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Santa Rosa and Guanacaste National Park

Santa Rosa Housefarm
Area

Approx. 82,027 hectares (202,688 acres) land sector; 78,000 hectares (192738 acres) marine sector

Max. Elevation

1,659 - 5,442 feet

Location

Guanacaste province, 35 km (22m.) N. of Liberia

Date of Creation

01 july 1966 - declared national park in 1971

Santa Rosa and Guanacaste National Park lies in the climate zone known as Dry Pacific covering an vast and diverse area that includes the summits of two volcanoes : Orosi (1,487meters - 4,878 feet ) and Cacao (1,659 meters- 5,442 feet).

Santa Rosa National Park is named after the Hacienda Santa Rosa where in 1856 a battle was fought to arrest the invasion of American filibuster William Walker. The park owes its creation mostly to historical and patriotic reasons and it is almost by coincidence that it also became very important to biologists

Some of the protected habitats in the park includes dedicious forest, savannahs, evergreen and riparian forests, oak forests, mangrove swamps, thorn scrubs where agaves and cacti grow, littoral woodland and evergreen rain and cloud forest on the slopes and summits of the volcanoes.

Apart from protecting some of the largest remaining stand of tropical dry forest, Santa Rosa and Guanacaste National Park also protects one of the most important nesting sites of various species of sea turtles being the olive ridley (lepidochelys olivacea) the most numerous. Nesting season is from July to December.

Wild life in the park is both very varied and prolific: around 4000 types of butterflies, moths and insects where recorded along with 250 or so bird species: trogons, tanagers, parakeets, parrots and magpie-jay among others. Among mammals 115 species were recorded: raccoons, monkeys ( 3 species), peccaries, armadillos, coatis, deer and coyotes are the most sighted. Among the reptiles the most spotted are: crocodiles, rattle snakes, iguanas and lizards, also around 60 species of bats were identified.

Among the places of interest the “La Casona “, the main building of hacienda Santa Rosa, destroyed by arson in 2001 and rebuilt in 2002, is the most visited. From here an inviting 1km (0.6mile) long trail called El sendero Indio Desnudo will lead you to the heroes Monument and to a lookout platform.

Camping grounds are available close to the park headquarters and accommodations at the research can be reserved in advance.

Playa Naranjo on the southern end of the National Park coast line offers one of the best surfing spot in Costa Rica. World-renowned Witches Rock and Ollie´s Point are famous for its totally tubular 3 meters (10 feet) curls. Camping is also available at this beach.

How to get to the park: drive on the Interamericana 35 km north of Liberia (22 miles) and 43 km south of the Nicaragua border. By bus any bus from Liberia to the Nicaraguan border and ask the driver to dropp you off at the park entrance.

Opening times: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Entrance fee: $ 6.00
Phone: (506) 661 8150