Straddling the transition between the dry forests of Costa Rica’s northwest and the sodden rainforests of the southern Pacific lowlands, this national park is a biological melting pot of the two. Acacias intermingle with strangler figs, and cacti with deciduous kapok trees, creating heterogeneity of habitats with a blend of wildlife to match. It's not the biggest, not the wildest and not the most beautiful, but the significance of this national park cannot be understated. Surrounded by a sea of cultivation and livestock, it is one of the few areas in the transition zone where wildlife finds sanctuary. The park can easily be explored in half a day's expedition.
Carara is also the famed home to one of Costa Rica’s most charismatic bird species, the scarlet macaw. While catching a glimpse of this tropical wonder is a rare proposition in most of the country, macaw sightings are virtually guaranteed at Carara. And, of course, there are more than 400 other avian species flitting around the canopy, as well as Costa Rica’s largest crocodiles in the waterways – it’s best to leave your swimming trunks at home!
