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Stream between rocks and dense vegetation in the Sarapiquí rainforest.

Costa Rica · Northern Zone

Sarapiquí.

Tropical wet forest and a biological station

See what to do (2)Destination map

Photo: Geoff Gallice · CC BY 2.0

Before you go,
understand the place.

This guide brings together La Selva Biological Station, run by the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), with 1,600 ha of tropical wet forest next to Braulio Carrillo National Park, and Laguna Hule, in the Bosque Alegre Mixed Wildlife Refuge, which lies in Río Cuarto (Alajuela) and not in the canton of Sarapiquí.

Best time to go
The climate is tropical wet, with about 4 m of rain a year; the rainiest months are July, November and December, and daily temperatures range from 19 to 31 °C, according to OTS.
Getting there
This guide does not calculate road routes or travel times and offers no arrival points. OTS places the La Selva entrance 3 km south of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí; Laguna Hule lies in Río Cuarto (Alajuela).

One way to explore

Themed guides

Places grouped by theme, to plan your day.

  • 2 places

    Rainforest and lagoons

    La Selva Biological Station, in Sarapiquí, and Laguna Hule, in Río Cuarto (Alajuela), which this guide groups here; the lagoon’s status is not confirmed.

    Open the full guide

The place, in context

Everything you can do

Closed or restricted places are included and flagged, so you know what to expect.

Showing 2 of 2 · 1 unconfirmed, flagged

Nature and jungle · 2

  • NatureOpen

    La Selva Biological Station (OTS)

    Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Heredia; OTS places the entrance 3 km south of the town. The point is the station grounds in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.3.2 km from the centre

    Entry
    3-hour short walk, per person US$44
    Hours
    Walks at 8:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
    Booking
    Not stated

    A private reserve and research station of the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS): 1,600 ha of tropical wet forest bordering Braulio Carrillo National Park. You visit it on guided walks.

    Source: OTS – Natural History Visitors, La Selva · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Regular short walk of 3 hours: US$44 per person in groups of 1 to 10 and US$33 for ages 5 to 12; regular long walk: US$55 and US$38, in two three-hour sections, morning and afternoon. Taxes included. These are OTS rates from 15 December 2025 to 14 December 2026 and may change: confirm them when you book.
    Hours
    Guided walks daily at 8:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., about 3 hours long; arrive 15 minutes early, and the time may change with the weather. Birding at 5:45 a.m. and a night walk at 7:00 p.m., 2 hours each.
    Booking
    Day visitors only tour the station on one of the daily guided walks, with a maximum of 12 people per guide. Birding and night walks are booked when you make your reservation or at the front desk before 5:00 p.m.
    Time needed
    About 3 hours for the short walk; the long one is two 3-hour sections, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

    Tip: Open-toed shoes and walking barefoot are not allowed at the station or on the trails, and children must always be with an adult. OTS says some of its trails are accessible to people with physical disabilities, without saying which.

    Nearby: Sarapiquí River rafting (14.3 km)

    Sources: OTS – Natural History Visitors, La Selva · OTS – La Selva Research Station

  • NatureStatus unconfirmed

    Laguna Hule

    Río Cuarto, Alajuela; it is not in the canton of Sarapiquí. The point is the lagoon in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.28.3 km from the centre

    Entry
    Not confirmed
    Hours
    Not confirmed
    Booking
    Not stated

    A lagoon formed in a collapsed volcanic caldera, inside the Bosque Alegre Mixed Wildlife Refuge (created in 1994, 833 ha), which SINAC manages. The refuge also holds the Congo and Bosque Alegre lagoons.

    Status not confirmed: no official source on public visits to the lagoon was read. Check before you go.

    Source: Canje por Bosques – Plan General de Manejo Bosque Alegre · 2025 · +3

    Practical details and sources

    Tip: From the sources consulted as of 5 October 2026, we could not confirm the public-use conditions for swimming, kayaking, fishing or camping at Laguna Hule. This guide does not recommend these activities; check with SINAC before planning them.

    Nearby: Rafting on the Toro River (class III-IV) (4.8 km) · Blue Falls of Costa Rica (Bajos del Toro) (7.4 km) · Catarata del Toro waterfall (8.1 km)

    Sources: Canje por Bosques – Plan General de Manejo Bosque Alegre · Canje por Bosques – Términos de referencia del plan de manejo de Bosque Alegre (2026) · Wikipedia – Laguna Hule (cantón de Río Cuarto; modificada el 19 sep. 2025) · TVN14 – La Municipalidad de Río Cuarto y el camino a la Laguna Hule (12 ago. 2023)

Sarapiquí · Practical guide

The essentials

  1. La Selva Biological Station, a pioneer in research and conservation since 1953, is explored on daily guided walks with bilingual naturalists, according to OTS.

Sarapiquí · Practical guide

Practical tips

  1. At La Selva, day visitors must join a guided walk; those staying at the station can walk the paved trails on their own, according to OTS.
  2. Arrive 15 minutes before the walk and wear closed shoes: OTS does not allow open-toed shoes or walking barefoot at the station or on the trails.
  3. The La Selva walk rates published by OTS run from 15 December 2025 to 14 December 2026; if you travel later, confirm the price when you book.

Safety and precautions

  • OTS asks visitors to walk only on marked trails and watch for snakes, bees and wasps; if you see a snake, back away slowly and let it move off. If you are allergic to stings, always carry your kit.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a guide to visit La Selva?

Yes, on a day visit: OTS requires joining one of its guided walks, at 8:00 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. Those staying at the station can walk the paved trails on their own.

How much is the short walk at La Selva?

US$44 per person (groups of 1 to 10) and US$33 for ages 5 to 12, taxes included, according to OTS rates from 15 December 2025 to 14 December 2026. It takes about 3 hours.

Is Laguna Hule in Sarapiquí?

No: it lies in Río Cuarto (Alajuela), in the Bosque Alegre Mixed Wildlife Refuge. This guide groups it with Sarapiquí; its status is not confirmed.

Sarapiquí · Practical guide

Sources consulted

Information checked in . Prices, hours and rules change: confirm them with the official source before you travel.

  1. OTS – Natural History Visitors, La Selva2026
  2. OTS – La Selva Research Station2023
  3. Canje por Bosques – Plan General de Manejo Bosque Alegre2025
  4. Canje por Bosques – Términos de referencia del plan de manejo de Bosque Alegre (2026)2026
  5. Wikipedia – Laguna Hule (cantón de Río Cuarto; modificada el 19 sep. 2025)2025
  6. TVN14 – La Municipalidad de Río Cuarto y el camino a la Laguna Hule (12 ago. 2023)2023

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