Costa Rica is an immensely beautiful country that offers amazing places where you can visit, see and discover. And what better way to get to know well the wonderful natural corners of the country by camping.
Camping in summer or winter in Costa Rica is one of the fun, tourism and adventure activities that many families and friends can take advantage of. It is a very economical tour and there are beautiful destinations to choose from.
Here is a list of some of the best known and recommended places for camping in Costa Rica:
Corcovado National Park
Camping in Corcovado is a perfect option, it offers tropical jungles, beaches and the sea. Corcovado is a unique camping experience in Costa Rica. This tourist destination is renowned worldwide for its diversity of fauna and flora. You can do a trail and get in touch with nature. Drinking water, public telephones and first aid centers for campers are available in the park. There are different access routes through La Leona, Los Patos station, San Pedrillo station or by taking a direct boat from Puerto Jiménez or from Sierpe to Sirena.
Recommendations: Transportation costs can be high depending on the means you choose. Bring insect repellent and sunscreen, as well as comfortable shoes that can ideally get wet. It is possible that it will rain on the way. Contact the park administration in advance as some stations or trails may be closed due to weather conditions.
Activities: Observation of flora and fauna, walks, enjoy the beaches, drinking water, hot water, first aid medical center, radio and telephone.
Fees: $ 4 for camping in Corcovado National Park.
Rincon de la Vieja National Park
It is located within the Guanacaste Conservation Area, where the Rincón de la Vieja and Santa María volcanoes are located. It has an impressive landscape and has beautiful meadows, waterfalls and waterfalls.
Location: 27 km northeast of the city of Liberia in Guanacaste.
Recommendations: Ideal for hiking and horseback riding. In the Pailas sector there is an information booth, drinking water, toilets and showers, the presence of park rangers and in the Santa María sector, in addition to the above, you can find hot springs. There is no dining room service, nor is there a public telephone.
Activities: Hikes, horseback riding and picnic areas.
Rates: The right to camp in Rincón de la Vieja National Park varies between $ 1 and $ 2.
Gandoca Manzanillo
Gandoca Manzanillo is a Wildlife Refuge in Costa Rica ideal for a walk in contact with nature. The place is surrounded by reefs, forests and wetlands, as well as beautiful beaches with crystal clear waters.
Location: Southeast of the Caribbean coast, between the mouth of the Cocles river and the Sixaola river, in the province of Limón, canton of Talamanca, district of Sixaola. The Manzanillo sector is accessed by continuing the Puerto Viejo road 71 km from the center of Limón, while the Laguna Gandoca sector is accessed on the road that connects BriBrí with Sixaola, 95 km from the center of Limón.
Recommendations: The place offers some facilities to take into account such as park rangers, drinking water, restrooms and a lunch area.
Activities: Viewpoint at Punta Uva, leatherback turtle spawning, dolphin watching, deep and shallow water diving, kayaking, trails, exotic species observation, visit to indigenous reserves.
Rates: Camping in Gandoca Manzanillo is Free
Cerros de la Carpinteria
A great option for camping with friends! The Campo Escuela Nacional Iztarú is an establishment that offers some of the coolest camping facilities that can be found in Costa Rica and also offers different services such as cabins, meeting rooms, sports areas and campfires. At La Carpintera, you can also find plenty of space for sports, bathrooms, as well as basic wood-burning kitchens.
Location: It is located in the Protective Zone of La Carpintera, in Tres Ríos, Canton of La Unión, Cartago.
Recommendations: Comfortable shoes and clothes, there is a dining room with different menus. Although the weather is cool, the breeze can turn cold during winter. It is preferable to call to reserve.
Activities: Walks and sports activities. All areas have what is necessary for camping: areas for bonfires, showers, latrines and shelters with roofs and a grill, where you can hold meetings, prepare food with charcoal or firewood and play parlor games.
Prusia
The Prusia Park is part of the Irazú Volcano National Park. There is no permit to camp inside, but people use to camp in the surroundings and in the forest.
Location: 7 km north of the city of Cartago and 18 km southeast of the Irazú Volcano. To get to the entrance of the Prussian Park it is necessary to turn left on the street that passes in front of the Sanatorium and continue for at least 4 kilometers.
Recommendations: To enter the Prussian park, a 4 × 4 four-wheel drive vehicle is required. Pets or alcoholic beverages are not allowed. The park closes at 3pm. It is recommended to wear sunscreen, bring water, comfortable shoes, a hat, insect repellent and a cape, as the weather can get quite cold. Height can affect breathing and heart rate.
Activities: Within Prussia there are picnic areas and various trails to travel, up to 16 kilometers. It is ideal for nature lovers.
Rates: ₡ 400 children and seniors, and ₡ 1000 adults, to enter the park, which opens every day from 8 am.
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Fraijanes Forest
It is an absolutely beautiful Mountain Forest Camp and Recreation Park. It has multiple activities for a different adventure. Fraijanes offers its campers suitable camping areas, the Fraijanes lagoon, farms, strawberry plantations, coffee plantations and nurseries that you can see during your visit. Camping in Fraijanes is truly an experience to enjoy with the family.
Location: From the Courts of Justice in Alajuela, 15 km to the north, highway to the Poás Volcano. 20 minutes from downtown.
Recommendations: Bring comfortable clothes and shoes, water and appropriate food.
Activities: You can also buy food in the park, take your pets and enjoy cabins, ATVs, picnic areas, farms, horses and games, as well as camping.
Rates: ₡ 2000. Children under 10 years old are free.
Cahuita National Park
It is a wild natural area that protects one of the most important reefs in Costa Rica. It offers incredible flora and fauna, swampy forests and white sand beaches with spectacular scenery. Puerto Vargas and Playa Blanca are within the Cahuita National Park.
Location: 42 km south of the city of Limón, turning off to Sixaola.
Recommendations: The best months to camp in Cahuita are March, April, September and October since they are the least rainy in the Caribbean. It is advisable to bring fresh cotton clothing, insect repellent, drinking water and comfortable walking shoes. In the Cahuita beaches there are showers and changing rooms and many restaurants where you can eat.
Activities: In addition to camping in Cahuita, it is possible to swim, hike, photograph flora and fauna, dive in the coral reef, practice surfing and beach sports, among other diversions.
Rates to the Cahuita National Park: ₡ 1000 nationals and $ 5 foreigners.
Santa Rosa National Park
The Santa Rosa National Park offers three different places to camp: Santa Rosa and the Naranjo and Nacite Beaches. This place has great historical importance for Costa Rica, so you can visit the Museum of the Casona de Santa Rosa.
Location: 36 km north of Liberia in Guanacaste
Recommendations: Bring enough water, since only the place in Santa Rosa has drinking water and a telephone. Also wear fresh clothes, wear comfortable shoes, carry charcoal, lamps and spotlights.
Activities: Hikes on trails and viewpoints, tables and grills for cooking.
Camping in Santa Rosa National Park is $ 2 a night / per person
Final recommendations for camping in Costa Rica:
Finally, to help you have the best experience on your adventure, here are the 10 tips for camping in Costa Rica:
1- Map, compass and Gps not to get lost.
2- Sunscreen, sunglasses and repellent.
3- Suitable clothing for both climates. Warm sweater and pants for the night.
4- Flashlights or spotlights
5- First aid kit with gauze, bandages, cotton, needle, scissors, hydrogen peroxide and if you take any medicine, do not forget to bring it.
6- Flint, matches or lighter for the campfire.
7- Knife or Swiss army knife in case you need to repair something or to set up the tent.
8- Nuts, cereal bars and fruits that are excellent sources of energy for walks.
9- Water.
10- Tent, sleeping bags and blankets
