Twenty-three nautical miles between the two entrances to Corcovado National Park. It is the shortest route in our entire Costa Rican catalogue, and the one that avoids circling a whole peninsula. From 1,750 USD per aircraft.
Route facts
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | Drake Bay (DRK / MRDK) |
| Destination | Puerto Jiménez (PJM / MRPJ) |
| Distance | 23.0 NM · 43 km |
| Destination elevation | 7 ft |
| Price | From 1,750 USD per aircraft |
Forty-three kilometres, and no road between them
Drake Bay sits in the northwest of the Osa peninsula; Puerto Jiménez in the southeast, on the Golfo Dulce. Corcovado lies between them, and no road crosses it.
The overland route exists but circles the entire peninsula to the north, with stretches that deteriorate in the rains. It is a long day for forty-three kilometres in a straight line.
It is the same pattern as Nosara–Santa Teresa, taken to its limit: the flight does not save kilometres, it saves a journey the geography does not offer. And here what lies between is a national park, not an estuary.
Access requires an authorisation handled by the area’s administration or your local operator, on their own timescales.
Two doors to the same park
That is what makes this route useful rather than a geographic curiosity.
Drake Bay gives access to Corcovado's northern sector, including the San Pedrillo station, generally by sea from Agujitas.
Puerto Jiménez is the gateway to the southern sector and La Leona, and it is the reference airport for Corcovado and the Golfo Dulce. As of 2014 it was the third-busiest in the country and the first among domestic-only fields.
Anyone wanting to see both sectors of the park has here the only reasonable transfer between them.
Park access has its own rules, quotas and compulsory guides, handled with the administration rather than with us. Access requires an authorisation handled by the area’s administration or your local operator, on their own timescales.
Two very different fields
Drake Bay is the most demanding strip in the catalogue: 750 metres by 11 wide. It is what decides the aircraft on this route, not the destination. The specific aircraft is assigned on confirmation, based on passenger count, baggage and the destination field.
Puerto Jiménez sits at seven feet elevation, just east of the town, and is owned by the DGAC. It has scheduled service from Sansa and Aerobell, and imposes no comparable restrictions.
On a twenty-three-mile route, all the limitation is at the origin.
It does not land at your lodge
Neither end drops you at your accommodation.
At Drake Bay the transfer to the lodge comes afterwards and is frequently by sea. At Puerto Jiménez the town is beside the field, but the peninsula's lodges are a ground transfer away over unpaved road. Ground transfer is not included in the fare: your accommodation or a local operator arranges it.
Confirm both legs before fixing the flight time.
And if you are coming from outside the peninsula
From San José, Puerto Jiménez is 102.6 nautical miles away and Drake Bay 83.5. From Quepos, 73.3 and 52.2.
If you are only visiting one sector of the park, fly directly to the one you need rather than entering through the other and crossing. This route is for people who want both.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Drake Bay to Puerto Jiménez?
The flight covers 23.0 nautical miles, the shortest route in our Costa Rican catalogue. Overland you have to circle the whole peninsula.
Why is there no direct road?
Corcovado National Park lies between them, and no road crosses it. The overland route circles the peninsula to the north.
How do the two entrances differ?
Drake Bay serves the northern sector, including San Pedrillo. Puerto Jiménez is the gateway to the south and La Leona, and the reference airport for Corcovado.
Which field decides the aircraft?
Drake Bay, at 750 metres by 11 wide. Puerto Jiménez sits at seven feet elevation and imposes no comparable restrictions. The specific aircraft is assigned on confirmation, based on passenger count, baggage and the destination field.
Do I land at my lodge?
At neither end. At Drake the transfer is frequently by sea; at Puerto Jiménez the lodges are a ground transfer away over unpaved road. Ground transfer is not included in the fare: your accommodation or a local operator arranges it.
What if I am only visiting one sector?
Fly directly to the one you need. From San José it is 102.6 nautical miles to Puerto Jiménez and 83.5 to Drake Bay.