Cordillera Talamanca

The Talamanca range is like the spine of Costa Rica, running right in the middle of the nation. Famous for hiking and bird watching, consider yourself lucky if you are able to find a window for yourself when you get to admire the phenomenal vista without the clouds. Most of the hikers to the Talamanca range play the wait-and-watch, so as to be able to view Costa Rica from one of its highest vantage points. If you are planning to hike one of the four peaks of the cordillera, you would want to reach here a day in advance, and book yourself in one of the lodges. There are frequent buses that run from the capital San Jose, and would gladly drop you right in front of where you are put up. The approximately 3,451 m of elevation to the summit called Cerro de la Muerte is definitely going to test your hiking skills. The Costa Rican natural park's beauty accentuates during the rainy seasons, but due to the infamous past of the highway, you may want to avoid when torrential rains are expected. Additionally, there is no point in hiking a range when it would be all cloudy, which it is most of the times. An above average level of hiking skills are required to make it to the top of the Talamanca range, so check if you are in good shape.