Costa Rica’s northern zone has a bright future for eco tourism.  This photo  of the large tree (below) was taken in Rincon de la Vieja  National Park where one can see the true primary rainforest.  The trees have buttresses up to three meters in diameter. The sunlight almost never reaches the rainforest floor because of the thickness of  canopy above. This creates a jungle floor rich in nutrients.  Leaf cutter ants roam the undergrowth . I saw a path of leaf cutter ants in Corcovado National park 10 meter in length.  Every leaf was eaten.

To venture into this rainforest’s treasures is a treasure unto itself.   

What is a primary rainforest?   A rainforest which is relatively unaffected by human activities.  This  means it has NEVER  been cut down to make room for pastures, crops, or recreational developments.   These rainforests sometimes receive up to 200 inches of  rainfall in one year. In Costa Rica I have experienced four different  primary rainforests. What a wonderful experience to walk below the forest canopy early in the morning to  hear the sounds of the singing birds, like a symphony!  Rincon de la Vieja national park, 2,000 feet above sea level,  warm and humid, given this name because the indigenous people-Chorotegas- of this region said an old witch lived on the top of the volcano.   Stay on the trails here and do not hike alone or after sunset. There are  many quicksand pools and gurgling hot waters known as geyers shutting up stream 10 feet into the air. So watch where you walk.  The largest geothermal electrical generation plant in Costa Rica  is located here.

Corcovado National Park in the southern Pacific, very warm and very rainy.    The souther Caribbean region is located at sea level.  Here the climate is very very hot and humid with up to 300 inches of rain per year.   Here you will find large growths of primary rainforest,  home to  monkeys, sloths, toucans,   and jaguars. . This is park is  remote and hard to get there, and you must have a naturalist guide,  easy to get lost here.

Each one of these National Parks is different and all are spectacular.  I hope if you vacation to Costa Rica you will visit at least one or more of these National Parks.

The government of Costa Rica  has set aside 25% of it land surface in National Parks and Wildlife Reserves. With the purpose of preserving and protecting  areas of spectacular natural beauty and ecological significance, and to use these areas for scientific and environmental research  This has brought tourist  to Costa Rica from all over the world.   Costa Rica  has established 18 National Parks, each has it’s own ecosystem.  Additionally,  Costa Rica has established  more than a dozen Wildlife Reserves.

In Costa Rica’s northern zone the most famous is  Cano Negro National Wildlife Reserve, encompassing 24,000 acres.  It is composed of swamp and marshlands. Lake Cano Negro covers 1,900 acres during the wet season, but almost disappears completely in the dry season. Especially in the wet season in the months of November and December to mid January one can see hundreds of large birds migrating south and these birds stop here to feed.   You see white Ibis,  roseate spoonbills, Jarubis, and even storks.  Also you may see crocodiles, Jesus Christ lizards, white face monkeys, and sloths. 

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Here you can learn what  Ann, the Costa Rica Expert can do for you.  She can design a vacation itinerary just for you and your family which includes one or more of these primary Rainforest.   contact Ann   anncreed23@gmail.com