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Costa Rica has enough trails to keep serious hikers stepping for a long time, and the scenery those routes pass ranges from lowland rain forests to brisk mountain valleys. The routes themselves are as varied as the scenery, ranging from invigorating jaunts in the mountains near San José to backpacking adventures that lead you into the heart of the country's wilderness.
Nearly all of Costa Rica's national parks have short trails that can be hiked in an hour or two, while others have routes that take the better part of a day to complete, such as the trails to the top of Barva and Rincón de le Vieja Volcanoes. Santa Rosa, Corcovado and Chirripó National Parks have longer backpacking routes, which require several overnights in tents or Parks Service cabins. There are also plenty of well marked hiking trails in the country's growing number of private reserves.
There are beautiful trails in all of the national parks, as well as in almost any natural area; however, local information is sometimes very limited. Therefore, it’s best to go hiking in a tour that’s been arranged either locally or through a foreign agency. There are tour companies that include everything from a one hour hike to a hiking and camping trip that takes up to a week or ten days.
 Some essential things to take on any hiking or camping trip, in Costa Rica or elsewhere, are: canteens, good hiking boots, a hat, insect repellent and sunscreen. Due to the weather conditions in Costa Rica, a hiker must consider the rain factor and take: plenty of socks, raingear and a jacket. There are stores in San Jose that specialize in camping and hiking equipment, but they are more expensive than in the U.S. or other countries.
The main threats to hiker’s safety in Costa Rica are: dehydration; sunstroke; weather conditions (cold and the rain); snakes. All of the points, except the last one are common in hiking situations everywhere. Of 135 snakes that are present in this country, only seventeen are poisonous, but people must still take some precautions. For example, hikers should never hold on to branches or logs without looking first. They should also wear appropriate boots that cover part of the leg.
Whether you’re hiking in a rainforest, near a volcano or along the coast, you will encounter stunning natural sites in Costa Rica. Hiking is a good option for getting to know the country at a closer level than from the window of an air-conditioned bus. Just remember to take all the necessary equipment to assure you a safe and comfortable trip.
CONVENTIONAL HIKES
The National Parks offer established hiking routes. Since the idea of rainforest hiking is to see the rainforest, and preserve it as well, these hikes are laid out and marked by the park service, and in many instances the routes are “improved”― paving stones so you don't sink in mud, steps and handrails so you don't need to go hand-over-hand.
In any of the National Parks and private parks you are not permitted to wander off the trail, as that creates ecological damage. This style hiking is usually 2-5 hours and travels in a loop. Along the way there will be sign posted points of interest. The type animals you will see is determined by how many people are using the same trails, and how quiet you can stand while waiting. By the way, some National Parks allow camping in regulated camping areas accessible by car. None of the National Parks allow real penetration for jungle camping in pristine wilderness.
NATURALIST HIKES
Then there's another style of hiking ― the pure joy of walking slowly, standing still, and looking and seeing wonderful things. The sense of hurry drops away and the goal is purely to savor the surroundings. These hikes can be very short distances ― perhaps 2 kilometers in a silent cloud forest ― and take five hours to absorb everything there is to see, smell, hear, and sense.
Cloud forests demand this type of intimacy, and “hiking” in a cloud forest is closer to tip-toeing than walking. There's a serenity here that defies the outer world. There's nothing that can harm you in a cloud forest. Only peace, silence.
By the way, Monteverde is the most famous cloud forest, and certainly the most visited "nature" area in our small country. Because of its tourism popularity, Monteverde is referred to as the "crowd forest" by local Costa Ricans. Serendipity has selected instead several private cloud forests, which have the same ecology but without busloads of people.
RUGGED HIKES
Some of the more interesting hikes Serendipity offers are on preserves, both Indigenous lands and on national preserves ― as opposed to National Parks. These trails are used by native people, or by animals (believe it or not, big cats follow the same route followed by people since it is the easiest route). When our Indian leader tells us “it's two hours hike from here” he means two hours at Indian speed, or about five hours at white man speed. Even the very fit amongst our guides finds it impossible to keep up with the Indian trail blazers. So the overgrowth also slows down our progress. These hikes are rugged, unimproved, often slippery, and contain more dramatic terrain, flora and fauna.
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