Aguila de Osa Lodge in the Southern Zone

Relaxing Get Away

We enjoyed the heat, peacefulness, and extreme beauty of the incredible rainforest on the Osa Peninsula in southwestern Costa Rica. Getting to the lodge is an experience in its self.

We flew Sansa Air on a one propellor plan from the domestic airport near San Jose International Airport to Palmar Sur about a 30-minute flight. From the airport in Palmar Sur, a tourist taxi picked us up and drove the 20 minutes to the town of  Seripe. From the boat dock in Seripe, we took a motorboat for a 45-minute ride down the river and out onto the Pacific ocean. The ride was excellent and very exciting as the boat maneuvered through the ocean waves meeting the river. At times the waves can be 5 or 6 feet high. We had wanted to fly direct to Drakes Bay but the airport was closed as the government was making the runway safer.

The lodge is situated on a hill so be prepared to climb steps and get your Stairmaster exercise a few times a day. But the climb is worth it as the view over Drakes Bay is fantastic and the bird life is fascinating from Toucans to hummingbirds.

There is always lots of opportunities to keep busy while staying at the lodge through the numerous tours they offer.

We had a fascinating tour of the Terraba-Sierpe Mangroves, the largest untouched mangrove forest on the Pacific Coast of Central America. The wildlife viewing was spectacular! A hidden world, accessible only by boat and home to over 1000 birds, including the endemic Mangrove Hummingbird found nowhere else on the planet, the ecosystem is absolute paradise.



On our trip, we saw American crocodiles,  rare birds, the mangrove tree boa, iguanas, Jesus-christ lizards (that walk on water), river turtles, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, and the vicious white-faced capuchin monkeys . . . and then it happened . . . we looked to our right and there was the ant-eater sleeping in a tree.








Another day we decided to hike the trail to San Josecito beach from  Aguila de Osa Lodge. We were told the walk would take about two hours but with frequent stops to view the birds, wildlife and to cross a river it actually took three hours. During our walk we were confronted by a band of wild Capuchin monkeys - Elaine was hit on the head by one monkey with a huge stick and another shook a tree sapling at Bill, however, he stood his ground and we got a great video.

We took an excellent snorkelling tour to Cano Island.  Cano Island is a Biological Reserve and we had great visibility. There were schools of jackfish, lots of puffer fish, and a large variety of other tropical fish. Going out to the island we had an opportunity to see dolphins.


We hiked for over three hours along a path that leads into Cordova National Park as all our tours were completed.  We had an encounter with Capachino Monkeys as we wandered aimlessly down the path we had to ford a river.

Lying on the beach we saw flying fish skirting out of the water, dolphins and a humpback breached close to shore.


right in front of us. . . . after watching the leaf-cutter ants cross our path we continued on our way to the beach to meet the boat from Aguila de Osa that takes tourists snorkeling on Canso Isalnd.  No use walking back to the lodge over humongous trees, snake infested bushes, scary rivers, and scortching heat.

People at our lodge caught many fish i.e., 45 lb Marlin, snapper, grouper and lots of sail fish - great place to fish in Costa Rica

Looks like Nature Air is going under so we will have to rely on Travel Guard Canada to bail us out of the $685 USD owed to us . . . lots of stranded tourists on the islands off of Drake Bay - - - sitting ducks for the big cats, snakes, sharks, monkeys, and a horde of other night time predators

It was well over 90 degress everyday down in Drakes Bay so we are looking forward to cooler weather, hot springs, at Arenal (higher elevation) . . . as we drive up the bumpy lava roads