If you want the most exclusive experience Costa Rica has to offer, this itinerary is the way to go. Start at Hacienda Alta Gracia, an Auberge Resort with unrivaled spa services and experiences, and then head southwest towards the remote Osa Peninsula. This is the wildest part of Costa Rica, and jaguars and tapirs still roam here. It is the perfect combination of luxury and adventure.
The dry season from December to May is the best time to visit this part of Costa Rica, as the Osa is the wettest part of the country. While you can drive, this trip is most easily done with private flights and ground transfers.
On arrival at San Jose Airport, a meet and greet service from Hacienda Alta Gracia will escort you to your shared charter flight to the resort. Check in to your luxurious private casita on the 150-acre resort and meet with your activity concierge to plan your stay. Once you’re settled in, visit the spa or the bar to unwind from your flight.
Hacienda Alta Gracia prides itself on having one of the best wellness programs in the country. The resort includes a tropical forest, coffee farm, equine stables, organic chef’s gardens, and Casa de Agua, a holistic wellbeing center and home to the Estée Lauder Skin Longevity Institute. The spa is world class, but we like their active wellness experiences like tree climbing, yoga, or forest bathing. You can even take extended adventures, like climbing Chirripó, Costa Rica’s tallest mountain.
Drive southwest to the Osa Peninsula, home to Corcovado National Park, the most pristine rainforest in Costa Rica. Jaguars and tapirs still roam these jungles. Your hotel is Lapa Rios, a luxury eco-lodge on a ridge overlooking the Pacific Ocean in a 1,000 forest preserve. Howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, and coatis make themselves at home on the property, and there are regular sightings of the iconic scarlet macaw. It embodies both traditional and experiential luxury.
Spend the next few days immersing yourself in nature. Tours of the Lapa Rios reserve are offered day–and night–by experienced guides who share their passion for the plants and animals here. On nature walks, you may see sloths, anteaters, armadillos, ocelots, and other mammals and birds. Unlike some other jungle lodges, Lapa Rios has access to several beaches in the Golf Dulce. Walk along the shore or dive in for surfing, kayaking, and seasonal humpback whale watching.
Fly back to San Jose in the morning for your trip home.
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