14 Day Osa Peninsula
A two-week adventure around on Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula, one of the most biodiverse destinations on the planet.
read more closeDrake Bay, Puerto Jimenez & Cabo Matapalo
Day 1: Arrival
Fly in to San Jose’s Juan Santamaria International Airport. Spend the night in a comfortable hotel just minutes from the airport.
Day 2: Fly to Drake Bay
Transfer to the airport for a short flight to Drake Bay. As you leisurely discover Drake, try not to gawk at the scarlet macaws flying gracefully overheard, or at the humpback whales that breach in the bay between July-October and December-April. After checking in to your eco-friendly lodge, kayak up the Rio Agujitas on the lookout for crocodile.
Day 3: Explore Drake Bay
Just a thirty minute walk from downtown, you’ll find the isolated Playa Cocalito. En route, expect to cross paths with monkeys, macaws, agoutis and more. If you have the time and energy afterward, check out Drake’s creepy crawly night tour.
Day 4: Sport Fishing and Wetlands Tour
Discover the angler within on an exciting offshore sport fishing excursion. Roosterfish, tuna, marlin and snapper are just a few of the diverse breeds feeding in these rich waters. We recommend combining this with a short jaunt through the Terraba-Sierpe mangroves, less than an hour away from Drake Bay.
Days 5-6: Corcovado National Park Day Trips
Trek through the heart of Corcovado National Park from the Sirena ranger station, located one hour by boat from Drake. Your full-day excursion includes lunch and departs around 6:00 a.m. Tapirs, monkeys, sloths, wildcats, and peccaries are just a few elusive species that call this area home.
Next, take a day trip to the closer, less isolated San Pedrillo station, where fer-de-lance snakes are extremely common. Hike the steep waterfall trail to a beautiful swimming hole (don’t forget your suit). This adventure also lasts all day and includes a delicious lunch.
Day 7: Snorkeling and Diving at Cano Island
Scuba dive or snorkel among the abundance of marine life at the legendary Cano Island. Swim with large schools of jacks, parrotfish, angelfish, and white tip reef sharks. Break for lunch on the island, where you’ll have a few hours to sunbathe or hike to the old Indian graveyard. Then spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing on the beach, or get back in the water for another round of underwater exploration.
Day 8: Puerto Jimenez Kayak Tour
Fly 25 minutes to Puerto Jimenez, a laid-back town on the Golfo Dulce side of the Osa Peninsula. Check into your new hotel and enjoy a sunset kayak tour which departs between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m., depending on the tides. After a sunny day, the phosphorescence in the waters of the Golfo Dulce dance and flicker like sparklers under the sea. Swim and let the magic engulf you, or stay in the kayak and look out for dolphins.
Day 9-10: Cabo Matapalo: Hike, Surf and Relax
Explore the rainforest trails of Cabo Matapalo looking for poison dart frogs, sloths, kinkajous, and other animals. Spend the night in Cabo Matapalo. Try your hand at surfing, or just relax on Cabo’s three pristine beaches.
Day 11: Golfo Dulce
Return to Puerto Jimenez, and take a boat across the Golfo Dulce to one of Piedras Blancas National Park’s nearby eco-resorts. Enjoy kayaking, snorkeling, or fishing off of the dock at Playa Nicuesa.
Day 12: The Osa Wildlife Sanctuary
Take a 10-minute transfer to the fascinating Osa Wildlife Sanctuary. Observe and interact with a variety of native animals in their care. Spider monkeys, toucans and peccaries are just a few of the many species that are rescued each year by this nonprofit organization.
Day 13: Piedras Blancas National Park Tour
Hike along the trails of Piedras Blancas National Park in search of wildlife. Red-eyed tree frogs and great curassows are especially common. Transfer to Golfito in the evening, and spend the night near the small airport.
Day 14: Departure
Fly to San Jose’s Juan Santamaria International Airport in the morning, and from there fly home.