Guided Tour Activities

From our Lodge and its 2000 acres of private reserve you can choose from any of four different guided tour experiences, make a difference through tree-planting, and enjoy a host of unstructured other things to do. Your only constraint is time: the longer you stay at Rios Tropicales Lodge, the more likely you’ll get to do everything. And, the more likely you will return to your daily routine refreshed, rested, and restored.

Canopy Zipline Course:

Enjoy an incredible zipline course through the canopy, high above the nearby Lodge complex. Multiple tree platforms and ziplines make this a thrilling, must-do experience. All participants wear helmets, harnesses, and control gloves. International zipline expert Victor Gallo, of Adventure Playground, built our zipline course. He designs and constructs courses around the world.

Rainforest Hikes with Naturalist Guides
You will be amazed at the variety of plants, flowers, and trees that you will be able to identify in the rainforest, thanks to the in-depth training of all Rios head guides. Your bilingual guide will point these out and along with wildlife or birds you come across. Bring binoculars and cameras!

•    Endless amount of trails exist inside the larger Pacuare Protected Zone, of which our reserve is a part. Many of these trails were and continue to used by the indigenous Cabecar Indian population to travel from village to village. These trails are not maintained and have existed for many generations. We offer maintained trails inside our reserve to access scenic sites like natural water slides, waterfalls, and pristine pools immersed in the rainforest.
•    Our hanging bridge across the river just below the Lodge provides access to several waterfalls with private pools as well as our 1 1/2 mile trail with 45 identified species of trees that you can follow on your own.

Rainforest Restoration Tours
•    From the Lodge you can hike up to the top of the Pacuare Gorge to see our reforestation project and participate in tree planting. Our efforts are recognized and supported by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), to plant a billion trees in 2008. We have pledged so far to plant twenty five thousand trees as part of Rios’ efforts alone, and are encouraged by the support of our local communities and international traveler guests. Please see Rainforest Restoration for in-depth information about our restoration program.

Horseback Riding Local Community Tours
•    Half day tours from our Lodge to Bajo Tigre are available by hiking up the main trail and then riding horseback to this local community. There community members will introduce you to their agricultural way of life. You’ll tour their sustainable farming projects, hear about what sustainable development means to them and their community, as well as get the chance to see a native orchid nursery and Butterfly Farm.
•    On a full day tour, you can ride horseback all the way to Terciopelos farm, which is part of our reserve. There you can participate in our reforestation project by planting one or more trees and catch a Tilapia for lunch at our sustainable Tilapia fishery.
•    For those guests in sufficiently good shape, we can arrange a trek through the forest to visit an indigenous Cabecar Indian Village. There they will introduce you to their traditional way of life, which continues today largely unchanged from earlier times.

All these activities are included free as part of your Pacuare Multi-day Adventure package. (This is not the case with other Pacuare tour operators, check for yourself carefully.)
Other “Old World” Activities To Enjoy at our River Lodge

We call these “Old World” activities because it seems that we just don’t slow down enough to enjoy them anywhere but on vacation. They used to be a common part of life before 24/7 schedules.

•    Relaxing in a hammock overlooking the beautiful Pacuare River.
•    Reading your favorite book or a Lodge magazine.
•    Playing a board or card game with a friend or family member.
•    Bird watching (how many species can you find?).
•    Reflecting (perhaps on sustainable development insights!).
•    Easy walks to nearby waterfalls and gentle soaking pools.
•    Practicing your rusty high school Spanish.

At our Lodge setting, we offer tropical cocktails every afternoon at 5pm, open air dining with wine and exceptional meals, more stars than you can imagine, and the vibrant sounds of the jungle.