Central Highlands | Dota · Tarrazú · León Cortés
Why Los Santos Is Costa Rica’s Best-Kept Hiking Secret
Hidden in the Los Santos Region, deep within Costa Rica’s central highlands, lies one of the country’s least explored hiking destinations. Defined by cloud forests, high-altitude coffee landscapes, and authentic rural communities, Los Santos feels untouched, uncrowded, and deeply connected to nature.
For travelers searching for hidden hiking trails in Costa Rica, this emerging region offers something rare: freedom, silence, and discovery.
Flexible Hiking & Trekking Routes in Costa Rica
Route length:
1-day hikes to 2–6 day trekking journeys
Los Santos is not a single trail—it is a destination-based hiking experience. Routes can be short or ambitious, standalone or interconnected, allowing hikers to design journeys based on fitness level, time, and interest.
Some routes can even connect the highlands to Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast, finishing near Quepos and Manuel Antonio, creating a rare mountain-to-coast trek.
Best Time to Hike in Los Santos, Costa Rica
Available year-round
Best seasons: December–April · July–August
While hiking is possible throughout the year, these months offer clearer skies and optimal trail conditions. Each season reveals a different landscape—from misty cloud forests to open mountain views—always without mass tourism.
Overview: A New Hiking Destination in Costa Rica
Los Santos is quickly emerging as one of Costa Rica’s most versatile and undiscovered hiking regions. Instead of fixed itineraries, it offers a modular trail network across cloud forests, agricultural lands, historic routes, and rural villages.
The region attracts hikers training for challenges like Cerro Chirripó, as well as travelers seeking authentic nature, culture, and meaningful exploration.
Highlights & Experiences in Los Santos
- Hiking trails around Cerro Trinidad, Cerro Las Placas, and Cerro Dragón, with panoramic mountain views
- Historic coffee routes once used to connect the highlands with the Central Valley
- La Ruta Fantasma, a lesser-known trail linked to Costa Rica’s 1948 civil war history
- Immersive local experiences: coffee tastings, traditional gastronomy, waterfalls, cheese-making, and farm visits in Copey and Providencia de Dota
Why Los Santos, Now
Because it is still a secret.
Because it offers space, silence, and authenticity.
And because the best hiking destinations in Costa Rica are discovered before they become known.
Los Santos is not advertised. It is discovered.