Esquinas Rainforest Lodge

Overview

Description

Hidden in the jungle of remote Piedras Blancas National Park in southern Costa Rica, Esquinas Rainforest Lodge is surrounded by 14 square miles of untouched wilderness that was purchased with donations from thousands of Austrian people. It is a retreat for nature lovers wishing to experience the sounds and sights of a tropical rainforest in a tranquil, undisturbed atmosphere.

The 16-room lodge is located near the village of La Gamba, just three miles off of the Interamerican Highway and a 30-minute drive from Golfito airport. Esquinas is part of the model project "Rainforest of the Austrians," combining ecotourism, conservation, research, and community development.

The lodge offers a large variety of tours and excursions that lead through a jungle with a biodiversity equal to nearby Corcovado National Park. Activities include hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, kayaking in Golfo Dulce, and boat excursions to the mangroves of Rio Coto and Casa Orquideas Botanical Garden. More than 220 bird species regularly visit the 30-acre (12-hectare) tropical garden, as well as monkeys, coatis, caimans and many other animals.

Rooms

16

Making a Difference

Number of employees: 23

Percentage of local employees: 99%

Since 1991, the small Austrian NGO Rainforest of the Austrians, which runs Esquinas Lodge, has been purchasing properties within the Esquinas forest and donating them to the Costa Rican government. More than 9,500 acres (3,850 hectares) have been incorporated into Piedras Blancas National Park. Rainforest of the Austrians also employs two park rangers and supports release programs for macaws and other animals. In 1993, La Gamba Field Station was founded and is now run by the University of Vienna. It has become an internationally acclaimed research facility for tropical biology.

Esquinas is the largest employer in La Gamba, offering up to 23 permanent jobs. Except for management and office personnel, all employees at the lodge are from the local town. The ultimate goal is to demonstrate that a small, ecologically-sound nature lodge can generate enough income to raise the living standard of a community of 70 families.

In 2009, Rainforest of the Austrians purchased a 40-acre (16-hectare) farm in La Gamba that consisted of former pastureland and secondary growth forest. In a joint venture with La Gamba Field Station, 7,500 rainforest trees from 40 species were planted. Esquinas Lodge and its vehicles emit approximately 29 tons of carbon dioxide each year. A distinguished team of scientists from the University of Vienna determined that 2,334 trees ware required to offset these emissions. By donating $43,600 towards the reforestation project, Esquinas Lodge has become 100% carbon-free.

The lodge has a worm composting system, septic tanks with anaerobic filters, and a wastewater treatment plant. It grows its own organic vegetables and fruit, separates waste, sends metal, plastic and glass to a recycling plant, doesn't use concentrates, and avoids the use of disposable containers, packing, and cans. It uses biodegradable detergents and energy-saving light bulbs. The pool is naturally filtered and doesn't use any chemicals. There are no pets or artificial bird feeders.

Esquinas Lodge has assumed an active role in the financing and implementation of community projects and has invested more than $175,000 in the renovation of the potable water system, the school, the town hall, a health station, a roofed playground, and a police station in La Gamba.

Rates

$101 – $150

Rate per person for a double room, including three daily meals and taxes, are $100 in the low season and $128 in the high season. Special rates apply for packages, single and triple rooms, and groups.

A new jungle villa with fully-equipped kitchen and two bedrooms is available for rent.

For more information about rates, please visit:

• www.esquinaslodge.com/rates-and-packages.html (available in English).
• www.esquinaslodge.com/de/preise-und-pakete.html (available in German).
• www.esquinaslodge.com/es/tarifas-y-paquetes.html (available in Spanish).
• www.esquinaslodge.com/fr/rates-and-packages.html (available in French).

Getting There

Nearest international airport: San José (SJO)

Nearest local/national airport: Golfito (GLF)

Travel time to nearest airport: 30 minutes

Distance, by land, to the nearest airport: 8 miles (12km).

Additional Information

Date This Information Was Provided

October 2012.

Photos courtesy of Esquinas Rainforest Lodge, Costa Rica, for SustainableTrip.org.

• Esquinas Rainforest Lodge, Costa Rica
• Esquinas Rainforest Lodge
• Esquinas Rainforest Lodge - www.sustainabletv.org