This trip was awesome, we went to the least visited national park in Costa Rica, climbed the mountain with the best view of the central Pacific, and the best thing is that we met an isolated, united community that struggles for conservation with the help of many other volunteers.

How to get there? Villas Mastatal EcoLodge

Vehicle: Preferably high car but an Automobile can arrive

Parking: Yes Contact: Accommodation in Villas Mastatal Javier tel: 8890-1462 **Cost:**n¢ 20,000 per person per night * If you say you saw it in ¡QuéBuenLugar! It’s ¢ 15,000 per person Includes: Lodging and 3 meals. Hiking guide: Randall tel: 8443-4137

Cost: ¢ 5,000 Pets: No

What to bring? Comfortable clothes for walking, jacket, swimsuit, towel, bug repellent, sunscreen, a hat, beverages, picnic snacks.

Distance: 5km One Way and 5km Roundtrip Difficulty: High

We went on a Saturday afternoon to sleepover at Villas Mastatal in Puriscal, the town where the walk begins, Javier received us there for dinner with a delicious plate of organic food planted on the farm. People come here to disconnect from the city, breathe fresh air, walk and many foreigners come from volunteers to learn about permaculture and environmental protection. The place also has access to a very beautiful waterfall and you can learn about many types of crops and how to be self-sustainable. The vibe of this place is amazing.

While we were having dinner, they explained to us a bit about how we would walk the next day to the top of Cerro Yarcazú in the La Cangreja National Park. The next morning we got up at 5 am since we had to be ready because our guide Randall was waiting for us, very cool dude. We go in the car and approached the entrance of the path where we were accompanied by some of the volunteers who were on the farm.

We went well prepared for the hike, with lots of hydrating beverages and things to eat, because we were going to be walking for a long time and the humidity was high. In the first part, you pass through some orchards and paddocks since the access is by a private estate. Then the road becomes increasingly tropical until you reach parts of dense and humid forest, typical of the area. It has steep parts but within the ordinary and it is done without a problem.

The local guide made our trip more interesting while showing us the flora and fauna of the place as if it were the backyard of his place. On the way, the first kilometers are very steep, then it goes down a bit to finally reach the highest part.

At the highest point of the hill, we did not have luck with the view because it was cloudy but we knew it was incredible, then we went down about 500 meters until we reached a peaked hillock. We chilled there and prepared sandwiches with our chef Glori. After a while and a little patience it cleared up and the sight was epic, part of Parrita and Quepos could be seen. Getting to this place is not easy but the view is worth it, relax, rest and eat.

After enjoying the top we decided to go down and return, we were close getting wet. We returned to the Villas and had a delicious lunch while it was raining. Then we bathed, slept a while to recharge batteries for the drive back and return to San Jose.

DATE OF THE WALK - June 2016