Costa Rica San Jose car rental and Parque Nacional Carara

The Carara National Park is known as one of Costa Rica's most beautiful protected areas. Located just two hours outside the capital of San Jose, Carara provides Costa Rica San Jose car rental travelers with an inside look at the country's most vulnerable ecological transition zones. A short drive along the Pan-American Highway is all that separates you from a world of virgin beauty - all you have to do is reach out and touch it.

A quick look at the park's history

The Carara National Park was established in 1979 as part of a land donation. The establishing body was the Instituto de Tierras y Colonization. The land was originally home to the El Coyolar Ranch. While the vast majority of the land was redistributed to family farmers, the land which runs parallel to the river became the Carara Biological Reserve.

Discover the beauty of Costa Rica

The Carara National Park in North Puntarenas is a 5,242 hectare expanse of land. It is home to an amazingly diverse array of flora and fauna, including a number of endanger indigenous species. Named after the Huetar word for “crocodile,” this national park supports some of the nation's most fragile ecosystems, including marshland, lagoons and gallery forests. Visiting the park in your Costa Rica San Jose car rental is a great way to educate yourself and your passengers on the local wildlife as well, thanks to frequent monkey, crocodile, armadillo and sloth sightings. The park is also home to boas, auoti, kinkajou, margay cats, jaguars and white tail deer. A wide assortment of birds can also be found in the park home, including the rare scarlet macaw, jacamars and trogons.

Who knew trees could be so interesting

Connecting with the environment is easy at the Carara National Park, especially if you've got a green-thumb. Costa Rica San Jose car rental travelers will discover ten of the most uncommon and rare hardwood trees in the country inside the park, not to mention dozens of vibrant flowers, and lush greenery. Vines are also a common feature of the Carara forest, as are the naturally occurring epiphytes. As beautiful as these trees may be, don't forget to take the time to look between them; observant Costa Rica San Jose car rental travelers will also discover a number of pre-Columbian archaeological sites dating back 2,000 years.

Take a tour to really enjoy the park

The best way to explore the Carara National Park is to embark on a guided tour of the grounds. These unique experiences can be arranged in either San Jose or Puntarenas via one of the local tour guides. The best time to visit is between March and April as these months boasts the least amount of precipitation. A word of warning to potential Costa Rica San Jose car rental tour participants - also remember to wear long pants when hiking the trails of Carara Park. Exposed skin is a tease for the hundreds of hungry insects that live inside the park! If you require a few supplies before heading into the park, don't worry - there's a visitor center in the park, as well as an exhibition hall and auditorium.

Information about the Park

Costa Rica San Jose car rental travelers can visit the Carara National Park between 8am and 4pm; please note that travelers are not permitted to camp at the park. The entrance fee to the park is $7. If you're traveling from San Jose, follow Avenida 10 to Parque La Sabana where it will turn into highway 27. Follow this for 34 miles west to the town of Orotina. Once you've passed Orotina, turn left onto Highway 34, the coastal highway. This will take you to the bridge over the Tarcoles River and the park's boundary. Costa Rica San Jose car rental travelers will find the Quebrada Bonita ranger station and park headquarters.