Carara

Skip to content

Home

Carara

Carara National Park was established on 1978 as a biological reserve. The government upgraded its category to national park in 1990 due to the massive numbers of tourists that visited it.

Quick Facts and Data

History

Carara National Park was created to promote research and scientific studies and as a forest reserve for environmental education. Fifteen archeological sites have been found in Carara, corresponding to two stages of the early Costa Rican inhabitants, Phase Pavas (300 BC-300 AC) and Cartago (800 - 1500 DC).

Flora and fauna

Flora: there are over 1400 species of plants at the park. Carara is a transitional forest, species from the dry and humid forests can be found here. Some of them are: espavel, guarumo, guanacaste, cristobal, ojoche, ajillo and cornizuelo.

Fauna: it is abundant, despite how isolated the park is. The most outstanding species are: racoons, pizote, saino, anteaters, white faced monkey, two toed sloths, martilla, deers and four eyed foxes.

A very beautiful bird found here is the ara macaw (lapa roja), since it has practically dissapeared from the dry Pacific.

Many of the species that can be found here are in danger of extinction or have very reduced populations.

Getting there

From San Jose

Drive towards Atenas through Orotina, and then on towards Jaco, just after the Tarcoles River (Crocodile Bridge) you will find Carara. Driving time is about 1.5 to 2 hours.

From Puntarenas

Take the road from Puntarenas towards Caldera-Orotina; once you reach the Port of Caldera which is under an hour, start looking for the signs to Orotina-Jaco-Manuel Antonio follow the information until the Tarcoles River ; Carara is not farther than 3 km.

carara

View Carara National Park in a larger map

Services

Public restrooms, picnic tables, marked trails, lookout points, restrooms, parking lot handicapped facilities and a staffed information desk.

Recreational activities

Las Aráceas Trail
Length: 1300 meters
Time: 45 minutes (approximately)
Throughout the trail you can appreciate the huge trees from the primary forest. Some of them are up to 40 meters high.

Quebrada Bonita Trail
Length: 2200 meters.
Time: 90 minutes (approximately)
Ideal for bird watching. It counts with resting areas and look out points.

Acceso Universal Trail

Length:1070 meters

Time: 45 minutes (approximately)

Laguna Meándrica Trail

Length:2580 meters

Time: 120 minutes (approximately)

Used specially by ornithologists to watch the morning birds.

Interesting Facts

The word "Carara" is an indigenous term, reputedly meaning "river of crocodiles".
Carara's diversity is the result of its situation in a melding area between the dry forests to the north and the wet forests in the south.
Many endangered and threatened species live and breed here, like the American crocodile and the Purple Heart tree.
Considered a sanctuary of the rare and beautiful Scarlet Macaw.