Maquenque Eco Lodge

Maquenque Eco Lodge

Nestled prettily towards the Northern side of Boca Tapanda in San Carlos, Maquenque eco lodge is a sprawling 60-acre natural reserve in the vicinity of the newly built Maquenque Wildlife Reserve. This lodge has been specifically created keeping in mind the need for conserving the area’s rich natural resources and untouched habitats, while offering visitors the opportunity of enjoying a comfortable stay coupled with top-notch amenities. This ecologically blessed region not just offers an honest-to-goodness rainforest experience to patrons but also allows them to savor a variety of natural experiences from wildlife spotting to bird watching to adrenaline gush inducing adventure sports. Surrounded by the placid San Carlos River, this eco lodge is also at the forefront of initiating a multitude of sustainable tourism practices along with resourceful techniques for protecting the region’s enviable bio-diversity. Maquenque’s unpretentious, casual and relaxed ambiance, in contrast to the more contrived eco lodges, allows guests to savor their natural experience at their own pace in an authentic, untouched backdrop.

Tours and Amenities

The lodge’s lush surroundings are a flourishing spot for nature based activities and high action adventure pursuits. Guests can embark of exciting horseback rides through the rainforest paths or take a boat trip down the River San Carlos or even undertake a thrilling night wildlife watching tour. In addition to this, there are the ever popular guided bird watching trips (accompanied by an expert naturalist) and boat trips to the local “Al Castillo” village , where visitors can relish a heady mix of the Rio San Juna’s countryside beauty along with its quaint local culture. Other much sought after activities, designed to make a memorable tourist experience, are jungle safaris, canoeing along the postcard perfect lagoons and meandering through Maquenque’s flawlessly landscaped gardens.

In-house amenities at the lodge comprise a cozy looking open-air restaurant and bar, a large and curvy pool (scintillatingly covered by large plants slacking over the water), a blossoming botanical garden, free guided tours to get an insider’s perspective of the area, complementary canoes for the lake tours, a convenient to and fro shuttle service and thriving green garden, where the Maquenque produces about 70% of everything it utilizes within the lodge. This lodge is also on the route of a famous bird migration channel, thus allowing guests the opportunity of periodically sighting a wide array of rare bird species.

Accommodations

Maquenque’s accommodations are a mixture of fine-tuned simple elegance with comfort and functionality. There are 14 unassuming yet well-furnished and airy bungalows, which are neatly sprinkled around the periphery of a large pond. This makes them more private and cozy, with an innately castaway eco lodge appeal. Each room is nicely decorated with native wood structures, bright walls and classy wood furniture. The rooms are conveniently equipped with a private bath (hot water), a ceiling fan, a hammock and a small private deck to offer vantage point views of the surrounding rainforest. Five bungalows are stocked with a king size bed, while the other nine either have a queen size bed or a couple of twin beds.

Rates

During high season, the rooms are priced at $ 101 USD and $ 125 USD for single and double occupancy respectively. All reservations come with a full breakfast, a guided early morning hike, unlimited self guided hikes, entry to the botanical garden and canoeing on the lagoon. Apart from a per night arrangement, Maquenque has also put together a number of specific tour focused packages such as the Northern Eco Adventure Tour package that includes all meals, lodging facilities, guide services, a tour of the rainforest at night, a birding tour, a horseback riding tour and a San Carlos canoe tour.