:::GReen lungs:::
a pack trip on the camino de costa rica
“A scene like you dream about is before me…
I am beholding Mother Nature’s frilly green dress. Oh, I can’t even stomach it all! The bellies of my eyes are filled with this scene.
The glory! The soaring! The incredibilia!”
-written in my journal, in Costa Rica, 2025
Hello! You are here because your heart is a wild beast, you are hungry for experiences, and you are answering the call of “More Life?”
This pack trip is pure glory. I hiked the full length in January 2025 and led four women on a version of this trek in 2026. The hiking is challenging, but the places we will stay each night are so deliciously unique, and I am confident I have crafted a memorable adventure for your spirit.
On this adventure, we’ll be backpacking through rainforests; the trees will part their boughs for us, and we will be allowed inside their wild world. You will likely hear animals you’ve never heard before, and maybe see creatures you’ve only read about in books. Air that seems alive with sound and scent and color will light up your lungs. You legs will feel fully awake, streaked with mud, and you will feel your heart gallop in your chest.
The Camino is an incredibly accessible trail: however, Costa Rica is HILLY, and beginner backpackers will consider it MOUNTAINOUS. You must be prepared for your legs to burn, your lungs to seethe, and your body to feel like it*s struggling. IT IS, and it is NOT: IT IS COMING ALIVE.
But do not underestimate the topography.
A note about this adventure: You will not stay dry or clean. You must not fear dogs, spiders, monkeys, or snakes. You must not think of the elevation as the enemy.
You must be able to hike 15 CHALLENGING miles a day, on your own. YOUR BODY AND MIND MUST BE PREPARED FOR ELEVATION GAIN AND LOSS.
Due to time, we are leapfrogging over the trail: instead of hiking the full 280 km continual distance, we will use some transportation to take us from section to section. Know that if you indeed fall in love, every step of the Trail is a wonder, and is worthy of a full expedition. This is a “no skip” trail, but this time, we will just get beautiful bites rather than the full meal.
BEFORE YOU READ ON :
Listen, babe: I want you to succeed. If you have never backpacked before, and long to take chances, make mistakes , and get messy, I want that for you. But this is a big chance for someone entirely new: nine days is a long time to be stuck if you find out on day one that you hate this kind of hiking. Above all, your attitude toward yourself, me, and the mountains will determine if you have a soaring time or a sour time. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN ATTITUDE. So, I welcome you to apply (begin the process at the bottom of this page) but I am going to reach out to you to talk with you about this trek.
(There is a reason for this extra hoop to jump through! I promise I do not mean to make you feel unwanted. YOU ARE WANTED…but do you really want the true reality of backpacking? That is what I must try to assess.)
Beasts who have backpacked with me before are welcome to join without a wait.
Beasts who have backpacked long distance before and are familiar with elevation gain are also welcome to join without a wait.
A strange note on FRIENDSHIPS: I do not encourage you to bring a friend on this trek. To want to backpack 60 sweaty, challenging miles is a unique thing, and a friend uninitiated in the rigors and roughness of (overall) continuous backpacking will find this trek a brutal surprise. The backpacker must want the struggle and sweat for herself, not to help a friend.
Additionally, I emphasize solitude over community. I want the Individual to thrive and learn about herself, really feel her body meet Nature in this wild, wild way. It is much harder to focus on your own inner life if you are carrying the emotional weight of a friend who might be struggling up the hill that you want to enjoy.
YOUR BODY AND MIND MUST bE PREPARED FOR CHALLENGING ELEVATION GAIN AND LOSS.
Another note: my photos here are a reflection of my experience, but they may not be yours. NATURE OWES NO ONE SUNNY DAYS. When entering the heart of the wild, it is wise to leave your expectations at home.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
The Mar a Mar Organization has a comprehensive and beautiful website. They are extraordinarily professional and responsive, and are eager for hikers to succeed on their trail.
You will find a detailed explanation of each stage, or etapa , along with the elevation gain and loss throughout the day, as well as an estimate of how long each stage takes within this site.
The trail guide written by Evan Brashiers was a good resource for me when I was planning locations to stay overnight. However, as a seasoned backpacker, I didn’t need his recommendations of hiking gear, hiking techniques, and trail navigation. If this would give you added peace of mind, certainly get it. You might find that you don’t need it as all our homestays are already planned. Nevertheless, it is linked below.
THE MOST VITAL RESOURCE, HOWEVER, is the FarOut Navigation App. This is a must. It not only provides GPS navigation, but helpful catalogue of water sources and resupply locations.
YOUR BODY AND MIND MUST BE PREPARED FOR CHALLENGING ELEVATION GAIN AND LOSS.
the glorious days
Day One SAN JOSE: (Monday, January 11)
Land in San Jose, Costa Rica, the capitol and largest city in the country. Costa Rica is within our CST time zone, so there is no need to worry about jet lag. Meet at the beautiful hostel “Viajero San Jose” hostel, and prepare for the adventure the next day. This means shopping for breakfast and lunch for the next two days at a grocery store. There are really no shops to buy food on our first two days of hiking, and very few rivers to drink from, so ensuring you have enough water is as important as food.
Night One: sleep in the communal bunk rooms at Viajero San Jose.
miles hiked: ZERO (0)
Day Two: CIMARRONES to LAS BRISAS (Tuesday, January 12)
take the earliest bus to Siquerres, the largest town closest to where we’ll begin the Camino, roughly a two hour ride. In Siquerres, we’ll hire a taxi the eleven miles to Cimarrones, where we’ll begin. From Cimarrones, hike 9 climbing miles of rainforest and farmland to Las Brisas, where we will stay the night.
Night Two: stay at Barbilla Rainforest Lodge (a working farm) where dinner is included and cooked by the glorious Marina, an anthropologist by education and community worker by choice. Breakfast is also included.
miles hiked: NINE (9)
elevation gained: 2379 ft (725 m)
Day Three: LAS BRISAS to TRES EQUIS (Wednesday, January 13)
hold onto your butts for a true adventure. We will be hiking through a protected indigenous rainforest, on Nairi land, and so will hire a mandatory indigenous guide to take us through the challenging trail.
This trail is PURE JOY, but it is muddy and rugged. We have no hope of remaining clean or dry! There are many unapologetic uphills where you will use a tree’s roots as stairs, and you will probably slip and fall in the mud on a downhill. There are rivers to wade across, and you will even pull yourself across a mighty river in an iron cage with a pulley. It is a wild, wild, wild day, with adventures you’ll hopefully delight in forever. This is walking right into the churning belly of the earth, and laughing all the way.
This section of the trail changes elevation often: your legs will burn, but if you see the elevation as a wonder, rather than an onerous obstacle, you will have a fantastic time.
There are no shops or places to buy food along this trail.
After the last river crossing (in a handpulled cable car!) , we leave the rainforest up a brutal hill. (Unfortunately, any hike down to a river is answered with a challenging hike up). The hike continues five more miles through a bit more forgiving terrain through a bull farm. Enjoy the cows watching you sweat!
When we finally reach the expansive Finca Tres Equis, operated by the compelling and handsome Alphonso, you will be grateful for a shower and a bed.
Night Three: stay at Finca Tres Equis, a glorious farm with cabins, in the town of Tres Equis. There are hills to perch upon, horses to feed apples , and a perfect lookout for a wild sunset over a sometimes-hidden volcano. The downtown is but .2 miles away, an easy walk downhill, where there are bars, and a grocery store for resupplying. You are responsible for your own dinner and breakfast here.
miles hiked: TWELVE (12)
elevation gained: 3,251 feet (991 m)
elevation lost: 3067 feet (935 m)
Day Four: TRES EQUIS to PEJIBAYE (Thursday, January 14)
This is a day we will skip a section and allow our glorious feet and legs to rest! We will hire a car to take us from Tres Equis to the town of Pejibaye (a one hour ride), where nearby there is a happy river just perfect for soaking tired feet. Pejibaye features some restaurants and a pretty robust market where you can resupply as you need.
Night Four: stay at Finca Covacam, a little family run inn about two miles outside of Pejibaye. Dinner and breakfast are optional to purchase from Finca Covacam. Resupply your food in town, as there are limited places to shop for food the next day. Before hiking out the next day, ensure you have plenty of water.
miles hiked: no trail miles, though the downtown of Pejibaye is about two flat, road miles away from Finca Covacam, and the river is down a hill from where it sits.
Day Five: PEJIBAYE to OROSI (Friday, January 15)
This will be another day of challenging but rewarding hiking. We will again be climbing into the heart of the rainforest, and there are many uphills that tire the body but thrill the spirit. Listen for howler monkeys arguing, blue morpho butterflies lilting on the breeze, and toucans roosting in the trees above you.
But hang on! A glory awaits us at the end of the day!
Night Five: stay at Hotel Orosi, a beautiful hot springs environment, where we will stay in the cabins of former coffee workers. Enjoy the evening soaking your tired body in the hot springs, heated with thermal water from the nearby volcanoes. Dinner and breakfast are optional to order from Hotel Orosi, but if you choose to buy your own food, we pass the town of Purisil on the way to the hot springs, and you can resupply at the wee bodega.
miles hiked: SIXTEEN (16)
elevation gained: 3822 ft (1165 m )
elevation lost: 2001 ft (610 m)
Day Six: OROSI to PALO VERDE (Saturday, January 16)
You have earned another zero day! Enjoy the hot springs and the coffee farm for the entire morning and into the afternoon. We will hire a car to take us to Palo Verde (over an hour drive) , a mountain community where the most wonderful pair of women are waiting for us at “Orchid House” . Laura is an award winning dancer, and has a sprawling home at which to enjoy and relax. Her mother Theresita is a pure delight, and you will leave the next day feeling like family.
Night Six: stay at Orchid House, where dinner and breakfast are included and Laura will teach us how to salsa like hot, juicy babes.
miles hiked: 0 miles
left to right, Theresita, me, and Laura!
Day Seven: PALO VERDE to CABO LUNA (Sunday, January 17)
Those of us who remain to hike on will enjoy another beautiful but challenging day up to the highest point on the Camino de Costa Rica.
The climb is called January Hill, called this by locals because after the joys of December, January seems like a long slog. It IS a high, long, four hour climb, but the trail is on a dirt road traversed by motorbikes, so there are some rests from the elevation.
Today the hike is through more cultivated farm land, and because we are now on the “Pacific Side” of the Camino, you will notice a change in the vegetation and temperature.
Night Seven: stay at the most unexpected home I’ve ever encountered. When I walked in, I thought a treasure chest had been dropped by giants. Called “Cabo Luna”, it is a home owned by the worldly and handsome Carlos. It’s like a museum of antiques and talismans from a life lived richlly.
Dinner and breakfast will be provided, cooked by Carlos himself, and we will eat outside, listening to the stream that runs along the belly of his land, and sleep in either a room that will remind you of a tree house or a room that will remind you of an antique shop.
He has three dogs, Orca, Arco, and Betsy, and Betsy will probably charm your entire soul.
miles hiked: SIXTEEN (16)
elevation gained: 4177 ft (1334 m)
elevation lost: 4318 ft (1316 m )
Day Eight: SAN PABLO LEON CORTES to ESQUIPULAS (Monday, January 18)
Hike the mile or so to the town of San Pablo Leon Cortes. Catch a taxi down the last mountain (a two and a half hour ride) to the village of Villa Nueva. From Villa Nueva, hike the dirt road two and a half miles into the rainforest, where we will be met with pure magic.
Esquipulas Rainforest Lodge is a glorious respite on the edge of a rainforest with the most mesmerizing bird watching I’ve ever experienced.
Night Eight: sleep in your own thatched hut at Esquipulas Rainforest Lodge. Dinner and breakfast are optional.
miles hiked: about FIVE (5) on a flat, dirt road.
Day Nine: ESQUIPULAS to QUEPOS to SAN JOSE (Tuesday, January 19)
Today, conclude the hike with 2.5 miles back to Villa Nueva, and catch a city bus from Villa Nueva to Quepos. There will be time for you to enjoy the Pacific Beach!
From Quepos, catch a bus to San Jose.
I recommend not scheduling a flight out on this day. Traffic can be absolutely crazy in Costa Rica (as many highways are only one lane) and feeling rushed or crunched for time is a terrible feeling. I recommend flying out on Wednesday, January 20.
Night Nine: stay again at Viajero San Jose.
miles hiked: two and a half (2.5) on a flat , dirt road.
total miles hiked:
sixty THREE (63)
a note on food: I have chosen to include the best food offerings in the total value of the trip: the places where dinner and breakfast are not included are places where the food is forgettable (except for Hotel Orosi) and it is a better value for you to purchase your own food in a bodega.
TOTAL VALUE OF THE ADVENTURE
What Is Included…
-lodging in San Jose, Las Brisas, Tres Equis, Pejibaye, Hotel Orosi, Palo Verde, Cabo Luna, and Esquipulas
-dinner at Las Brisas, Palo Verde, Cabo Luna
= breakfasts at Las Brisas, Palo Verde, Cabo Luna
-public transportation from San Jose, Siquierres, Esquipulas, and Quepos
= private transportation from Tres Equis, Orosi, and San Pablo Leon Cortes
=the glorious hot springs at Orosi
-salsa lesson with the spicy Laura
=fee for mandatory indigenous guide through Etapa 3 and 4
-entrance fee into indigenous section
=trekking poles for you to use while hoisting your fine animal body over the highlands
=that Flock of Beasts grit and glory
What is NOT Included
-plane fare to San Jose
- resupply food, drinks, and snacks
-the optional packed lunch at Las Brisas
- dinner in San Jose, Tres Equis, Pejibaye, Orosi, and Esquipulas
- breakfast at Tres Equis, Pejibaye, Orosi, and Esquipulas
-the FarOut app
-the Camino de Costa Rica hiking guide
-gratuity to our indigenous guide
Total Value: $2100
$500 non refundable down payment required immediately to secure your spot.
Next payment due May 2025 (day and amount is up to you: I will reach out to you specifically)
Next payment due September 2025 ( (day and amount is up to you)
: Paid in full by early November :
REFUNDS ONLY AVAILABLE BEFORE SEPTEMBER: understand that filling trips is often difficult, even amazing ones like this. Thank you for your empathy for a small business owner.
ONLY 3 SPOTS AVAILABLE IN THE FLOCK
More information to follow: every month before our departure, I will be chirping from your inbox, with a packing list (you need less than you think), training suggestions (it’s necessary to ensure you’re in appropriate shape before we go), and overall cheering and cartwheeling.
An adventure is whispering to you! If you have clicked this page and read this far, there is a large part of your spirit that craves sweat and mud and rigor. Give this beast of your spirit room to grow, and see what you’re made of.
I know it is something fantastic.
Green Lungs FIRST STEP
first time backpackers, begin your adventure here!