Guanacaste National Park

Guanacaste National Park (Parque Nacional Guanacaste) was created in 1989 and covers about 32,500 hectares of tropical dry forest, cloud forest, and rainforest across the slopes of the Orosí and Cacao volcanoes. It forms a biological corridor linking the dry forests of adjacent Santa Rosa National Park to Caribbean-facing rainforest across the continental divide, and is part of the larger Área de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) — a roughly 163,000-hectare complex, also including Santa Rosa and Rincón de la Vieja National Parks, that is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

By Plane

Daniel Oduber International (LIR) in Liberia, about 30-50 km depending on entrance.

By Train

Costa Rica has no passenger rail service to this area.

By Car / Road

Multiple entrances accessible from Liberia via Route 1 and local roads.

Hiking trails. 4x4 recommended for remote entrances.

• Orosí Volcano — Dormant volcano with cloud forest

• Cacao Volcano — Higher elevation with different ecosystems

• Tropical dry forest to cloud forest gradient — Dramatic vegetation changes with altitude

• Multi-day hiking through different ecosystems

• Birdwatching (resplendent quetzal possible in cloud forest)

• Volcano trekking

• Wildlife observation

Pack food and water for all hikes.

Bring water.

• Budget: Camping at designated sites
• Mid-range: Stay in Liberia or nearby lodges

None. Bring all supplies.

• Liberia — 30-50 km
• Rincón de la Vieja NP — Adjacent
• Santa Rosa NP — 40 km northwest