The Cerro de la Muerte in Costa Rica

Cerro de la muerte, Costa Rica / Photo: Lsobrado [CC BY-SA 3.0] Wikimedia Commons
Cerro de la muerte, Costa Rica / Photo: Lsobrado [CC BY-SA 3.0] Wikimedia Commons

For a long time the southern part of Costa Rica has remained isolated and almost impenetrable to man, it is a good place to lose yourself in Costa Rica's nature. Lush tropical forests adorn the entire region.

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The Talamanca mountain range divides the southern part of Costa Rica, giving the place beautiful mountain scenery and tropical forests. The Osa Peninsula and the Burica Peninsula are two wild places teeming with life. On both peninsulas you can visit several villages surrounded by tropical forest. To the south we find several hills, in them there are many natural parks and they are excellent places for ecological and natural tourism, the best known hill is the Cerro de la Muerte.

Visiting the Cerro de la Muerte in Costa Rica

On the Cerro de la Muerte you can see several villages around the surrounding highway. Many are located on the borders of the Tapantí National Park. Tapantí National Park is one of the most difficult to access and it is recommended to enter via Orosí. This region has very quick access from Sant José and has become a popular destination for day trips from Sant José, Costa Rica. The area is full of peaks that are covered by numerous clouds and in the valleys of these clouds become misty. This makes the place look great and ideal for hiking and enjoying nature.

Hiking in Costa Rica - El cerro de la Muerte (The Hill of Death)

This area is ideal for hiking in Costa Rica, birdwatching and even enjoying the lodges in the area. In the lodges it is easy to find some organized excursions, we can be guided by the organizers of these and complete a stay in the middle of tropical nature. There are plenty of trails in the area and it is an excellent place to go mountain biking. For those mountain biking enthusiasts who have their bike equipment with them, it will be very interesting to ride along these trails full of unforgettable landscapes.
It is possible to visit different villages in the area, as long as you have a 4×4 vehicle suitable for driving on these roads. We can approach Santa María de Dota and Copey by a road that turns off to the right. A little further south we can reach San Gerardo de Dota, which is accessed by a winding and rugged road through beautiful valleys and surrounded by tropical forest, in this place it is easy to find different offers of accommodation and rest to be able to explore the area more intensively.

Hotels and accommodation in Costa Rica

Accommodation in the area is plentiful, although with the special characteristic that they are not large hotel complexes but family hostels and rented rooms, where most have the minimum services such as hot water, in others we can even have cookers to warm us from the cold of the night. At night it cools down and it is important to bring some warm clothes and socks, the atmosphere is very humid and usually very penetrating.

Although there is always the exception and we can find luxury in nature there is a complex where there are 20 rustic cabins with private bathroom and restaurant, this complex is located in San Gerardo De Dota. So although the more informal and adventurous accommodation abounds we can also find luxurious places with all the services at our disposal.

Whatever your choice of accommodation, we assure you that the lush tropical forests of the area and all the wild and natural surroundings make this place a must when travelling to Costa Rica.