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Costa Rica Packing List for the Active Traveler

Writer: Dane Jerous
Dane Jerous
Sep 1
1 min read

Lightweight rain jacket — not optional. Quick-dry hiking pants that double as dinner pants. Merino wool base layer — one is enough. Chacos or trail runners, not both. Buff or neck gaiter. Sunscreen SPF 50 minimum — the UV index here is no joke. Leave the jeans. Bring your curiosity.

Tech essentials for Costa Rica: 10,000mAh power bank (outlets are scarce on trails), a dry bag for your phone (everything gets wet in the rainy season), offline maps downloaded via Maps.me or Gaia GPS before you leave the city, and a headlamp — power outages happen, trails get dark fast.

One thing most people underpack for Costa Rica: insect repellent. DEET 30% minimum. Mosquitoes carry dengue and chikungunya in some regions. Not a scare tactic — just a reality. Cover up at dawn and dusk, use repellent, and you'll be fine. Don't skip it.

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