Pacuare Lodge is situated in Costa Rica's Atlantic region, within the Pacuare Protected Zone, approximately 20 miles from the town of Siquirres, at an altitude of 770 feet. You can find it on Google Earth using the following coordinates: 10° 00′ 00”.00 N, 83° 31′ 55”.00 W.
We offer scheduled pick-up and drop-off at the Hilton Garden Inn, Park Inn, and Grano de Oro Hotel. Pick-up is at 6 am, and the tour returns to San José around 6 pm on the departure day. If staying at a different hotel, you can reach these locations on your own or we can assist in arranging transportation for an additional fee, including from areas outside San José.
Due to its remote location, the lodge is not directly accessible by car or public transport. However, you can drive or take a bus to Siquirres and meet us at our warehouse. From there, we provide a transfer to the lodge by raft or ground transportation. Our sales representative will confirm your pick-up time at the meeting point.
Yes, we'll stop at a rustic, scenic mountain view restaurant for a traditional Costa Rican breakfast en route to the river.
The journey to the river takes between 2½ and 3 hours, depending on your hotel location.
Yes, we offer various options including land entry and departure, or a combination of land and river transport. Pacuare Lodge also has an onsite helipad for helicopter arrivals (additional fee).
Yes, all facilities at Pacuare Lodge, including bungalows, the main lodge, and the deck, are non-smoking.
Yes, in case of emergency, our resident manager and security staff are available 24 hours a day.
Pacuare Lodge is an ideal family destination with adventurous and cultural experiences. Due to our remote location and activity nature, we have a minimum age of 7 for staying at the lodge. The rafting tour requires a minimum age of 12. Ground transportation is available for children ages 7 to 11.
It’s best to book as early as possible, especially during the busy mid-December to January period. Booking one to two months in advance is recommended.
No experience is required. Our tours are designed to be safe and enjoyable for those in reasonably good shape, even if it’s your first time rafting. Safety is our top priority, and our bilingual guides are highly experienced and certified in first aid, CPR, and swiftwater rescue training.
Yes, free WiFi is available in our suites, reception area, and restaurant. However, due to our remote location, internet connectivity may occasionally be unstable.
If unsafe river levels force us to cancel rafting, clients will access or leave the lodge by ground transportation via a 4×4 vehicle (approx. 45-minute ride). A minimum of 2 passengers is required for the rafting tour.
Your Pacuare Lodge Adventure includes: Pick-up in San José, transfer to the lodge (choose rafting or 4×4 vehicle), accommodation in a suite, 8 included experiences (Canopy Tour, Tropical Canyoning, Bird-Watching, Cabecar Indigenous Hike, Ancient Trail & Hidden Waterfall Hike, Rural Experience, The Loop, Sustainability Tour), daily a la carte meals, afternoon coffee with homemade pastry, rafting or ground transfer out, and return transfer to San José.
The minimum age for White Water River Rafting In is 9 years old, and White-Water River Rafting Out is 12 years old, with a minimum weight of 65 pounds and a maximum of 275 pounds. Participation depends on river conditions, mobility, physical condition, and size, and is subject to the river guide's approval.
A minimum of three nights is recommended to fully enjoy the lodge. Our Adventure Packages include 8 unique onsite experiences, dining, and a spa.
Expect varied weather in Costa Rica’s tropical rainforest. Mornings are generally sunny and clear, with afternoon rain showers. Temperatures range from the mid to upper 80’s (28 – 30 C) during the day, and evenings may require a light jacket.
Costa Rica is a year-round destination, with peak seasons from December to April (Dry Season) and June through August (rainy afternoons). River levels are higher during the rainy season, especially September to November. For more availability, consider visiting from late April to early June or September to late November.
Any person who is physically fitted to do soft adventure activities such as whitewater rafting, canopy tours, canyoning, hiking, etc. The minimum age is 12 years old, and we cannot accept people with recent surgeries, pregnant women, or people who are not physically or mentally fitted for this type of activities.
A selection of wines, spirits, and liquors are available for purchase from our wine cellar and bar.
We’re located deep in the jungle, yet mosquito complaints are rare. Our bungalows are well-screened, and it’s important to keep doors closed. We recommend insect repellent for late afternoon outings or hikes.
An IP telephone system is available at the reception area for emergency contact.
If traveling from outside Costa Rica, vaccinations may be required depending on your origin. There is no yellow fever risk in Costa Rica, but proof of vaccination may be required if arriving from a high-risk area. Consult your doctor for recommendations.
Yes, all bungalows and suites have solar-heated water with a gas backup system.
While we strive to minimize cross-contamination, we cannot guarantee dishes are allergen-free and cannot accept liability. Guests with severe allergies should assess their own risk.
Yes, our tap water comes from an uncontaminated mountain spring and is periodically tested. We encourage the use of refillable bottles to reduce plastic waste.
Yes, Pacuare Lodge is powered by hydroelectric turbines and solar panels. Lighting and outlets for small devices are available, but high-energy devices like hair dryers are not permitted.
There’s no need to worry about malaria at Pacuare Lodge. While isolated outbreaks have occurred in some areas, these are far from tourist routes. Follow your physician’s advice, but no tourist has contracted malaria in Costa Rica in recent years.
Your stay includes 8 unique experiences: Canopy Tour, Tropical Canyoning, Bird-Watching, Cabecar Indigenous Hike, Ancient Trail & Hidden Waterfall Hike, Rural Experience, The Loop, and Sustainability Tour. Relax at our spa and enjoy unique dining experiences. All activities require a minimum of 2 passengers.
• Jaguar Villa: Luxurious and perched by the river, offering a tropical rainforest experience with elegant comforts.
• Linda Vista Villas: Spacious suites with breathtaking views of the river and rainforest, featuring a king-size bed, indoor/outdoor showers, a long deck, and a private dipping pool.
• Canopy Villa: A honeymoon suite on a hilltop with sweeping views, accessible via a hanging bridge to a private lookout platform.
• River View Suites: Tranquil suites with a private terrace offering stunning river and jungle views.
• Garden Suites: Suites with a private terrace, heated showers, and views of the surrounding rainforest.
Please refer to our Terms & Conditions section for detailed cancellation policies.
Visit our recommended packing list for details on what to bring and instructions for luggage you plan to leave behind.
Meals are highly regarded, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner served in our main lodge or deck. We can accommodate most special dietary needs with advanced notice.
You can charge devices in your room or at our reception area.
Yes, laundry service is available for an additional charge.
Pacuare Lodge
As National Geographic aptly notes, “Visitors come for the adventure and stay for the romance at Pacuare.” Located on an 840-acres private reserve in the heart of the Talamanca Mountains, every aspect of the lodge exists in symbiotic harmony with the natural surroundings. From the gracefully towering main house, built in the style and craftsmanship of Caribbean-inspired architecture, to the 20 exquisite, stand-alone suites and villas; the secluded and peaceful riverfront spa; and the remarkable infinity swimming pool emerging from the rainforest to hover over the river’s edge.
Each naturally elegant structure is crafted from sustainably sourced woods and other eco-friendly materials. The eclectic and graceful designs capture both the breathtaking scenery as well as the cool breezes rolling off the river below and the rainforest canopy above.
You’ll be greeted by our expert concierge service and a tantalizing tropical drink upon arrival. Our concierge is available from sunup to sundown to ensure that not only your time at the lodge is perfect, but we can also help you design the perfect Costa Rican vacation itinerary.
Guests are encouraged to spend time at the main lodge, relaxing and mingling with other travelers. Hot, locally sourced gourmet coffee is always available at no additional charge, as are freshly baked pastries for teatime. Indulge in a refreshing craft beer from our on-site brewery or sample a tantalizing vintage from our personal cellar featuring over 80 different international wines. Or, curl up with a novel in one of the lodges several cozy reading niches, complete with a library of literature shared by fellow travelers, nature guides, and compilations of Costa Rica and the region’s history.
The Pacuare Experience – Our Eight Unforgettable Adventures
At Pacuare, not only should you enjoy our lodge and accommodations, we want you to get to know and love the river, the rainforest, and local culture like we do. That’s why we offer unlimited access to our eight favorite Pacuare experiences throughout the duration of your stay.
If outdoor adventure entices you, enjoy Canyoning Tesorito Creek Gorge, which includes breathtaking rock climbing, ziplining, and rappelling down a refreshing waterfall. For those wishing to soar with exotic birds among the treetops, the Pacuare Canopy Adventure will leave you breathless. Witness the biological diversity harbored in the forest canopy firsthand and live the thrill of ziplining over a magnificent forest-scape before repelling down the jungle-draped mountainside to the soft earth below.
Back on Tierra Firme, your rainforest immersion awaits. Our Ancient Trail & Hidden Waterfall Hike is not for the faint-hearted. This challenging hike will take you deep into age-old forests to the legendary Sendero de las Mulas trail used by the local Cabécar people for generations. The journey eventually culminates in the heartland of the Nairi Awari Indigenous Reserve and a mystical waterfall, hidden in the pristine flora.
For those looking for a more serene introduction to the rainforest, The Loop tour is a comfortable way to commune with the natural surroundings without pushing the limit. Follow your naturalist guide on a short hike through 700 acres of pristine rainforest to a visit at a Cabécar Indigenous dwelling replica where you’ll learn about the area’s fascinating cultures and traditions. Top off the experience with a dip in a sparkling waterfall pool.
If you want to learn about ways in which humankind can coexist with nature without causing harm, then the Sustainability Tour is for you. Take a walk around the expansive property with our naturalist guides, and you’ll see how the preservation of the land, environment, and the community are foremost in everything we do. Watch our hydroelectric micro-central turbines at work and learn about our extensive recycling and community outreach programs.
While the early morning mist still blankets the forest floor, Pacuare’s renowned Birdwatching Experience begins. Our expert ornithologists will take you on an unforgettable trek into the fascinating world of the rare and exotic bird species that inhabit the surrounding rainforest and river habitats. Costa Rica is home to over 850 species, including the Sun Bittern, Red-throated Ant-Tanager, Black-cheeked Woodpecker, and Montezuma oropendolas – all of which live near the lodge. Guests have access to binoculars and your guide’s telescope to get a better view (and photographs) of the stunning wildlife.
Our Villas and Suites
All of our suites and villas are simple, refined, and elegant. Each guestroom has expansive open areas to better experience the natural ambiance, and the interior living spaces are screened and protected from the elements. Experience outdoor showers, spring-fed fountains and pools, extensive terraces with hammocks and comfortable lounges, and the exquisite beauty of teak floors, hardwood furniture, and bamboo accents combined with the softest and most exquisite linens, pillows, towels, and bathrobes.
Although breezes from the river and surrounding jungle keep each living area surprisingly fresh, we equip every room with highly efficient eco-fans. Each guestroom also comes with a pair of rubber boots for every member of your party. Feel safe and protected from the occasional mud when you set off to explore the lodge’s exquisite gardens.
All of our buildings are within walking distance of each other—be it your villa, the spa, or the main lodge. Nonetheless, we also provide our guests with the use of complementary electric vehicles (golf carts) for getting around the property. The cars are comfortable, easy to drive, and covered to protect our guests from the elements.
The Cuisine – Nairi Awari Restaurant
Our commitment to providing our guests with the highest caliber service and accommodations extends wholeheartedly to our cuisine. At Nairi Awari Restaurant, diners are continually surprised by the exceptional quality, freshness, and flavor of each and every dish.
The ingredients we use are locally sourced, organic, and of exceptional grade. Our world-class menu changes with the seasons and ensures each delectable mouthful is prepared with the finest and freshest products available.
The Nairi Awari culinary team of local talent
All of our expert staff are local Costa Ricans from the small towns and indigenous communities nearby. Through dedicated training, working together, and sharing our vision of sustainable luxury, we’ve fostered an ambiance of unity and pride among our employees, which is evident in the quality and creativity of the food we .
Inspired by our own travels throughout the world, and love for outstanding cuisine and fine wines, we invited Santorini, Greece-born chef, George Belesis to work with our culinary staff and share his knowledge and passion in the kitchen. While passing on his experiences and the tricks of the trade he’d learned during his time as a world-renowned chef, he further trained and inspired our team to take their skills and creativity to the next level.
A bit of the bubbly
Everyone knows that exceptional cuisine must be served with an exceptional wine. With this in mind, and in further keeping with our own gastronomic passions, we began to collect notable wines from around the world. Today, our guests can choose from over 80 different vintages.
If that wasn’t enough, we’ve also started our own on-site microbrewery and are proud to offer our patrons two unique craft beers, the Pacuare IPA and a crisp and refreshing Pale Ale. Guests will also find an assortment of tropical cocktails, mixed drinks, fine liquors and cordials, and local and international beer options.
World-class cuisine in the remote jungles of Costa Rica
We love to watch our guest’s faces as they taste our cuisine. Such a delightful gourmet experience is simply unexpected from an ecolodge in the remote jungles of Costa Rica. In keeping with the quality of our produce, we serve honest, delicious, traditionally inspired dishes that permit each ingredient to speak for itself. Equipped with innovative and energy-efficient technology, such as a Rational oven, sous-vide, and a Thermomix, we have the tools and the knowledge to create a world-class dining experience for our guests.
Pacuare’s Iconic Infinity Pool
One of Pacuare Lodge’s newest and most coveted features is our Iconic Infinity Pool. Designed to have a minimum impact on the environment while capturing the ethereal beauty of its surroundings, this 20-meter (65 feet) saltwater pool has all the qualities of a rainforest dream come true. Hovering over the banks and spray of the river below at one end and reaching deep into the rainforest foliage at the other, the pool is an experience like no other. Guest will be enticed into hours of leisurely laps in the cool waters or succumb in delight to the kiss of a jungle breeze on sun-warmed skin. All while relaxing on a comfortable pool-side lounger and sampling the tropical flavors of a fresh-fruit smoothie or cocktail at the outdoor bar and deck.
The Jawa Jüu Spa
At Jawa Jüu Spa, we combine the wisdom and healing traditions of the native Cabécar People with modern spa techniques and highly trained therapists and staff. The secluded, riverfront spa was designed with the sole purpose of imbuing a deep connection with the rainforest and the living Pacuare waters. Many of our treatments include a riverside ritual where guests can sense their bodies to the fullest while performing yoga-inspired stretching at the water’s edge. Individual and couple’s treatments are offered daily.
We use only the purest, naturally sourced products in our treatments, as well as herbs, minerals, and clays hailed in indigenous lore for their calming and purifying properties. We are proud to offer both locally and imported products in our therapies.
Evening entertainment – Pacuare’s Jungle Cinema
Have you ever imagined watching a riveting National Geographic documentary beneath the stars while surrounded by the sounds and scents of the rainforest? At Pacuare Lodge, you can make this experience a reality. Our portable Jungle Cinema, featuring a high-definition, 10-foot screen, and a state-of-the-art sound system can be watched either indoors or under the stars if the weather permits. Our billboard headlines include exceptional BBC, Discovery, and Nat Geo productions about the fascinating world we live in.
100% Renewable – Clean Energy
All of the energy we use is renewable and produced on the property from a combination of sources, including 120 solar panels, and micro water turbines. The proprietors have gone to great lengths to harness the most advanced and sustainable technology available to ensure the guest’s utmost comfort and convenience while protecting the environment – from the state-of-the-art kitchens and septic systems to the comforts and amenities in the guestrooms.
Electric Vehicles
All of our buildings are within walking distance of each other—be it your villa, the spa, swimming pool, or the main lodge. Nonetheless, we also provide our guests with transfer service using electric vehicles (golf carts) for getting to the villas located in the upper level of the property. The cars are covered to protect guests from the elements.
Project Jaguar
Pacuare Lodge is collaborating with the National University of Costa Rica and other partners to study and protect the region’s native jaguar species, their prey, and their habitats. As a part of these efforts in conservation and ecological preservation, the proprietors purchased approximately 840 acres of primary forests surrounding the lodge to be preserved into propriety, offset the lodge’s carbon footprint, and protect the wild habitats of thousands of plant and animal species.