About this tour
A full day in Corcovado’s San Pedrillo sector from Drake Bay: 35 minutes by boat, five hours on marked rainforest trails, and a clear-water waterfall before the ride home. About 7.5 hours in total.
Corcovado is one of the most biologically rich parks on Earth, and San Pedrillo is the most accessible sector from Drake Bay. You leave between 6:00 and 6:20 a.m. from the beach in front of Roberto’s Seafood (pickup time depends on your lodge). The boat follows the coast where rainforest meets the Pacific, then park rangers check tickets at the station.
On land you walk about five hours on authorized trails with a bilingual guide — plants, animal behavior, and the ecosystems that make this park famous. The route crosses primary forest and finishes at a crystal-clear waterfall where you can rest and swim before lunch and the boat back. Return is around 1:30 p.m. The sector protects humid forest, mangroves, beaches and rivers — habitat for sloths, monkeys, tapirs, macaws, and, less often, big cats.
What to bring
Pack light
What to pack. We keep extra bags on the boat.
Your bag
- Hiking shoes and sandals
- Swimsuit
- Sunscreen
- Mosquito repellent
- Reusable water bottle
- Rain poncho or waterproof jacket (essential in the rainy season)
Good to know
Local notes
Read this before you leave the lodge.
Before you go
- Be at the meeting point at least 10 minutes early
- Stay with your guide and on authorized trails
- Do not litter, touch, or disturb wildlife
- In the rainy season trails get slippery — wear shoes with grip
Wildlife you may see
- Sloths
- Monkeys
- Pacas (tepezcuintles)
- Coatis (pizotes)
- Tapirs
- Jaguars (less commonly seen)
- Pumas (less commonly seen)
- Scarlet macaws and many local and migratory birds
- Reptiles, amphibians, and hundreds of unique plant species
Trip details
1–20 guests, one guide per 8 people. About 35 minutes by boat, sea depending. Rangers check tickets on arrival. Bathrooms and drinking water at San Pedrillo Station. Hiking stays on authorized trails (~5 hours). Meeting point: the beach in front of Roberto’s Seafood. Sirena is a longer crossing — ask when you book if you want that station.
Location
North side of Corcovado National Park, reached by boat from Drake Bay, Puntarenas, Costa Rica.
San Pedrillo Station — rainforest trails and waterfall access inside the protected area.
On the map
San Pedrillo Station Corcovado
Northern Corcovado station: primary rainforest trails, waterfall and wildlife day hike from Drake Bay.
Transport
Round-trip boat from the meeting point to San Pedrillo is included. Ground transport to the beach is not.