Quercus Travel Santa Rosa National Park. A journey through history and nature

Santa Rosa National Park sits in Guanacaste and was the first national park established in Costa Rica. This guided day trip runs from La Fortuna, roughly ninety minutes each way, with around four hours inside the park.

The park protects a stretch of tropical dry forest — a habitat that loses most of its leaves in the dry season, which makes wildlife easier to spot and the vegetation look quite different from the rainforest that covers much of the country. Birds and mammals move through the trees.

The other reason people come is La Casona, a historic hacienda at the centre of the park. In 1856, local forces defeated the army of William Walker here, a battle that settled the question of the country's sovereignty. The building holds exhibits on the period and the event, and the architecture itself dates to the era of cattle-ranching haciendas across Guanacaste.

The trip runs as a private tour. Your guide and transport are included, as are the park entrance fee, water, drinks, snacks, and lunch. Bring comfortable clothes, sunscreen, and bug repellent. The drive passes through the Guanacaste lowlands before reaching the park boundary.