Location:
Costa Rica

Canopy tour, Rincon de la Vieja

By Mireille

Rincon de la Vieja Canopy Tour

Rincon de La Vieja, which could be translated as “The Corner of the Old Witch,” is located about 25 miles away from Liberia, the capital of Guanacaste. Although   for  many the highlight of the park is the volcano itself, there are many activities that make it one of the most interesting place to see in Costa Rica. I was there a couple of years ago for my son’s 15th birthday, and we decided to do the canopy tour. As I suffer from vertigo, I thought that this experience would cure me forever. First, you get harnessed, which is rather reassuring, and the guides informed us that all the equipment came from Chamonix, which is even more reassuring; it basically consists of pulleys, gloves, harnesses, rappelling systems, etc. At that point I realized that there was no way back. We soon found ourselves on the first platform; there are 21 of them! One of our guides gave us the last instructions. What really retained my attention, was “how to break” I decided to be brave and show a good example (or maybe I just wanted to show off), and I went first. Of course, I did it all wrong and found myself suspended on what looked a rather thin line, a long, long way up. I  had slowed down so much that I had stopped, right in the middle of the ride. I put my feet up Tarzan style, like they instructed us to do in such a case, refrained from looking down, and managed to reach the next platform. My son was next and his face betrayed excitement and a little fear, maybe. Once on the next platform, I realized why it was all worth the effort. I was standing there, on top of this magnificent tree, on the canopy. The silence was mystical. The view simply breathtaking … I will never forget it. The rest of the tour went smoothly. I got a little dizzy at one point, climbing one of the ladders, and felt literally paralyzed and unable to move, but soon got over it. There is no choice, you have to go on, if only for your pride! I soon got the hang of it and flew from platform to platform. It is one of the most memorable experiences of my life. As for my son, what a terrific birthday present. It was really something to remember forever, with so much emotion, awe, fear and peace, and a little pride too. I did it! My vertigo is almost cured!

Further Information

Travel tips: The canopy tour is one of the best of the country

Must see/do at this place: The canopy, of course, is a must, and also there are several trails, one to the crater and another through the jungle taking you to an amazing water fall

You should avoid here: It gets very hot walking around midday.