Rara Avis Overview

This private reserve has offered some of the best ecotourism and demonstrations of sustainable development practices since 1983. Located 15km southwest of Las Horquetas de Sarapiquí and bordering Braulio Carrillo National Park and Zona Protectora La Selva, this isolated cluster of cabins and extensive trail networks is accessible only by a jerky 3hr. tractor ride. Despite the less-than-convenient transportation, most visitors agree that the trip is well worth it once they see Rara Avis’s 411 hectares of rainforest, buzzing with more species of plants, birds, and butterflies than all of Europe. Tropical flowers line the pathways, and the skies twitter with 362 identified species of birds, including macaws and sunbitterns. Each guest validates founder Amos Bien’s claim that developing rainforest for ecotourism rather than clearing it for cattle ranching is an economically sustainable alternative. Due to limited transportation and lodging as well as the reserve’s increasing popularity, advance reservations are recommended and are absolutely necessary during the high season. Reservations should also be confirmed the night before arrival to ensure that appropriate transportation is ready. The staff recommends a minimum stay of two nights because of the difficult and lengthy transportation into the park. Check the weather before going; when it rains, there is considerably less to do.

Transportation. Your journey to Rara Avis begins at its office in Las Horquetas de Sarapiquí. From San José, buy a ticket for the 6:30am bus from Terminal Caribe (Av. 13, C. Central) to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí (make sure you are not taking the bus to Puerto Viejo de Salamanca). Tell the driver you are getting off at the Rara Avis office in Las Horquetas; he will announce the stop (1½hr., daily 6:30am, ¢1150). You can also take the 11:30am bus to Puerto Viejo, but call the night before to make sure there will be a tractor running at 2pm. The bus will drop you off at a stop labeled “Rara Avis”; the office is on the right 200m down the road on the left side of the highway. You should arrive by 8:30am to store luggage and borrow a pair of rubber boots—you’ll need them to hike the muddy trails. If your feet are larger than size 46 (11.5), you’ll need to bring your own boots. Bring some long socks as well.

The fun begins at 9am when the open-air, tractor-drawn cart leaves from the office for Rara Avis 3 hr. away. The waterlogged, pot-holed road makes for a rocky ride; staying on the tractor can feel like riding a trotting horse. However, the open-air trip offers stunning views of the Caribbean lowlands and the Arenal Volcano as it makes the surroundings quickly transition from open farmland to dense rainforest. Three kilometers north of Rara Avis, the tractor makes a rest stop at El Plástico, a former penal colony where prisoners slept under plastic tarps (hence the name) that is now a base for students and researchers on long stints of field work. Here, passengers can take a break to use the restroom and stretch their legs. The remaining road is more difficult, and the driver may ask passengers to walk in several places. You can also choose to hike the remaining 3km on the Sendero Atajo trail (1-2hr.), which runs uphill through the rainforest parallel to the road. If you miss the tractor, horses (US $50) or a Jeep are available to carry you as far as El Plástico. When there is no tractor running, this service is free of charge. Either way, lunch will be waiting for you at the main lodge. The tractor returns from Rara Avis at 2pm, arriving in time to catch the last bus to San José. This schedule occasionally changes, so check with the reservations desk or the hotel manager to confirm. Buses back to San José leave Las Horquetas at 7, 8, 11am, 1:30, 3, and 5:30pm. If you wish to take an earlier bus, speak with the hotel manager to arrange for horses a day in advance, and have your heavy bags sent by tractor.

Accommodations And Food. Although Rara Avis offers three distinct accommodations for a range of prices, guests all hike the same trails with the same guides and eat the same delicious meals together. The only budget option,   Las Casitas , is a fantastic deal. Tucked into a forest clearing 5min. from the dining hall, spacious wooden cabins with bunk beds share a cold-water bath. Only its restaurant has electricity, however. Great views for birdwatching (US$50 per person). The more elegant two-story Waterfall Lodge has eight large rooms, gas lamps, private hot-water baths, and wrap-around porches with hammocks in every room. (High season singles US$85; doubles $75; triples $65 per person; $60 for each additional person; low season US$80/70/60/55.) The River-Edge cabins are also available and located a 10min. walk from the main lodge with private hot-water bath and great views of the river. (High season singles US$95; doubles US $85 per person. Low season US$90/80.) All room prices include tractor transportation to and from Rara Avis as well as trail access, naturalist guide services, and three family-style meals every day. Served in the restaurant along with an inexhaustible supply of drinking water, fresh coffee, and tea, the meals include vegetarian options, plenty of fresh produce, and typical Costa Rican specialties like gallo pinto and patacones . Homemade desserts such as flan and arroz con leche are also served. Reservations are strongly recommended, but walk-ins are occasionally possible. (☎2764 1111; www.rara-avis.com.)

Hiking And Sights. Various Trails (Most 1-2hr.) Crisscross The Property, Passing Under Towering Trees Draped With Dangling Bromeliads, Lianas, And Moss-Covered Vines. The Most Popular Trails Are Those Close To The Accommodations; Sendero Nicholás (1hr.) Begins Behind The Restaurant And Passes Over Several Small Streams Before Branching Off Into Steeper Hikes Uphill. For A Challenge, Try The Longer Sendero Platanillo (3hr.), Which Also Starts Behind The Restaurant And Winds Through Denser Jungle To The Magnificent Vencejo Waterfall. Just Above The Waterfall, The River Flows Into A Crystalline Pool Perfect For Swimming; Guests Have Also Had Good Luck Spotting Spider Monkeys Here. Guides Are Available To Lead Hikes And Shorter Nature Walks Every Morning (In English And Spanish), But If You Prefer To Hike Solo, Tell The Manager Which Trail You’Ll Be Taking And How Long You Expect To Be Gone.

Numerous diversions are also available within a 200m radius of the lodge and restaurant. Located downhill from the restaurant and concealed by the tree cover lies a 50m double waterfall that cascades into a misty pool that is ideal for swimming. However, flash floods here can be very dangerous; ask the guides if conditions are safe for swimming and tell them when you are planning your dip. Alarms indicate an oncoming storm or flood. Another attraction is the peaceful butterfly house, a model project for sustainable rainforest development, where Rara Avis, in association with the Worldwide Fund for Nature, raises live butterflies for export to North American and European greenhouses and zoos. The orchid garden is another experiment in sustainable development; flower products are meant for export. Epiphytes, collected from fallen samples, are pollinated to produce seeds. These seeds are grown on a mesh grid suspended by pulleys. The orchids are best viewed in March when they are in full bloom.