We thought there was going to be more to do at Pacuare River Lodge. This might have been my mistake. At the end of the same four-wheel drive track is Pacuare Lodge a four star venue where the cabins are called villas. This offers canopy tours, indiginous tribe visits and zip line activities. It would have blown our budget to stay there at $850 per night, so I definitely booked the right place. But I might have got the websites mixed up which is why we decided to stay for two days when there wasn’t very much to do.
Most people were only staying at our place for one night. The main attraction of the River Lodge is its being a stopover for rafting trip down the Pacuare River – one of Costa Rica’s classic adventures. Maybe one day that would be a great thing for us to do, if it’s ever possible to get Sarah in a raft again.
Never mind, Pacuare River Lodge was a lovely place to relax.
Around the communal area were plenty of flowers so the humming birds were constantly flitting about. Interestingly, as the day got hotter the birds disappeared and butterflies took over the search for nectar.
There were a few short trails to do. The first we attempted was the steep descent to a curve in the river, where paddlers could come in for a rest where the current wasn’t too strong, even take a swim if they fancied it, . We saw a group of three boats do exactly this. I thought they might come up to the River Lodge for lunch but they paddled off. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to find them to sell them the pictures I took.
For our part we could admire the stream that came into the river at this same point, the same stream we’d swum in yesterday below its waterfall.
I couldn’t believe how deep and intense the jungle was just a few metres from our accommodation. There is something almost gratuitous about the lushness of rainforest, as if nature has just gone and taken things a bit too far.
Going back up the trail some thoughtful person had laid down some ropes to help. Just watch out for the ants that might also be using the ropes as a nice convenient way to travel.
After lunch we tried the other trail, which took us further along the jeep track. This took us to the landing area where people come in on the rafts when they intend to stay at either of the lodges – our one or the posh one on the other side of the river. We saw the cable line that is the only other way of arriving at that other lodge if you don’t fancy rafting in. It involves going over by what they call a “gondola”. Of course that’s not the only other option to rafting. You can also arrive by helicopter!
What we found particularly fascinating were the leaf-cutter ant trails running through the River Lodge’s gardens. The ants are travelling along a trail that they have cut in the grass. Is this one of the best constructed roads in Costa Rica?
This is where the road led. The ants are going all the way up this tall tree to strip its highest leaves.
For the rest of the afternoon we took it easy, sat beside the cabin and did some stuff, but not very much.
With dusk came the inevitable rains. The change in temperature at nightfall must wring out the clouds and make them drop all the moisture they’ve gained during the day.
We spent some time learning a new card game, Masquerade, chatted to the other guests, chatted to the guest-workers, who stay longer and have to work, read our books and spent more time relaxing.
It did stop raining later but this brought out the midges and left the paths to our cabin very muddy. The midges seemed capable of getting through the mesh on the windows, or was that just my imagination? In any case it put us off being in there with the light on. We had an early night, which for my part meant lying in bed for ages convinced I was being nibbled by the little midgey blighters.