HELLO FAMILY!
My name is Sergio Latorre, and I am another passionate about travel, lover of nature and the adventures that it brings us. This month we inaugurate our new section, Los Perkal Trip! To begin with, we bring you a destination that is becoming very fashionable and we think you are going to love it. Costa Rica, The country of Pura Vida!
If you like adventure, it is without a doubt your destination for your next vacation.
We present our trip, a total of 30 nonstop days, visiting secret beaches, crossing jungles on hanging bridges over 100m high, surfing in the best spots in the world ...
Join us and be part of this adventure!
Day 1. We are heading to Costa Rica! Arrival in San José and traditional dinner.
It seemed like the day was not coming, but here we are, the Perkal team heading for their first trip!
We flew with Iberia making a stopover in Madrid. It's time to gather strength that is 11 hours of flight and as you already know, food on airplanes is not a delicacy.
Day 2. We pick up our rental car and head to Tortuguero.
The road to Tortuguero is about 3 hours from the capital. Crossing the Braulio Carrillo National Park and enjoying its landscapes becomes much more enjoyable. Of course, currently the roads are under construction throughout the country and that makes the transfers horrible.
Once we arrive at La Pavona (it is a small ¨port¨) we take the public boat with a price of $ 3 that will take us to Tortuguero. This trip is already totally worth it, and hopefully you will start to see all kinds of animals.
Day 3. Lost in the Jungle! In search of the Jaguar.
The first day we went shooting on Tortuguero beach. We started walking the Jaguar Trail, without any kind of guide. Walking for hours through the jungle and then back on the beach. It is something that we recommend 100%. We saw all kinds of animals, we were even very close to the Jaguar, as we found their footprints on the beach.
Being able to see the Jaguar in its natural habitat is like finding the philosopher's stone, even so we did not lose hope and we went in search of the Tortuguero National Park. There are several guides who say they have seen it doing the route through the canals, but if you want to see it, you have a better chance of doing it on the beach, since the jaguar will feed on the turtles that nest there.
This is a small map of Tortuguero, so that you can get an idea of the piece of place you are going to visit if one day you head to Costa Rica
Day 4. We tour the Tortuguero canals.
Today it's early morning! Up at 5 AM, shower and banana. All ready to tour the Tortuguero canals. They call it the little Amazon, and it's totally understandable. Touring this place by canoe is not wasted. We recommend doing it with rowing, since being able to enjoy the awakening of the jungle with all its sounds is priceless.
Day 5. Cerro Tortuguero and in search of animals.
This morning he plays rutita! We took the public boat, towards Cerro Tortuguero.
We remember that the entrance fee to the park has a cost of $ 15 / day, so we recommend doing the canoe tour and the hill on the same day to take advantage of the entrance to the Natural Park.
Day 6. Go to Cahuita! This place is another bummer.
It's time to drive! 4 hours to our new destination, Cahuita. Possibly one of the best natural parks in the world in the Caribbean Sea. We toured the entire park for about 5 hours, just brutal.
In Cahuita you do not pay entry, they simply ask you for a donation (mandatory) for the maintenance of the park, which given its current state, there is no doubt that they invest everything they receive in its care and maintenance because the facilities are very well cared for.
Day 7. Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. The most “hippie” side of Costa Rica.
The Reggae roll reigns in this beach town. Play a little chill after all that reed.
Day 8. The rain does not stop us. Punta Uva and Manzanillo.
It seemed not, but finally we got to get a little wet! Today we visit the Manzanillo Natural Park, a must if you are in the Caribbean.
Day 9. Odyssey to the Pacific.
Today we cross to the Pacific, and no one takes away the 8 hours of travel, but our destination is too worth it.
Day 10. We arrive at the most intense biological place on the planet, welcome to the Corcovado National Park. Night in the Jungle.
We traveled the Corcovado, between uninhabited beaches and lush jungles for 9 hours with the sun behind us. It is true that it was very hard, but it is too worth it.
We saw all kinds of animals, like the Tapir and the Anteater; Jaguar or Puma footprints and we were lucky enough to see an Ocelot. Incredible.
Walking around here disconnects you from the world. Although we warn you that the price of this tour is not cheap, we recommend it 100%. The price we paid was $ 150 per person and included dinner, breakfast and the night at the Sirena station and the guide, since it is totally forbidden to enter alone.
You will wonder why this beach has this name, so very easy. It is recommended to cross this beach at 12 noon because in the following hours the tide rises and the sandy area fills with crocodiles and bull sharks.
Further on, you will have to cross a river Yes or Yes, there is no other, to get to Sirena. It is also recommended to cross this river when the tide is not very high (we cross it with the water at the knees), since bull sharks usually use it to go up to the interior of the park. They are the only sharks that can swim in fresh and salt water so they go for a walk in many rivers in Costa Rica.
Day 11. Morning trekking to spot animals and heading to Drake Bay.
We got up early again (for a change), and walked several trails near the Sirena station. Surely at the mouth of the river you can see crocodiles and hopefully the odd bull shark.
We remember that these tours are wilder than others that you can do in Costa Rica, but they are totally safe and there have been no attacks on people.
Day 12. We return to Sierpe. In search of giant crocodiles.
During this day we did the wetlands tour to see more animals. We saw quite a few things, but to be honest, the Tortuguero tour through its canals is much better, so we don't recommend this one if you can do the other one. We pay 33 $ approx, but it will always vary depending on your ability to haggle 😉
Day 13. We go to Uvita. Marino Ballena National Park.
Today we visit the famous Natural Whale Tail! It is only seen first thing in the morning, so it's time to get up early again, but well deserved! The entrance to this park has a cost of $ 6. We will have time to rest at the end of the trip, now we continue on the road!
Day 14. We continue! Manuel Antonio National Park. These Pacific beaches are not normal.
Another obligatory Natural Park on your visit to Costa Rica. The entrance price is $ 15 and at your choice you can decide to do it with or without a guide.
In our opinion, it is one of the most beautiful parks in the country.
Day 15. We stopped in Jacó, Surf Spot.
Jacó is a place that has quite a bad reputation among the local people, and they are right. When night falls and the party starts, the streets fill with prostitutes and people who want to sell you all kinds of illegal things. Not cool.
Still you do not have to worry if you have a bit of a head. So play a little surfing! Let's give it a shot.
Day 16. Heading to Monteverde. We passed by the famous crocodile-infested river, the Tárcoles!
It is forbidden to go down to the River to feed the crocodiles or take photos of them. Due to the pollution of the river they are going a little blind and they are putting everything in their mouths. If you go there they will tell you some stories ...
Day 17. Monteverde and its Hanging Bridges.
Today we did the hanging bridges tour with Selvatura Park, highly recommended. The tour is free, and lasts between 2 or 3 hours depending on the pace you take, passing through a total of 8 bridges.
This Tour has a cost of $ 30, but it is very worth it. You can hire a guide for an extra, who goes in search of sloths, since at first glance they are very difficult to see.
Day 18. Ficus hollow and La Raíz
Today we got lost in the surroundings of Monteverde. We visited two brutal places. One of them, the Ficus Hueco, is difficult to access, since entry was currently prohibited because they are private lands, but what is prohibited is always cooler. On the other hand, The Root is one of those strange shapes that Mother Nature leaves us, in this case, the strange root of a tree.
Day 19. Heading to the Arenal Volcano and its Hot Springs
From Monteverde, 3 hours await us to the Arenal volcano, one of the jewels of Costa Rica. It is literally the typical movie volcano and it has no waste. In the afternoon we bathe in a free thermal water, called Chollín. Once there they will tell you the meaning of his name that has no waste.
Day 20. Rio Celeste and Tenorio volcano.
This place is magical! Located 1 hour from El Arenal, we find this wonder. Access has a cost of $ 16, and you can only pay by card. Luckily, that day was not working for them and we went through without problems. The trek to the waterfall is very good and if you want to get to the famous "dyeing" (where the water begins to mix and turn blue) it is a very hard climb, even so, it is well worth getting there. Bathing is prohibited in the same waterfall. To enjoy the turquoise water you have to swim in other parts of the river, a little further down.
Day 21. La Fortuna and jumps in its waterfalls.
We went to see the La Fortuna Waterfall. The cost of entry is $ 18. Yes, we know, in this country they charge too much to enter its natural parks, but we assure you that it is worth it. Near this waterfall you have some jumps that you can do with rope or from a rock. We advise you to go first thing in the morning, since there is no one and then it gets very crowded.
Day 22. Kayak in Arenal Lake. Crocodiles in sight!
We rented a kayak and we were touring the Arenal lake. According to the locals, there are quite a few crocodiles and we thought we saw some sunbathing, but since you go without a guide, we stayed away lest we turn over and be their next meal.
Day 23. Direction Guanacaste. We started with Montezuma!
Today it's time to get up early and make a route to the driest and hottest area of the country. We start with Montezuma, a small fishing village with great charm.
Day 24. Montezuma
Near the town, walking about 20 minutes, there are three waterfalls, one of them about 10m high from which you can jump. Then we spend the day at the beach, where we have to rest a bit from the trip.
Days 25 and 26. Santa Teresa
During the following days until the end of the trip, we take the opportunity to surf in different spots in the area recommended by local people. If you want to learn, it is the ideal place, plus there are many surf schools throughout the area. Choose the one that is most cool for you and into the water!
Days 27 and 28 Samara and Carrillo
These beaches are much quieter, ideal for swimming, since there is little current. Playa Carrillo is a 5 minute drive from Samara, and is a beach lined with palm trees. Brutal for a shooting for Perkal!
Day 29. Tamarindo
We ended our trip in Tamarindo, called by many locals TamaGringo, as it is filled with Americans who go to relax there during their vacations. The place has a lot of atmosphere and people usually meet during the sunset on the beach, and then the party continues at Pacífico, a club on the famous roundabout, packed with people when the sun goes down, ready to give it their all!
Day 30. Tamarindo. Heading to the capital and back home
It seemed not, but our first trip is coming to an end! From the Perkal team we hope that this Blog will help you set up your trip to Costa Rica, and you give it your all every day because the place is too worth it.
Everything good ends, or sometimes not? Anyway, we warn you that we have new destinations in mind, new adventures that we will share with you. Pure Life dude!
Until the next family!
