Guests can choose between easy, level, 30-minute walks and longer, more strenuous hikes which lead deep into the rainforest. Though public, trails are rarely used by others than guests of our lodge. The Esquinas forest is categorized as a „lowland tropical wet forest“ and contains over 140 species of trees per hectare (more than Corcovado National Park!) and around 2.500 species of plants. You will hike through secondary forest with a wide array of heliconias, ferns, and other light-sensitive plants, and primary forest with walking palms, buttress roots, giant trees with epiphytic orchids and bromeliads, passion flowers, and endless lianas. You will see colorful birds, shiny butterflies, bizarre insects, frogs, and possibly monkeys, agouti-pacas, peccaries, or coatis. More than 360 species of birds have been recorded in Piedras Blancas.
Horseback riding
Previous experience in horseback riding is not required for this leisurely tour. Our guides are used to following your instructions; just tell them whether you wish to walk, trot or canter. Our most popular horseback tour leads through the town of La Gamba to Chorro Waterfall, where you can bathe or climb up to a natural pond above the waterfall, surrounded by beautiful rainforest. Another option is a ride into Valle Bonito for swimming and snorkelling in a clear jungle river where researchers have counted 26 (!) species of freshwater fish.
Kayaking
After a drive through the rainforest to Golfito, we are picked up by a boat and taken to Playa Cacao. Here we begin paddling up the coast in our lightweight kayaks, with time to observe the rainforest and stop at uninhabited beaches for a swim in Golfo Dulce. The warm (85 F.) sea is very calm in the morning, giving us a good chance to see dolphins. We can leave our backpacks, cameras or water bottles in the boat, which follows at a discreet distance. Whenever we decide, our kayaks are attached to the boat for a fast fun-ride back to Playa Cacao.
Mountain biking
Esquinas Rainforest Lodge offers guided mountain bike tours for up to four persons. We suggest either a ride through the village of La Gamba to Chorro Waterfall, or a ride into Valle Bonito. Both tours are level and easy and are especially recommended for families with children. They provide a good opportunity to observe rural Costa Rican country life. Birdwatching is great, and you can even snorkel in the clear pools of Rio Bonito, where 26 species of fish have been recorded.
Dolphin tour
After a drive through the rainforest to Golfito, you board a motorboat for a scenic 3-hour trip around Golfo Dulce, a fjord which separates Piedras Blancas National Park and the Osa peninsula. Due to the many rivers that flow into the gulf from the surrounding rainforest, the ocean is rich with minerals and provides a healthy food source for many marine animals and mammals. Three species of porpoise live and breed year-round in the gulf, and humpback whales can be seen at times. There is a 90% chance of observing bottlenose dolphins playing and swimming by the boat. It is not permitted to swim with the dolphins; you must remain in the boat.
Casa Orquideas boat tour
After breakfeast, we drive through the rainforest to the town of Golfito. The motorboat ride up the beautiful coast of Golfo Dulce is an unforgettable experience, passing by uninhabited beaches surrounded by pristine rainforest. Dolphins are often seen, and some lucky guests have even observed humpback whales and whale sharks. After an hour, we reach isolated Casa Orquideas. Ron and Trudy Macallister have lived here since the 1970’s and created a botanical garden full of colourful tropical trees and exotic plants including many species of orchids. After a tour of approximately 1½ hours, we have ample time for a swim in the 85 F. ocean and a picnic lunch on the sandy beach before returning to Golfito and the lodge.
Rio Coto Mangrove Tour
The mangroves of the Rio Coto estuary contain an incredible array of wildlife: numerous species of waterbirds, howler, white-faced and squirrel monkeys, caimans and crocodiles. Our boat tour through the meandering mangrove swamp, where it is unlikely to encounter any other tourists, is preceded by a drive through the rainforest to Golfito and includes a stop at Zancudo Beach for a picnic lunch and swimming.
Full Day Adventure Tour
This 8 to 10 hour tour is certainly is one of the most rewarding adventures a lodge in Costa Rica has to offer! It combines a horseback ride to the end of Valle Bonito, a hike through untouched primary rainforest all the way to the coast, a beach picnic, a swim in warm Golfo Dulce, a boat trip along the coast to Golfito, and a drive through the rainforest back to the lodge. The 3- to 4-hour hike from Valle Bonito to San Josecito beach passes through the very center of Piedras Blancas National Park and is steep at places. Good physical health and stamina is required.
MORE TOURS IN GOLFO DULCE
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