If you are a lover of hiking or want to start enjoying this activity and go sightseeing, this information will be of great interest to you.The “Camino de Costa Rica” is a project led by communities, the private sector, the Mar a Mar Association, the Government and other institutions. This project was declared of public interest and the idea came about thanks to the experience of hikers from Costa Rica who made the Camino de Santiago Compostela, in Spain.
This route has been explored for centuries by hikers seeking to cross the north of this country, the initial objective of this route was the pilgrimage to the tomb of the Apostle Santiago.The organizers of the Mar a Mar Association invested more than three years in adapting the model of the Camino de Santiago in Costa Rica.
Many places in Costa Rica to discover
Even National Geographic magazine featured a report on El Camino de Costa Rica.”Although it may not seem like it, there are still many places in Costa Rica to discover. Beyond the most popular tourist routes, the country still has a lot to offer. At least, that’s what Asociación Mar a Mar thought, the entity without organization responsible for the development of the new hiking proposal in Costa Rica: a route that has everything to become an international mecca for lovers of great natural settings”, can be read in the publication.
But what is the goal of this route?
Definitely activate the economy, but at the same time offer the tourist a unique experience, since it is not the same to know a country by car than to do it with your own two feet.
During 15 or 16 days you will be able to enjoy natural, cultural and gastronomic attractions; In this way, you can help small rural businesses and generate employment for the training of local guides.Lodgings, restaurants, hostels, supermarkets, taxis, and guides are some of the businessmen who benefit directly.
If you are wondering where it starts and where it ends, here we answer
The tour starts from the Caribbean coast area, in the towns of Parismina or Barra delPacuare, in either of these two towns you will take a boat to the Goshen Dock, where the walk begins.The final arrival point is Quepos.
What places does the route pass through?
The walk can be done in an average of 15 or 16 days, the total distance is 280 km, three Atlantic, Central and Pacific sectors are visited. And it crosses four provinces: Limón, Cartago, San José and Puntarenas.
You can visit the townsor places of Parismina, Barra de Pacuare, Cimarrones, Barbilla National Park, Valle Escondido, Bajo Pacuare, Pacayitas de Turrialba, La Suiza, Humo de Pejibajje, Río Macho, Navarro de Muñeco, Palo Verde, La Luchita/Cerro Alto, Jardín de Dota, San Pablo de León Cortés, Nápoles, Naranjillo, London and finallyQuepos.
The path can be done in independent stages, but the organizers recommend doing the route with guides, who are the ones who know the terrain perfectly and can provide you with better recom mendations.
Nature and gastronomy
One of the greatest advantages of walking this route are all the natural settings that you can enjoy: rivers, waterfalls, farms, fields with crops characteristic of the area, hospitable people, forests, animals, among other attractions.
On the other hand, hikers enjoy the delicious Costa Rican food.How about having a rice and beans for lunch coming from the Caribbean or tasting a traditional smoked chicken from the Bribri community.There is no doubt that this route is a box of surprises.
Costs?
According to calculations by Mar a Mar, a weekend doing two stages of El Camino, the operator would charge around ¢55 thousand.The cost that would be charged for the entire route with a lot of logistics support could be around $2,000 to $3,000, but it can be considerably less depending on the travel conditions of each group.
Main Route
• Canals of Barra de Parismina-Cimarrones (Siquirres)
• Cimarrones (Siquirres)- Pacayitas (Turrialba)
• Pacayitas (Turrialba)-TapantíNational Park (Orosi)
• TapantíNational Park (Orosi)-Muñeco de Navarro (Orosi)
• Dollfrom Navarro (Orosi)- Cerro Alto (Cartago)
• Cerro Alto (Cartago)- Garden of Dota (Dota)
• Garden of Dota (Dota) -Naples (Tarrazú)
• Naples (Tarrazú)-Naranjillo (Tarrazú)
• Naranjillo (Tarrazú)-Quepos (Puntarenas)
