6
May
2013
May Special
This month of May, Hacienda Guachipelin offers a very special discount: 25% off the regular rate. Guests will also receive $25 resort credit that can be applied for tours or massage. May is the month of the transition from the dry season to the rainy season. Actually May has a very nice weather, not very rainy and not very hot, yet the sunsets are still the famous Guanacaste sunsets.
guanacaste sunset
Rincon de la Vieja National Park is 14, 161 hectares big. It was declared This national park is named after the active Rincon de la Vieja Volcano. The summit is 1895 meters high. The main attraction is Las Pailas trail, a 3+ km trail with fumaroles, hot springs, mud pots and a strong sulfur smell , that surrounds the area. There are other attractions in the trail, like the little volcano, a very active hole that bursts with steam and a very loud jet like sound.
The mountain has another volcano, the inactive one, Santa María Volcano, whic has an altitude of 1916 meters, the highest by the way. The area has other attractions like the summit, presently closed to visitors due to activity, and very nice waterfalls. The most famous is La Cangreja, which is another “Rio Celeste“. This is a phenomenon that happens around volcanoes and the water turns blue.
(This offer only applies for reservations through Trip Advisor and does not apply with other offers or promotions, valido for the month of May)
5
Jul
2012
Las Pailas Trail at Rincon de la Vieja
The most visited National Park in Guanacaste is Rincon de la Vieja Volcano. Every year around 70.000 visitors enjoy the wonders of this national park.
The most visited trail in Rincon de la Vieja National Park is Las Pailas. The trail has a total distance of 3.5 km. The hike lasts around 2 hours.
The main reason to visit is the secondary volcanic activity, not to mention the waterfalls and the pristine rivers. The volcanic activity is manifested as mud volcanoes and fumaroles, a roaring little crater, hot springs, boiling mud pools, sulfur springs, lagoons full of boiling water. Other attractions are the 200 bird species, large mammals like the tapir, smaller mammals like howler monkeys, capuchin or white faced monkeys, spider monkeys, and more. Here are some recent pictures of the flora in the park.
Some important regulations to follow are:
- do not use soap in rivers and ponds
- stay on the path, there are dangerous high temperatures of the waters and vapors
- never feed the animals
- do not interact with any for of wildlife
- do not extract anything from the park (plants, animals or minerals)
- the use of proper shoes is mandatory
The admission $10 per person. Las Pailas is open from Tuesday to Sunday. The entrance is open to visitors from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm, but the parks closes at 5 pm.
The park was created by Law in October, 1973. Its has an extension is of 14.083.9 hectares. It is divided into two sectors: Santa Maria and Las Pailas.
There is a little convenience store at the park’s entrance. Things like bug spray, water, beer, ponchos, sunscreen, and snacks are sold. Free WIFI is also available. Very convenient to stay connected.
15
Aug
2010
Best for Solo travelers
Rincon de la Vieja National Park was mentioned in Travel and Leisure’s article as one of the best places for solo travelers in Costa Rica. Rincon de la Vieja National Park was created in 1974 for the only purpose of protecting the high waters of the Tempisque River. This Park is part of the Guanacaste Conservation Area , that presently has an extension of more than 115 thousand hectares. There are many interesting trails to visit at this park:
- Las Pailas Trail: This trail has a total distance of 5.4 kilometers. The duration of a hike on this trail is approximately 2 hours. A visitor will observe secondary volcanic activity, mud and fumaroles, hot springs, mud puddles. Also a great variety of plant life and animal life. Monkeys and large birds are common to observe. Visitors should not cross existing fences since the high temperatures can cause serious burns. Hiking shoes and drinking water is a must.
- The Crater top trail: This trail is for people with a good physical condition. The total distance is 15 kilometers and the time to cover the trail and return back to the rangers station is 7 hours. The final elevation is 1915 meters above sea level. Besides the plant and animal life, visitors will observe the effects of the lava eruptions from a distant past.
- There are 2 more trails in the park that are not so popular, but they are very interesting too. Azufrales , which means sulfur springs, about 14 kilometers and La Cangreja, which means Lady Crab, a blue waterfall similar to Rio Celeste.
la cangreja
Costa Rica is know as a family travel destination and an adventure destination. This country is strategically located south of the United States, just under 3 hours from mayor US airports. If you are interested in visiting Rincon de la Vieja Hacienda Guahipelin is a good place to stay. It is close to the Park and has lots of adventure tours. For reservations, please contact info@guachipelin.com or call toll free from US or Canada to 1-888-730-3840.