San Jose Retreat
Hotel or lodge, twin sharing
8 days, planned by Pumice & Pine
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.
| LANDMARKS |
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| San José |
| Jade Museum |
| Central Valley |
Crossing the river bar at the mouth is the memorable part — the boatmen time it to the swell and everyone gets wet.
| LANDMARKS |
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| 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.
| LANDMARKS |
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| 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.
| 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.
| 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.
| 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.
| LANDMARKS |
|---|
| Cerro de la Muerte |
| Páramo |
| Central Valley |
Allow properly for San José traffic; it is worse than the distance suggests.
Day 1 · Fri, 18 Sept, 2026
Most of these can be added to your booking later — the operator confirms within a day.
Published by the operator. Nights on the ground can move with weather and permissions.
Hotel or lodge, twin sharing
Hotel or lodge, twin sharing
Hotel or lodge, twin sharing
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.
16 meal services named in the itinerary. Vegetarian and vegan covered; Jain, gluten-free and allergies on notice at booking
“Andes and Central America, altitude planned properly”
Every itinerary is built around where you sleep rather than where you go, because in the Andes that is the only decision that matters.
Puntarenas in the right season is something else, and the team knew exactly where to camp. No hesitation recommending them.
Second trek with this operator and they've kept the standard up. Accommodation was a notch better than the price suggested. Would send friends their way.
Thank you for travelling with us — glad the route worked out.
Second trek with this operator and they've kept the standard up. No complaints about any of the hotels — all of them well placed. Meals were good throughout and the vegetarian options weren't an afterthought. Worth every rupee.
Well organised from the pickup onwards. The daily distances were honest about what they'd be. Rooms were comfortable and the locations meant we could walk most evenings. Guides answered every question, including the daft ones. Good value for what's included.
The route is beautiful and the pacing was sensible — nobody was rushed on the climb. Accommodation was a notch better than the price suggested. The team read the group well and adjusted without making a thing of it. Good value for what's included.
Puntarenas in the right season is something else, and the team knew exactly where to camp. No hesitation recommending them.
Well organised from the pickup onwards. The daily distances were honest about what they'd be. No complaints about any of the hotels — all of them well placed. Recommended.
Appreciate the honest feedback; we're looking at the pacing on that section.
The route is beautiful and the pacing was sensible — nobody was rushed on the climb. Worth every rupee.
Because the park requires a licensed guide and a permit for every visitor, and both are capped per station per day. It followed years of unmanaged access and gold panning. It is also why the wildlife density is what it is — the restriction is the reason the park works.
One other operator runs this trail. See all 2 side by side →