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This is a perfect launch point for your Costa Rica adventure. Rincon de la Vieja is only an hour from the Liberia airport. It is an easy first night, and you are immediately immersed in Costa Rican culture.
We have always enjoyed our visits here. The Rincon de la Vieja is a compound volcano, kind of a small version of Yellowstone. There are nine craters, with some oddly shaped peaks, geysers, mud pits, hot springs, and cold waterfalls. There is also lots of nature and spectacular birding.
This is off the beaten track for most North American based travelers. This is an area that is not promoted very much in the US.
It is very popular with the European marked. On the final night of our most recent visit, a large group of Germans arrived. So of course, we had to have a couple of beers with them.
Also, until recently the road has not been very good. Many years ago, my wife and I made an attempt in a Toyota Corolla. We had to give up, the road was just too bad. We eventually went back with a four wheel drive vehicle.
Several years ago, the national power company built a geothermal power plant in the area, They have greatly improved the road. You can make it in a sedan, but we still recommend 4WD when driving around Costa Rica.
Our “Go To” Lodge here, has always been Hacienda Guachipelin. It was the first lodge in the area, and is always improving. We hadn’t been in a few years, and recently visited. We were very impressed by all of the changes.
Until now, my only genuine knock against this property, was the food. I enjoy “typical” Costa Rican food. But honestly, it is a lot of the same fare. It can get a little monotonous. Our guests tend to stay two or three nights. So the food has to be good.
But the latest improvements addressed these concerns.
Of course, there is still a typical restaurant, this is where the breakfast buffet (included in the rate) is served. They also serve lunch and dinner here. Typical food is tasty and nutritious. It is definitely worth trying.
But they also now have an upscale restaurant, that offers an upgrade in the food and more options.
You will also find a hotel bar, that doubles as a sports bar, They have good burgers, tacos, chicken wings etc. They also offer some tico bar foods, something that the locals might order when watching a football game. Including some tasty ceviche. There is a second floor that offers pizza.
Also a cafe that serves what they refer to as “fast food”, but we felt it was better than that. Great sandwiches and wraps. All very well done. The large assortment of desserts were also quite tempting.
This hotel is a genuine find. The rates are very reasonable with Superior doubles starting at about 150.00 per night, plus tax (low season).
But they have accommodations at several price points, along with some gorgeous upscale Glamping Safari Tents.
The nature is the attraction here. They offer a full compliment of attractions, that are free to the guests. There are several waterfalls onsite, along with some hot springs and volcanic mud pits. You will occasionally come across photos online, of folks who have intentionally covered themselves in mud, They most likely took these shots here.
The lodge offers a shuttle. Though we found it easier to have our own car.
There are lots of attractions located on or near the property. These are offered by a subcontractor that works closely with the lodge.
One of the more interesting to me was the whitewater tubing. You are given a helmet and life jacket, before floating on a tube. The also offer this as a combo with a horseback ride. They maintain a herd of their own horses. We took the horseback / tubing tour. We had so much fun. I never felt unsafe, and laughed our way down the river.
They also have a canopy tour. These can be combined with rappelling tour that looked pretty neat. Funny thing was that we found an old, an old episode of Samantha Brown’s show on the Travel Channel. She was doing the white water tubing and rappelling tour. She liked it! They had her hanging upside down on the rappel.
We have always found that this hotel to be a great mix of comfort and activities at a reasonable price. It is the the one I recommend the most to my clients.
I can’t wait to go back! Maybe next time, I will hang upside down in a canyon!
The zipline tours through the forest canopy originated as a commercial venture in Monteverde. There is some dispute about how they were invented and by whom. One of the local businesses even has a copyright on the term “canopy tour”, which has become the catch all term that many use to describe this adventuresome activity. I won’t get involved in this argument, but I will tell you that this is one of the most fun things you can do during your adventure in Costa Rica. They are scattered all over the country. But I feel that the best ones can still be found around Monteverde. There are some slight variations on the mechanics. But all are basically long cables stretching from one hilltop to another. The participant (that would be you) wears a harness, that was borrowed from rock climbing gear. There is a pulley mechanism that fits over the cable, and this attaches to your harness. You stand on a platform, lift your legs, and let gravity take over.