Corcovado National Park Tour: Located just 20-30 minutes by boat from Aguila de Osa Inn, Corcovado National Park is world-renowned as one of Costa Rica's crown jewels for its rich biodiversity and spectacular scenery. Two hikes are offered in Corcovado National Park.
San Pedrillo Ranger Station is the national park's northernmost ranger station, and this excursion provides a unique opportunity to explore the incredible primary and secondary rainforest adjacent to the ranger station. Your guide will point out many of the diverse species found in the area during an hour and a half hike. You may see white-faced and howler monkeys, white-lipped peccaries, scarlet macaws, coatis, and more. The trails are clearly marked and easy to navigate, ascending and descending through the verdant rainforest. After the first hike and a lunch break, you will have the opportunity to hike to a beautiful waterfall, where you can take photos and swim under the smaller falls nearby.
Sirena Ranger Station: This ranger station is also located on the Pacific coast, but further south in the middle of the national park. The boat ride from the hotel to Sirena takes over an hour and is well worth it for those who are interested in exploring the park's interior where most of the wildlife lives. From the ranger station there are several trails that lead into the dense rainforest where you can see animals such as scarlet macaws, tapirs, monkeys, peccaries, iguanas, sloths, lizards, and a wide variety of plants, amphibians, and insects. Ask us about the VIP Corcovado National Park Tour, which takes you by small plane to the Sirena Ranger Station -- it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Cano Island Snorkeling Tour: Only 12 nautical miles from Aguila de Osa Inn, Cano Island is a paradise for snorkelers, scuba divers, swimmers, and sunbathers! The island can be seen just minutes after leaving the hotel's protected cove, and the boat ride takes about 45 minutes. During the months of December through April and July through November, you may be lucky enough to spot Humpback Whales on their northern and southern migrations, or dolphins frolicking around your boat on the way to the island. Your boat will anchor at two different sites close to Cano Island for snorkeling. Your guide will point out the diverse marine life, including Olive Ridley and Hawksbill sea turtles, whitetip sharks, several species of moray eels, sting rays, big snapper fish, and schools of horse-eyed jacks, king angel fish, barracudas, and much more. In between snorkeling, you will have time to relax on the beach and enjoy the beauty of Cano Island. This tour includes a picnic lunch served on shaded picnic tables on the beach. The Cano Island Ranger Station has an office, public bathrooms, and an outdoor freshwater shower.
Sportfishing Tour: The challenge and excitement of some of the world's best big game fishing awaits you at Aguila de Osa Inn. Over 40 International Game Fish Association (IGFA) records have been set within 80 nautical miles from our hotel, with catches including sailfish, black, blue and striped marlin, yellowfin tuna, wahoo, cubera snapper, Spanish and Sierra mackerel, roosterfish and more. Aguila de Osa holds four world fishing records and the resort has a reputation as a fishing paradise. The hotel's 31-foot Palm Beach sportfishing boats are powered by Caterpillar 3116 turbo-diesel engines. A full range of Penn International and Shimano reels are carried in all weight classes. Fly fishermen can also be accommodated, but are asked to bring their own equipment. Professional captains (all English speaking) and crew are eager to be a part of your record-breaking sportfishing vacation. The boats meet all U.S. Coast Guard safety regulations with life jackets, flares, GPS and VHF radios. In addition, they are equipped with a special frequency that allows them to reach a far greater distance than normal marine radios in the event of an emergency. Guests can take advantage of 1/2 day or full day fishing charters. Aguila de Osa Inn practices responsible catch and release fishing techniques and is the oldest operation in the area to use circle hooks.
Scuba Diving Tours: For scuba diving enthusiasts, the Osa Peninsula offers several tours to experience the abundance of marine life underwater. The clear waters surrounding Cano Island Biological Reserve can best be described as an Eden of coral and rock formations, home to vibrant tropical fish. Whether you're a beginner, intermediate or advanced diver, or just a snorkeler, you'll be amazed at the variety and abundance of marine life. With year-round visibility from 30 to 100 feet or more, diving at Cano Island is an underwater photographer's dream. The hotel's PADI Instructors and Dive Masters will take you aboard a 30-foot Island Hopper for breathtaking dives through huge schools of barracuda and horse-eyed jacks that actually block the sun's rays. The variety of marine life is extraordinary, with mobula, eagle and giant manta rays, southern stingrays, guitarfish, octopus, olive ridley and hawksbill turtles, many species of moray eels and much more! As the oldest established dive operation in Drake Bay, the hotel guarantees you an unforgettable dive adventure.
Mangrove Tour: Visit the mysterious and fascinating Sierpe Mangroves on the Pacific coast, the most extensive virgin mangrove forest in Central America and part of the Terraba-Sierpe National Wetland. Led by an experienced naturalist guide, you'll venture into a beautiful maze of canals and rivers while searching for fascinating wildlife from the comfort of your boat. This is wildlife viewing at its best! Accessible only by boat, these flooded forests are home to nearly 100 species of birds, including the endemic mangrove hummingbird (found nowhere else on Earth), and other animals such as caimans, crocodiles, tree frogs, boas, iguanas, and river turtles. Mammals are also abundant, and you may see three species of monkeys (howler, squirrel, and white-faced capuchin), as well as sloths and coatis. Herons, wading birds, owls, parrots and shorebirds use this area for nesting and feeding. Boat tours depart from the Aguila de Osa dock for the 25-minute trip to the mouth of the mangrove estuary. Cold drinks, cookies and fresh fruit are served on board while you explore the mangrove ecosystem.
Birdwatching Tours: Aguila de Osa Inn is a unique destination for birding enthusiasts, with over 350 species found in the region. On a two hour birdwatching tour, you'll have the chance to see an enormous variety of species right around the hotel, and your guide will spot some that you may never have seen on your own. Guides are knowledgeable about the region's birds, from tanagers, robins, woodpeckers, hawks and flycatchers, to macaws, toucans, ospreys, and hummingbirds. This tour leaves right from the hotel, and is perfect for travelers looking for a flexible, low-impact trip to see some of the Osa Peninsula's most magnificent creatures.
Night Tours: Led by resident naturalist guides, the night tour reveals a dynamic world that awakens only after nightfall! Many rainforest inhabitants are nocturnal, making the forest an exciting and magical place to visit after dark. Throughout the tour, your guide will explain the nuances of the various ecosystems and point out the many insects, frogs, and spiders. Sometimes you'll even see snakes, owls, and other exciting species! The tour departs shortly after dinner and lasts approximately 2 to 2.5 hours, all on private property.
Whale and Dolphin Tour: The warm, crystal clear waters just off the Osa Peninsula are home to a variety of whale and dolphin species and are ideal for seeing these incredible mammals up close. Guests can see humpback, pilot, and false killer whales, as well as spotted, bottlenose, and spinner dolphins. Aguila de Osa Inn has several different boats available for whale and dolphin watching tours, all of which are spacious and comfortable. As always with this type of tour, the presence and exact location of these marine mammals cannot be predicted or guaranteed, but sightings are common. Pods of humpback and pilot whales, as well as schools of spinner, bottlenose, and spotted dolphins frequent the area at various times throughout the year. Your tour will head toward Cano Island but may change direction if sightings occur elsewhere. Whales and dolphins can be seen surprisingly close to the hotel, although snorkeling with them is not permitted due to conservation laws. Since the annual southern migration of Humpback Whales to give birth takes place in this area of Costa Rica, they are often seen with their calves from August to October. Pods of dolphins are most often seen in the open water, frolicking effortlessly on the surface. They often ride the waves right in front of the boat, giving passengers an exciting close-up view.
