A Private Biological Reserve
The lodge offers boat tours to the mangroves of the Esquinas River and
different hikes leading through various ecosystems such as primary and
secondary rainforest, an extensive heliconia field, fruit trees and
pasture. An easy accessible, safe observation platform invites for
birding and nature studies. The platform can also be reached within 20
minutes on a self-guided tour with an educational description of the
most interesting plants growing along the path.
So far, bird specialists have identified 340 different species of
birds on the lodge property or in the adjacent Piedras Blancas
National Park. A local naturalist and/or German/English speaking
biology students guide the jungle hikes.
 From
1997 up to 2000 the Lodge supported the official Wildcat
Rehabilitation Center Profelis, founded by the two German biologists
Sigi Weisel and Sabine Weber, for reintroducing confiscated margays
(Leopardus wiedii) and ocelots (Leopardus pardalis)
into their natural habitat, the tropical lowland rainforest of the
Piedras Blancas National Park. On a remote part of the lodge
rainforest, the first worldwide documented margay release took place
in February 1998, conducted by Profelis, and was filmed by the German
TV-crew VOX. Additionally, part of the documentaries on cats by the
well-known broadcasting teams of BBC and Wild Things California were
filmed on the lodge property.
 On
Playa San Josecito, there is also a release center of the privately
owned Zoo Ave outside San José for hurt, rescued or formerly
domesticated birds. Since 1999 groups of highly endangered scarlet
macaws (ara macao), born and raised at the zoo, were released
into the Piedras Blancas National Park where macaws were once present
but no longer existed due to poaching and pesticide use. Those first
releases are part of a long-term project to establish a third
self-sustaining scarlet macaw population, to add to the two existing
groups in the Corcovado National Park and the Carara Biological
Reserve. However, the release center is not open to the public.
An Ecological Commitment
Our primary goal is to do as little harm as possible to the
environment and to avoid unnecessary
 garbage.
As much as possible fresh fruits and vegetables grown on the property
and drinks in returnable bottles are served. The drinking water is
collected from a spring in a canyon about one mile up in the
mountains. The water in the bungalows is pure and unspoiled, and thus
drinkable. A hydro plant generates the electricity. Various septic
tanks ensure that there is no negative impact to the environment.
The Costa Rican Tourism Institute has certified the Lodge for
Sustainable Tourism with level 3.
Easy accessible and safe
observation platform at the edge of the primary
rainforest
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Self-guided tour
with an educational description of the most interesting plants
growing along the path to the observation platform
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Various guided hikes on trails of different
lengths leading through secondary and primary rainforest,
heliconia field, pasture and fruit trees leading through the
private reserve and the Piedras Blancas National Park
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 Boat
excursion to the mangrove swamps of the Rio Esquinas :
For half an hour this tour leads along the densely forested
coast of the Golfo Dulce to the estuary of the Rio Esquinas with
its mystic mangrove swamp, a paradise for birding. Going up the
river, we watch for caimans, crocodiles and water turtles
enjoying their sunbaths. Depending on the tide, we follow one of
the tight and shallow estuaries until the point, where the
stilts of the mangroves do not allow us to go any further. On
the boat ride back to the Lodge it may well be that dolphins can
be seen
(Duration approx. 3 hours)
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 Boat
excursion to Rio Esquinas combined with leisure time at a remote
beach: The Rio Esquinas tour can be extended with
snorkeling at a secluded beach of the Golfo Dulce
(Duration approx. 4 hours)
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Botanical Garden
‘Casa Orquideas’ (closed Fridays): After breakfast,
leisure walk on the beach to the privately owned Botanical
Garden ‘Casa Orquideas’. During a conducted tour in English of
about 2 ½ hours you have the opportunity to see, smell, taste
and touch a wide variety of beautiful ornamental plants, palms,
cycads and orchids, as well as fruit trees and other edible
plants that thrive in the tropics (by high tide boat transfer
organized by the lodge)
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Other activities
: Horseback-tour on the neighboring property to a waterfall,
free use of sea-kayaks, light tackle fishing, snorkeling, safe
swimming at the Lodge beach or in the chlorine-free pool. For
interested parties, there is a library and a selection of nature
videos as well as an Info-Ranchito with hangouts about the
tropical flora and fauna, traditions and history.
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****Information and photos supplied by owner.
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