The next morning we checked out of the Cariblue and drove 4 hours to Braulio Carrillio National Park. Here we discovered yet another reason why our guide, Jose, was such a gift (as if we needed another reason).As outlined in the warning notice given to us by National Rental Car, there has been an increase in crime against tourists in Costa Rica. One particular method of theft involves rental vehicles. The thieves will puncture a tire and follow the car until you stop to fix the flat. Another method, as evidenced by the broken glass in the parking lot, is simply to smash and dash. With all our luggage in the car, we would not have been able to stop and hike if Jose was not with us.
After paying the entrance fee, we choose the longest of the three looped trails on the other side of the road. The first loop was graveled and easy, and we took several pictures. The second loop, however, was fairly difficult to traverse because the rain made it muddy and slippery. Climbing over roots and stones provided a perfect opportunity for a twisted ankle if you were not vigilant. There is little opportunity for viewing wildlife, especially when you are climbing down the side of a steep hill on a narrow trail with a heart-stopping drop-off. In a most bizarre twist, after taking off our hiking boots to ford a stream, we were confronted with a troop of about 25 high school students coming through the jungle, like they had just come out of PE class. My wife marveled at the dainty footwear the girls were wearing, which, of course, was packed with mud. Not convinced they were human, we spent the rest of the hike looking for their pods or their mothership.
Jose mentioned that people looking for wildlife will often wander off the paths in Braulio Carrillio and get lost. This is a bad thing, since it is very difficult to mount a rescue operation here. Frommer's notes that camping is permitted by not recommended here. I can see why.