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Rios Tropicales

Our rating

7/10

Price guide

Highlights

- Simple eco-lodge, great value for money
- Access via river, superb white-water rafting
- Wonderful rainforest surroundings
- Biking, hiking, tree planting, waterfall swims

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Overview

Rios Tropicales is a simple, eco-friendly lodge located right beside Costa Rica’s Pacuare River, a hotspot for many water sports, in particular some of the country’s best white-water rafting. The property adheres to a strict sustainability policy and runs on hydroelectric power. Its private reserve covers over 2,000 acres of undisturbed rainforest and offers an abundance of wildlife viewing opportunities along its 40-plus miles of trails. With a veritable host of land and water-based activities on offer, this lodge offers great value for money and caters to adventurous nature enthusiasts keen to enjoy complete immersion in the rich, untouched rainforest.

Several accommodation options are on offer to suit different budgets, tastes and group sizes. There are hostel-style rooms with bunkbeds and a shared bathroom, standard rooms with river views and an en-suite bathroom, or deluxe rooms that also boast river views and a private bathroom. Both the standard and deluxe rooms can be arranged to house one king size bed, two queens or three singles. All rooms have a rustic, natural feel to them, with wooden flooring and furnishings throughout, and terraced areas provide outdoor space for relaxing and enjoying the captivating sights and sounds of the rainforest.

The main draw at Rios Tropicales is the affordable and flexible accommodation combined with the wide choice of adventurous outdoor activities. The property is proud to have been a pioneer of white-water rafting in Costa Rica since 1985 and continues to offer thrilling expeditions led by professional guides. These breath-taking rafting trips are offered on no fewer than nine different rivers: some excursions are fairly simple and open to beginners, whereas others are more challenging and therefore best suited to more experienced rafters. Some of the many other outdoor activities on offer include rainforest hikes, tree planting, biking and zip lining.

There’s plenty of space on site to unwind when not out exploring the rainforest. There’s a small library with books, magazines and board games, as well as an outdoor decked area with hammocks. Some of the shorter walking trails provide access to nearby natural bathing pools and pretty waterfalls. When it comes to dining, the restaurant serves three meals a day and sources as many ingredients as possible from local communities. Menus focus on local and national cuisine and the rafting guides are also the hosts at the lodge, preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner for guests. Since there’s no road leading directly to the lodge, all of the food arrives either by river raft or is carried in on foot.

The lodge welcomes families, although due to the class III and IV white water rafting that guess have to do in order to arrive and depart from the lodge, the minimum age is 14 years. This same minimum age also applies to other activities families might participate in during their stay, and there are plenty of packages tailored to different requirements and ability levels. For accommodation, the deluxe rooms come in various formations and will best suit the needs of families since they are more spacious and have private bathrooms. Due to the rural nature of the lodge, parents are reminded to keep their children under constant adult supervision.

What customers are saying after travelling with Tourdust

Average Rating

based on 534 reviews

(5.00/5)

  • I was also just about to email you to thank you and the team for arranging yet again, another wonderful experience.

    Mount Kenya was spectacular and wild - I think I prefer it to Kili in many ways. The entire support team was professional, friendly and all round fantastic in making sure that we were safe, well fed and well looked after. In particular, we would commend Peter the guide as well as Paul one of the porters who doubled-up as his deputy on summit day. Our route was often shrouded in mist and rain that rapidly gathered in the valleys and moorlands, and we were very impressed at how Peter managed to navigate us safely through all of that notwithstanding. In addition, we loved learning about the history of Mount Kenya from him in the evenings. And ofcourse, I was blown away by the lovely birthday surprise at the end complete with balloons and a delicious cake that had journeyed with us from day 1. One thing we might recommend because of the sudden change in weather (it would sometimes get extremely cold and wet) is for the equipment list to be a little bit more detailed in terms of its recommendations e.g. layers to be moisture-wicking, walking boots be waterproof, doubling up on socks to avoid blisters etc.

    El Karama is a beautiful conservancy and the lodge a true labour of love. Great hospitality in a relaxed environment. Delicious, fresh food. We enjoyed the drives, even if we didn't see much wildlife as the heavens opened on us for the last two outings. However, since it was very much geared towards families, I am not sure if I would stay again without kids. That said, I think it was perfect for a 3d/2n stay post mountain, and a much better choice than flying to the masai mara given the limited time we had.

    Our transits were smooth. Samuel the driver was always on time, drove safely and kept the vehicle clean.

    So it was a brilliant experience and one which I certainly will cherish for some time to come. It was great to work with you for a third time, and I certainly hope it won't be the last

    MissingJuhae C reviewing Mount Kenya Sirimon Naro Moru Trek on 01 March 2024

  • Thank you, we had an absolute wonderful time, and everything was well-planned and as described. Carla was crying on the day of our departure from Ants Nest, she didn’t want to go home and for it all to end, and when I asked how much longer she would want to stay, she responded “four weeks”

    MissingLars B reviewing Best of South Africa for Families on 01 March 2024

  • We had the most amazing time. It exceeded all my hopes of what the trip would be. The guides, the hotels - everything was of such a wonderful quality. Thank you for organizing everything. I will absolutely recommend Tourdust and use you again.

    MissingClaudia L reviewing Luxury Desert Holiday on 11 January 2024

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