Rainforest lodges raise awareness about priceless but fragile ecosystems. Experiencing these locations first-hand can create an emotional connection to the flora, fauna, and cultures of these precious regions.
The best rainforest lodges actively protect their surroundings. Many are privately owned reserves, often adjacent to national parks. The lodge territories extend and safeguard the range of habitat under protection, reducing deforestation and providing research opportunities.
All offer alternative employment—as guides, wardens, and conservationists—to former wildlife and timber poachers. Lodge guests provide a market for sustainably-sourced local products. With increasing frequency, the resources provided by small-scale, sustainable ecotourism has flipped the local outlook, from on of exploitation to one of generational stewardship.
Latin America’s rainforest lodges are leaders in wildlife and habitat preservation. Simultaneously, they’ve raised the global bar in visitor experience. These are a few of the LANDED team’s favorite rainforest lodges.
Lapa Rios, Costa Rica
Lapa Rios is a boutique rainforest lodge located near the southernmost point of Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula—one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth. Scarlet macaws, toucans, spider monkeys, and howler monkeys are easily observed.
The hillside lodge is surrounded by 1,000 acres of private rainforest reserve—habitat for colorful frogs, monkeys, sloths, and more than 300 bird species. Several beaches, the Golfo Dulce, and Corcovado National Park are all within reach.
The Lodge & Spa, Pico Bonito
The mountainous Pico Bonito National Park protects 940-square miles of pristine rain and cloud-forest near the Caribbean Coast of Honduras. This habitat is home to jaguars, monkeys, toucans and kaleidoscopic poison dart frogs. More than 425 species of birds have been identified here. The rainforest trails reward visitors with misty lookout points and thundering waterfalls.
The eastern edge of the park is delineated by the rolling Rio Cangrejal. Along its 20-mile course to the Caribbean, this river presents excellent whitewater rafting and kayaking opportunities.
The Lodge & Spa at Pico Bonito is located in the foothills of the national park. Guests can explore a private cloud-forest reserve, butterfly gardens, a serpentarium, a cacao orchard, and riverside trails to three waterfalls. They also make some of the best banana pancakes we’ve ever encountered.
Mashpi Lodge, Ecuador
Mashpi Lodge in Ecuador rests on a ridge at 3,117 feet above sea level, within a 3,000-acre private reserve. Nearly all of the reserve’s land is forested, and roughly 70% is virgin primary forest. This super-biodiverse habitat, known as Choco, is a transition between lower montane rainforest and Andean cloud forest.
Waterfalls and streams crisscross verdant hills. Expert guides (one university-trained and one from the local community) lead group-basis explorations of the surrounding trails and viewing platforms.
Visitors can hike through rainforest trails where they can rope swing through the jungle, visit waterfalls, see monkeys and observe hummingbird gardens.
Reserva Amazonica, Peru
Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica is located along the Madre de Dios River, adjacent to the Tambopata National Reserve, in southern Peru. More than 540 bird species, along with dozens of mammal and reptile species, have been identified on the lodge’s private 42,000-acre reserve.
A wide menu of excursions and explorations are available to guests. Among the most popular are a visit to the Tambopata National Reserve, where guests travel along a boardwalk observing the rainforest wetlands, canopy walkways, and rainforest trails.
Melimoyu Lodge, Chile
If you’re asked to picture a rainforest, the reflexive image is probably warm and tropical. It may surprise you to know that some of South America’s best rainforest lodges are located in the temperate Valdivian Rainforest of central Chile, in the northern reaches of Patagonia.
Melimoyu Lodge is Chilean Patagonia’s premier fishing lodge. Guests usually stay three or four nights, fly fishing, kayaking or rafting, mountain bike and horseback riding, hiking the forest and glacier-view trails, and relaxing in the nearby hot springs. Four-wheel-drive buggies are also available.
The lodge’s on-staff fishing guides are true experts, passionate about their craft. They lead guests to pristine rivers and streams by 4WD, or to secluded lakes and lagoons by helicopter. Fly fishing instruction and equipment are available at Melimoyu Lodge. At the end of the day, the riverside hot-tub is an ideal location for cocktails.
Cristalino Lodge, Brazil
Cristalino Lodge rests within a 28,000-acre private Amazonian rainforest reserve in central Brazil. Guests at the lodge enjoy morning and afternoon guided excursions.
Visitors can canoe on River Cristalino, birdwatch, go on nature hikes within the reserve, experience boat trips, and climb atop one of the hotel’s famed 165 ft. observation towers where they can observe Brazil’s flora and fauna, and admire stunning sunsets.
Awasi Iguazu, Argentina
Awasi Iguazú is LANDED’s favorite lodge in Argentina. Known for its personalized service, each villa comes with a private guide and 4×4 vehicle, allowing guests to explore at their own pace.
You can visit the waterfalls of Iguazu National Park in the morning, and kayak at a private reserve in the afternoon. On days when we’ve wanted to experience as much as possible, our guides combined three tours (normally half-days) into all all-day adventure.
The lodge rooms are comfortable and airy. Each has a private plunge pool. As a member of Relais & Chateaux, you know that food will be a highlight.
Why LANDED?
At LANDED, we don’t just offer trips; we curate experiences that connect you with the essence of each destination. Trust us to plan the perfect journey, tailored to your preferences. We’ll help you create one-of-a-kind experiences you’ll treasure always.