Welcome to Costa Rica!
Lotus Vine Journeys is very happy to be hosting all our retreats in 2023 at Luna Lodge in Costa Rica!
Luna Lodge in Carate, is a sparsely populated outpost literally at the end of the road on the far western side of the Osa Peninsula next to Corcovado National Park. The natural beauty of this area is indescribable, with verdant ridges full of monkeys and scarlet macaws cascading down to a wide black sand beach with nothing but driftwood and coconut shells for miles on end. This is also the primary entry point to Corcovado National Park. An incredible array of flora and fauna, sandy beaches with tall palms bursting with coconuts and almond trees, emerald-turquoise waves peeling offshore, and the comfortable haven of our lodge nestled in the endless acres of wild jungle cascading down from the hills above await you.
Getting to Luna Lodge is part of the magical journey. Arriving by air gives you amazing views of Costa Rica from above; arriving by car or bus allows you to see the many aspects of Costa Rica from the road.
When you are making your travel arrangements, please note that Costa Rica is Central Standard Time and does not observe daylight savings time. If traveling by air, please allow ample time in-between flights.
Getting to our retreat - the quick rundown!
On the first day of a Lotus Vine Journeys retreat the pick up point will be at SJO San Jose International Airport. Here the adventure begins! From here several private charter planes to fly the group to Puerto Jimenez, where ground transportation will be waiting to drive everyone the 2 hours to arrive at Luna Lodge. On the final day of the retreat a shuttle service will drive you back to Puerto Jimenez to the private charter planes which will take the group back to SJO San Jose International airport. We encourage every guest to arrive one day before the retreat starts and leave one day later, book your flights accordingly.
International flights into Costa Rica (SJO International airport)
Although prices vary depending on the time of year, how far in advance you buy and the type of ticket, the main airlines seem to hold fares fairly steady and tickets can easily be bought online. The closer to departure you buy, the higher the price is likely to be, so it is worth booking in advance.
For a comparative analysis of flights and costs try inputting your route to SJO on Skyscanner.
Here's the rundown of main international flight routes into Costa Rica.
Flights from the US & Canada
Most flights to Costa Rica from the US (be that LA, San Francisco or New York) go via cities such as Dallas, Miami, Houston or Atlanta. Delta, Continental, Avianca, Aeromexico and American airlines are the traditional carriers serving Costa Rica from the US.
Flights from the UK
Due to no direct flights from the UK to Costa Rica, getting there always involves switching planes somewhere in Europe or America, you can expect the journey to take anywhere between 16 and 22 hours, depending on the routing and stopovers.
Flights from Australia, New Zealand
Scheduled flights to Costa Rica from Australia and New Zealand are rather limited and tend to involve changing planes, usually in the US. High season is December to February; low season is the rest of the year, but prices also vary depending on how long you stay.
Further travels
The final day of the retreat is one of goodbyes. After breakfast and final packing, all guests depart Luna Lodge at 10:00am on a shuttle service to the SJO Airport. Some choose to stay on and enjoy the resort and nearby attractions, but most choose to return home or continue on with their travels.
We strongly encourage to arrive and leave a day before the retreat starts and ends.