San Jose Retreat
Hotel
Days 1, 7
Osa & Corcovado — 8 days (San José, San Jose, Sierpe, Drake Bay & Cano Island)
Eight days, two guided days inside the park. Eight days with both park permits, licensed guides, the Caño Island day and full board at Drake Bay.
Pumice & Pine
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 Retreat
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 Courtyard
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 Courtyard
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 Courtyard
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 Courtyard
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 Lodge
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 Retreat
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 Retreat
- Day 2 · 4 nightsDrake Bay Courtyard
- Day 6 · 1 nightUvita Lodge
- Day 7 · 1 nightSan Jose Retreat
- 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 Courtyard
Hotel
Days 2–5
Uvita Lodge
Lodge
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 20 reviews
Review summary
Food4.6/5
Guide4.4/5
Itinerary4.4/5
Transport4.2/5
Accommodation4.5/5
Tour operator4.6/5
Sort by:Recommended
4
E
Elena Petrova – London2026-07-22 · Verified booking
Puntarenas in the right season is something else, and the team knew exactly where to camp. No hesitation recommending them.
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5
J
James Whelan – Berlin2026-07-22 · Verified booking
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.
Reply from Pumice & Pine
Thank you for travelling with us — glad the route worked out.
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5
N
Nina Hoffmann – Dublin2026-07-22 · Verified booking
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.
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5
I
Ishita Ghosh – Chennai2026-07-22 · Verified booking
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.
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5
M
Manav Sethi – Pune2025-02-17 · Verified booking
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.
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4
F
Farah Qureshi – Chennai2025-02-17 · Verified booking
Puntarenas in the right season is something else, and the team knew exactly where to camp. No hesitation recommending them.
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5
S
Sameer Khan – Kochi2025-02-17 · Verified booking
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.
Reply from Pumice & Pine
Appreciate the honest feedback; we're looking at the pacing on that section.
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4
F
Farah Qureshi – Chennai2025-02-17 · Verified booking
The route is beautiful and the pacing was sensible — nobody was rushed on the climb. Worth every rupee.
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Questions people ask
One other operator runs this trail. See all 2 side by side →