Zulu One - Corcovado Trek diary by Luke Sussams

So here we go again. It’s Phase Three and trekking time for Zulu One, time for us to embark on the journey that never left our thoughts for long, time for us to test us to our limits, prove our mettle, our worth. Some were scared, some intimidated, others excited but we all knew we were in for a long tough ride.

As always, Day One started at 3.30am but this time with an extra dollop of intrepidation. What would Day One of this voyage have in store for us? Well, actually it was an eight-hour sleep on a bus, before camping in a nice lady’s garden. The flip flops never left our feet. After feasting on our ludicrously large food rations, everyone drifted off to sleep, suitably happy with their efforts ‘on trek’.


Day Two was the start of the real trek. The flip flops were wrestled off us and on went our boots; our new best friends, or more likely, our worst enemies for the next 18 days. The day started smoothly. People were mainly just letting their body become accustomed to their bag and finding anything that would help with the impending aches and pains. This included finding walking sticks and the less commonly used hack up your sleeping mat and turn the foam into shoulder pads. Quite fetching!


Our first river crossing went well and we got our first taste of squelching in mini-puddles in the bottom of our boots. The second river crossing was not quite as successful, we crossed where we thought we should, only to find on the other side a clearing that was the size of a small cupboard. We investigated in all directions and even macheted up the hill to find a clearer view, but still all greeted us were rather unfriendly knife-edged twigs. Two hours later we discovered the correct crossing, well hidden 50 meters back up the river.


After a few more hours of mild trekking, we reached our destination of Altura at a reasonable 2pm. The unexpected detour we took had scuppered our plans to push on, but it transpired to be a blessing in disguise. Altura was a pristine little town and we were staying in a two-floored barn with mattresses for all of us! Well, I was on a massage table but it’s virtually the same. In the afternoon we sunbathed and swam in the river running through the town. With a pulperia fulfilling our every need, this trekking lark is a royal laugh.


It continued in this vein for the next day, and if anything, it got better. The trek was manageable again with spectacular views. It was a picture of tranquillity with every shard if green adding depth to the otherwise photographic image. Only the hawks hovering overhead reminded us of the vibrant world hidden under the canopy. We arrived at the hot springs at an equally spectacular 11am. Although we aptly renamed them the ‘tepid waters’, it provided an awesome rest from the mornings trekking. After some lunch, sleeping and sunbathing on the rocks in the middle of the accompanying river, we completed the finally 1km up the steepest hill we had encountered to date. How naive we were. That night we slept in the stands of a bullring in Aguas Calientes and all felt we had earned our sleep after that final kilometre.


Day Four brought an abrupt end to our honeymoon period. We were moving into ever more undulating and larger terrain that combined with the blistering heat was testing our reserves. The hill from the day before now seemed a mere pussycat compared to the beasts we tamed this day. The team however were getting along brilliantly and really helping each other along the way. Driven by the increasingly splendid views, and the pumping tunes, we conquered the 4.5km that took us up to 1,585m by 11.30am. These early finishes were becoming something of a Zulu One habit.


The following day saw us delve into the forest for some proper jungle trekking. By now our packs had almost become one with our backs, but in such a confined and chaotic environment it did become a nuisance. The ground was uneven, narrow and unpredictable so you really had to concentrate. Despite this, not naming names, a number of people fell to provide a few laughs through the day. At one point, the team had to ascend a sheer 500m hill using anything that we could find to scrabble and clamber up. At one point during the day we were at 1,900m above sea level. We stayed at a Ranger’s station close to the peak of the mountain and the following day proceeded to make our way back down.


We had seen from the top that we were entering a vast valley so when we had reached the bottom, the going would be relatively flat. Well, flat for Costa Rica. At the base it became much hotter with very little wind. This really sapped our energies and Lucy and Charlie went down with severe blisters. But the team trudged on and were rewarded with a camping site by a river ideal for bathing in.


After a sweaty night’s sleep in the tents and waking to put on still wet, sweaty clothes, everyone remained surprising chirpy on Day Seven. Clare was the Day Leader and led a ruthless pace, which everyone kept up with and saw us cover 7km in about two hours. From here, it was virtually all uphill for the day, but at the end we were rewarded with a beautiful campsite . A real campsite, with swimming pool, laguna, hot food and a bar , although no boozing obviously. It was a stunning scene to soothe our aches after a tough day.


The eighth day had been singled out as the start if a really tough period. Today we would start the ascent of the other side of the valley. This would take us from 150m to 1,100m above sea level in a very short distance. The climb was tough and was by far the hardest thing we had done. But the satisfaction of reaching the top was huge. There was a purpose to it all; the photos of course! The views were great and it was all the better by seeing how far away we had been just a few days ago.


It was a similar story the following day, as to escape the valley we would have to climb and descend yet more mountains. Day Nine would take us from roughly 300m in Santa Lucia to 1,100m again. In true Zulu One style though, the day was not over. We had to go all the way back down again! Until we reached a spot by the river to camp.


Finally for this half point round up, Day Ten saw us break the back of the trek and reach flatland on the other side of the valley. It seemed strange to see flatland after the first nine days if trek. It was a relatively uneventful day however. We are now in Venecia sleeping in a church. Well, I’m not, everyone else is. I’m writing this and have a mosquito trapped inside my net. Today we did see the Pacific Ocean for the first time which was quite special although it did spur the question, why do we not give to the breach first and save us all a lot of bother?

Luke Sussams