La Marta Wildlife Refuge is located near Pejibaye, about a 30 minute drive from Turrialba. The reserve covers 1,500 hectares with very abrupt topography. The elevation varies between 750 and 1,950 meters above sea level.
Historically, La Marta begun as an important agricultural development center in the 1800s. Infrastructure to grow and process coffee and sugarcane can still be seen near the park's entrance. A small sawmill, dairy and hydroelectric plant were also incorporated during the early 1900s.
During the late 1920s, the site was abandoned by the original owners, which caused a migration of inhabitants and workers to settle in Pejibaye. For the next 60 years, the forest regenerated and retook the developed infrastructure. During the 1980s, squatters moved in and destroyed portions of the forest for housing and the cultivation of banana, coffee, and cattle. By 1991, the squatters were expelled and Latin American University of Science and Technology was put in charge of defining the area as a protected site. Reforestation, boundary surveying and tracking poachers were in the hands of four local foresters.
Today, La Marta houses a research station, where scientists and students in the fields of biology, history, land forestry, and traditional medicine live and work.
Visitors are welcome to hike and explore the many hiking trails within La Marta. Guided tours are available by calling ahead.
La Marta Entrance
La Marta, Rio Gato
La Marta, Historic Aqueducts for Coffee Processing
Hours & Admission
Weekdays 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
More Information
Director of the Refuge:
Sergio Llubere Fernández
Universidad Metropolitana Castro Carazo
La Marta Entrance
La Marta, Rio Gato
La Marta, Historic Aqueducts for Coffee Processing 
