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Answers to commonly asked Questions
1)What is the weather like May-August? Isn't it hot?
Our area on the Peninsula de Osa tends to be cooler than it is in the majority of the North-east of the US. That's all I have to compare it to. Because of the short days, 12 hours, and the light afternoon overcast, the earth never really has a chance to heat up. This season is sort of like the northern fall for us, a bit variable. It is the start of the rainy season but there are many days without rain and when it does rain it is usually only for a short while, maybe 1/2 hr- 3 hours. The mornings are usually sunny and cool and the afternoons can have either a light overcast, a drizzle or a short rain. It can rain all day but that is very unusual. May and june tend to have a bit more rain than July and August and sometime during these months will be a two or three week period of pure sunshine. Those sunny days may be a bit warmer but it will never feel like Washington DC, NY or New Jersey in the summer!
This is my most favorite time of year. The vegetation is very green and "alive" and the wildlife tends to be more active than in the dry season or the extreme rainy season which is usually one of the months of September, October or November. It's a great time for frog hunting, hiking and generally relaxing. Rarely are a days activities halted due to rain.
The only warning is that every few years we have heavy rains for a few days during this time period. If this should happen while you are here, transportation may slow down and some places may become inaccessible. In our case, our river can get to high to cross comfortably, although it's only for a day or two. In this case, we will arrange for another comparable lodge in the forest for you to stay and we will come and guide you. I can think of only one time this has happened in the last 6 years!
2) Can I get to Corcovado National Park from the lodge and what is the difference between your area and Corcovado National Park?
Getting to Corcovado Park: First, I want to explain some things. The Park itself is about 40,000 hectares and is surrounded by the equivalent of a National Forest containing 68,000 hectares. Our place is in the National Forest, Reserva Forestal Golfo Dulce. The boundary of the park is 1-3 kilometers in several directions from our place, accessible by trails.
Only one official park entrance is easily access able by car and there is still 3 km to hike before actually entering the park. This entrance is called La Leona and is approx a 2 hr drive to the end of the road (where the trail starts) from our place. The area around this park entrance is mostly beach/secondary forest with some trails into the slightly higher elevations and older forest. They probably have more visible monkeys there than we do but other than that, the wildlife is the same. The forests near our place are equal or better in wildlife and diversity and there is definitely more old forest in our neighborhood. There is an entrance near La Palma which can be accessed by a long hike up the Rio Rincon or with a 4x4 in the dry season. There is still a bit of hiking to reach the park entrance once you leave the river valley but the area is beautiful if you are up for the hike. The other entrance is accessible from Drakes Bay area. This is either by boat or a hike. The real draw of the park is the Sirena Ranger Station, which is an all day hike (one direction) from La Leona. Or a charter flight. There is an incredible amount of visible large birds, monkeys and other mammals (Tapirs) living in the area. It's overwhelming. We have these species but they are not easy to see. Unless you plan on going Sirena, there is little difference between our area and the park entrance areas. If you like hiking, there is a beautiful, but difficult, trail that goes through the park leaving from our place and ending in Carate, but entering the Park proper is not necessary. There is plenty of forest on the peninsula. Practically the whole peninsula is forested with thousands of trails. The only advantage of entering the park for the day at one of the regular entrances is that you do not need a guide. The trails are marked, at least around the stations. But without a guide you probably won't see as much.
If you decide not to go to the Park proper, and you want to see lots of monkeys, we can take you to a beach area about 45 min away by car where there are large troops very visible. If you use your car we would only charge you the guiding fee or we could give you directions.
3) Can I fly to the Osa the same day as I arrive in San Jose?
This is easy in the dry season when there are several afternoon flights but during the "Green Season" the last flight is at 1:00 pm. Unless your international flight arrives before 11:00 am or 11:30 am, it could be difficult to get this flight. Returning is much easier. You can fly out the same day if you book the 7:00 am flights from Puerto Jimenez and your international flight doesn't leave until late morning. During the "green season' you would want to leave more room for error. Weather does effect flight schedules.
4) What foot wear will I need?
Remember we are on a river that needs to be crossed regularly. I usually recommend Tevas or some type of heavy soled non-leather sandal, good walking shoes and light slip on flip flops or something like that for the house. The light flip flops keep the floors in the house from getting wet and slippery, they also help keep the mud and sand out of your bed and they are safer when the floors are damp. Also, you may want to try using our rubber jungle boots. They are actually fairly well built and are perfect for the terrain. If you do want to try these , you will need a few pairs of high socks. I use baseball or soccer socks.