Rugged to the point of being almost impenetrable, Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo protects a precious watershed on the windward side of the Cordillera Central – a massive tract of pristine wilderness spanning five life zones less than a 40 minute drive form the metropolis of San Jose. Permission is required for camping.

Hiking the rugged trails is a guaranteeing way of seeing wildlife, including more than 500 species of birds, from quetzals to toucans, and almost 150 mammal species, including jaguars, peccaries, pumas, monkeys, and pacas, the park mascot.

Few fun-fair rides are as thrilling as a 90-minute, mile-long excursion through the forest canopy aboard this open-air aerial tram, in a private tropical wet forest reserve abutting Braulio Carrillo. The trip reveals details of everyday life in the treetops, where 75 per cent of all rainforest species dwell.