San Jose Camp
Camping
Days 1, 7
Drake Bay — 5 days (San José, San Jose, Sierpe, Corcovado & Cano Island)
Eight days, two guided days inside the park. Five days with one Corcovado day and Caño Island, taking the bus south rather than a private transfer.
Condor Overland
Runs this trip
Trekking
Eight days, two guided days inside the park
Group Tour
Join a fixed-date departure with other travellers
Top Highlights
San JoséEight days on the Osa — the peninsula National Geographic once called the most biologically intense place on earth, and one of the few… Térraba-Sierpe mangrovesCrossing the river bar at the mouth is the memorable part — the boatmen time it to the swell and everyone gets wet. San PedrilloCorcovado cannot be entered without a licensed guide and a permit, and both are capped daily. Caño IslandLanding on Caño is restricted and numbers are capped — you snorkel from the boat.
Itinerary
Eight days on the Osa — the peninsula National Geographic once called the most biologically intense place on earth, and one of the few Pacific lowland rainforests left.
San JoseHow the day runs
- 1 hrsTransfer into the city
- MealsDinner
- AccommodationSan Jose Camp
Included Activities
- Airport transfer
- Hotel night
LANDMARKS San José Jade Museum Central Valley Start point San José, Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) 00:00 - 23:59Crossing the river bar at the mouth is the memorable part — the boatmen time it to the swell and everyone gets wet.
San Jose, Sierpe, Drake BayHow the day runs
- 5 hrs6:00 AM — south down the coastal highway
- 2 hrs1:00 PM — the mangroves, then the river mouth
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationDrake Bay Camp
Included Activities
- Boat
- Lodge at Drake Bay
LANDMARKS Térraba-Sierpe mangroves River bar Drake Bay Corcovado cannot be entered without a licensed guide and a permit, and both are capped daily. It is why the park still has what it has.
Drake Bay, CorcovadoHow the day runs
- 1 hrs6:30 AM — down the coast to the ranger station
- 5 hrs7:30 AM — the San Pedrillo trails with a licensed guide
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationDrake Bay Camp
Included Activities
- Park permit and licensed guide
- Lodge with all meals
LANDMARKS San Pedrillo Scarlet macaw Spider monkey Tapir Landing on Caño is restricted and numbers are capped — you snorkel from the boat. Humpbacks pass twice a year, from both hemispheres.
Drake Bay, Cano IslandHow the day runs
- 1 hrs7:30 AM — out to the reserve
- 4 hrs9:00 AM — two snorkel sites, then back
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationDrake Bay Camp
Included Activities
- Reserve fee and boat
- Lodge with all meals
LANDMARKS Caño Island Reef Whitetip reef sharks Humpbacks in season Sirena is the interior station and the one where tapir turn up on the airstrip. The river mouth has bull sharks and nobody swims there.
Drake Bay, CorcovadoHow the day runs
- 1 hrs5:30 AM — the long run down to Sirena
- 6 hrs7:00 AM — the Sirena trails
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationDrake Bay Camp
Included Activities
- Permit and guide
- Lodge with all meals
LANDMARKS Sirena station Baird's tapir Peccary Bull sharks in the river mouth The sandbar at Marino Ballena forms the shape of a whale's tail at low tide, which is a coincidence the park has leaned into.
Drake Bay, Sierpe, UvitaHow the day runs
- 2 hrs8:00 AM — the river again
- 2 hrs11:00 AM — north to the whale tail
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationUvita Camp
Included Activities
- Transport
- Guesthouse at Uvita
LANDMARKS Marino Ballena Whale tail sandbar Uvita The road climbs to about 3,300 m at the Cerro de la Muerte and the páramo up there is nothing like the coast you left at breakfast.
Uvita, San JoseHow the day runs
- 4 hrs8:00 AM — inland and up over the pass
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationSan Jose Camp
Included Activities
- Transport
- Hotel in San José
LANDMARKS Cerro de la Muerte Páramo Central Valley Allow properly for San José traffic; it is worse than the distance suggests.
San JoseHow the day runs
- 1 hrsTransfer to the airport
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationNot included — onward travel
Included Activities
- Airport transfer
- Day 1Airport transfer
- Day 1Hotel night
- Day 2Boat
- Day 2Lodge at Drake Bay
- Day 3Park permit and licensed guide
- Day 3Lodge with all meals
- Day 4Reserve fee and boat
- Day 5Permit and guide
- Day 6Transport
- Day 6Guesthouse at Uvita
- Day 7Hotel in San José
- Day 1 · 1 nightSan Jose Camp
- Day 2 · 4 nightsDrake Bay Camp
- Day 6 · 1 nightUvita Camp
- Day 7 · 1 nightSan Jose Camp
- Day 1San Jose to San JoseTransfer into the city
- Day 2San Jose to Sierpe6:00 AM — south down the coastal highway
- Day 6Sierpe to Uvita11:00 AM — north to the whale tail
- Day 7Uvita to San Jose8:00 AM — inland and up over the pass
- Day 8San Jose to San JoseTransfer to the airport
Where you'll stay
All accommodations are subject to change
Drake Bay Camp
Camping
Days 2–5
Uvita Camp
Camping
Day 6
What you'll eat
7 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 6 dinners across 8 days, at camp. It opens with dinner on day 1 and closes with breakfast on day 8.
- DinnerServed on days 1–6
- BreakfastServed on days 2–8
- LunchServed on days 3–5
16 meal services named in the itinerary. Vegetarian and vegan covered; Jain, gluten-free and allergies on notice at booking
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Customer reviews
Overall rating
4.6/5
Based on 78 reviews
Review summary
Food4.4/5
Guide4.3/5
Itinerary4.4/5
Transport4.4/5
Accommodation4.4/5
Tour operator4.4/5
Sort by:Recommended
5
V
Vikram Bose – Indore2026-04-21 · Verified booking
Puntarenas in the right season is something else, and the team knew exactly where to camp. Camp was pitched and the kitchen going by the time we walked in each evening. Plenty to eat and they were happy to work around a gluten allergy. Good value for what's included.
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5
D
Dev Chatterjee – Lucknow2026-04-21 · Verified booking
Well organised from the pickup onwards. The daily distances were honest about what they'd be. Guides answered every question, including the daft ones.
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5
P
Priya Nair – Chennai2026-04-21 · Verified booking
Second trek with this operator and they've kept the standard up. The campsites were well chosen — sheltered, and close enough to water. The team read the group well and adjusted without making a thing of it.
Reply from Condor Overland
Glad you enjoyed it. Hope to see you on another trip.
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5
N
Nina Hoffmann – Berlin2026-04-21 · Verified booking
Second trek with this operator and they've kept the standard up. The campsites were well chosen — sheltered, and close enough to water. Whoever planned the days knew what they were doing. Recommended.
Reply from Condor Overland
Appreciate the honest feedback; we're looking at the pacing on that section.
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1
F
Farah Qureshi – Nagpur2026-04-08 · Verified booking
Pace was set for the fastest people in the group and it made the middle days hard.
Reply from Condor Overland
Thank you for travelling with us — glad the route worked out.
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3
R
Rahul Menon – Kochi2026-04-08 · Verified booking
The trek itself is good but the group was too large for the trail on the summit day. Crew were professional without being stiff about it.
Reply from Condor Overland
Thanks for writing this up. We've passed your note to the team.
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4
A
Arjun Pillai – Delhi2026-04-08 · Verified booking
Did this over 8 days and it was the best walking I've done in years. Good value for what's included.
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5
D
Dev Chatterjee – Chennai2026-04-08 · Verified booking
Second trek with this operator and they've kept the standard up. Camp was pitched and the kitchen going by the time we walked in each evening. The cooking was a genuine surprise — better than most places we'd have picked ourselves.
Reply from Condor Overland
Appreciate the honest feedback; we're looking at the pacing on that section.
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Questions people ask
One other operator runs this trail. See all 2 side by side →