Arrival
Flights
Buses
Driving/Renting a Car
Taxis
From Carate
Map
Map of the Osa Peninsula in Southwest Costa Rica
Arrival
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The beach in Carate.
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When you arrive in Carate, a sparsely populated outpost literally at the end of the road on the far western side of the Osa Peninsula, you are at the true frontier of this precious land- one of the wildest and most remote regions of Central America. The natural beauty of this area is indescribable, with verdant ridges full of monkeys and scarlet macaws cascading down to a wide black sand beach with nothing but driftwood and coconut shells for miles on end. This is the primary entry point to Corcovado National Park. The narrow channel to the south provides not only an ideal environment for aquatic mammals, but also for world-class fishing, which can be done right from the shore in Carate or in a nearby lagoon full of record-sized snook... and crocodiles! There are also some excellent surf breaks in the area, too, for those looking for the 'perfect' wave. No matter how you get there, the deserted sandy beaches with tall palms bursting with coconuts and almond trees full of scarlet macaws, emerald-turquoise waves peeling offshore, and the comfortable haven of our lodge nestled in the endless acres of wild jungle cascading down from the hills above, will all be there waiting patiently for you.
Domestic Flights
Please note: Costa Rica is in the Central Standard Time zone and does not observe daylight savings time. Also, when making reservations please keep in mind that there are sometimes unexpected delays on flights.
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Airstrip in Carate |
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Direct flight to Puerto Jimenez from San Jose by two private companies (1 hour) :
To connect directly to Carate (10 minutes), you can arrange with us for a connecting flight from Puerto Jimenez, where its just a few minutes ride up into the rainforest to the Luna Lodge.
Buses
Direct buses to Puerto Jimenez leave San Jose at 12:00 p.m. everyday and take about 8 hours.
Driving/Renting a Car
Driving from San Jose to Luna Lodge is about a 10 hour trip. If you do it in two days, or move down the
coast slowly, it is much more pleasant. Just make sure you leave enough time to spend at least 2 to 4 days at
Luna Lodge. No one ever wants to leave the Peninsula de Osa.
Please be careful if you rent a car. Your safety is the most important thing and Costa Rican drivers tend
to be on the wild side!
- It is better to go with the flow.
- Do not drive at night.
- We advise that you do not leave anything in the car
if it is unattended.
- Costa Rica is known for having bad directions and signage. Many rental agencies now offer GPS navigation in their cars and may be very helpful!
One route is to go down through the center of the country on the Pan-American Highway. Follow the Highway down past San Isidro General, past a lot of pineapple plantations, past a town called Palmar Norte and then finally you will arrive at a Gas Station that says 'Corcovado'. Turn right if you are coming from San Jose. Follow this until you arrive at Puerto Jimenez. From Puerto Jimenez there is only one road to Carate and then follow the river up to Luna Lodge.
The other route is to take the coast road, it is really beautiful, but might take longer because the road is not paved in some areas.
Driving from Puerto Jimenez to Luna Lodge is about 2 hours along a fairly rough, minimally maintained road,
so a 4-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended.
Taxis to Luna Lodge
Private Taxi from Puerto Jimenez: We can help you to arrange a private taxi almost any time and are normally air-conditioned. US$85 per trip, up to 6 passengers. (2 hours)
Colectivo transport to Carate from Puerto Jimenez: In the high season (Dec-Apr), it leaves from next to the bus terminal at 6:00am and 1:30pm everyday. During the green season (Jun-Nov) it leaves at 6:00am and sometimes 1:30pm everyday. We will pick you up in Carate when you arrive. US$8 per person. (2 hours)
From Carate to Luna Lodge
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Upon arrival at the Carate airstrip, guests are driven up an adventurous road to the Luna Lodge. |
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Whether coming by car, taxi, jeep, horseback, or by foot, when you arrive in Carate continue up the road, it will
look like you are going in the river, and you are, but the river is usually dry or easy to pass. Luna Lodge will
hopefully know when your estimated arrival time is, but if not, please just come on up because we are always open and
waiting with a smile!
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