Travel to Costa Rica from the United States takes approximately 4 hours by airplane. USA passports do not need a visa and are allowed to visit for 90 days. Other countries may have restrictions. For a listing of Visa requirements, please see the Costa Rican National Chamber of Tourism website.
Travel info
Traveling to Costa Rica
Weather
The country’s climate is usually very pleasant with average temperatures ranging from 25° to 32° C (80° to 90° F) on the coastal regions and 13° to 25° C (55° to 80° F) in the high mountains and San Jose.
On the Pacific slope, the months of December through April are dry. This is the peak tourism time of year due to the perfect sunny days. From May to November, afternoon rains become more prevalent with October and November being quite rainy. While this time of year is wetter than the rest, it also brings cheaper travel fares, availability at lodge, better wildlife viewing, and for those interested in rafting, the river is at its prime!
What to bring
Having lifted my share of heavy luggage to people’s tents, I can tell you that people bring WAY too much baggage to the tropics. The weather is pleasant, so spare yourself the back pain of bringing dress shoes, more than one pair of pants, and more than one long sleeve shirt. San Jose can get a bit chilly but besides that you will not even look at warm clothes. We suggest you bring light weight quick dry clothing. Dinners are casual, flip flops are appropriate footwear. These are the important things that we recommend that you Do bring to Rafiki.
- Boots or shoes with good grip
- Rafting sandals or watershoes
- Sunscreen and bug spray
- Camera
- Dry bag for your camera or phone
- Small backpack
- Sun hat
- Rash guard or Water shirt
Getting to Rafiki
There are several ways to get to Rafiki. We recommend flying into San Jose. SJO is the airport code. When searching for a flight, if you plan to come to Rafiki first, please try to get into the country as early as possible. IF you flight lands after 2 pm, we suggest you stay in San Jose your first night.
Once in the San Jose, you will have to make your way to Quepos, it is the nearest City to the lodge. This can be with a privatre shuttle. a ride service or small plane. There is a chart below with some options of how to get there. From Quepos we can arrange transportation (via taxi)The cost is roughly $100 for private shuttles from Quepos to the lodge.
You can also rent a car in San Jose. Although it is only about 160 km from San Jose, getting to Quepos can take up to 4 hours depending on the traffic. Lately Google maps and Waze have made it a snap to get to us. Just type in Rafiki Safari Lodge, and you will get a route right to us.
Apple Maps does not work too well in Costa Rica.
No vacancy at Rafiki Lodge? Try our Beach Camp
If we don’t have a room for you at Rafiki Lodge, check to see if we have space at our new beach camp. It is only 45 minutes from Rafiki. The place is called the Rafiki Beach Camp. It offers four safari tents on the beach with a swimming pool and a laid back atmosphere. Getting there by sea kayak is an unforgettable experience! From the Beach Camp you are only 45 minutes from the lodge, so you can participate in our activites.
Go to www.rafikibeach.com or contact us to find out more!
Alternative stay
If you have to stay in San Jose for the night, we recommend the Adventure Inn. It is just minutes from the airport and provde an airport shuttle. This is a great option if you plan to fly to Quepos!
Additional Attractions in the area
Matapalo Beach (45 minutes)
There are many secluded beaches in the area, with Matapalo being the most hospitable. This beach has several small hotels and restaurants, and is home to some of the most beautiful sunsets on the planet! Rafiki Beach Camp is Rafiki’s sister camp on the beach.
Manuel Antonio
The Quepos/ Manuel Antonio area, is one of the most visited places in Costa Rica. Manuel Antonio National Park offers great wildlife on pristine beaches. While in Quepos you can choose from a variety of tourist attractions ranging from deep sea fishing to visiting Manuel Antonio National Park. The area also features zipline (canopy) tours, snorkeling trips, and hosts some of the areas best night life opportunities.