Sirena is the strongest option overall. Tapirs wander near the station buildings in the late afternoon, peccary and coati encounters are a daily occurrence, and this is where most jaguar sightings are concentrated. For scarlet macaws, head straight for the beach almond trees around the station and the airstrip edge — the almond trees pull macaws in throughout the day, with reliable flyovers morning and afternoon. Mated pairs cutting across trails and perching in almendro trees are the classic sighting here.

La Leona, entered from Carate, is the easiest and cheapest sector to reach. The flat coastal trail runs through primary forest and along the beach, and regularly produces monkeys, sloths, anteaters and scarlet macaws.

San Pedrillo, reached by boat from Drake Bay, leans towards birding rather than large-mammal density. Trogons, manakins, toucans and scarlet macaws are typical, alongside all the coastal monkey species, in a quieter setting with fewer visitors. A waterfall about thirty minutes' walk from the station and deserted beaches make it a good day trip from Drake Bay lodges.

Across every sector, the first two hours after sunrise and the last two before dusk are worth prioritising — activity drops sharply through the middle of the day.

Guides are mandatory

You cannot enter Corcovado on your own. Since February 2014, every visitor must be accompanied by an ICT-certified guide who appears on SINAC's approved list. The guide also has to be registered for the specific station you are entering.

Permits are tied to that guide. SINAC requires the guide's name and cédula number on your permit reservation before it can be confirmed, so the permit cannot be booked without a registered guide already attached. Daily numbers are capped at 330 visitors across all sectors, with Sirena limited to 100 day visitors and 80 overnight guests. In high season between December and April, Sirena permits can sell out weeks ahead.

In practice this makes booking through a licensed operator the simplest route, and the guide requirement is not much of a compromise — certified guides complete an ICT-accredited course covering species identification, first aid and navigation, and the specialists working here identify birds by call and track tapir prints.