Itinerary
Day 1
Today, we arrive in the community of San Gerardo de Rivas to register at the park ranger station. Visitors need to arrive before 3 p.m. in order to have enough time to complete this process. Please, let us know the estimated arrival time as soon as you have the information so we can make the arrangements and have a person waiting for you here. Once we have completed the check-in step, we will head towards Herradura community, the place where you will have dinner and spend the night.
Day 2
Early breakfast and departure. We will take a car that will drop us off at the entrance of the trail. From here, we will walk 15 km through pasture lands, secondary and primary forest, and the open county at 3,000 m.a.s.l. Finally, we arrive in the base camp known as "Paso de Los Indios" (Indian Pass). Here, we will spend the night. From the shelter, we will be able to see our target mountain "Cerro Urán". We have lunch and a short hike in the surroundings if we still have energy.
Day 3
Early breakfast and departure towards the summit of Mt Urán. This is a peak formed by lots of sharpy rocks. Visitors need to be very careful while climbing since anyone may slip. So, walk slowly and watch your step as you approach the peak. Here, the sunrise will be a spectacular event. A huge variety of colors will change fastly as the sun comes out from the horizon. We spend some time here and then we start our way back to the base camp to pick up our belongings and climb down all the way to Herradura.
Inclusions
- Assistance for registration at the park ranger station
- 1 night of lodging in Herradura (community)
- 2 days of admission to Chirripó National Park
- 2 days of local guiding service
- 1 night at the base camp
- Meals:
Day 1 Dinner
Day 2 Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 3 Breakfast and lunch
What to bring?
Items you need to bring include: Sleeping bag, raincoat or poncho, winter had, fleece, bottle of water or camel bag, hiking shoes (waterproof suggested), gloves, flashlight or headlamp, sunblock, a pair of shoes to wear in the shelter, and thermal layer is recommended.
FAQ´s
Do we visit the Chirripó peak when taking this trek?
No, this tour option is for visiting Mt Urán. This mount is located in the Chirripó National Park, but trekkers do not visit the Chirripó summit.
Is this trek open throughout the year?
Yes, the option is available at any time. However, September and October is the hurricane season in Costa Rica, so if you have flexibility, it is better to visit the place in a different season.
What is the best time to take this trek?
In general, trekking in Costa Rica is better from December to the end of March.
Is porter service included in the package?
No, this service has an additional cost.you need to let us know if you want to hire this service in advance.
Is it mandatory to take a sleeping bag?
Yes, you need to take with you a sleeping bag. If you hire porter service, you can send it with the porter. If you do not have one, we can provide it at an extra cost. Make sure you request the service with plenty of time in advance.
Trip Facts
Local guide is mandatory
Difficulty only for experienced hikers
Total distance Day 1: 15 km Day 2: 16 km
Altitudes Starting point: 1,500 m.a.s.l (community)
Base camp: 3,330 m.a.s.l (Paso de los Indios)
Maximum altitude is 3,660 m.a.s.l at the summit of Mt Urán
How to arrive in Herradura
In order to arrive in Herradura de Rivas, you first need to go to the community of San Gerardo. Once you arrive in San Isidro de El General, take the Panamerican Highway towards the South crossing the two bridges before the traffic light (in terms of distance it is just 1 km the equivalent of 0.66 miles). Take under consideration that you need to cross the high way to take a secondary road on to the left Once on the that road, continue until you get to La Bonita village. On the intersection, you take the right and continue until arriving in Rivas village. There is another intersection and you will take the road at your right again. Keep on that road passing through Guadalupe, Chimirol, and Canaán villages accordingly. Finally, you will see the sign of Chirripó National Park ranger station. Here, a person from our staff will assist you. After this, we head towards the village of Herradura.
Note: If you have internet access, use the waze app and it will make it easier (make sure to type San Gerardo de Rivas, Pérez Zeledón).