The Golfo Dulce Lodge - A Hidden Treasure in the South of Costa Rica

The Swiss owned and operated Golfo Dulce Lodge (German/English/Spanish spoken) is surrounded by the undisturbed primary lowland rainforest of the newly established Piedras Blancas National Park (formerly called National Park Esquinas or Corcovado II) and the clear waters of the Golfo Dulce.

Opened in November 1995, this small bungalow settlement lies on a remote beach in the quiet bay of Playa San Josecito on the Golfo Dulce in the Southern part of Costa Rica. The lodge is only accessible by a boat ride of about 20 to 30 minutes either from Golfito or Puerto Jimenez, on foot or on horse-back.

The Golfo Dulce Lodge - Comfortable Accommodations with an Intimate Atmosphere

The little complex of individual buildings is informally grouped together as a tiny village in a large landscaped garden right on the edge of the tropical rainforest and less than 300 yards (250m) away from the rocky beach.

The lodge offers spacious, comfortable and airy accommodation in 5 separate built bungalows for 2 to 3 persons which are set in a distance of each other of 10 to 20 meters. All bungalows have ceiling fans, tiled bathrooms with hot water until sunset as well as private terraces with hammocks and rocking chairs. There are additionally 3 rooms of the same size and comfort as the bungalows available. All bungalows and rooms are named for animals or birds, with individual carvings of the critter on the wooden doors.

Family style meals, a combination of local and European recipes, are served in the palm-leaf thatched restaurant which also accommodates a small bar, chairs for leisure and serves as the center of the small lodge village. A small freshwater pool, fed from a mountain spring, as well as the clear and safe water of the Golfo Dulce invite you to swim.

The Golfo Dulce Lodge - An Ecological Commitment

Besides rainforest and wildlife conservation one of our primary goals is to do as little harm as possible to the environment. The drinking water is collected from a spring in a canyon about one mile up in the mountains. The water in the bungalows is pure and unspoiled, and thus drinkable. Electricity is generated by a hydro plant, and various septic tanks ensure that there is no negative impact to the environment.

The Golfo Dulce Lodge - A Private Biological Reserve

The lodge property consists of more than 300 hectares (750 acres) and was bought to conserve the existing virgin rainforest, and to set up a small place for nature and animal lovers to experience the magnificent world of a still almost untouched environment on an individual basis, far away from tourist crowds. The property consists of various ecosystems such as primary and secondary forest, an extensive heliconia field, and pasture.

Different hikes for various skills and durations are possible on an existing 20 kilometer system of trails. An easily accessible and safe observation platform makes birding inviting. So far, more than 240 species of birds have been observed on the lodge property or in the adjacent Piedras Blancas National Park. During highseasons, the jungle hikes are guided by a qualified German/English speaking biologist who shares his profound knowledge of the flora and fauna.

The Golfo Dulce Lodge supports the official Wildcat Rehabilitation Center Profelis, which is acknowledged by the Costa Rican government and is reintroducing confiscated margays (Leopardus wiedii) and ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) into their natural habitat, the tropical lowland rainforest of the Piedras Blancas National Park. On a remote part of the lodge rainforest, the first worldwide documented margay release took place in February 1998, conducted by Profelis, and was filmed by the German TV-crew VOX. Additionally, part of the documentaries on cats by the wellknown broadcasting teams of BBC and Wild Things California were filmed on the lodge property.

The Golfo Dulce Lodge - Its Nature-bound Excursions and Attractions

The Lodge offers various boat excursions within the region of the Golfo Dulce as well as guided hikes through the pristine rainforest. During the highseasons, the hiking tours will be guided by a German/English-speaking biologist. However, all boat excursions depend on tide and weather conditions and not all are available daily.

• Boat excursion to the mangrove swamps of the Rio Esquinas with and without combination with leisure time at a remote beach of the Golfo Dulce
• Visit to the botanical garden 'Casa Orquideas', duration approx. 2 ½ hours;
• Various guided hikes on trails of different lengths

All boat excursions and hikes can also be booked directly at the Lodge against cash payment (US$ or colones) or traveler's cheques. However, due to the remote location neither personal cheques nor credit cards can be accepted.

The Golfo Dulce Lodge - How to get there ?

 Round trip from San José to Golfito or to Puerto Jimenez to be arranged by a travel agency. There are the following possibilites to reach the Golfo Dulce Lodge:

• daily flights with airlines SANSA or TRAVELAIR to Golfito or Puerto Jimenez, flying time about 45 mins.
• by renting a car; driving time across the scenic Panamericana about 8 hours to Golfito; guarded parking possiblity at Samoa del Sur, Golfito at daily rate
• meeting points for boat transfer to the lodge (boat ride about 30 mins.)