Trip Report Costa Rica-Puerto Jimenez, Bosque del Cabo
 

Early December 2013---this was our second trip to CR and I wanted to focus on the Osa. Because we are over 65, I decided it was time to splurge on Bosque del Cabo. One of our adult sons was able to come with us for the first seven days of the trip.

Our first stop was Puerto Jimenez. We came in on a red-eye flight and had our driver pick us up at SJO so we could drowse our way down to PJ. This worked out well; we got to see the countryside on the way down, have our first gallo pinto, and see the crocodiles at Tarcoles Bridge. Our driver was Christian Martinez of costaricadrivers.net. He was less expensive than the other services but was good.

We arrived in PJ about two or three and checked into the bungalow at Cabinas Jimenez. It is a great location, very close to everything, we used the kayaks to go over to the mangroves. Really enjoyed the town. Scarlet macaws and parrots. People, motorcycles, dogs all over the street. A place where it helps to speak a bit of Spanish. Lots of restaurants within walking distance. A pond of caiman where we saw one eating an opposum.

We enjoyed the cacao tour at Finca Kobe, the Golfo Dulce tour to the animal sanctuary (bottlenose dolphins swimming with the boat) and just walking around town. The deck on our cabina was a good place to see geckoes after dark. We also a tamandua by the airfield after dark.

I will continue in replies.

Continuing...

After three nights at Cabinas Jimenez I had planned one night at Iguana Lodge just because I wanted to try that too. A beautiful place just to walk around the grounds. Very welcoming. We tried boogie boards but the surf was too rough so went over to the pool and hot pool instead. Few people around, the holiday rush comes later. We went down from our club rooms for a good dinner at the restaurant.

The Lodge is beautiful but I'm glad we stayed in town mostly. They offer birding tours but since we were going up to BdeC we slept in instead. Good breakfast included.

About eleven the next morning the Bosque del Cabo driver picked us up. We stopped at the airport to pick up more people then headed up 30-45 minutes to our destination. Forded two creeks which I'm sure are bad during the rainy season.

Okay, Bosque del Cabo

We spent five nights. My son only got two nights, but packed in two tours with Philip and the early morning bird tour with Carlos. Besides the monkeys, toucans, peccaries he got to see a sloth moving high up in a tree and a terciopelo.

No regrets at all over blowing all that money. You Bosque lovers know what its like, so just a few observations:

Two bats who spent their days up in the thatch roof of the main building.

The food. Five nights was really perfect but I want to keep eating the food.

It rained a couple of evenings. The big toads sat on the cement walkways. The lodge provides umbrellas, which are good for around the lodge. They also have bamboo poles for hiking. In addition to a reading light, I recommend a strong flashlight for the night hike.

I walked the Titi trail once by myself; it felt good. By that time I knew how to walk a ways looking down, then stop and look around. I knew which noises were likely monkeys, which falling leaves. I was not too surprised by peccaries or running agoutis.

Early December was a good time to go. Congenial fellow guests but not crowded. Excellent friendly service.

After our five nights we were delivered back to the PJ airport. Bought some local crafts at the Jaqua store, then a quick flight to SJO.

By the way, loved the airline terminal in PJ.

We were picked up outside the domestic air terminal at sjo, and driven to Toucan Rescue Ranch. Lots of mid afternoon traffic. The ranch was amazing--she has so many birds, sloths, mammals. Lots of owls. You can walk around the cages all you want-just avoid the head goose. We loved Emma the duck.

We walked down to the store for some snacks, then ordered food in for dinner. It was a bit cold. In the morning after breakfast Leslie gave us the full tour which was informative and even better than I expected.

I'm glad I found this place. If you love sloths or toucans this is where to come. She has so many. You can get so close to the sloths; at various times I was able to touch two babies, watch while she fed them, and hold one in a blanket.

When we left in the early morning there was no traffic, we got to the airport in no time. The rest was easy.

Sounds like you had a wonderful trip - I love both Iguana Lodge and Bosque del Cabo, but haven't visited Toucan Rescue Ranch yet. The wildlife on the Osa is unbeatable.

Thanks for sharing.

You had a very similar itinerary to ours from last February. The Osa is just like nothing else in Central America--on the ocean, accessible if you're motivated, but bursting with biodiversity.

Sounds like a great trip! Glad you enjoyed your time in the Osa!

Thanks for the trip report! We are going to the Osa Peninsula in early April and spending a few days in Drake including 1 overnight at Sirena, 4 nights at Bosque and then the way I have it planned now we take the last plane from PJ to San Jose on a Saturday and stay at a hotel near the airport as we have a very early flight the next morning. I had not heard about Toucan Rescue Ranch before and it sounds cool - now I'm wondering if we could go there on our last day and stay there overnight and go to the airport from there. About how far is it from the SJ airport?

emma, thanks for the trip report. I missed it the first time around. I'm interested in Toucan Rescue Ranch too, and was going to ask the same thing Jane did - how far is it from the airport?

BdC is indeed a special place. Would you go back to Iguana Lodge?

Volcanogirl, I checked TRR's website and they say they are only 35 minutes from the airport. We will have a 7 a.m. flight so that's pretty brutally early which is why I booked a hotel really close to the airport but it might be worth staying at TRR instead IF they have a room free that night and IF I could even change our flights from PJ to SJO to be earlier in the day so we could actually have a little time at TRR and do a tour! I sent them an email to check.

Thanks for checking that, Jane - I'm definitely interested in TRR. I think my husband would love it too.

It seemed to take no time at all to get to the airport at 5 am ( but slow to get from the airport to the ranch mid afternoon). You have to get up stupidly early anyway, I think it's worth it. I found the ranch by accident while researching and am happy that others can hear about it.

Volcanogirl, I wouldn't go back to Iguana Lodge, it just wasn't quite us although beautiful. I would definitely go back to BdC, no question, and I am fond of Puerto Jimenez.

Jane, I don't love the Osa enough to rough it at Sirena--good for you! Although I did tent cabins in Baja with the outhouses at least 100 yards away, in order to get close to the gray whales. Thats as rough as i get now.

Emmajm I have never been a roughing it person at all, don't like camping etc.! But in recent years, my interest in seeing animals is making me more willing to try new things. In this case, I have never been to the Osa (one prior trip to CR was to La Fortuana/Arenal and Manuel Antonio) and I'd like to give ourselves the best chance to try to see tapir, peccaries, etc. From what I've read, we might see them at Bosque but I wanted to up my chances by staying one night at La Sirena. My kids think I'm nuts for making them do it but hopefully it'll be an adventure we'll all get something out of - and it's just one night! I can do anything for one night - I think! Other than that we'll be at Finca Maresia in Drake and then Bosque which of course will be luxurious comparatively!

Thanks for letting us know that it doesn't take long to get to the airport early in the morning. We'll see if they even have a room available now!