Osa Peninsula and Corcovado National Park

Our morning in this grandiose part of Costa Rica started with the sweet aroma of fresh coffee served at the lounge for our early guests. The first sun rays broke through the mist sleeping over the mountains while the clear sky announced another fabulous day full of magnificent discoveries.

Many of our guests started a promising long walk through the Corcovado National Park right after disembarking in San Pedrillo ranger’s station. A few more people preferred the twisted trail that leads to the waterfall. After struggling our way up the river, we were finally successful. The reward for the efforts was absolutely fantastic and we all enjoyed a refreshing dip into the water pond by the cascade of Corcovado.

The Osa Peninsula encompasses lush primary rain forests and a complex system of freshwater and marine resources. The remote region includes multiple protected areas. In 1975, with an assisted land acquisition of 86,485 acres, the Costa Rican government creates the more than 100,000-acre Corcovado National Park on the western part of the peninsula. The park was then much smaller than it is today, but throughout the years more land has been added from the surrounding areas.

This region is a geological formation which developed independently from the rest of Costa Rica and then joined the isthmus several million years ago. Its unique formation and naturally wet systems - which differ from the rest of the dry Pacific - have produced high levels of biodiversity. Corcovado and the Osa Peninsula contain extremely high species diversity. Biologists estimate that the area encloses approximately 10,000 species of insects, at least 2,418 species of plants, 700 species of trees, 140 species of mammals, 367 species of birds, 117 species of amphibians and reptiles, and 40 species of freshwater fish.

Once back on board the Sea Voyager, we were very pleased to hear that a wonderful barbeque lunch was waiting for us in Caletas. After this well earned meal, some of our guests got ready for an adventurous horse back ride to Rio Claro. Many more guests partook on the well known “reposition walk” that incidentally finishes in a local cantina. Later on, while the last guests came back on board the vessel, the traditional recap was announced, and our guests also enjoyed a short trip pre-view from the video chronicler. We all had a great day in Osa Peninsula!