Pacuare Protected Zone Travel Guide

In the Atlantic region of Costa Rica there is a protected zone of stunning beauty that begins near the town of Siquirres and covers approximately 25,000 acres as it descends down the Talamanca Mountain Range. This is the area known as Pacuare, which makes up one of the most important protected areas in the region. Its proximity to the lowlands and its high annual rainfall combine to nurture the complex life systems whose abundance makes for extraordinary scenic beauty.

The Pacuare River, located within this zone, offers some of the finest white water in Latin America. Officially designated a “Wild and Scenic River,” the water flows deep inside remarkable primordial rainforest, coursing through a wilderness of dense vegetation that covers the sides of steep gorges rising above the riverbanks. The rainforest’s thick undergrowth provides shelter to jaguars, ocelots, monkeys, sloths, and numerous other species of mammals and birds.

It takes about two and a half hours of driving to reach this area from San José , better enjoyed as part of a rafting adventure down the Pacuare River with stay in a jungle lodge.