Rancho Naturalista, which is situated in the Cordillera Talamanca, very naturally for its natural setting and geography, offers everything that a birder dreams of.  Rancho Naturalista, a family owned and operated Lodge, features a world famous birding balcony upstairs in the main building of the lodge, where over 250 species have been recorded. It is one of the best birding settings in the world, let alone Central America. The ranch has its own forest for the birders to explore. In that forest there are plenty of birds to record and until now more than 430 species of birds have been listed there in that forest alone. Apart from the forest, the surrounding areas are also rich with possibilities for birders to encounter rare and exotic birds.  Moreover, the weather is sensationally moderate and wonderful.

Attractions

The facilities of the ranch are beyond imagination. Their accommodation facility is exquisitely equipped and very birder friendly. Even from the large verandas of the lodge and the casitas you can explore birds and the nature, including the volcano and its smoking beauty. Their staffs themselves nurture in them the spirit of birding along side of being friendly and good humored. The food there is very rich and famous for its local as well as exotic flavors. Though Rancho Naturalista is a birding heaven, it also ensures scope for other activities, such as hiking, photographing and touring the local natural and monumental beauties through providing expert guides and transportation facilities.

Accommodation

The lodge has14 clean and comfortable rooms. There are some rooms with balcony views while private casita has its own veranda. The main building of the lodge is traditional Spanish colonial style, and rooms are nice, clean and well decorated. Wireless is stable and for free. Rancho Naturalista has a large indoor/outdoor dining area where you can bird while you eat! Rancho Naturalista also features a world famous birding balcony upstairs in the main building of the lodge, where over 250 species have been recorded. 

Eco-friendliness

The ranch, as its name suggests, is in itself is an epitome of eco friendliness. Its architecture and decoration around the lodge itself is full of trees which gives you the touch and feeling of a constant nearness to nature even when you are in your room taking rest. Moreover they themselves produce most of the food item organically and have their own agricultural and poultry farms. Most interestingly their recycling and sustenance techniques are the most innovative ones that I have ever experienced, such as, the pigs are fed with the leftovers from the kitchen and they keep plants for the guests to plant.   

The primary rainforest and the secondary forest also serve as homes to countless reptiles, amphibians and mammals along with plenty of moths and butterflies. The forest has some strenuous and adventurous sites for birding for extreme birders to indulge in risky feats of birding. Furthermore there are mountainous regions with mountain springs which add up to the romance. They collect spring water for the guests, which is tested and certified of its safety and purity. Another interesting facility of the lodge is that they provide outdoor dining system to enable you the sensation of birding while eating.

Contact

Rancho Naturalista

1 km este de Tuis de Turrialba
Tayutic, Cartago, Costa Rica
Phone: (011 506) 2554 8100
Website: http://ranchonaturalista.net/Default.html
Email: info@ranchonaturalista.net