Carara National Park
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4,700 hectares Distance from San José: 110 Kilometers Trails: Yes. Dry Season: November through April. |
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| Carara National Park is a must for anyone interested in tropical biology. Its high species diversity and ease of access make this a worthwhile trip from San José, or on the way to parks further south. Carara's diversity is the result of its situation in a "ecotone" or melding area between the dry forests to the north and the wet forests in the south. | |
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Many endangered and threatened species live and breed here, like the American crocodile and the Purple Heart tree. Carara is also considered a sanctuary of the rare and beautiful Scarlet Macaw. |
| The word “Carara” is an indigenous term, reputedly meaning "river of crocodiles". The area in which the reserve is located was occupied by an indigenous culture that is thought to have been allied with groups located in the Central Valley from 300b.c. to 1500 a.d. Extensive tomb sites have been excavated here, and the burial places of people of high status are remarkably complex. | 
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