Arriving to Pacuare Lodge
A Pacuare Lodge representative will pick you up early at one of our scheduled locations (06:00am.) for the 2½-hour drive through the countryside to our Pacuare River put-in, stopping en route for a traditional Costa Rican breakfast. Next is an exciting, 1-1½ hour river-rafting trip (class II-III rapids) past vibrant rainforest scenery to our lodge. You’ll arrive at the lodge in time for a delicious lunch. After lunch, you can hike through the lodge’s protected forest with your guide to an idyllic waterfall, take the Canopy Adventure or Canyoning Tour (included) or simply relax in your private bungalow or suite and enjoy the peacefulness and beauty that surrounds you. After savoring an exquisite dinner by candlelight, you may want to step upstairs to the lounge for a drink before retiring for a restful night’s sleep.
During your stay at Pacuare Lodge
You’ll awaken to birdsong and the soothing sound of the river. Head over to the main lodge for a hearty breakfast of homemade bread, tortillas, gallo pinto, tropical fruits, yogurt, eggs, pancakes, cereal, juice and coffee, complemented by a rainforest view. The lodge employs resident naturalist guides who can provide information about the plants and animals that inhabit the surrounding forest. You can take it easy, or begin enjoying some of the lodge’s seven outdoor experiences included in your Adventure Package which can take you deeper into the forest, or to the closest communities. Nature lovers may want to start before breakfast with a daybreak birdwatching tour. Other options are to visit the nearby Cabécar Indian palapa, for an introduction to the local indigenous culture, or hike to the closest farming community to experience a bit of rural Costa Rican life. Outdoor adventure options include the Canopy Adventure Tour, which takes you gliding between treetop platforms on cables, or Tropical Canyoning, which combines hiking, rock climbing and rappelling. Hikers have several options to choose from: the Cabécar Indian Hike, a more demanding hike to an isolated indigenous home deep in the forest; or the Ancient Trail and Hidden Waterfall Hike, which heads higher into the mountains to a secret waterfall and takes most of the day. If you’d prefer to relax, visit our Jawa Juu Spa (not included). We harness the rainforest’s natural energy to create a healing environment unlike any other.
Departing from Pacuare Lodge
After another great breakfast, you’ll depart between 9:00-10:00 am by raft for an exhilarating day of whitewater rafting past gorgeous tropical scenery (approximately 3½ hours over class III-IV rapids). This stretch of the Pacuare River flows through canyons and past waterfalls and virgin rainforest. You’re likely to catch glimpses of varied birds and other wildlife during the quiet stretches. A yummy, deli-style lunch will be served on the riverbank en route, and you’ll have a chance to change into dry clothes at our private facilities by the river take-out before the drive back to your hotel in our minibus. You can expect to arrive back in San José between 5:30-6:30 pm
