Route Sukia
5 Days/4 Nights

Hike through the rain forest, observation of flora and fauna, natural pools and hanging bridge

Complete itinerary

Day 1: Santa María de Dota

Santa María de Dota is a small town in the zone of Santos. During your trip to this zone you will enjoy the landscape composed of beautiful mountains and coffee farms. In the surrounding area of Santa María you will find Casa Parra, property of Rafael Parra and family who will give you a cordial welcome. Once you settle in your room take a tour of the area surrounding the town of Santa María. Visit the church and the unique park Chalchuapa.

On return to Casa Parra an exquisite dinner awaits you. Take an early rest as the following day we will begin the hike. Casa Parra is part of a family project that has beautiful views. Lodging here is an excellent opportunity to share with people from the community and to learn of their customs. Lodging is in double rooms in Casa Parra (C)

Day 2: To San Isidro de Dota, hikers’ route.

Leave Santa María de Dota to the sector know as Las Rejas. The trip will take around 2 hours on a gravel road in the Reserva Forestal Los Santos, where you will have sights of the Central Pacific. You will pass the Waterfall Gemelas, cross some rivers and with a little luck observe quetzals or footprints of tapir and jaguar. The climate is that of altitude with elevations of 1500 and 2000 msnm.

Once you reach Las Rejas, you will enjoy a delicious breakfast in little ranch called Tucán y Quetzal, named for those birds that you commonly see in the zone. Fill yourself with energy and begin the first day of the hike. At this point and for about 4 hours you will reach the sector known as La Flecha, passing cattle farms and entering little by little a dense cloud forest, the trails are 1 meter wide, passing waterfalls, and ascents and descents for one hour and a half – this is what you will experience on the first stage of the hike. On arriving at a place known as La Flecha you will rest a little and have refreshments that the Parra family has prepared to later continue to the town of San Isidro de Dota.

Prepare yourself for the descent to Río Bomba for about 2 hours, where after hiking for about 8 hours you will reach Cabaña Las Orquídeas, property of doña Lucrecia, who will attend the hikers. This place has a spectacular landscape and it is where we will spend the night. Cabaña Las Orquídeas has 2 rooms with 2 bunk beds in each, private bathroom and one additional room with one bed that forms part of the family home. There is no electricity so it is important to carry a flashlight. Lodging is shared, Cabaña Las Orquídeas (D/A/C)

Technical level: intermediate – advanced

Time: between 8and 9 hour hike.

Distance: approximately 15 kilometer hike.

Day 3: Reserva Los Campesinos

The trip to the Reserva Los Campesinos consists of San Isidro de Dota at some 800 msnm crossing gravel roads and land mixing primary forests near the town of Quebrada Arroyo located at tne Central Pacific at an elevation of 300 msnm.

We begin at 6:00 a.m. combining ascents and descents, passing cattle farms to reach Cerro Nara where we will rest to have lunch that doña Lucrecia prepared. We continue the way to Quebrada Arroyo accompanied by beautiful views of the Río Savegre and the coast. On arriving at Los Campesinos we settle in our rooms and enjoy the landscape the rest of the afternoon, relaxing or crossing the hanging bridge an activity that requires a little of your adrenaline to reach the natural pools where you can swim.

La Posada Rural Los Campesinos is surrounded by spectacular landscape and beautiful waterfalls. The people here will make you feel welcomed. Lodging in Posada Rural Los Campesinos (D/A/C)

Technical level: intermediate – advanced

Time: 7 hour hike.

Distance: around 12 kilometer hike

Day 4: Departure to Manuel Antonio

After breakfast you will have free time to get your baggage ready and take the 4×4 transport that will take you from Los Campesinos to Quepos or Manuel Antonio. At this point we can help make arrangements for the transfer to San Jose or any other destination that you want to cmbine with our section “Escapaditas”

***** End of Our Services *****

Includes: Dinner, lodging in a double room and breakfast in Casa Parra, private transport to Santa María de Dota – Las Rejas, snack, lunch, dinner, and lodging in Cabaña Las Orquídeas, breakfast and lunch for day 3, entrance to natural pools, dinner and lodging in double room in Posada Rural Los Campesinos, breakfast, private transport Los Campesinos – Quepos, Manuel Antonio, guide.

Type of alimentation:

D: Breakfast / A: Lunch / C: Dinner

What to take?: Flashlight, cape or poncho, sufficient water for the trip or carbonated drink, if you want to buy water purifying tablets so as not to carry bottles from the start of the trip, energy bars, hiking stick, rainproof knapsack or bag to carry clothes in the case of rain. For the first two days of the trip we don’t recommend the use of jeans or shorts. Try to take fast drying clothes and a light weight jacket as the climate in the morning and late afternoon is cool, sunblock, insect repellant, and lip block, adequate shoes for hiking or rubber boots (the boots are recommended for those who are accustomed to using them). We recommend sandals to cross the rivers (the level of water can reach your knees so it is important that the pants can be easily rolled up) medicine for personal use and a swimming suit to enjoy the natural pools.