Hikers at a cable crossing over the Pacuare River

Guided trek · 15 days

El Camino de Costa Rica

Walk across Costa Rica from the Caribbean to the Pacific in 15 days, with private guides, chosen lodges and your last night at Chorro.

DRAFT, from the old Camino page and the itinerary. Not yet reviewed by Leo.

Very few people have walked from one ocean to the other. This is your chance.

El Camino de Costa Rica is a 15-day guided trek of about 260 km, from the Caribbean village of Parismina to the Pacific at Quepos, through five ecosystems and over the continental divide. You walk 15 to 29 km a day with a bilingual guide, while a second guide drives the 4x4 with your bags. Every night ends in a lodge we chose for the route: a private room, a hot shower, a real bed and dinner.

The trail follows rivers through lowland rainforest, drops into the Pacuare Canyon, climbs through coffee country and cloud forest, and crosses Cerro de la Muerte at 3,400 m. Then the rivers start running toward the Pacific.

Your last night is with us at Chorro Ecolodge: a swim in the waterfall pool, a celebration dinner, and one more stage to the sea.

Day by day
  1. Day 1 · Arrival on the Caribbean. A private boat takes you through the Pacuare River estuary, past caimans, frigate birds and mangroves, to a private reserve that no road reaches. Tonight you sleep in primary rainforest, 200 meters from the sea.Parismina · Private reserve · All mealsA hiker on the boat to Parismina, Day 1Sun through the palms on a rainforest pathThe empty Caribbean beach at ParisminaLeaves and bamboo on the forest floor at the reserve
  2. Day 2 · Into the rainforest. The first stage starts on the Caribbean shore and winds through banana farms and tropical countryside. It is long and flat, and it sets the tone: you are crossing a whole country.Parismina → Siquirres · 29 km · 104 m up · Mountain hotel with a pool · All mealsTwo hikers smiling at a roadside stop, Day 2A hiker at the start of Stage 1Setting off along the Caribbean shore with polesA hiker waving from the Caribbean surf
  3. Day 3 · Rivers, waterfalls and the first climb. A shorter stage along the Pacuare watershed, with river crossings, hidden waterfalls and the first real ascent into protected forest and tapir country.Siquirres → Brisas Pacuarito · 18 km · 725 m up, 196 m down · Rainforest eco-lodge · All mealsA trail marker on the way to Brisas Pacuarito, Day 3The group on a hilltop above the Pacuare watershedMountains and a palm tree on the climbA thatched cabin at the rainforest eco-lodge
  4. Day 4 · The Pacuare Canyon. The trail follows the canyon rim with the river far below, through old-growth forest and cloud-draped ridges, to an award-winning jungle lodge on the Pacuare.Brisas Pacuarito → Pacuare River · 19 km · 991 m up, 935 m down · Jungle lodge · All mealsHikers at a cable crossing over the Pacuare RiverLooking down into the Pacuare CanyonA hiker on a rooty trail beside a stream, Day 4
  5. Day 5 · Rest day in the canyon. A deliberate pause at the jungle lodge. Take a guided canopy hike, visit a nearby indigenous community, book a massage, swim in the canyon or read in a hammock.Pacuare River · Lodge-based · All mealsThe jungle lodge on the Pacuare River, where you spend the rest day
  6. Day 6 · Up to the Turrialba Valley. You leave the canyon and climb through coffee farms, macadamia orchards and sugar cane, with Turrialba Volcano on the horizon, to a 19th-century hacienda.Pacuare River → Pacayitas → La Suiza · 28 km · 888 m up, 947 m down · Hacienda · All mealsA flowering tree above banana plants, Day 6Hikers resting under a big treeClouds over the hills of the Turrialba ValleyThe group in the green hills on the way to La Suiza
  7. Day 7 · Into the cloud forest. Mossy oaks hung with bromeliads, tree ferns and, with luck, a resplendent quetzal. The night is on a working organic farm at 1,800 m, where dinner grows outside your window.La Suiza → El Humo · 20 km · 728 m up, 594 m down · Cloud forest farm · All mealsA wooden fence and the view from El Humo, Day 7Hikers on a hillside pathA gravel road into the cloud forestThe farm lodge among forested hills
  8. Day 8 · Down to the Orosi Valley. A long descent to one of Costa Rica's most beautiful valleys: the colonial church of Orosi from 1743, the Cachí reservoir, coffee farms and hot springs near the lodge.El Humo → Orosi · 16 km · 1,165 m up, 610 m down · Valley lodge · Breakfast and lunch; dinner in Orosi villageHikers on a forest road above Orosi, Day 8A rocky stream in the forestGreen ridges and clouds over the Orosi ValleySunset over the hills from the valley lodge
  9. Day 9 · A new mountain range. A serious mountain stage into the Talamanca Range. The air cools and the forest thickens, and the evening ends in the thermal pools of a hot-springs resort.Orosi → Muñeco, Río Perlas · 19 km · 932 m up, 934 m down · Hot-springs resort · All mealsHikers on a forest trail toward Muñeco, Day 9A dirt road with a view of the valleyThe view back over the valley from the climbTwo hikers on a ridge in the Talamanca Range
  10. Day 10 · Cerro de la Muerte. The hardest day: highland forest, open ridges and the continental divide at 3,400 m, the highest point of the trek. On a clear day you can see both oceans.Río Perlas → Palo Verde · 15 km · 653 m up, 379 m down · Forest mountain house with a hot tub · All mealsHikers on a steep forest trail, Day 10Our guide with hikers in the highland forestA trail map sign on the way to Palo VerdeDinner on the table at the forest mountain house
  11. Day 11 · The Pacific side. Everything changes after the divide: drier forest, golden light, cattle pastures and pre-Columbian sites, down to a family-run lodge with a waterfall pool.Palo Verde → Cerro Alto, El Empalme · 15 km · 928 m up, 324 m down · Forest lodge · All mealsHikers at a trail sign on the Pacific slope, Day 11A path through tall forestA hiker on a steep trail toward El EmpalmeMountains above the Pacific slope
  12. Day 12 · Through the Valle del General. One of Costa Rica's great farming valleys, between the Talamanca Range and the coastal hills: roadside sodas, farming families and towns that rarely see hikers. The hotel has the best pool of the route.El Empalme → San Pablo · 19 km · 406 m up, 992 m down · Mountain hotel · All mealsA hiker on a road lined with palms, Day 12A hiker and a dog on the road to San PabloHikers on a shady dirt roadBig trees over the road in the Valle del General
  13. Day 13 · The first sight of the Pacific. The descent to the coast begins through coffee country, and the Pacific appears on the horizon. In Nápoles you can smell the salt air.San Pablo → Nápoles · 19 km · 260 m up, 275 m down · Mountain hotel · All mealsA tall tree and banana plants beside the trail, Day 13A hiker on a road through the hillsA hiker below green coffee hills near NápolesA river in the forest below Nápoles
  14. Day 14 · Home at Chorro Ecolodge. One last mountain through Naranjillo and the humid Pacific foothills, then our own lodge: a swim in the waterfall pool, a celebration dinner with champagne and a night in the glamping tents.Nápoles → Naranjillo → Esquipulas · 25 km · 364 m up, 1,067 m down · Chorro Ecolodge · All mealsTwo hikers on the last mountain before Chorro, Day 14Forest and sea haze from the hills above EsquipulasInside a glamping tent at Chorro EcolodgeBeds in a tent at Chorro Ecolodge
  15. Day 15 · Sea to sea. The last stage runs down from Chorro to the Pacific at Quepos. When you smell the salt and hear the surf, you have walked across Costa Rica. Your certificate is waiting, and the trip ends before lunch.Esquipulas → Quepos · 25 km · 365 m down · Finish in QueposA hiker celebrating at the finish in Quepos, Day 15The group on the Quepos seafront at the PacificThe group at the Quepos sign, the end of the trek

Who it's for

Fit walkers who want a real journey, not a race: days of 15 to 29 km, with long climbs and descents and the heat of the lowlands. You can set your own pace, and the support vehicle is never far. Families are welcome, with a slower pace when needed. For something shorter, stay with us at Chorro and ask about day hikes and rafting.

Good to know
  • You choose the dates. There are no fixed departures. Give us a couple of months' notice so we can hold the lodges.
  • Two guides. One walks with you; the other drives the 4x4 with your bags. You can also walk on your own with only the vehicle guide.
  • Getting to the start. Airport pickup, a hotel in San José and the transfer to Parismina are not included. We are happy to arrange them.
  • Hot, then cold. The lowlands run 30 to 35 °C and humid; the cloud forest and the summit can drop to 8 to 15 °C. Pack in layers and drink 3 liters a day.
  • Pack light. One medium soft bag of up to 15 kg plus a 20 to 25 liter daypack. Your bag travels in the 4x4.
  • Meals. Most days include breakfast, lunch and dinner. On Day 8 dinner is in Orosi village. Vegetarian options on request.
  • The trip ends before lunch on Day 15. We can take you to your hotel in Quepos or to the airport; tell us 48 hours ahead.

Included and what to bring

Included

  • 14 nights in private rooms at lodges chosen for the route
  • Meals as listed for each day (most days full board)
  • Bilingual hiking guides and a 4x4 support vehicle with a bilingual driver
  • Daily luggage transfers between lodges
  • All trail permits and national park fees
  • Welcome briefing, trail maps and GPS tracks
  • 24/7 emergency contact and evacuation plan
  • Celebration dinner with champagne at Chorro Ecolodge

Not included

  • International flights
  • Airport pickup, a hotel in San José, the transfer to Parismina and a hotel in Quepos after the finish
  • Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
  • Spa treatments and optional paid activities
  • Alcoholic drinks, except at the celebration dinner
  • Tips for guides and lodge staff

Bring

  • Broken-in waterproof hiking boots and trail shoes
  • A 20 to 25 liter daypack with a rain cover, and trekking poles
  • A rain jacket, a fleece, and a warm hat and gloves for the summit
  • Sunscreen, insect repellent, a headlamp and a 2 liter water bottle
  • Your passport, travel insurance and US dollars in small bills

Photos

Hikers at a cable crossing over the Pacuare River

Good to know before you book

How far is Chorro Ecolodge from Manuel Antonio and Quepos?

About 35 minutes by car from Manuel Antonio, a little less from Quepos, and about 4 hours from the San José airport. A regular car is fine; the last mile or so is gravel. There is parking on site, and we can arrange transfers.

What is the difference between glamping and camping here?

You sleep in a safari tent on real beds with linens, electricity and a ceiling fan, with your own bathroom and hot shower a few steps away. You still hear the river and the frogs all night, which is the point.

Is it good for kids?

Yes. Families with children from three to their teens stay with us, and the river, the waterfall pool, the hammocks and the fire pit keep them busy. The Family Glamping Tent sleeps six.

Can we swim in the river and the waterfall?

Yes. In the dry months the river has calm pools, and the swimming hole below the falls is a two-minute walk from the tents. After heavy rain the current can run too high; we will tell you where it is safe.

Are meals included?

No. There is a shared open-air kitchen, and the Family tent has its own small fridge. Our neighbor Doña Luz cooks Costa Rican breakfasts and dinners at her house next door; let us know ahead.

Getting here

Where we are

By car, no 4x4 needed: about 40 minutes from Manuel Antonio and 4 hours from Juan Santamaría airport. The last 2 km are gravel. Parking inside the property. We can also arrange transport and airport transfers.

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