Parque Nacional Corcovado, Costa Rica (A Photographic Memory)

This picture was taken November 16th, 2005, exactly seven years ago.

Hiking the secluded beaches of Parque Corcovado.

Corcovado National Park is the largest national park in Costa Rica.  It's located on the Osa Peninsula in the southwest region of the country.  To get to Corcovado, it’s a modest 10-hour bus ride from San Jose to Puerto Jimenez, then a 1.5 hour taxi ride to Carate, before you can hike one kilometer to the park entrance at La Leona. 

With its pristine vistas, Corcovado’s tranquility is only surpassed by its abundant bio-diversity.  The park is home to roughly 140 different mammal species, 400 bird species, and 500 species of trees.  Four ranger stations are connected along a network of timeless trails providing sanctuary to nature lovers, hikers, and tourists alike.

I'll always remember what the ranger at the La Leona station told me when our group first arrived.  “Avoid crossing too far up the river because you may encounter crocodiles, and don’t cross too close to the mouth of the river because sharks like to feed there.”  It wasn't reassuring.