Luna Lodge is a small yoga and nature lodge high in the Carate River valley, at the far southwestern end of the Osa Peninsula, a short drive from the Carate entrance to Corcovado National Park. Founded around 2000 by yoga teacher Lana Wedmore, it pairs thatched bungalows, hacienda rooms and safari tents with mostly vegetarian meals, private waterfall trails and guided days in Corcovado. It’s for travelers who want the wildest corner of the Osa with a yoga mat and a quiet room waiting.
At a glance
| Location | Upper Carate River valley, above Playa Carate, Osa Peninsula |
|---|---|
| Style | Small wellness and nature lodge, three meals included |
| Setting | About 60 acres of primary and secondary rainforest on a hillside with ocean views |
| Best for | Yoga travelers, birders and hikers who want quick access to Corcovado |
| Getting there | Flight to Puerto Jiménez, then about 2 to 2.5 hours by 4×4, or a charter to the Carate airstrip |
| CST status | Not in the official CST directory on 2026-Oct-21 |
Where it is
Carate is the end of the road on the Pacific side of the Osa. Beyond it there’s only beach, then the La Leona ranger station and Corcovado National Park. Luna Lodge sits above all this on the upper slopes of the Carate River valley, reached by a steep dirt track that crosses streams and needs four-wheel drive.
The lodge’s FAQ says most guests fly from San José to Puerto Jiménez and then take the lodge’s ground transfer, about 2 to 2.5 hours, or a short charter flight to the Carate airstrip. Driving yourself is possible only in a 4×4. Guest reviews repeat the same two points: the road is rough, and the setting is worth it.
A lodge built by one woman
Lana Wedmore first came to Costa Rica as a student, then moved to the Osa from Colorado in 1991. She worked as a guide and lived for years in a tented camp on the beach below the current lodge before buying hillside land from an old gold miner who wanted it kept as forest. The lodge opened around 2000, and Wedmore still leads yoga classes there. She also runs the White Hawk Foundation, a land trust working to protect forest and wildlife corridors between the Carate valley and the national park.
Rooms and tents
The accommodations page lists four types of room, all with private bathrooms, mosquito nets, organic toiletries and a terrace or balcony facing the forest canopy:
- Honeymoon Bungalow: one bed for two, with an outdoor bath.
- Bungalows: wooden units for up to four, with one, two or three beds.
- Hacienda Style Rooms: two beds, for two adults and a child, closer to the main lodge.
- Safari Tents: two beds on raised platforms with private terraces, the simplest way to stay.
A 2026 travel feature counted eight bungalows, three hacienda rooms and seven platform tents. Rooms use portable fans rather than air conditioning, and the lodge has kept internet and phone use limited by design. The hillside layout means plenty of stairs.
Food
All stays include three meals a day, made from fresh and often organic ingredients, many grown in the lodge’s permaculture garden. Dinner is served family style. Almost everything on the table is vegetarian or vegan, and the kitchen caters for most diets with notice. Guest reviews regularly single out the food.
Yoga, spa and wellness
Yoga is the lodge’s other identity. Classes are held in an open-air pavilion with views over the forest toward the Pacific, and the lodge runs retreats led by visiting teachers as well as its own wellness packages. Its spa offers massage, and the lodge lists reiki, sound healing, cacao ceremonies, forest bathing and crystal bed sessions among its wellness extras. A previous version of this page described a raised, covered retreat platform of about 1,600 square feet used for group yoga, meditation and workshops.
Trails, tours and Corcovado
The private trails are the reason many guests stay longer than they meant to. Paths with interpretive signs run through primary and secondary forest, and one leads to a set of three waterfalls with swimming holes. The lodge’s guides also run tours further afield:
- Corcovado National Park: a five to six hour hike from Carate along forest trails and the coast toward La Leona, where the lodge says scarlet macaws are especially common.
- Nature Discovery Tour: a mix of drive and rainforest walk looking for trogons, parrots, monkeys and tayras.
- Pejeperrito Lagoon kayaking: a protected lagoon near the beach with crocodiles, spider monkeys and basilisk lizards, at dawn or late afternoon.
- Early birding and night walks on the lodge’s own trails.
Monkeys are part of daily life here; reviewers regularly mention howler monkeys around the lodge in the early morning, and visitors on the drive in report monkeys, owls and macaws. Read up on the park in our Corcovado and Osa Peninsula guide before you go.
Sustainability
According to the lodge, it has protected rainforest since 1998, runs carbon-neutral operations and generates all its own power from water turbines and a solar array. Staff have planted hundreds of fruit trees and native plants from seed. The lodge also reports taking part in local groups including the turtle protection committee and the Corcovado community development association, and it supports Wedmore’s land trust.
Luna Lodge has described itself in the past as holding a five-leaf sustainability rating, but it does not appear in the current official CST directory. Treat the energy and conservation claims as the lodge’s own.
Who it suits
This is a good fit for travelers who want yoga and wildlife in roughly equal measure, are happy with fans and limited Wi-Fi, and don’t mind stairs or a bumpy transfer. It’s especially good for anyone planning several days in Corcovado, because the park entrance is close and guided trips leave from the lodge.
Families with very young children, people with limited mobility and anyone wanting resort polish may be happier elsewhere. The lodge closes in October and part of November, the wettest weeks of the year. Nearby, La Leona Eco Lodge offers tent camping right by the beach at Carate, and Lapa Rios is a larger, more formal lodge closer to Cabo Matapalo. Browse all our Osa Peninsula eco-lodges, or compare other yoga retreats in Costa Rica. Luna Lodge also has a profile on Costa Rica Journeys.
Frequently asked questions
How close is Luna Lodge to Corcovado National Park?
Very close. The lodge is in the valley just above Carate, and the trail toward La Leona ranger station starts from Carate beach. The lodge's guided Corcovado day takes five to six hours.
Are meals included at Luna Lodge?
Yes. Every stay includes three meals a day, served family style in the evening. Most dishes are vegetarian or vegan.
Can I drive myself to Luna Lodge?
Only in a 4x4. The lodge says the drive from Puerto Jiménez takes about 2 to 2.5 hours, and the final climb is steep with stream crossings. Many guests use the lodge's transfer or a charter flight to Carate.
When is Luna Lodge closed?
The lodge closes for October and part of November, the rainiest stretch of the year. Its dry season runs roughly from December to April.
