Type of destination:
Type of accommodation:
Rates: (in US dollars)
$150 and up
See details about rates below.
Target Market:
High-end
Staying at the Pacuare Lodge is to experience the essence of Costa Rica, immersing yourself in lush tropical nature, enjoying the genuine hospitality of its people, and living adventures that will stay in your memory forever. The ecolodge is on a private reserve with 840 acres (340 hectares) of rainforest, located on the banks of the stunning Pacuare River in the heart of the country and home to jaguars, ocelots, monkeys, and sloths.
Our visitors come for the adventure and stay for romance. To get to the ecolodge you must cross the rapids of the river in a raft, although you can also take the overland route that includes transportation in a 4WD vehicle, crossing the river by gondola and taking a short walk. Upon reaching Pacuare Lodge you will start to live a different experience that includes dinners by candlelight accompanied by fine wines that are made by Costa Ricans who are food lovers themselves. In the rooms, expect a large canopy bed where you can relax to the murmurs of nature’s music.
Venture into this unique experience that only Pacuare Lodge offers!
19 suites
Other:
Number of employees: 65
Percentage of local employees: 100%
Pacuare Lodge was designed to maximize contact with the surrounding tropical environment while minimizing environmental impact. Thanks to our many efforts, the lodge has been recognized by the World Tourism Organization as a global example of sustainability. We've also earned the Ecological Blue Flag Certification for watersheds and the highest rating from the Certificate for Sustainable Tourism (CST) program.
Our work on sustainability includes the following:
Community
We are the largest employer in the tourism sector in the area, which includes the town of Bajo del Tigre, Santa Marta, and the Cabecar Nairi Awari Indigenous Reserve.
Education
We launched an environmental education program for more than eight schools in the communities closest to the lodge and the Pacuare River. We are training a group of tour guides and collaborators for giving presentations and talks in these schools. We also coordinate donations from guests for the purchase of equipment and supplies for the Bajo del Tigre school in the nearest community. We also support the maintenance of local roads.
Conservation
Some of the funds raised at Pacuare Lodge are used to acquire lands for the protection of the rainforest in the Pacuare Protected Area. We started the project with 30 acres (12 hectares) in 1993, and today we protect 840 acres (340 hectares) of forest.
Aventuras Naturales and Pacuare Lodge led a pioneering project to include the Pacuare River in the Ecological Blue Flag Program. By working with local communities and the Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers, the Pacuare River became the first river in Costa Rica to receive the Ecological Blue Flag award in 2009.
Jaguar monitoring program
In October 2008, as part of their commitment to conservation, Pacuare Lodge and Aventuras Naturales began a jaguar monitoring program in conjunction with the wildlife management program of the University of Costa Rica. Since then, we have obtained a significant number of images and videos of jaguars, even in the gestational stage. This has motivated several researchers to continue with the project for five more years and double coverage of the cameras to 15 square miles (20 to 40 square kilometers).
$150 and up
Our package rates start from $377 per person and include all meals, transportation, river rapid adventures, equipment, a professional guide, lodging, and taxes.
For more information about rates, please visit:
Nearest international airport: San Jose (SJO)
Travel time to nearest airport: 5 hours combining raft and overland transport; 30 minutes in a small airplane; 25 minutes in helicopter with a landing at Pacuare lodge.
Due to our remote location, our packages include land transportation as well as the adventure on the Pacuare River rapids. For those who do not wish to run the rapids we offer transportation in a 4WD vehicle on a tethered ferry to reach the other side of the river.
We operate year-round.
July 2013.
Photos courtesy of Pacuare Lodge, Costa Rica, for SustainableTrip.org.
Luz Cáceres
Marketing and Sales Manager
Zona protegida de Pacuare / Pacuare Protected Zone
Turrialba, Cartago
Costa Rica
Tel: +506/2225-3939 ; +506/2224-0505
Fax: +506/2253-6934 +506/2253-6327
www.pacuarelodge.com;
www.tourcostarica.com
Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST)
Sustainability level: 5 leaves
Date: August, 2010