The páramo is a unique high-altitude ecosystem found above the tree line in the Talamanca Mountains of Costa Rica. It is characterized by low temperatures, intense solar radiation, strong winds, and a landscape dominated by grasses, shrubs, cushion plants, and endemic flora.
Despite its harsh conditions, the páramo supports a surprising diversity of life, including species that are specially adapted to cold, nutrient-poor environments. It is also a vital watershed area, capturing and regulating water for lower-elevation ecosystems and human populations.
Chirripó National Park
La Amistad International Park
Los Quetzales National Park (transitional zones)
Dry season (January–March) for better trail conditions and clear skies
The Costa Rican páramo is the southernmost expression of this ecosystem in Central America. It hosts a range of endemic species found nowhere else and is crucial for regulating the headwaters of rivers like the Chirripó and Savegre.
Elevation gradient map showing páramo extent above 3,000 m
