Authentic Ecotourism in
Southern Costa Rica:
Activities for Adventure, Relaxation, Nature, & Wellness
Life in the Southern Zone is subtle yet dramatic.
At Cielo Lodge, a certified naturalist will accompany you on your nature tours, ensuring that you see wildlife that you otherwise may miss.
Upon your return, soak in the infinity edge pool at the Lodge, take a nap in a hammock, relax by a zen spot, or enjoy an invigorating self-guided waterfall hike along our extensive trail system.
THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES ARE INCLUDED IN OUR RATES
Activities that allow you to immerse in nature
Mangrove Tour
Mangrove Tour
We’ll take you by boat to a mangrove-lined river. As you drift through the quiet waters, our experienced guide will help you catch a glimpse of nature’s subtle drama—a large variety of birds, monkeys, and maybe even crocodiles.
Early-morning Rainforest Walk
Early Morning Bird Walk - Offered Daily
Wake up with some pre-breakfast coffee and fresh baked pastries. Then, take in the sights and sounds of our amazing bird population, with an early morning guided walk through our gardens, just as the jungle is waking up. Accompanied by one of our experienced guides, you’ll see a variety of birds (and possible other animals), including parrots, toucans, aricaris, manakins, hummingbirds, and tanagers.
Dolphin Tour
Dolphin and/or Whale Watching
Spend the morning in a boat, seeking out the dolphin pod that lives full-time in the Golfo Dulce. Once you catch sight of them, you’ll spend the rest of the morning sitting quietly amongst them, enjoying their tranquility and playfulness. And if it happens to be whale breeding season (July-Sept or Dec-Feb), you may also catch sight of the humpback whales that visit every year.
Waterfall Hikes
Waterfall Hikes (Guided and Self-Guided)
Guided: Revitalize your spirit and reconnect with nature as you brave a rigorous rainforest hike, a picnic lunch and a cool swim. On this tour, you will visit one section of our river which has a series of 5 waterfalls that drop a total of 100 meters (300 feet). Each waterfall has a a delicious pool for swimming. (January - April)
Self-Guided: Enjoy the hiking trails of our 380- acre private nature reserve, including a few that offer secluded and refreshing waterfalls just a 30-minute hike away.
Grounding Walk
Grounding/Earthing + Forest-Bathing
You will walk barefoot, on a soft trail, on a meditative walk, focused on re-balancing your energy. At the same time, you’ll be immersed in the forest, engaging all 5 senses, allowing the healing energy of the jungle to envelop your spirit to create a sense of well-being.
Nighttime Frog Walk
Nighttime Frog Walk - Offered Most Evenings
The jungle teems with life at night, and we have numerous species of frogs that dominate the evening’s chorus. Our experienced guides will take you on a night-walk to see the frogs as well as the other nocturnal creatures of the rainforest.
Activities for Wellness and Relaxation
Pool Relaxation
Relax by the pool
Our infinity-edge, saltwater pool is a siren call for relaxation. Enjoy the view, get lost in a book…all while enjoying the excellent service by our attentive staff.
Cooking with our kitchen crew
Cooking with Our Kitchen Crew
The freshest ceviche, homemade empenadas, gallo pinto - our kitchen crew is happy to teach you how to prepare traditional Costa Rican specialties. And of course, you’ll enjoy the fruits of your labor, as a snack or as part of the next meal.
Beach Day
Beach Day
We’ll take you by boat to a secluded beach, for lunch & playtime.
THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES CAN BE ARRANGED FOR AN EXTRA COST
A Day Tour to Corcovado National Park
Tapir in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica - Photo by Josue Baires, one of our certified naturalists
Located on the Osa Peninsula, Corcovado is one of Costa Rica’s most famous national parks, and we are thrilled to be able to offer this very special day tour, where you will go, by boat, to the Sirena Station in the heart of Corcovado.
Your day will start early in the morning. We will drive you and our certified naturalist down the mountain road (30 minutes) into Golfito, where you will meet the boat that will take you to Puerto Jimenez. You will then transfer to a larger boat which will take you to Sirena Station, inside the National Park. You will spend 4.5 hours in Corcovado, where you may see tapirs, caimans, a variety of monkeys and other wildlife. You’ll return the same way you came, and you will be back at the Lodge by 3:30 or 4 pm.
If you want to go to Corcovado, please let us know at the time of booking your reservation or 30 days prior to your arrival, so that we can ensure your spot.
Activities that create Community Connections
A mask made by a Borucan artist
Boruca is an indigenous community that is a 2 hour drive from Cielo Lodge. Our guests will spend the day with members of the community, learning about their art, their stories, and their history. You will learn how the Boruca defeated the Spanish conquistadors using devil masks, a historical event that is re-created through ritual and celebration every January, and you will also see how the weavers make natural, plant-based dyes for their hand-woven textiles. Guests will visit the artists’ workshops and will have an opportunity to purchase textiles and masks directly from the artists.
Cacao - aka Chocolate!
We’ll take you to a chocolate farm owned and run by a local family. You’ll meet the family, and spend a few hours learning about how they grow cacao and produce chocolate. And of course you will be given lots of tasty samples .
Other Activities
Not included in our rates, but easily arranged
We can arrange a host of other activities that are not included in our rates. Just let us know what you are interested in, and we will create a customized experience just for you. All of the following are offered by our partners in and around Golfito:
World class surfing at Pavones
Offshore and Inshore Fishing
Waterfall Rappelling & Tarzan Swing
Yoga with an instructor - at the pool or in your suite
In-Room Massage
Cave Tour
Rock-Climbing/Bouldering
Zipline/Canopy Tour