Carara National Park
Size: 4,700 hectares
Distance from San José: 110 Kilometers
Trails: Yes.
Dry Season: November through April. |
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| Carara
National Park is a must for anyone interested in tropical biology.
Its high species diversity and ease of access make this a worthwhile
trip from San José, or on the way to parks further south. Carara's
diversity is the result of its situation in a "ecotone"
or melding area between the dry forests to the north and the wet
forests in the south. |
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Many endangered and threatened species
live and breed here, like the American crocodile and the Purple Heart
tree. Carara is also considered a sanctuary of the rare and beautiful
Scarlet Macaw. |
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| The word "Carara" is an indigenous term,
reputedly meaning "river of crocodiles". The area in which
the reserve is located was occupied by an indigenous culture that
is thought to have been allied with groups located in the Central
Valley from 300b.c. to 1500 a.d. Extensive tomb sites have been excavated
here, and the burial places of people of high status are remarkably
complex. |
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