La Leona Eco Lodge

This is an incredible location. We saw so much wildlife just around the lodge, and really enjoyed the trails. The crew at La Leona Eco Lodge is a group of wonderful people, who took time to make sure we were enjoying ourselves and had what we needed. They were super friendly and always available if we had questions, and helped us arrange tours and accommodations to work for our group. We enjoyed getting to know people there. For anyone interested in this region, this is an excellent place to stay.

From Quepos/Manuel Antonio to Carate on the OSO peninsula next to Corcovado park entrance it is about a 5-hour drive. Three of the 5 hours are spent driving on pavement and the other 2 hours are on a well-maintained dirt road. A 4x4 is a good idea but not necessary unless. The drive from Manuel Antonio is beautiful once you get off the main highways. Incredible mountainous country roads through the jungle and fincas. It is truly stunning so don’t be in a huge rush. We saw Coatimundi, Toucans, and neat tropical forest birds like the Great Curassow. Never saw that before! You will also see an awesome display of every finca animal you can think of. Once you get to Carate, La Leona has a base camp where you can securely park your car as you set out for about an hour-long hike to the beautiful La Leona Eco Lodge. You need to get there by 3 or 4 pm. I would not suggest walking in the jungle at night. If you get there early enough or perhaps decide ahead of time, they can bring your stuff to the Lodge via a very charming horse carriage (see pic) that they use to bring supplies, weary travelers, and heavy bags. Nevertheless, if they know you are on your way, and it gets late, they will collect you to ensure you safely arrive. Normally, this would be no different from arriving at your campsite, but La Leona is so much more than that. My expectations were high and I was not disappointed. They have wonderful cabinas that provide what you need. For me, that was a beautiful view, with no Wi-Fi, street noise, and unlimited opportunities to see animals and nature and just get away and relax. There is no electricity in the cabin or WIFI. But you do get a lot of candles and the walkways are well-lit. I used my phone flashlight. A regular flashlight would be better. Also, maybe an easy-to-carry stationary light for the cabin. They serve breakfast lunch and dinner but there is no menu. We had breakfast and dinner and had smoothies in between. If you give them enough notice, they can probably accommodate any reasonable diet restrictions. The staff is truly fantastic. It was great to see everyone working well together. Sometimes, the restaurant was at full capacity, other times, it was maybe half full. Regardless. we received fabulous service. Felipe came and got us on your first day, Frank and Hidekel were like the ambassadors for the lodge. Always on hand to answer all our questions about the lodge, trails, the park, and animals. One of the best things about staying there was the Coconut Spa. They have 3 different types of body treatments (Chocolate, Coffee, and Coconut) that combines fabulous exfoliating and hydrating creams and serums. Plus, they have a full range of massage options. I got the Coffee therapy; my friend got the Chocolate. There is something wonderful about getting a message in the middle of the Jungle. We stayed for a long weekend so arrived on a Friday and left on Monday morning. When you get there, you will find fabulous trails, p