Up Close, But Doing No Harm

Adventure Travel in Costa Rica by Michelle Higgins

CAUSES FOR CONCERN Last year Costa Rica welcomed more than two million visitors, up about 30 percent from 2005. All those visitors leave a mark on the environment, whether from the growth in tourism infrastructure or something as seemingly benign as the repeated use of the same trails. Over time, these cumulative impacts may result in eroded landscapes and animal habitats, polluted waterways and less wildlife, notes the Rainforest Alliance in its “Practical Guide to Good Practice for Tropical Forest-Based Tours.”

LOW-IMPACT OPTIONS On the Osa Peninsula near Corcovado National Park, Luna Lodge (from $195 a person a night), which hires locally and uses hydroelectric energy, participates in several conservation projects, including purchasing forested lands for wildlife protection. Wild Planet Adventures, which uses Luna Lodge and other eco-friendly bases for its 14-day, $4,398 Costa Rica Ultimate Wildlife Eco-tour, says it weighs every detail of the trip, from seeking out less-trodden rivers and trails to using refillable jugs of water so guests don’t leave behind plastic bottles.