• We are located in the Southern part of the Osa Peninsula and our closest main town is Puerto Jimenez.
• In order to get to Puerto Jimenez, you can fly, you can drive or you can be driven.
• Flying – there are several airlines that fly from San Jose and we can easily help you with any arrangements at no extra cost. Flights take 50 minutes from San Jose.
• If you prefer to drive, you can rent a car and drive yourselves or hire a private ground transfer. We can also help with these arrangements from all over the country.
• If you drive yourselves, click here for accurate driving directions and advise.
• If you drive to us from a different location, please let us know and we will help you directly with directions from your specific departure location.

Please inquire at reservations@elremanso.com for any help.

Once in Puerto Jimenez, we can easily provide you with transfer service to the lodge, which can be arranged through our reservations department as well. The drive takes 45 minutes and it has a cost of $55 per person round trip (price based on 2 people).

Driving Directions

San José to El Remanso by car

On an average day it will take approximately 6 hours to reach El Remanso from San José, though there are many factors that can increase that time including traffic, road maintenance and of course, speed and stops along the way, so it is highly advisable to plan for an early start so that you can reach us with plenty of daylight to spare.

Before you decide to drive from San José to El Remanso, we recommend that you reach out to your rental car company and inquire about the condition of the roads you’d have to drive through. Some of them may be temporarily closed, for example. Also, let them know that you need a 4×4 vehicle.

Either way, there is a very useful app that you can download for free that works wonders in Costa Rica. It’s called WAZE and since everyone here uses it, it’s constantly being fed new and useful information, which allows for smoother traffic flow and warnings on events like road blocks, crashes, pot holes and such. Since signage is deficient many areas of the country, it is helpful –at least for me!- to have this app to give me directions. Either way here is an explanation on how to reach us from San José, so you can have a general idea.

In order to drive from San José to El Remanso, start by taking the freeway towards Jacó. It will take you around one hour and a half to drive from San José to Jacó.

Once in Jacó, take the coastal freeway (called “Pacífica Fernández”, a.k.a. “Costanera”) until you reach Palmar Sur, which should take you two and a half hours. On the way from Jacó to Palmar Sur, you will pass Quepos and Dominical. Make sure that, as you pass these towns, you stay on the coastal freeway until you reach Palmar Sur.

From Palmar Sur, you will take the “Interamericana” freeway to Chacarita.
In Chacarita, you will see a big gasoline service station on your right. There will be a sign indicating Puerto Jiménez. Take that right turn after the gas station and you will reach Puerto Jiménez in approximately one and a half hours.

Once you reach Puerto Jiménez, you are almost here! Take the dirt road that is between the local supermarket called “BM” and the gas station (the road goes towards Carate) and drive for around 45 minutes to 1 hour. The entrance to El Remanso will be on your left side!
This last section is only 22 km but it takes a while because it’s not paved. You will go over a couple small, narrow bridges and pass another few streams, wetting the wheels of your vehicle. After the first creek, at one point, you will see a school on your right hand side (Carbonera Primary School). At the last river you will notice the road becomes very steep uphill, so kick in your 4×4 and take your time to do that last 4 km stretch, which should only take about 10 minutes before you find your entrance on the left, marked by a large sign.

We strongly advise you to arrive to El Remanso before dark as the drive is much nicer and easier with day light. From December to April, we recommend that you get to El Remanso by 5:00 pm at the latest, and the rest of the year, by 4:00 pm.

Please let us know approximately what time you are planning to arrive to El Remanso! You can reach us at (+506) 2735 5569, send us a Whatsapp message to (+506) 8359 1047 or at info@elremanso.com or reservations@elremanso.com

Drive safely and enjoy the ride!