8-Day Golfo Dulce Lodge-Based Sea Kayaking Trip
Lodge-Based Trip In Costa Rica's Tropical Fjord
AVAILABLE:
ACTIVITY:
ACCOMMODATIONS:
GROUP SIZE:
June, September & October
Beginner- Intermediate
Hotel,Ecolodge & Boutique Lodge
4-10 Guests,
Min Age: 12
AVAILABLE:
June, September & October
ACTIVITY:
Beginner- Intermediate
ACCOMMODATIONS:
Hotel,Ecolodge & Boutique Lodge
GROUP SIZE:
4-10 Guests,
Min Age: 12
Costa Rica´s Golf Dulce is a sea kayaker’s dream. This of-the-beaten-path, idyllic paddling destination is rich in biodiversity and physical beauty, and El Chontal Ecolodge is the perfect location to set off on paddling adventures, and rainforest exploration while learning about local culture and sustainability. Our 8-day Lodge-Based Sea Kayaking Adventure is all-inclusive and takes care of you from when you arrive in Costa Rica to when you depart. Start & End Location: San Jose International Airport (SJO).
Highlights
- Off-the-beaten-path nature destination, teeming with wildlife & breathtaking scenery.
- Paddle protected ocean waters with dolphins and turtles and explore deserted beaches, isles, lush rainforests, ancient mangrove forests, and remote snorkeling spots.
- Your “base lodge” is El Chontal, a unique waterfront, family-run eco-lodge serving tasteful meals made with fresh natural ingredients.
- Start: San José, Costa Rica End: San José, Costa Rica
All the locations on the map are visited during our 8-Day Golfo Dulce Lodge-Based Sea Kayaking Trip, but not necessarily following the route on the above map.
Itinerary
DAY 1. A 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 (SJO) and provide transportation to a conveniently located hotel, only a 10-minute drive from the airport. Here you’ll have the chance to relax and unwind from your international travels. Early arrivals can take advantage of the swimming pool, hotel restaurants, or even the handful of restaurants, just a few minutes walk away.
Accommodation: Country Inn and Suites by RadissonNo 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 wonderful local coffee. Your guide will meet you this morning and take you to the airport for your domestic flight to the Osa Peninsula. After landing and a 30-minute drive, you will reach the wonderful El Chontal Ecolodge, located right on the banks of the Golfo Dulce. This family-owned and operated waterfront property is teeming with nature and is the perfect platform for all your adventures in the days to come. After settling into your wooden jungle cabin with a private bathroom, you will be served a delicious homemade lunch. Following lunch and a brief rest, you’ll meet your guide(s) for a kayak orientation and kayak fitting, followed by your first paddle of the trip. On this first paddle, you will fine-tune your equipment and explore the forest-lined bay. Dinner is served after sunset in the lodge’s family’s house.
Following lunch and a brief rest, you’ll meet your guide(s) for a kayak orientation, and kayak fitting, followed by your first paddle of the trip. On this first paddle where you will be fine-tuning your equipment and exploring the forest-lined bay. Dinner is served after sunset, in the lodge’s family’s house.
Accommodation: El Chontal EcolodgeMeals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 3. MORNING COASTAL PADDLE, STOPPING ALONG THE WAY
Before breakfast, meet your guide and fellow paddlers for freshly made coffee (or tea) in El Chontal's Rancho, an ample wooden deck covered by a high ceiling. This is a beautiful area to rest, relax in the hammocks and read, observe nature, stretch, do yoga, or socialize with your fellow kayakers over coffee. After breakfast, you'll take a short drive to the Playa Blanca to start a 12 Km (7.5 miles) trip down the coast back to the lodge. Your guide(s) will set some time aside to watch the Scarlet Macaws that this beach is famous for. The plan is to return to the base lodge in time for lunch. After lunch, we will you'll be visiting a local organic farm where you will learn about their sustainable practices and sustainable crops. The visit, however, will focus on the farm's organic cacao crop (a.k.a. chocolate), where you will learn about the stages of the traditional production of delicious pure chocolate. The best part of the tour is tasting the organic fruit and chocolate fondue!
Accommodation: El Chontal EcolodgeMeals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 4 - EXPLORING THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GULF
Yet another beautiful morning on the Gulfo 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 EcolodgeMeals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 5- SET OFF IN OUR KAYAKS TO REACH THE MOGOS ISLES
After a delicious coffee and breakfast, jump in your kayak's cockpit and set off for 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. Upon arriving at our destination, you will enjoy a well-deserved lunch. After lunch, you'll ride back to the lodge by motorboat. The afternoon is at leisure.
Accommodation: El Chontal Ecolodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 6 – DRIVE ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST TO REACH THE NEXT LODGE
This morning, after breakfast, you will say goodbye to Jorge and Azucena, our lovely local hosts al El Chontal Ecolodge. Your next location is "Beso de Viento," an ocean-side Boutique Lodge. To get there, you will take a picturesque drive along the coast, first witnessing some amazing views of the Golfo Dulce, then beautiful stretches of forest, coastline, pasture, agriculture, and villages. On the drive, you'll stop to see the Stone Sphere of Diquis. These mysterious rock spheres are part of the legacy of ancient Costarican society and have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage. After a little more driving, we will stop for lunch and then carry on to reach our beautiful beach location.
Accommodation: Beso de Viento HotelMeals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 7. TAKE A SCENIC DRIVE BACK TO SAN JOSE
On this day, we will continue our travels in our comfortable air-conditioned van, heading to San Jose and stopping for lunch and souvenirs on the way. By mid-afternoon, we will reach the Country Inn and Suites hotel. You will join your fellow travelers and your guide for dinner tonight.
Accommodation: Country Inn and Suites by RadissonMeals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
DAY 8. DEPARTURE DAY
We have arranged for your transportation to the airport in time for your flight home or continue to enjoy more of Costa Rica with one of our trip extensions.
Meals: BreakfastDates & Prices
The earlier you book, the more choice of available dates you’ll have and once you book, your price is guaranteed.
- September 14th – September 21st
- September 28th – October 5th
Start/End dates may vary. Do not book flights until your trip details are confirmed.
Trip dates for the 2025 season have not been established yet.
Our 8-Day Golfo Dulce Lodge-Based Sea Kayaking Trip is priced at USD $3000, based on double occupancy. This price includes all taxes and fees, including the mandatory 13% value-added tax stipulated by the Costa Rican government.
Single supplement is US$300.
Included in Trip Cost
- All activities and equipment as outlined in the itinerary
- The expertise and services of our experienced adventure guides
- Additional regional guides and local experts, if applicable
- Comprehensive Trip Planner with detailed pre-trip information
- Seven nights of accommodation
- Most meals, as outlined in the itinerary
- All ground transportation as outlined in the itinerary
- Domestic flight from San Jose to Puerto Jimenez
Not Included in Your Trip Cost
- 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 guides and guide-drivers
A down payment is required at the time of reservation. We charge a down payment of $500 per person and the balance 30 days prior to your arrival date. We accept all major Credit Cards, International Bank Wire Transfers and PayPal payments. Once a participant is ready to submit their payment, they can contact us directly so we can send them a secure payment link.
We offer a 5% discount for bank wire payments. If so, we will send you our bank details by email.
Activity Level
No previous experience is necessary but is preferred. If the guest has no experience, they are expected to be is good physical condition.
| DAY 2 | 1.5 hours/ 5 km (3 miles) of sea kayaking |
| DAY 3 | 3.5 hours/ 12km (7.5 miles) of sea kayaking |
| DAY 4 | 4 hours/ 14 km (8.7 miles) of sea kayaking |
| DAY 5 | 5 hours/ 20 km (12.5 miles) of sea kayaking |
Accommodations
This trip features a: 4-star hotel near the Airport for your arrival and departure day, a comfortable ecolodge as the base for the paddling excursions, and a small and quaint beach hotel en route back to San Jose.
Country Inn & Suites
This comfortable 4-star boutique hotel is conveniently located only a few minutes away from San Jose International Airport and is an ideal location to unwind from your travels. Relax and recharge by the hotel swimming pool or in your room with air conditioning, in-room coffeemaker & Wi-Fi. The hotel features a restaurant and bar, and just a short walk from the hotel is a shopping plaza that offers a wide variety of cuisines from Japanese to Mexican to Italian to juices to bar food. There is also a mini-mart grocery store where you can buy drinks, groceries, and ready-to-eat foods. Purchase souvenirs from a nearby store, head to Plaza Real Cariari Shopping Mall, or take a taxi downtown to enjoy parks, museums, people-watching, and many entertainment venues.
El Chontal Ecolodge
El Chontal’s cabins are literally carved out from the surrounding mangrove forest, using fallen trees and sustainable wood species. Their rustic and unique architecture is rich in design and ingenuity and favors ventilation. The cabins are spotlessly clean and well-kept. The beds are firm and comfortable, and the bathrooms are impeccable. A cool breeze and rich jungle sounds from the surrounding forest enter the room at night. In addition to the cabins and gardens, the centrally located spacious.
Beso de Viento Oceanside Boutique Lodge
Beso del Viento is a unique and characterful property with a quaint and quiet atmosphere. This Ocean-side Boutique Lodge nautical/beach-themed property is only a few meters from an almost deserted vast beach. This location is the perfect location to relax after several days of paddling.
Weather
You can expect daytime temperatures in the 70°s and 80°s Fahrenheit for San Jose, with evening lows in the 60°s. In Golfo Dulce, daytime temperatures are in the 80°s and 90°s Fahrenheit, with evenings anywhere in the 70°s. February and March are consistently the driest months; some rain can be expected during December, April, and May. The region experiences a pronounced rainy season in June through mid-November, with heavy rainfall. It’s one of the wettest parts of the country.
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FAQ's
The best time is during July and August; although it’s the rainy season, it does not rain every day, and if it does rain, it will likely be in the afternoon and/or evening. Mornings will mostly with clear skies or with limited cloud cover. Clouds gather as the morning advances, sometimes culminating in a shower. Although rainier, September and October are great months to visit since humpback whales are often spotted while kayaking.
Golfo Dulce is renowned for its calm paddling conditions, making it easy for the most part. Paddlers are expected to calm glassy waters and a light breeze of 0.5-3 mph (0.5-3 knots/1-5kph). Water is warm, as it averages 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius) on the surface.
Potable water is accessible to you throughout the trip.
People from all walks of life and all ages join our tours. We get a mix of couples, singles, families, and friends, usually between 45 and 65 years of age. Though not often, we’ve previously had families with children as young as 12 (minimum age), and we’ve taken many guests well into their 80s. A few have never been sea kayaking before, but most are active kayakers with extensive paddling experience. Without exception, everyone comes to have a good time, and the variety of people and interests found on each trip makes it all the more fun.
Yes, lots, both terrestrial and marine. There is a high probability of seeing sea turtles, reef fish, rays, dolphins, macaws, tanagers, monkeys, toucans, and sloths.
Insects are generally fine if you bring long pants and insect repellant (a thorough packing list is provided).
Our fleet comprises 14.5 and 15-foot sit-inside sea kayaks and 18-foot double kayaks.
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