La Leona Eco Lodge is a family-run camp of beach tent-cabins at the very edge of Corcovado National Park, a short walk from the park’s La Leona entrance on the Osa Peninsula. You stay a few steps from the Pacific, fall asleep to the surf and can be on the trail into Corcovado early, before day visitors arrive from town. It’s simple, remote and built for people who come to the Osa for the forest.
At a glance
| Location | Beside the La Leona sector of Corcovado National Park, west of Carate, Osa Peninsula |
|---|---|
| Style | Rustic tent-cabins with private garden bathrooms, run by a local family |
| Setting | Beachfront, backed by the family’s own protected rainforest |
| Best for | Hikers, birders and couples who want to be at Corcovado’s doorstep |
| Getting there | Road from Puerto Jiménez to Carate, then a walk along the beach |
| CST status | Not listed in the official directory (checked 2026-Oct-21) |
Where it is
The lodge sits on the beach between Carate and the La Leona ranger station. SINAC’s page for the La Leona sector describes it as the park’s main land entrance, reached by walking 3.5 km along the beach from Carate. Carate itself is reached from Puerto Jiménez by four-wheel-drive vehicle, the colectivo truck taxi or a light aircraft. Several of the lodge’s packages include the round-trip transfer between Puerto Jiménez and Carate, which takes much of the guesswork out of the journey.
Nearly everything you bring has to come with you on foot along the sand, so pack light, and plan to arrive in daylight.
A family’s story
The lodge belongs to the Morales Polanco family. According to the lodge’s About page, Walter Morales first came to the Osa as a pilot when there was no road access, flying goods between Río Oro, Carate, Sirena, Golfito and Puntarenas. He first flew over Corcovado in 1969, came back in 1976 to crop-dust rice fields, and bought land here between 1984 and 1989. He and Salma Polanco started the lodge project in 2000 with their seven children, who helped build it. The family describes the land as its own privately protected rainforest.
The tent-cabins
Guests sleep in tent-cabins near the beach. According to the rooms page, each one has a private bathroom with an open-roofed garden shower and a front deck with chairs facing the sea breeze and the sunset. There are standard beach tent-cabins and larger family tents. The lodge doesn’t publish the number of tents or details on power in the rooms, so if you need to charge cameras or medical devices, ask before you book. This is a rustic stay: expect heat and humidity, insects and the sound of waves all night.
Meals
Meals are included in the lodge’s packages, which cover three meals a day. The family also offers a romantic garden dinner as part of a honeymoon package. Because the nearest shop is far away, plan on eating all your meals at the lodge, and tell them about dietary needs when you book.
Into Corcovado
Corcovado is the reason to come. SINAC puts the park’s land area at more than 42,500 hectares, created in 1975, and says it holds about 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity. Its dry season runs from mid-December to mid-April.
Two rules shape every visit. First, you must enter with a local guide registered with the Osa Conservation Area’s sustainable tourism program, or you’ll be turned away. Second, park entry has to be reserved in advance, and SINAC accepts reservations up to six months ahead. The lodge arranges guided tours for guests, but if you’re traveling in the busy dry season, sort out your dates early.
The lodge’s tours page lists:
- La Leona day tour: a hike from the ranger station through secondary and primary forest on fairly flat ground. SINAC’s page names sites along this trail such as Madrigal, Cementerio, Paraíso and El Barco.
- La Sirena overnight: the classic coastal trek to Sirena Biological Station, which the lodge puts at 17 km in total, with a night at the station. SINAC estimates about six hours of walking along the shore.
- Night walk: up La Leona creek to a forest trail after dark.
- Early birdwatching: at sunrise around Carate or La Leona.
- The lodge’s own forest: a hike higher up through the family’s land, which the lodge describes as a different ecosystem from the park lowlands.
- Turtle watching: in season, on the beaches near the lodge.
- Lagoon kayaking: on the Pejeperrito lagoon near Carate.
There’s also a “two lodge” package that combines a stay here with a guided day from the Los Patos ranger station and nights at Danta Corcovado Lodge, on the inland side of the park. Massages are available too.
Wildlife
The Carate to Sirena coast is one of the best-known wildlife corridors in Costa Rica. Scarlet macaws, all four of Costa Rica’s monkey species, coatis, tapirs and, rarely, big cats are among the animals visitors hope for, and the lodge itself quotes National Geographic’s description of the Osa as “one of the most biologically intense places on earth”. Nothing is guaranteed, and a good guide makes the difference. Our Corcovado and Osa Peninsula guide covers what lives where.
Sustainability
La Leona isn’t in the CST directory. According to the lodge, it practices recycling and conservation and has kept its forest intact, and earlier descriptions of the lodge mention tent platforms built from reforested wood. It doesn’t publish details on energy, water or waste. Its strongest credentials are the most basic ones: a small footprint, a local family running it and guests spending their money in a remote community.
Who it suits
La Leona suits fit, adventurous travelers who want to hike Corcovado without long daily transfers, and birders who want to be in the forest at first light. It also suits couples who like the idea of a tent on a wild beach.
It’s not for anyone who needs air conditioning, easy wheeled luggage or a swimming beach: the surf here can be rough. If you want more comfort nearby, look at Luna Lodge in the hills above Carate, or the rainforest lodges of Cabo Matapalo such as El Remanso Lodge. More options are in our Osa Peninsula eco-lodges section.
Frequently asked questions
How far is La Leona Eco Lodge from the Corcovado entrance?
It's close to the La Leona ranger station, the park's main land entrance. SINAC gives the walk from Carate to La Leona as 3.5 km along the beach, and the lodge sits along that stretch.
Do I need a guide to hike from La Leona into Corcovado?
Yes. SINAC requires every visitor to enter with a local guide registered with the Osa Conservation Area, and park entry must be booked in advance. The lodge's tours include guides.
Can I hike to Sirena from La Leona Eco Lodge?
Yes. The lodge offers an overnight trip from La Leona to Sirena Biological Station, a hike it gives as 17 km in total. Spaces at Sirena are limited, so book well ahead.
Who owns La Leona Eco Lodge?
The Morales Polanco family. Walter Morales, a former bush pilot, bought the land in the 1980s, and he and Salma Polanco opened the lodge with their children starting in 2000.
