Rincon de la Vieja on Fodor’s

As mentioned on the famous travel guide Fodor’s , Rincon de la Vieja National Park, Costa Rica’s mini Yellowstone,  is a place worth to visit. Activities like hiking, bird watching and horseback riding.

The author mentions as the top reasons to visit the park :

“Geological Wonders

The 3-km (2-mi) Las Pailas loop trail showcases the park’s famous geothermal features. Along the trail you’ll see fumaroles with steam hissing out of ground vents, a volcancito (baby volcano), and boiling mud fields named after pots (pailas) used for boiling down sugar cane.

rincon de la vieja

Climbing to the Crater

The hike to the crater summit is the most demanding, but also the most dramatic. The trail climbs 8 km (5 mi) through shaded forest, then up a sunbaked, treeless slope to the windswept crater, where temperatures plummet. Be sure to check wind and weather conditions at the ranger station before attempting this hike.

Birding

The park’s forest, alive with the haunting songs of the long-tailed manakin and the loud whinnies of the ivory-billed woodcreeper, is prime bird-watching territory. For intrepid birders, the winding trail leading to the crater is home to the rock wren, which can only be found on these slopes. ”

Rincon de la Vieja is located 22 kilometers from Liberia, in Guanacaste,  about a 60 minute  from the Papagayo area. Some people choose to stay in hotels in the area. One of the options to stay is Hacienda Guachipelin. Hacienda Guachipelin is a hotel and adventure center located right next to the national park, and offers horseback back rides, canopy tours, canyoning, and hot springs.

For reservations from US or Canada Call Toll Free 1-888-730-3840.Other parts of the world, please call our direct phone ++506-2666-8075 or send us an email to info@guachipelin.com