Transcontinental Hike **
Hike from one side of the country to the other, camping along the way in the Talamancan Mountains.
Extreme Fitness Required.
6 to 15 day trip.
If you’re crazy enough to try this 70 km trek, you’ll never forget it. Experience an amazing trek through pristine rainforest and cloud forest, crossing the continental divide in the Talamanca Mountain Range with a Cabecar native experienced guide from Coroma, Talamanca. The journey took you from Ujarrás on the Pacific slope of the Cordillera de Talamanca, to peaks such high as 2700 m, and down the Caribbean slope through wonderful landscapes of dense forests.
This trek is both a physical and mental challenge, but also an unforgettable experience and a very unique way to discover natural wonders and wildlife of Costa Rica.
Cost: $750 for 1 to 3 people. It takes 6 to 15 days.
TRANSCONTINENTAL TREK TALAMANCA
Ujarrás – Coroma
By Olivier Chassot, November 2001
We were lucky enough to experience an amazing 8 days trek through pristine rainforest and cloud forest, crossing the continental divide in the Cordillera of Talamanca with Zenón, a Cabecar native experienced guide from Coroma, Talamanca. Our journey took us from Ujarrás on the Pacific slope of the Cordillera de Talamanca, to peaks such high as 2700 m, and down the Caribbean slope through wonderful landscapes of dense forests.
This trek is both a physical and mental challenge, but also an unforgettable experience and a very unique way to discover natural wonders and wildlife of Costa Rica.
The following is a short account aimed to provide information to anyone interested in taking part to this amazing adventure. Complementary information can be provided by Mel Baker, ,
or Olivier Chassot, .
1. DESCRIPTION OF THE TREK
Start point
The start point of the trek is the native village of Ujarrás, 10 km north of Buenos Aires and the Interamerican Highway, one hour southeast from San Isidro del General (Perez Zeledón). There is a small grocery store (pulperÃa) offering basic staple food and goods such as rice, pasta and cookies. It is possible to enjoy a meal with one of the native families before starting the adventure. It is also possible to sleep underneath the school porch if you arrive late in the day.
End point
The end point of the trek is the native village of Coroma, about 60 kilometres northeast of Ujarrás, on the other side of the Cordillera de Talamanca. There also is a pulperÃa and it is possible and recommended to eat at the Communal House, which is the cultural centre of the village. People will let you camp at the Communal House.
Fauna and flora
The nature of the trek itself, considering the difficulty of each daily segment, relative speed of the trip combined with the way of walking single file with the guide at the front extensively using his machete, does not allow good opportunities to observe wildlife. In the dark rain forest it is easy to spot many animal prints on the ground but it is much more difficult to have a look at them in the flesh. More commonly fauna seen includes arthropods, lizards and snakes. Among others mammals, it is possible to observe:
Tapir
Jaguar and other cats
Coatimundi
Monkeys (3 species)
Kinkajou
Neotropical Otter
Among birds, the following conspicuous species are easily found:
Motmots
Quetzal and Trogons
Tucans
Hummingbirds
Floristic diversity is beyond any description. It is safe to allege that it is amongst the richest of Central America, including a great number of endemic species found nowhere else. La Amistad International Park, which is crossed during the trek is shared between Costa Rica and neighbouring Panama and thus constitutes one of the biggest parks of the Isthmus, where pristine rainforest and cloud forest is the rule. Usually, your guide shows the animals, trees or plants of interest with the basic information. The use of binoculars is not necessary for it is heavy to carry and is not so useful due to the forest’s structure.
Rain and temperature
In the tropical wet forest, humidity level reaches sometimes 100%. Talamanca is one of the wettest parts of the country with more than 4000 mm of rain per year. Usually, the dry season is from December to May, but eastward from the Continental Divide, climate is typically Caribbean-like, which means that there is no real dry season and that it can rain at any given time with heavy showers every day. You can experience 8 days of heavy rains or also be lucky to experience no rain. Whatever the conditions are, you will be soaked from the time you start walking until you come out of the forest.
Temperature fluctuates between very hot and dry in Ujarrás, that is, about 30º C (at 600 m) to cold and wet around the highest peaks, that is, about 4 to 6º C (2700 m).
Nature of the ground and paths
Nature of the terrain can be qualified such as extremely difficult, with slopes between 25º and 45º and some of them reaching an amazing 65º to 75º. In this case, the energy required by the trekkers is really demanding. Rivers and streams are relatively common and one of them, RÃo Cohen presents a moderate difficulty to be crossed when low but can be dangerous during continuous rainfalls.
It has to be explained that there are no paths such as we know them. Paths that are used during the trek are riverbeds or the one made by large mammals such as Tapirs, Jaguars or Wild Pigs. This means that the vegetation obstructing the path has to be chopped out constantly by the guide making the progress sometimes slow and difficult. Only a few native guides of either the Cabecar or Bribri ethnic group know the route from Ujarrás to Coroma. They mark trees in order not to loose themselves if they have to turn back for some reason, but more than anything to make the way easier for other companions. The way is generally obstructed by a great amount of fallen trees, branches, lianas, spiny plants and palm trees of all kinds, making the hike really difficult, as you have to pass under or above huge trunks with a heavy backpack. The itinerary can change according to the trekker’s need or capacity. Only your guide is able to take decisions and no one else.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Native guide
The guide responsible for the trek is Zenón, a native Cabecar from the Coroma community. Zenón has been working many years with ATEC and crossed Talamanca many times. A close relative who helps him as his assistant always accompanies him. Besides Zenón, two or three other guides are available. They only speak Spanish but it is possible to have an interpreter from ATEC or Eco Aventuras. Zenón is one of the few people doing this type of work who has extensive Red Cross training.
GEAR AND EQUIPMENT
The quantity of gear is the most determinant factor for the success of your trek. A heavy and badly packed backpack is synonymous for suffering.
Collective gear
Camping tent
Cook stove(s) and fuel
Cooking gear
Food
Snake bite kit
Anti-ophidian serum
Individual gear
The following list is the minimum recommended:
2 pairs of trousers (1 for hiking, 1 for the night at the base camp)
2 underwear (1 for hiking, 1 for the night)
2 pairs of socks (2 for hiking, 1 for the night)
2 long sleeved resistant shirts
1 sweat shirt
1 pair of good leather or rubber boots
1 pair of synthetic light sandals
Rain gear (for the night)
Hat or cap
Light sleeping bag
Towel
Gloves
Walking stick(s)
Mattress (optional)
Personal gear
Swiss knife
Metal plate
Fork and spoon
Metal cup
Soap (biodegradable)
Shampoo (biodegradable)
First aid kit
Torch
Extra batteries
Gourd
Swedish matches/storm proof-lighter
Insect repellent
Toilet paper
Zip locks
passport
Money
Camera (optional)
Leather boots or rubber boots?
Leather boots suffer humidity and mud. Rubber boots are cheap, reliable, almost indestructible, and are used by any peasant, indigenous, ranger and researcher in Costa Rica. Whatever the choice, comfort for your feet is the most important thing to consider, and you must be used to your boots before starting the trek, as it is hard to walk nine hours a day with blisters.
Tent
Tents should be waterproof, light and easy to pack and unpack.
Backpack
Backpacks, like tents, should be of the best quality, water resistant (they spend the night outside, hanging on branches). It must be as light as possible, and should not exceed 15 kilos, including food and cooking gear.
TREK
Usually, the group hikes every day from 7:00 to 16:00 non-stop. The schedule can vary according to the group’s needs or capacity: it can be extended to more days, rarely reduced. The group’s main goal is to be able to camp along a stream every night to be able to drink, to cook and to wash. The schedule thus depends in great part of the group’s ability to complete a segment between two streams.
A typical day
5:30 Wake up
6:00 Breakfast
6:30 Packing the gear in the backpacks
7:00 Start of the hike
12:00 Light meal
12:40 Start of the hike
16:00 End of the hike
17:30 Large meal
19:00 Sleep time
Food
Food supplies have to be planned carefully as taking too much is a heavy burden and not carrying enough can be foolish. Total quantity of food must be divided into everybody’s backpack and food must also be taken for the guide and his assistant. The guide and his assistant do not carry food supplies, food gear or tents, as they have to focus on the heavy machete task. Menu can be like the following:
Breakfast: coffee, oatmeal with powdered milk and dry fruits
Lunch: powder fruit drinks, seeds (peanuts, etc.), dry fruits and chocolate
Dinner: hot tea, soup, pasta or seasoned lyophilised rice
Do not carry any cans and have everything packed in ziplocks bags. Do not trash anything in the forest and take all garbage with you.
Duration
The trek can last between 7 and 12 days. A reasonable average is 8 to 9 days. The more time the treks extends, the more the food supply factor becomes critical. It is impossible to predict the trek’s duration, but ideally, food supplies should be enough for at least 10 days.
FIRST AID
Medical attention and first aid
Your guide is trained for first aid and knows exactly how to act in any given circumstances. It is he who decides what needs to be done and how. He also knows how to use snakebite gear and administrate antivenin serum. Your guide is also capable to go out of the forest in a record time and get help from the radio in Coroma or Ujarrás; in the meantime the groups remain with the guide’s assistant and the injured person.
PARTICIPANTS
Inscription form
For each participant it is important to know the following data:
Name
First Name
Nationality
Passport number
Date of birth
Specific information on specific diet
Specific information in case of special medication
