8-Day Lodge-to-Lodge Golfo Dulce Sea Kayaking Trip
An Epic lodge-to-Lodge Adventure Circumnavigating Costa Rica´s Tropical Fjord
8 Days From $2685
Highlights
- Off-the-beaten-path nature-destination, teeming with wildlife & breathtaking scenery.
- Paddle protected ocean waters with dolphins and turtles.
- Explore deserted beaches, isles, lush rainforests and ancient mangrove forests.
- You’ll stay at a comfortable and conveniently located hotel in San Jose (for your arrival and evening before departure) and two unique waterfront, family-run ecolodges. Each property serves tasteful meals made with fresh, natural ingredients.
- Start: San José, Costa Rica End: San José, Costa Rica
Kayaking route for the 8-Day Lodge-to-Lodge Golfo Dulce Sea Kayaking Trip. Click here to view full screen map.
Itinerary
Day 1. A sea kayaking Costa Rica rep will meet you at SJO Airport.
Today has been designated as your arrival day! You may arrive at any time on this day. A Sea Kayaking Costa Rica representative will meet you at San Jose International Airport (S.J.O.) and take you to a conveniently located hotel only a 10-minute from the airport. Here, you'll have the chance to relax and unwind from your international travels.
Accommodation: Country Inn and Suites by Radisson
Meals: No meals included today
Day 2. Sea kayaking orientation and paddle
The day begins with a traditional Costa Rican breakfast, including fresh fruit, rice and beans, and excellent local coffee. Your guide-driver will meet you this morning and sweep you away on a beautiful drive from the Central Valley highlands down to the Osa Peninsula, along the Pacific coastline and the country's best and newest road. We will drive by villages, rainforests, stunning coastlines, and traditional plantations. After a morning of travel, we will reach El Chontal Ecolodge, located right on the banks of the Golfo Dulce. After settling into your wooden jungle cabin, we will serve a delicious lunch. Following lunch and a brief rest, we'll meet for the kayak orientation & gear fitting, followed by our first paddle of the trip, exploring the nearby mangrove forest and coast. Dinner is served after sunset in the lodge's family's house.
Accommodation: El Chontal Ecolodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 3. Exploring the other side of the gulf
It is yet another beautiful morning on the Golfo Dulce, with its many tropical birds and sunrise over the water just a few steps from your cabin. Today, you will explore the Esquinas River on the other side of the Gulf. Our motorboat will take us up the river and drop us off. Then, with the help of the gentle currents, you'll float/paddle out again to the river mouth, from where we ride the motorboat back to the lodge. After this full day, we will enjoy well-deserved cold drinks on the boat ride. This afternoon, you'll visit a local family's forest property, famous for its abundance of sloths. We will walk for 2 hours on their forest trails, looking for these iconic creatures and other wildlife. This evening, we will have a delicious dinner after sunset.
Accommodation: El Chontal Ecolodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 4. Paddle to our next lodge, stopping along the way
After another glorious breakfast at our host's home this morning, we'll pack up to circumnavigate the northwest portion of the Sweet Gulf, the calmest and most beautiful of this body of water. We will put on the water paddling out of Rincon Bay, following the coast south around Punta Palmas, and reach the village of Playa Blanca. This 12 Km (7 miles) paddle will take us by the Mangroves Forest of the Rincon River. Along our route, we will stop on deserted beaches for a rest, snack, or swim. This water trail is perfect for observing sea turtles and avian wildlife, mainly vast colonies of beach-dwelling scarlet macaws. At Playa Blanca, we'll stay at Lapamar Ecolodge, a family-owned and operated property offering spacious wooden cabins, each with a private bathroom. Our host will serve our meals at the centrally located open rancho, starting with a freshly prepared lunch. Depending on the tides, we'll paddle out again in the afternoon, visiting the nearby mangrove of Barrigones Creek. This is a prime location for spotting wildlife, including coatis, monkeys, squirrels, and sloths. If the tide is not right, we will walk in the nearby rainforest and village. Dinner is prepared with fresh local ingredients and is served right after sunset.
Accommodation: Lapamar Ecolodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 5. Day visit to Corcovado National Park
On this special day, we will take a break from paddling and embark on a unique journey to Corcovado National Park, the crown jewel of the Costa Rican National Park System. After a 20-minute drive to Puerto Jimenes, we will embark on a 25-minute boat ride that will have us exit the Golfo Dulce. Upon entering the open Pacific Ocean, you will travel another excellent hour along the shores of the Osa Peninsula until we reach the heart of Corcovado National Park. Once at the Sirena Ranger Station, your knowledgeable naturalist guide will lead you on one of the six wildlife trails surrounding Sirena Station. Your guide's expertise will help you spot as much flora & fauna as possible while explaining about the animals, plants, and trees you see. At noon, you'll return to the station for a delicious lunch and rest on the beautiful wooden deck looking over grassy fields, the jungle, and the ocean in the background. After lunch, you will continue the guided hiking, exploring the other trails for more natural encounters. We will head to Sirena Beach early in the afternoon to board our boat, ride back to Puerto Jimenez, and then drive back to Lapamar Lodge. In the late afternoon, you can enjoy the beach or relax in your private cabin; dinner is served after sunset.
Accommodation: Lapamar Ecolodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 6. Set off in our kayaks to reach the Mogos Isles
Early this morning, our host, Don Alvaro, will brew fresh coffee for us and prepare a hearty breakfast to fuel our 15 km-long (9-mile) stretch to the Mogos Isles. This journey is one of the prime opportunities to spot dolphins and other marine life. This is also the final and longest paddling stretch of the trip. On this journey, you will paddle emerald-green waters along a rainforest-lined coast. On route, you will stop on beautiful deserted beaches. After a well-deserved break at the Isles, we'll continue crossing the Golfo Dulce, surrounding Punta Rincón, and reaching the familiar El Chontal Ecolodge. After today's amazing last and longest paddling stretch, we'll wash up and enjoy the last homemade lunch at El Chontal. After lunch, we will visit a local organic farm to learn about their sustainable practices and crops. The visit, however, will focus on the farm's organic cacao crop, and we will learn about the stages of the traditional production of delicious high-percentage chocolate. The best part of the tour is tasting the organic fruit and chocolate fondue!
Accommodation: El Chontal Ecolodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 7. Take a scenic flight back to San José
This morning, after breakfast, we will head for the airstrip in Puerto Jimenez, where your pilot will fly back to the Central Valley on a 50-minute scenic flight along the Pacific Coast. Upon landing in San Jose, a Sea Kayaking Costa Rica representative will meet you at the airport and provide transportation to a nearby hotel. The rest of the afternoon is designated for leisure, where you can relax, take advantage of the hotel's amenities and nearby restaurants, or explore downtown San Jose on your own.
Accommodation: Country Inn and Suites by Radisson
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8. Departure day or extend your stay in Costa Rica
We have arranged for your transportation to the airport so that you will be on time for your flight home. All good things must come to an end. Over the past seven days, you've experienced some of the best paddling adventures Costa Rica offers. You will take home great memories, amazing photographs, likely some coffee and a huge Tico smile!
Meals: Breakfast
Dates & Prices
- January 11th – 18th
- January 28th – February 4th
- February 8th – 15th (sold out)
- February 22nd – March 1st (sold out)
- March 22nd – 29th
- April 5th – 12th
- April 19th – 26th
- May 3rd – 10th
- May 17th – 24th
- November 1st – 8th
- November 15th – 22nd (James Manke Instructional Trip, by invitation only)
- November 29th – December 6th
- December 13th – 20th
- January 3rd – 10th
- January 24th – 31st
- February 7th – 14th
- February 21st – 28th
- March 21st – 28th (sold out)
- April 4th – 11th
- April 18th – 25th
- May 11th – 18th (Monday – Monday)
- November 7th – 14th
- November 21st – 28th
- December 12th – 19th
Single supplement is USD$250.
- Airport Meet & Greet and Transportation to your Hotel
- All activities sea kayaking activities and equipment as outlined in the itinerary
- Motorized boat support on longer sea kayaking stretches
- Guided Visit to Sloth Sanctuary
- Day tour to Sirena Ranger Station of Corcovado National Park, including licensed naturalist, marine transportation, and park fees
- Guided Visit to Sustainable Chocolate Farm
- 6 Days of guidance of a Sea Kayaking Costa Rica Trip Leader
- Additional regional guides, local experts, and support staff
- Comprehensive Trip Planner with detailed pre-trip information
- 7 nights of accommodation
- All meals (except on Day 1, and only breakfast on Days 7 & 8)
- All ground transportation, including transfer from San Jose to Osa Peninsula
- Domestic flight from Puerto Jimenez to San Jose
- Hotel to Airport Transportation for your international departure flight
- International flights to and from Costa Rica
- Alcoholic beverages (Sea Kayaking Costa Rica provides wine at select events)
- Travel Protection Program
- Personal expenses
- Gratuities for Sea Kayaking Costa Rica Guide
Instead of the full trip starting and ending in San Jose, we can offer you our Basic Trip Option, which is the same trip but starting and ending in the Golfo Dulce (El Chontal Lodge to be precise).
This means your trip with us begins with lunch on Day 2 of the itinerary, ending there on with breakfast on the morning of Day 7. You can park your car safely at El Chontal Lodge throughout the trip at no extra charge.
The Basic Trip option of the Lodge-to-Lodge Golfo Dulce Sea Kayaking Trip is priced at USD 2185/person, based on double occupancy.
This price includes all taxes and fees, including the mandatory 13% value-added tax stipulated by the Costa Rican government. Click here to book your trip online or contact one of our experts to answer any questions or assist you with booking your trip.
A down payment is required at the time of reservation. Down payments are USD 500/person, payable by credit card or direct deposit. We can also accept PayPal payments upon request.
To book your trip, you can click:
For questions and to book your trip, you may contact our office via email at: contact@seakayakingcostarica.com or call our US & Canada Line U.S. Line (+1) 719-212-5331 .Your booking is secured upon receiving your deposit. You will receive a booking confirmation email, a Costa Rica Useful Travel Tips Document, a Suggested Packing List, and our Survey Form to complete and submit online. The final balance is due 30 days before the trip commencement date.
Activity Level
DAY 2
1.5 hours/ 5 km (3 miles) of sea kayaking
DAY 3
2-4 hours/ 6-12 km (3.7-7.5 miles) of sea kayaking
DAY 4
3.5 hours/ 12km (7.5 miles) of sea kayaking
DAY 5
optional 2-4 hours/ 5-10 km (3.1-6.2 miles) of hiking on mostly level terrain
DAY 6
5 hours/ 20 km (12.5 miles) of sea kayaking
Accommodations
Country Inn & Suites
El Chontal Ecolodge
Lapamar Ecolodge
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Faq's
We supply dry bags which can be safely stored on the kayaks
8 Days From $2685
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