La Amistad International Park

Location: San Jose, Limon and Puntarenas Provinces, 250 miles from San Jose via Inter-American Highway

See South Caribbean Tourism Region

Size: 479,000 acres in Costa Rica; 511,290 acres in Panama

Date of Creation: February 1982

Part of: Caribbean La Amistad Conservation Area

About: 

The word "amistad" means friendship. The park acquired its name because it extends to Panama - the country next door - and the relationship between these two countries is amicable.

The La Amistad International Park is surrounded by indian reservations: Chirripo, Tayni, Telire and Talamanca on the Atlantic coast and Ujarras, Salitre and Abagra on the Talamanca mountain range. Most of the Costa Rican Indian tribes used this area as a refuge from attacks by the Spaniards. The terrain was too rough for the more refined conquistador. He couldn't go pounding up these steep hillsides on his horse. Consequently, most Costa Rican indigenous peoples ended up settling in this area.

The park covers a great extension of the Talamanca mountain range, south from Chirripo Peak.

Most of the park has steep, lush terrain, and most of it has never been explored. The altitude is about 328 feet high. You can see the Kamuk peak, which is 11,644 feet high and Durika peak, which is 10,762 feet high.

Activities:

Hiking is available unmarked trials. Camping is permitted but there are no facilities.

Flora & Fauna:

Fauna: There are more than 263 species of amphibians and reptiles such as salamanders, lizards and anurans. There are more than 400 species of birds including the resplendent quetzal and the sooty-capped bush tanager. The most common mammals are ocelots, tapirs, puma, jaguar and banded anteater.

Flora: There are a lot of ferns such as the Lomaria fern which is more thansix feet high, and the esfagno sphagnum. The most common trees are oaks, cedars, ira, cypress, plus chira bromeliad B, red fungus, chira bromeliad C, and poor man's umbrella.

Facilities:

Several ranger stations are located in the park: the La Amistad international park station at Sector Pittier, the Tres Colinas Sector and the Altamira Sector.  The Las Cruces biological field station is near La Amistad at San Vito de Coto Brus. 

Fees & Schedule: 

Schedule: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Getting There:

If you want to explore the La Amistad limited trail, contact SPN office in San Jose in advance or go to a ranger station located on the small hamlet of Progreso, 25 miles northwest of San Vito where staff can provide you with information.

Note: It is easier to access the park via Las Tablas area, near San Vito de Coto Brus, where a few nature lodges stand near its borders.

Nearby:

The Wilson Botanical Garden, see botanical gardens of Costa Rica

Contact Info:

The Organization for Tropical Studies runs the Las Cruces Biological Field Station near La Amistad, at San Vito de Coto Brus.

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