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YOUR ADVENTURE AT AT A GLANCE
Enter a world of wonder and discover why National Geographic Magazine calls Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula "the most biologically intense place on earth". Hike lush trails to cascading waterfalls, explore Corcovado National Park with its exotic wildlife, stay at a beautiful beachfront ecolodge, eat fresh delicious food, and be enchanted by the intense beauty of Mother Nature's playground. Plus, you'll be a part of Em and Tami's BIG day!
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INTO THE WILDS OF THE OSA
The pristine rainforests and rugged natural beauty of the Osa Peninsula make this region among the most beautiful areas in Costa Rica. Declared "the most biologically intense place on earth" by National Geographic Magazine, the Osa Peninsula has become the premier eco-tourism destination in the country. The Osa Peninsula is a secluded nature wonderland, playing home to many of the country’s rare and endangered animal and bird species, including squirrel monkeys, jaguars, and other forest cats. With a large chunk of the Peninsula forming the Corcovado National Park, this area has the single largest expanse of a lowland tropical rainforest in Central America and is one of the tallest rainforests in the world. The area hosts more than 375 bird species, a fourth of Costa Rica's tree species and more than 5000 vascular plant species, many of which are found nowhere else on earth.
It is here, in the most lush and verdant part of the country that your exciting adventure will begin. Encounter all four species of monkeys, tropical birds like toucans and macaws and be surrounded by the largest concentration of wildcats in all of the country! Come and fully immerse yourself in this wild and pristine setting for a full week of adventure, relaxation, wedding celebrations and more! YAY
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DAILY BREAKDOWN
Below you will find our sample itinerary for the trip. Just remember to bring good hiking shoes and your appetite for adventure!
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DAY 1 // SATURDAY
Bienvenido! Once you arrive at the Juan Santamaria International Airport in San José, Costa Rica’s capital city, you’ll be greeted by our driver who will take you to your hotel. You will be situated in a quiet town located on the outskirts of San José proper. You’ll have the rest of your day free to relax by the pool or to venture out either into the capital city or nearby in the small town of Alajuela located just a few minutes away from your hotel by taxi. If you arrive early enough, try a fun coffee tour or perhaps simply wandering around with your camera in hand to photograph the many museums, markets and scenic areas around town. Stop by the National Theatre, Gold Museum or visit the many local markets. Once at the hotel, you can meet up with the others for your first group dinner tonight, a great way to get to know each other before heading out to the Osa tomorrow!
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Included meals: None
Recommended optional activities ($): Cafe Britt tour. Contact www.coffetour.com for details. Want to visit San José? Grab a taxi or Uber to get there. Want to explore closer to the hotel? Visit Alajuela which also has wonderful churches and markets. The staff at reception will be happy to help you coordinate your extra time in town.
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DAY 2 // SUNDAY
Bright and early in the morning after a complimentary breakfast join the rest of the group on a scenic domestic flight to the small town of Puerto Jimenez on the Osa. This flight is very much part of the whole adventure as you soar over the lush rainforest canopy, flowing rivers and mangroves and see impressive sites like the famous Whale’s Tale in Uvita! Get your camera ready to photograph Costa Rica from the sky!
Once landed in the small town of Puerto Jimenez, you will be welcomed by Martine, your RR Escape Adventure Host. Together, we’ll make a quick stop at a local grocery store to pick up last minute items before taking our four-wheel transport through the rainforest all the way to your beautiful ecolodge Ojo Del Mar on Matapalo beach. Matapalo is a fun little oceanfront community known for its great surfing beaches!
On this 40-minute drive, Martine will start to introduce you to the local wildlife in the area. Maybe you'll see our famous Scarlet Macaws and monkeys! There are 4 species of monkeys in Costa Rica and all 4 can only be found here on the Osa! We consider getting you to the your lodging as your first tour of the trip so get ready as your full immersion into the rainforest is about to begin!
When we arrive at Ojo Del Mar, there will be a short welcome orientation followed by a delicious lunch, and you'll have the afternoon free to unpack, check out the property, the pool or beach and enjoy your new home away from home!
Join us before sunset at our yoga platform where we will talk about our plan for the week and maybe even wind down with a restorative yoga session for those interested. Waiting for us next is a yummy welcome dinner under the moon and stars.
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Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Domestic Flight: 45 minute flight from San José to Puerto Jimenez. We will add the cost of this flgiht (290USD) to your final payment.
Approximate transit time by land: 40 minute drive to the lodge
Included activity: Optional restorative yoga session. We have plenty yoga mats so leave yours at home.
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DAY 3 // MONDAY
Enjoy a full hearty breakfast. Once finished, get into your hiking shoes and we'll take a trek through the neighbourhood to discover and photograph all of the indigenous fruits, flowers, and of course local wildlife! Today we are headed down to “Matapalo” where many of the monkeys can easily be found hanging around, sleeping and playing. We will be showing you around the neighbourhood pointing out all of the local hot spots where you can spot wildlife in the early morning and late afternoons when the animals are feeding.
Bring a snack and enjoy some fun time at the beach before heading back to the lodge for a delicious lunch.
After lunch, enjoy free time at the beach or lounge around the property and enjoy the pool or ocean. In the late afternoon, those of you who wish to continue exploring can hike in the area to spot more wildlife. The animals are always more active early am or late in the afternoon!
In the evening, we will sit together for a delicious family style dinner. Perhaps you’ll be interested in checking out what the chef is making? Enter the open-air kitchen to learn about Costa Rican fare and other local dishes!
After dinner, if you still have enough energy, we’ll take you on a short night hike in and around the property to spot the night action! It’s a whole different perspective from day to night here on the Osa!
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Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included tours: Morning hike to Matapalo + Night hike for those interested
Approx. hike time: 4 hours easy walking including beach time
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DAY 4 // TUESDAY
After breakfast, we offer you the option to join us on a fun adventure or to stay put and enjoy a free day to rest and prepare for the afternoon's celebrations.
If you choose to stay back, you can enjoy the beach, the pool and of course try any of our local optional tours.
If you prefer to explore today and discover more of this amazing Peninsula with us, we invite you to Bosque Del Cabo, a nearby property that is home to an abundant array of wildlife. Because of it’s location, size and history, Bosque Del Cabo has become a real haven for many of the local animals. Here it is possible to see more wildlife than anywhere else on the Osa! Not to mention amazing breathtaking views of the ocean and the shoreline from over 300 feet above sea level.
Hike down to discover tide pools in volcanic rocks at low tide or cross a suspension bridge in the rainforest canopy where we have a surprise for you! We’ll head back to Ojo Del Mar mid-afternoon in time for you to enjoy some rest and relaxing before we meet up again for another fun group dinner tonight.
After dinner, we invite you to experience our relaxing sound bathing activity which will surely send you to bed feeling fully relaxed and ready for a good night sleep. Tomorrow is the BIG day for Em and Tami, so make sure you get some rest because we are planning on having a lot of fun!
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Included meals: Breakfast, lunch at Bosque Del Cabo and dinner at Ojo Del Mar.
Included activity: Bosque Del Cabo hike. This hike is dependent on the availability at the lodge.
Approx. hike time: 3 - 4 hours easy to moderate
Transportation: Included for Bosque del Cabo
Optional activities ($): Massage or any other optional tour you may choose today.
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DAY 5 // WEDNESDAY
Love is in the air! Em and Tami's are getting married today! YAY!
After a delicious, hearty breakfast, join us for a fun waterfall hike! Be prepared to get completely wet as we hike up the Carbonara River. This hike is for those who like a little adventure mixed with swimming and hiking!
We also invite you to a fun river spa where you will be pampered with local ingredients like a coconut sugar scrub, chocolate mask and a few other goodies to get your skin glowing for the BIG event.
Later in the afternoon, we will all gather for the ceremony on the beach until sunset, followed by a fun dinner and dance party! Join us to make Em and Tami's wedding day one of the most fun and memorable. Woohoo!
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Included meals: Breakfast, lunch & wedding dinner!
Included tours: Hike to waterfall + River spa
Approx. hike time: 2 hours in total including moderate hike through a river and time at the waterfall.
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DAY 6 // THURSDAY
What’s your pleasure today? You’re free to enjoy a day at the beach, try your hand at surfing, hike in the famous Corcovado National Park, or join us at Luna Lodge at the end of the road in Carate! So many options!
If a free day is what you’re looking for, stay back and enjoy some peace and quiet in Matapalo. Em and Tami will surely be wanting to surf today so you can join them at the beach and even try a fun surfing lesson yourself!
If you have been itching to get into the famous Corcovado National Park, this is your chance! We highly recommend taking the opportunity to explore this amazing place full of animals! The park is located between the ocean and mountains, a naturally created corridor that brings together abundant wildlife. You'll realize quickly why National Geographic Magazine calls it “the most biologically intense place on earth”! The park is home to wildcats like pumas and jaguars, as well as peccaries, tapirs and all four species of monkeys! Your hike will be led by a local guide with expert knowledge of the park so you’ll be in good hands.
Or, maybe you prefer something a little more luxurious and wild? If so, we’ll head to the small beach town of Carate located at the end of the road towards Corcovado National Park. Here we’ll venture into gold mining territory as we drive up along the Carate River to one of the most beautiful lodges in the area: Luna Lodge.
Luna Lodge is nestled high up in the jungle canopy providing you with a completely different experience of the rainforest. Try a relaxing massage in their beautiful spa room, climb up to see incredible views of the surrounding rainforest from their stunning yoga platform or simply wander around their gardens taking photographs of flowers, birds and more. You can also sip a margarita by the pool and enjoy the sounds of nature surrounding you.
If you’ve chosen to join us in Carate today, we’ll stop at the beach for a late afternoon swim and enjoy a spectacular sunset overlooking the pacific ocean. We’ll be back in time for another scrumptious dinner. Although this is our last night on the Osa together, many adventures are still to come!
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Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch (packed for those in the park or 15USD if you want to have lunch at Luna Lodge - highly recommended), and Dinner.
Optional activity ($): Surfing lessons ($70USD), Corcovado National Park hike (min 2 people) 90USD to 120USD per person based on how many join the hike + transportation. Visit Luna Lodge (min 4 people) at no extra cost other than for your transportation and lunch.
Approx. hike time: Corcovado hike - You must be in good physical shape to do this 6 to 8 hour hike on mostly flat but uneven terrain with some limited elevations.
Transportation: Needed for Corcovado and Luna Lodge. Price will depend on how many join the activity.
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DAY 7 // FRIDAY
Save the best for last! This may be our last day on the Osa, but it’s one of our favourites. The Golfo Dulce is one of the deepest tropical fjords in the world and is home to three species of dolphins, turtles and even whale-sharks! You’ll see wildlife like you’ve never seen before, and experience the authentic beauty of the Pacific Ocean. Don’t want to do the boat tour? You can stay on land and take advantage of this day to photograph the small town of Puerto Jimenez or head to one of our favourite restaurants for a relaxing morning on the beach. You can also photograph the grounds filled with flowers and vistas of the Golfo Dulce. We’ll meet you here for lunch after the tour.
Later in the afternoon you can try out zip lining!! Don’t want to zip? Not a problem, enjoy a cold drink by the ocean, have lunch in a local restaurant or photograph the small and quaint town of Puerto Jimenez. Later this afternoon, we all meet up to catch our domestic flight back to San José. Once in San José we’ll head to our hotel and meet for our last group dinner together.
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Included meals: Breakfast only today. Lunch will be in a local restaurant that offers varied options and prices. Same for dinner in San José.
Inluded activities: Boat tour on the Golfo Dulce!
Optional activities ($): Zip lining tour (price of tour and transportation is based on the number of participants.)
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DAY 8 // SATURDAY
Enjoy a complimentary yummy breakfast at the hotel and say your farewells! With us, it’s never goodbye, just "see you later!" Transfer to the International Airport or you can continue enjoying more of San José if you have time before your flight!
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Included meal: Breakfast
QUESTIONS?
Contact info@rrescape.com for more details about Em and Tami's unique wedding escape and join us in THE most impressive and prolific rainforest in all of Central America!
If you have a Q, we have an A.
NOTE that the schedule and the price of the activities listed above are subject to change and some optional tours are only available with a minimum number of participants. Contact us for more details.
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