Selva Verde

Touted to be “more than a lodge and a rainforest reserve”, Selva Verde is a 500 acres tropical paradise that allows visitors to savor incredible and authentic natural experiences from listening to the shrill cries of Howler Monkeys at dawn to hiking through the deep jungle to witness uncontrived wilderness. Nestled at a convenient distance of 2 hours from San Jose, this 30 years old lodge provides easy access to a number of bio-diverse attractions in the area along with the opportunity to rekindle the tourists’ relationship with nature in the form of responsible eco tourism. Selva Verde provides minimalist yet comfortable and elegant accommodation options along with a range of action packed nature/adventure pursuits and lessons in sustainable tourism. The true-blue, no-frills nature retreat is a bird watchers haven and is frequented by everyone from avid bird watchers to families and students wanting to learn more the glory of Costa Rica’s natural resources. Selva Verde is housed in the heart of Sarapiqui Canton and promotes conservation initiatives, environmental education and local community efforts.

Activities and Amenities

The surroundings of Selva Verde are a nature lover’s goody bag, packed as they are with a huge number of discovery tours, exploration trips, adventure based experiences and exciting nature based pursuits. Visitors can enjoy a wide selection of activities such as peaceful hikes, invigorating white water rafting adventure (for all ages and interest levels), horseback riding through the nature reserve, thrilling zip lining canopy tours, exploring the adjoining area on foot, hobnobbing with the local community and visiting the Sarapiqui Conservation Center. The thoroughbred eco lodge has a fine range of personalized activity based packages to offer its patrons a more unique and interest based experience such as the Natural Wonders, Family Fun, Birding and other similar packages.

There are also some enjoyable nature discovery activities such as guided nature hikes, a ride down the Sarapiqui River and a trip to the popular Arenal Volcano along with some super exciting family experiences such as a chocolate tour and cooking classes. Birding is a top attraction at Selva Verde Rainforest Reserve, since this area is home to innumerable rare and indigenous bird species such as the keel-billed Toucans, the Wood Thrushes, the Sun bitterns and the Violet Crowned Woodnymphs. All levels of birding enthusiasts can participate in the Early Morning Bird Walks and Local Birding Hotspot Tours. The eco lodge also runs a string of educational programs to introduce guests to community service learning, cultural wonders of the Selva Verde Town, the rainforest ecology and several other similar fields of first hand nature/community based knowledge.

In house amenities at Selva Verde include a large conference room along with a few meeting areas and classroom spaces (that are comfortable, unusual and fully equipped for conducting lectures and presentations). Other guest facilities are an adult pool, a kiddy pool, a tangerine sunset lit La Terrazza restaurant and the Selvita bar (housed besides the spectacular Sarapiqui River) and a quaint souvenir shop.

Accommodations

Accommodations at the Selva Verde Lodge are a mix of simplicity, beauty, elegance and comfort. Tucked into a lush tropical garden landscape, these abodes offer the perfect dose of serenity, exclusivity and privacy. The lodge features forty well-maintained rooms, five private bungalows and a sprawling Casano Suite (for families and groups). All accommodations are created on raised wooden platforms (complemented by walkways that are designed to blend with the surroundings) to facilitate easy observation of wildlife and the lodge’s natural surroundings. Each room features a couple of double or queen beds, screened windows with shutters and private baths (with solar-heated water).

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