Camino de Costa Rica Stage 3
Stage 3
Stage 3 starting kilometer: 70.2
Stage 3 ending kilometer: 81.8
Total distance: 11.6 kilometers
Total elevation gain: 550 meters
Total elevation loss: 660 meters
Mar a Mar rating: Advanced
Stage 3 is a challenging stage. The trail cuts through primary forest and crosses into the Nairi Awari Indigenous Territory, where entry without a local guide is required.
Arrange your guide well in advance by contacting Alexander Martinez at +506 8440-3095. If you can't reach him, try Leo Martinez at +506 8504-3216 or Clenet Perez at +506 8528-3475. We have additional information on the guides here.
Most hikers combine Stage 3 with Stage 4. If you do, the same guide can take you all the way from the end of Stage 2 to Finca Tres Equis, so you're not arranging a second guide partway through. Just past the Río Pacuare, the trail crosses Ganadería Tres Equis, an active bull pasture. Your guide knows how to move you through safely, but don't attempt this stretch on your own.
The trail is rocky and muddy underfoot, tangled with huge roots and boulders, and crosses the Pacuare river, all beneath a canopy dense enough to knock out GPS signal at times. It's unmarked and easy to lose. Expect steep, narrow sections, deep mud, and heavy humidity that makes the whole thing feel more strenuous than the distance suggests. A cable car crossing near the western edge of the reserve breaks up the hiking. Wildlife sightings can be hit or miss despite how alive the jungle feels, so watch for animals, and lean on your guide to spot them.
Stage 3 lodging
Mar a Mar recommend combining Stage 3 and 4, but if you plan on splitting them then your lodging option is at Tsiobata.
Stage 3 photos
