Pacuare Lodge: Wild Luxury in Costa Rica

While you can arrive at Pacuare Lodge by chauffeured van or a Jeep, you’re really missing out if you do not take advantage of the opportunity to raft in and raft out. How many places can you paddle right up to the front door by raft?

Getting to the lodge

Guests typically spend the night before in San José, and there are designated hotels where Pacuare Lodge will pick you up from at approximately 6:30 am to hit the road before San Jose’s traffic gets too busy. The transfer is included in the price, but you can elect to pay a little extra for a private transfer if you prefer.

We were picked up in San José from Hotel Grano de Oro and stopped for breakfast along the way before being taken to the put-in point on the Pacuare River. The ride is really pretty smooth until the last 20 minutes when the van turns onto a pretty bumpy dirt road. But it is really not that terrible, especially if you are used to the roads in Costa Rica being pretty rustic.

Our luggage was transported to the lodge by van and was not put onto the rafts. We were also given a dry bag if we wanted to take anything on the river. I would advise bringing your own dry bag and a GoPro if you want to record the experience.

We received a full safety demonstration from the rafting staff, decided who was sitting where on the raft, and then off we went! I have rafted a lot over the years and I did not find the trip to the lodge overly challenging. The scenery is also absolutely beautiful. We spotted monkeys, toucans, parrots, and kingfishers. We also stopped to swim in a waterfall and take a dip to cool off. The journey from the time we put in until arriving at the lodge was about 1.5 hours—it all felt pretty quick, and we were buzzing from the fun of being on the river.

Arriving at the lodge

When we arrived at the lodge, we were greeted with cool towels and welcome drinks and then taken to our respective villas. I was in Puma, which is right at the top of the hill and is a Linda Vista Villa with a private pool. I was taken up on a golf cart, which they use to take guests around the grounds. I walked up and down on my own, and it wasn’t too difficult, but the pavement could get slippery at times after it rained.

My villa felt enormous, with a large open-plan seating area, a huge canopy bed with nets around it, and a giant bathroom, complete with an indoor walk-in shower, an outdoor shower, and a soaking tub on the terrace, which felt totally private. There were also curtains you could pull for privacy.

The plunge pool was a fantastic size, and the water was really refreshing (they drain the pools between guest stays and the water is from a mountain spring, so it is not heated, which felt amazing with the heat and humidity). There was also a large hanging daybed on the terrace and lounge chairs by the pool.

Pool area

Even though I was at the top of the hill, I could still hear the rushing Pacuare River below—such a relaxing sound. I also enjoyed being up the hill, as I was closer to the canopy of some of the trees. I used my binoculars to check out birds, monkeys, and slots.

It is important to note that there is no air conditioning in the villas. They are screened in and I did not find that I had issues with feeling hot at night, nor did I have issues with insects, as I kept the screen doors shut. There are ceiling fans that keep the air moving nicely, and I never felt uncomfortable.

Staying at the lodge

Pacuare Lodge offers a package that includes all your meals and activities, and I highly recommend this, as the food was fantastic. They offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner with farm-to-table ingredients. The dining room is covered and right near the river, but you can make arrangements to have dinner down by the river on the “beach” for an additional charge. We had dinner and a bonfire by the river one evening, which we really enjoyed. We also had lunch at The Nest, a treetop dining platform accessible only by zip line. Pacuare Lodge does offer packages that do not include food and activities, but I think the all-inclusive package makes the most sense, as you are literally in the middle of nowhere—there is nowhere else to go for food or to do other activities not offered by the lodge.

The grounds are beautiful, with so many trees and plants to enjoy and learn about. You can borrow a pair of binoculars if you forget to pack your own!

We had so much fun with the activities they offer on-site, including guided hiking along the jungle trails, rappelling down waterfalls, zip-lining, guided night hikes, and early morning birdwatching. I really enjoyed the night hiking with a guide—we saw so many interesting animals, including snakes, tree frogs, insects, and lots of enormous toads. It is great for anyone that enjoys wildlife photography, and I was able to take some great pictures. The guides are all incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, and they take safety very seriously. All the activities I took part in were made even better by the fantastic team.

Of course, doing absolutely nothing is also perfectly acceptable here. Spend the afternoon in a hammock and let the rainforest come to you: toucans, monkeys, and the soothing rush of the river are all part of the show. There is also a spa on-site offering a full suite of treatments—it’s right next to the river, and I really enjoyed my massage with the sound of the water in the background.

There is a lovely pool area near the river, which is great for those who do not have a private pool at their villa. It was a really good size, with lots of loungers and daybeds around for relaxing. There is also a small bar for ordering tropical cocktails.

Leaving the lodge

Finally, the raft-out of the rainforest was one of my favorite experiences during my Costa Rica trip. The raft-out takes longer than the raft-in, and there are a few more technical rapids, but the guides once again did an amazing job of giving directions and keeping everyone safe.

You raft through some of the most breathtaking gorges, and there are waterfalls everywhere. We stopped a few times to take photos.

About an hour before the end of the trip, you stop for lunch. We stopped on a little beach, where the raft guide and safety kayaker flipped the raft over to use as a table. They prepared a delicious lunch prepped by the restaurant at the lodge. We got to swim in a small waterfall while we waited for lunch to be ready. It was only about an hour of rafting before we were taking the raft off the river. We used their depot to have quick showers and clean up before hopping in the van to Puerto Viejo.

If it is not safe to raft, they will transfer guests by van—this is very unusual, but it is worth noting, as they prioritize safety and always have an eye on the river, making sure it is safe to raft on.

I would say two to three nights at the Pacuare Lodge is probably enough, unless you want to try to do every single activity they offer.

You do not have to raft in or raft out, and you can be transported by van/Jeep. The price is the same, unless you opt for private transfers.

Take advantage of the included activities. I am not a morning person, but I was so glad I got up for the birdwatching in the morning.

Book with me so you get those extra perks and I can give you the intel on the best villas on the property!

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