Hitoy-Cerere Biological Reserve and Costa Rica Airport Rental Car

Travel to the Hitoy-Cerere Biological Reserve with your Costa Rica airport rental car and discover the beauty it has to offer. Undeveloped and virtually unexplored, the Hitoy-Cerere Biological Reserve is only for most adventurous and fit hikers. Although there is a ranger station at the entrance, no other facilities exist so you will want to come fully prepared when you visit with your Costa Rica airport rental car.

A little geography

The Hitoy-Cerere Biological Reserve is surrounded on three sides by indigenous people's reserves, the Telire to the west, Talamanca to the South and Tayni to the north. To the east and in the lowlands are the massive banana plantations of the Estrella valley and it is through this area that the reserve is accessible.

It's all in the name

Hitoy-Cerere derives its name from two words in a local indigenous language, hitoy means "wooly", in reference to the green blanket that covers everything and cerere means, "water", because of the abundance of rivers and streams. This park hasn't been studied in depth and it is not often visited, because of its precipitous terrain and wet climate but these two factors have produced a biological diversity that may prove to be one of the richest in Costa Rica. The temperature is consistently warm with daytime temperatures averaging around 25 degrees C and rain is possible any time of the year Major park attractions The Hitoy-Cerere Biological Reserve protects the foothills of the Talamanca Mountain Range in the Caribbean Brunca region. The primary river basins are the Rio Hitoy and the Rio Cerere. Here with your Costa Rica airport rental car you will be able to find a great abundance of mammalian fauna including jaguars, peccaries, white-faced monkeys, howler monkeys, tapirs, anteaters, sloths, armadillos, pacas, deer, and agoutis. In addition, there are over 300 species of birds. But be prepared to work for it; the trails here are poorly maintained and the uphills can be a challenge so you will want to make sure you come prepared.

In touch with nature

The total area of the Hitoy-Cerere Biological Reserve comprises an area of about 9154 hectares covering forests, water bodies and mountains. This area is a delight for all the Costa Rica airport car rental travelers that come here and who want to discover wilderness uninhibited. Such an unusual and rugged mountain results in a difference in slope, soil, incline and drainage. Therefore there are various forms of vegetation that have emerged. The forest compositions at a different slope are distinctly different from each other. But generally the trees and the forests rise high. Mosses and lichens, bromeliads and orchids cover the trees here. The trees that grow here are crabwood, Santa Maria, possum-wood, wild tamarind, silk cotton, malady, bully tree, balsa, gumbo-limbo and cow tree. The area is also surrounded by other reserves of Talamanca, Telire and Tayní.

Taking a hike

Since the Hitoy-Cerere Biological Reserve receives few visitors; the reserve has only one poorly maintained hiking trail. The 5.6-mile trail is steep, slippery and often muddy, recommended only for experienced hikers. However, for those Costa Rica airport rental car travelers with the expertise to tackle this rustic path, the Hitoy-Cerere Biological Reserve offers huge, tumbling waterfalls, evergreen expanses and views that stretch for miles. In addition when you travel with your Costa Rica airport rental car you will be able to find several indigenous communities live within the reserve – with advance notice, several area tour operators can arrange trips to their small towns.

Around the area

Other nearby parks include Cahuita National Park , Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge., Aviarios del Caribe Wildlife Refuge. and Cuenca Rio Banano Protected Zone.