La Amistad International Park

La Amistad International Park spans 400,000 hectares across the Talamanca mountain range and protects a variety of forest types and mountain ecosystems. The protected area contains tropical rainforests, cloud forests at higher elevations, and multiple vegetation zones that support different wildlife.

Panama and Costa Rica jointly established this protected area in 1988 to conserve the transboundary region together. The park gained UNESCO World Heritage designation two years later in recognition of its ecological value.

The Bribri and Cabécar peoples live within the park boundaries and maintain their traditional ways of life passed down through generations. Visitors can encounter their settlements and learn from local guides about how these communities use the forest.

The main access point is through Las Nubes in Chiriquí province, where ranger stations provide trail maps and can arrange guides. Bringing sturdy hiking shoes and rain gear is important since weather changes frequently at higher elevations.

The reserve protects seven of the twelve life zones found on Earth, creating habitats for jaguars, resplendent quetzals, and other species found nowhere else in the region. This concentration of ecosystems allows visitors to experience dramatic changes in landscape and wildlife over short distances.