Oropendolas, large members of the oriole family with bright yellow tails, can be found nesting in the valley from January to August. Nest trees are easy to spot since they sport dozens of meter-long hanging pouch nests that the birds so expertly weave. Also there are big forest trees which make the canopy function. These trees are javillos, espavels, aguacatillos, ojoches and guayabones. More than 380 species of plants are known but this number grows more each day.

In the forest you are able to see the outstanding Squirrel Cuckoo, toucans and parrots. This is also one of the last strongholds of the extremely endangered Harpy Eagle. There are few facilities at the reserve, but there are a few trails; these, however, are very challenging and only for the experienced tropical hiker. North of Hitoy-Cerere is Selva Bananito, a 2,350 acre (950 ha) reserve adjacent to a neighboring cattle ranch. A four-wheel drive vehicle is necessary to navigate the dirt roads that lead to the reserve, but the park can also be reached by foot and horseback.

If you’re an intrepid trekker and know how to take care of yourself in the jungle, this is an exceptional opportunity to experience uncharted territory filled with pristine waterfalls, lush vegetation and hundreds of species of animals that haven’t even been recorded by biologists yet.

Undeveloped and virtually unexplored, the Hitoy Cerere is only for the most adventurous and fit hikers, this biological reserve is one of the most remote territories in the eastern portion of the country. In fact, there are several unexplored portions along the upper Talamanca Mountains. There is a ranger station at the entrance, but no other facilities exist. Other nearby parks include Cahuita National Park, Gandoca Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge and Aviarios del Caribe National Wildlife Refuge.

Getting to Hitoy-Cerere Biological Reserve:

From the Juan Santamaria International Airport drive for about 8 km in direction to San Jose. On your right hand the Hospital Mexico will appear. After the Hospital Mexico, you must take the exit to La Uruca (on the rotonda, the third exit). Turn right at the traffic lights and follow signs to San José (keep in the middle lane as much as possible) until you get to a Shell gas station at a Y-junction, where you will turn left. Take the exit Guapiles-Limon and follow the road (route #32) to Limón, passing through the Zurqui bridge and the Braulio Carrillo mountains. It is likely that you will encounter fog and rain. Please drive with your lights on. After the mountains the road to Limon is practically straight with no hills.

When you reach Puerto Limon, just before you enter the city you will see a sign (at the Texaco Station) where you turn right and go to Cahuita and Puerto Viejo and then turn right to La Estrella Valley. The reserve is about 40 miles southwest of Limón, and about an hour and a half from Cahuita. This route requires a total of six hours from San Jose.

Please note that if you have not left San Jose by 2 pm you will be driving part of the way at night. We do not recommend this for first time travelers driving in Costa Rica. Roads may not be well marked, and rain can be bad and there are potholes and people walking/cycling that you may not be able to see very well.

By bus

Take a bus from the route San Jose – Cahuita National Park – Puerto Viejo, which takes 3.5 hours (Transportes Caribeños, 2257-8129). We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.

By plane:

You can also take a flight between the Juan Santamaria and the Limon airports, either with Sansa, TravelAir or Aerobell Airlines, all with daily flights. From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Hitoy-Cerere Biological Reserve, which is about 1.5 hours.

Location: 60km (37 miles) south of Puerto Limón, Valle La Estrella, Limon, Costa Rica. Zone postal code: 70102
GPS Coordinates: 9.667625,-83.003381 (9°40’03.45″N, 83°00’12.17″W)
Size: 9154 ha (22,620 acres)
Altitude: 150m (430ft) rising to 1000m (3280ft)
Caribbean La Amistad Conservation Area (ACLA-C) Telephone: +(506) 2795-1446
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

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

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

Limoncito Wildlife Refuge Costa Rica was created on April 26th, 1994 to protect migratory bird species in the lowlands, flooded forests and palm forests of the central Caribbean coastal region. It is located at the mouth of the Limoncito River, just south of the Limon port in Costa Rica.

The Limoncito Wildlife Refuge has great recreational potential, covered mainly in holillo palm (Raphia taedigera). Also, the refuge has a very beautiful beach, although it has big waves, surrounded with coconut palms (Cocos nucifera). Best access to the Limoncito beach area is by walking south from Limon, a path along the beach from Limón.

There are no public facilities at Limoncito Wildlife Refuge. Other nearby parks include Tortuguero National Park, Cahuita National Park and Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge.

Getting to Limoncito Wildlife Refuge:

From the Juan Santamaria International Airport drive for about 8 km in direction to San Jose. On your right hand the Hospital Mexico will appear.After the Hospital Mexico, you must take the exit to La Uruca (on the rotonda, the third exit). Turn right at the traffic lights and follow to San José (keep the middle lane as much as possible) until you get to Shell gas station at a Y-junction, keep left. Take the exit Guapiles-Limon and follow the road (nr. 32) to Limón, passing through the Zurqui bridge and the Braulio Carrillo mountains. It is likely that you will encounter fog and rain. Please drive with your lights on. After the mountains the road to Limon is practically straight with no hills.

When you reach Puerto Limon, just before you enter to the city you will see a sign (at the Texaco Station) where you turn right and go to Cahuita and Puerto Viejo and just follow the coast until you get to Limoncito Wildlife Refuge. This route requires a total of five hours from San Jose.

Please note that if you have not left San Jose by 2 pm you will be driving part of the way at night. We do not recommend this for first time travelers driving in Costa Rica. Roads do not have lines, and rain can be bad and there are potholes and people walking/cycling that you can not see very well.

By bus

Take a bus from the route San Jose – Cahuita National Park – Puerto Viejo, which takes 3.5 hours (Transportes Caribeños, 2257-8129). 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 Limon, either with Sansa, TravelAir or Aerobell Airlines, both with daily flights. From here you can rent a car and drive or take taxi to Limoncito Wildlife Refuge, which is about 15 minutes.

Location: south of Limón city, Costa Rica.
Limon GPS Coordinates: 9.989639,-83.03325 (9°59’22.70″N, 83°01’59.70″W)
Size: 1,056 ha (2,790 acres)
Caribbean La Amistad Conservation Area (ACLA-C) Telephone: +(506) 2795-1446
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

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

Location: between Tortuguero canals and the Caribbean Sea, about 25 km north of the Atlantic port city of Limon, Costa Rica.
Matina GPS Coordinates: 10.071414,-83.288406 (10°04’17.09″N, 83°17’18.26″W)
Size: 476 ha (1176 acres)
Pacuare Matina Forest Reserve Telephone: +506 2234-5890
Tortuguero Conservation Area (ACTO) Telephone: +506 2710-2929
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192
Website: www.turtleprotection.org

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

Pacuare Matina Forest Reserve Costa Rica was created on March 23rd, 1973 to protect the lowland primary forests of the central Caribbean coastal region, where sea turtles come to nest on the beach. The reserve is located between the mouths of the rivers Pacuare and Matina, including the Madre de Dios Estuary and which is also crossed by the Tortuguero canals.

Pacuare Matina Forest Reserve is an important sea turtle nesting site of the leatherback turtle as well as green and hawksbill turtles. As well, the reserve also has many river turtles. The leatherbacks come ashore here from March through June, and the green turtles from June through September. Both of these turtles are endangered due to poaching for meat and eggs, as also because of the destruction of their natural habitat due to land development along the coast line.

The reserve has hundreds of acres of pristine lowland rainforest and six kilometers of deserted beaches, so it is rich in wildlife, with a wide variety of monkeys, more than 250 species of birds, and an exotic flora; but its special mission has been to protect the critically endangered Leatherback Turtles.

In 1994 a volunteer turtle protection program was established at the Pacuare Matina Forest Reserve and is made up of volunteers and students. Visitors are welcome and upon arrival are given an orientation and invited to participate in the night patrol of walking the beaches to make sure poachers are not taking the turtles or the eggs. Visitors can stay at the very rustic lodge located on the property.

There are no public facilities at the Pacuare Matina Forest Reserve. Other nearby Costa Rica parks includes Tortuguero National Park, Dr. Archie Carr Wildlife Refuge, Limoncito Wildlife Refuge, Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge and Cahuita National Park.

Getting to Pacuare Matina Forest Reserve:

From San José, take the Guapiles highway toward the city of Limon. Turn off near a village named Matina and go about 30 minutes through very scenic route of banana plantations to La Trocha, located along the Tortuguero canals. Boat from the lodge picks you up and then it is a 20 min ride to the reserve.

By bus

Take a bus from the route San Jose – Matina – Batan, which takes 2 hours (Grupo Caribeños, +506 2222-0610).

By plane:

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Tortuguero airport, either with Sansa, TravelAir or Aerobell Airlines, both with daily flights.

Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Refugio Nacional de Fauna Silvestre Barra del Colorado Costa Rica

Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge Costa Rica is situated between Tortuguero National Park and Nicaraguan border. Ecologically it is very similar to Tortuguero because of the canals, rivers, swamps, gaps, river islands and hills. Barra del Colorado is in a very rainy area and the failure to have not a marked dry season makes it dominating the humid and very hot climate. The refuge is no longer used for farming as earned its status as a protected area later. Definitely, a boat trip along the San Juan River, which forms the border to Nicaragua, shows the contrast between the two countries, with thick forest to the Nicaraguan side and much farmland on the Costa Rican side. However, there is plenty of rainforest species similar in range to those at Tortuguero. The reserve is mostly comprised of the San Juan River delta which drains in Nicaragua Lake. The Colorado River is the main distributary on the Costa Rican side and it is at the mouth of this river that people finds the village of Barra del Colorado, divided into Barra Norte on the river’s north side and Barra Sur to the south. The airstrip is at Barra Sur.

The 2000 or so inhabitants of the river delta are a mixture of Afro-Caribbean, Costa Rican Indians, Costa Ricans and some Nicaraguans who fled across the border during that country’s civil war. Barra’s closeness to the instability in Nicaragua has held up tourist development, but this is likely to change in the not too distance future.

With an average temperature of 26C (79F) and an annual rainfall of 4000mm (160in), the refuge has a similar climate and natural vegetation to Tortuguero. The wildlife is equally good, particularly as there are fewer disturbances, but the reserve is less accessible and there are few trails, so that most viewing is by boat. People are certain to see mammals such as Three-toed Sloths and both Spider and Howler Monkeys, while reptiles include caymans, crocodiles and the omnipresent iguana. There is a wide range of forest and water birds, such as the famous toucans, Green Macaws, parrots, trogons and jacanas, as a whole selection of the heron family. This is also the best location in Costa Rica to see the endangered Manatee pasting under the water.

Most of the people, however, come to Barra del Colorado for the sport fishing, as it is in fact one of the most important areas in Costa Rica dedicated to this activity. The best season for tarpon fishing is from February to late May, while snook are trapped in droves from September to October, through there is good fishing to be had at any time of the year. Other fishes available in that zone include the spectacular rainbow bass, barracudas and the amazing Gaspar fish, the one that is known as a living fossil thanks to its large mouth with sharp teeth which makes it look like a crocodile. Although, there is deep-sea fishing offshore for both marlin and sailfish. Most lodges operate a ‘catch and release’ policy.

The refuge has a ranger station with general information, drinking water, restrooms, a research center and higher education on the Humid Tropics, showroom, public telephone, a river port, airport and bus terminal. Furthermore, in the village you can find food and lodging services. Other nearby parks include Tortuguero National Park, Dr. Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge and the Corredor Fronterizo Costa Rica – Nicaragua National Wildlife Refuge.

Getting to Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge:

From San José, take the Guapiles highway toward the city of Limon. Near Limon, at the Bay of Moin, is the beginning of a navigable canal which leads northward through the Cariari National Wetlands.

The only access to Barra del Colorado is by boat or by plane. The ships can be boarded at Hamburg Port, just north Moín, schedule early morning departures only, or, alternatively, visitors can enter by the Sarapiquí River in Puerto Viejo.

By bus

Take a bus from the route San Jose – Cariari – Tortuguero, which takes 2 hours (Empresarios Guapileños, 2710-7780 / Rubén Bananeros, 2709-8005 / Copetrac, 2767-6139). To Tortuguero must get off at the last stop in Cariari, take the bus going to La Guees and then take a boat. We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved and if driving to Tortuguero, a 4×4 vehicle is highly recommended.

You can also take a bus from San Jose – Cariari (Copetrac, 2767-6139) from the Gran Terminal Caribe to connect with buses to Puerto Lindo or to La Pavona. Then take either public water taxi or arrange to have your lodge collect you. There is also bus service between Cariari and Guapiles. Morpho Travel (2711-0674) offers boat service between Tortuguero and Pavones.

By plane:

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Barra del Colorado airport, either with Sansa, TravelAir or Aerobell Airlines, both with daily flights.

Location: between Tortuguero National Park and Nicaraguan border on the Caribbean coast.
GPS Coordenates: 10.751839,-83.589853 (10°45’06.62″N, 83°35’23.47″W)
Size: 92,000ha (227,000 acres)
Altitude: above sea level
Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge Telephone: +(506) 2711-1201
Fax: +(506) 2710-7673
Tortuguero Conservation Area (ACTO) Telephone: +(506) 2710-2929
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Barra del Colorado Airport in Limon, Costa Rica at Google Maps

Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Dr. Archie Carr Costa Rica

Dr. Archie Carr Wildlife Refuge Costa Rica was created on May 19th, 1994 to operate the John H. Phipps Biological Station and Casa Verde Visitor’s Center, which executes a sea turtle-tagging program among other research activities on its beaches. It is located within the Tortuguero Conservation Area, in Limón Province, Costa Rica. The refuge was named after Dr. Archie Carr (born on June 16th, 1909 in Mobile Alabama), who set up the Caribbean Conservation Corporation in the same area in 1955.

Due to its proximity to Tortuguero and Barra del Colorado National Parks, its wildlife its almost the same. At Dr. Archie Carr Wildlife Refuge are around 400 species of birds, about 57 kinds of amphibians, 111 reptiles and 60 mammals, including many of the endangered animals in the country, such as jaguars, tapirs, ocelots, mountain lions. Similarly, the refuge has a large population of monkeys, anteaters, sloths, bats, river otters, alligators, crocodiles, birds, among which are toucans, parrots and kingfisher, as well as seven types of freshwater turtles. Manatees can occasionally be seen under water. Similarly, thanks to the large number of exotic shrubs on the ground is easy to observe swarms of butterflies.

Undoubtedly, the history of the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) is forever intertwined with the life and accomplishments of Dr. Archie Carr, who was truly a remarkable man. Through his research, teaching and writing, Dr. Carr is responsible for accumulating and distributing much of what is known about the biology and life cycle of sea turtles, who also is credited by many for bringing the first international attention to the plight of marine turtles.

For 20 years Archie Carr was chairman of the Marine Turtle Specialist Group of IUCN’s Survival Service Commission, forging and directing the international movement for the conservation of sea turtles. During his tenure as chairman he was not afraid to take controversial stands. He consistently fought against the commercial “ranching” of sea turtles and sale of their products, a position that was supported by U.S. regulations and by CITES convention. He also opposed the removal of sea turtle species from the IUCN endangered or threatened lists merely because particular populations appeared to be doing well.

Besides his conservation work on behalf of sea turtles, Archie Carr also supported his wife’s effective campaigns for conservation in Florida, and in the past few years devoted increasing time to the problem of marine pollution by plastics and petroleum. He won numerous awards and honors for his conservation work. These include the World Wildlife Fund’s Gold Medal, the Smithsonian Institution’s Edward W. Browning Award, the New York Zoological Society’s Gold Medal, and the Hal Borland Award of the National Audubon Society. He was also appointed, by Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, an officer of the Order of the Golden Ark.

Getting to Dr. Archie Carr Wildlife Refuge:

From San José, take the Guapiles highway toward the city of Limon. Near Limon, at the Bay of Moin, is the beginning of a navigable canal which leads northward through the Cariari National Wetlands and into the wilderness area of Tortuguero National Park.

The only access to Tortuguero and Dr. Archie Carr Wildlife Refuge is by boat or by plane. The ships can be boarded at Hamburg Port, just north Moín, schedule early morning departures only, or, alternatively, visitors can enter by the Sarapiquí River in Puerto Viejo.

By bus

Take a bus from the route San Jose – Cariari – Tortuguero, which takes 2 hours (Empresarios Guapileños, 2710-7780 / Rubén Bananeros, 2709-8005). To Tortuguero must get off at the last stop in Cariari, take the bus going to La Guees and then take a boat. We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved and if driving to Tortuguero, a 4×4 vehicle is highly recommended.

By plane:

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Tortuguero airport, either with Sansa, TravelAir or Aerobell Airlines, both with daily flights. For further information about this park contact the Tortuguero Conservation Area (ACTO).

Location: 1 km north of Tortuguero town, between Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge and Tortuguero National Park in Limon, Costa Rica
Tortuguero GPS Coordinates: 10.396217,-83.485778 (10°23’46.38″N, 83°29’08.80″W)
Size: 54 ha (109 acres)
Tortuguero National Park Telephone: +(506) 2709-8086
Fax: +(506) 2710-7673
Tortuguero Conservation Area (ACTO) Telephone: +(506) 2710-2929
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192
Web site: www.conserveturtles.org

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