Virtually all trips in go via the village of Carmelita, but these can be arranged in Flores or Santa Elena.
Go via mule train with a guide. The wetter it is, the better it is to also pay for another mule for riding. The driest months are March and April. The more hikers with you, the better an idea it is for you to pay for one riding mule in case anyone gets hurt.
Travel lightly. Only bring a large ribbed backpack if you plan to carry it yourself all day. Your duffel or soft bodied backpack should be small enough to easily be of such a size that it could be a legal carry on if you took it onto an airline.
Many agencies in Flores and Santa Elena can arrange it for you and this will include transportation to Carmelita and back. Generally speaking, the more people in the group, the cheaper it is per person. At present, the least expensive place to arrange a trip is Hostel Los Amigos.
Another possibility is to deal directly with people in Carmelita. To arrange directly instead of through some agency, after calling in Spanish and arranging your trip ahead of time, you would take the afternoon bus to Carmelita the day before departure, then stay in the inexpensive and basic rooms behind the comedor. In the morning you would have an early start and there would be no rush to get back your final trip day, because you would be taking the bus back to Flores the next morning.
If you are a keen hiker, it is also possible to walk there on your own. For a short description of the hike see i.e
