Guacimo Lodge

A remote jungle lodge in a stunning riverside location. Very well designed large en-suite rooms in their own stilted huts. Mosquito netting screens work so well and doesn’t obstruct the views but also an outside balcony area as well as 4 posted bed with full mosquito netting. It is basic though so no air conditioning, charging points or wi-fi in rooms but there is a pool and the nice riverside communal space has comfortable seating options with charging points and wi-fi. What made it extra special though was our wonderful host, so friendly and helpful, speaking excellent English and nothing was too much trouble. for her. Lovely food all freshly cooked to our choices and at a time to suit us. Access is only by river and that’s part of the adventure. We got the 90minute boat ride from the Costa Rica border crossing so very easy.

We spent three nights at Guacimo Lodge and had an incredible experience. The cabañas provide a truly unique stay, giving the feeling of being immersed in the heart of the jungle. With mosquito screens on all windows and additional netting around the beds, comfort and protection are guaranteed. Each cabaña also offers breathtaking views of the Rio San Juan—a view you won’t forget! The service was absolutely outstanding, from the warm hospitality to the assistance in organizing our transfer from Managua. Although the journey was long, the lodge management ensured everything was seamless and well-organized, making it much easier for us. Everything at the lodge was clean and thoughtfully arranged. The food was always freshly prepared and delicious. We joined several activities, including a night tour, a cacao/fortress tour in El Castillo, and a canoe/ jungle walk with the excellent guide Orlando Díaz. Orlando speak is incredibly knowledgeable, and made the tours both informative and fun. I strongly encourage travelers to visit the San Juan region or even Guacimo Lodge itself. It’s a hidden gem that offers a rare opportunity to truly connect with nature in an unspoiled, magical setting. It’s a destination worth every moment!

Si vous cherchez une expérience magnifique, reposante, hors du temps en pleine jungle, ne cherchez pas plus loin, Guacimo Lodge est fait pour vous. On rejoint le lodge après 2 heures de bateau public depuis le port de San Carlos, au sud du Nicaragua, sur le Río San Juan, jusqu’à la petite ville d’El Castillo, où nous changeons de bateau pour une vingtaine de minutes en plus sur le fleuve. Le trajet est déjà une expérience, et permet de découvrir la jungle et les communautés qui vivent entre le Nicaragua et le Costa Rica. Pour organiser le transfert, la communication avec le lodge a été excellente et le long voyage s’est déroulé sans encombre - nous arrivions de l’aéroport de Managua. Une fois au lodge, c’est magnifique : toutes les chambres surplombent le fleuve, elles sont extrêmement bien entretenues et spacieuses, les moustiquaires sont installées tout autour des pièces, la literie est très bonne et il y a même une piscine, propre et agréable, pour se détendre. La salle commune est belle, c’est ici que vous déjeunerez et dînerez entre vos activités. Et vous y mangerez bien : s’il n’y a pas énormément d’options (3 plats), tout est bien préparé, très frais, très bon. Le petit-déjeuner, soit nicaraguayen, soit continental, est très bon aussi. Au niveau des activités, nous avons choisi une descente du fleuve en kayak de jour, suivie d’une randonnée dans la réserve de l’Indio Maiz et d’une baignade dans le fleuve Bartola. Un énorme coup de cœur. Nous avons passé avec Orlando, notre guide - exceptionnel, connaisseur fin de la jungle, de sa faune et de sa flore, et passionné - une matinée parfaite. Je n’ai jamais vu autant d’animaux en quelques heures dans la jungle, des singes, des serpents, un toucan, pléthore d’insectes dont les fameuses fourmis balles de fusil, des grenouilles venimeuses, des lézards, c’était absolument magnifique. Complètement sous le charme, nous avons enchaîné la nuit tombée sur une promenade en bateau pour y observer la vie nocturne de la jungle, et en particulier les caïmans, toujours avec Orlando. Je ne saurais que trop vous conseiller ce lodge et ces deux activités. Sur le retour, essayez aussi de découvrir la ville d’El Castillo, petite communauté charmante au bord du fleuve surplombée par une petite citadelle. Ce n’était pas ma première expérience en éco-lodge dans la jungle, mais c’était la meilleure ! Mention spéciale à Marjiory, qui a rendu l’expérience incroyable grâce à son organisation sans faille et sa gentillesse, et à notre guide Orlando. Et bravo à toute l’équipe pour cette magnifique expérience, nous y reviendrons les yeux fermés !

Wonderful service from the small team sadly showing signs of necessary maintence perfect location.

This had been this biggest bummer on our 3 week backpacking trip through Nicaragua. Pros: The location is beautiful. Orlando, the tour guide, was very informative and funny. Cons: After a long day of travel to arrive at guacimo lodge we entered a room that looked as if someone was just living in it. The shower drain was clogged with gobs of hair. The sink is covered in soap and toothpaste scum. There was a dried contact lens in our bed. Bat poop scattered around the floor. We were told there are two USB plugs in the room, but asked not to use them as there is limited power through the solar generator. When we opted to use them, the lights in our room flashed on and off until we unplugged from the USB. So, no outlets to charge anything in your room. You have to charge devices in the lobby area. The shower head is very clogged, sprays in all different directions. There is no hot water. The food on the menu is misrepresented as to what you’re actually served. Fajitas don’t come with tortillas. The “French onion soup” was raw white onions in a bland broth for $9. We were never shown any type of program that would show the options for the 3-4 day package they advertise on their website. When asking about the 4 day package we were given the price of $1400!! Of the 2 tours we decided to do we were given a price that was off the top of the head. “That’s like $32 or $36 per person, something like that.” The night tour came in at $40 per person. The tours lasted roughly 2 hours and were generally an enormous and expensive let down. Just for reference, in other areas of Nicaragua, volcano boarding with pickup and drop off cost $35 pp, a volcano hike with a guide, pickup and drop off cost $50 per group, snorkeling cost $20 pp. Our disappointment with our experience at guacimo lodge became obvious and the manager, Bela, asked to speak with us. Bela may be a great manager to those that are enjoying their experience, but he is not equipped to deal with those that are not. After explaining our disappointment from the room to the food to the tours, Bela became increasingly upset and began to mock us. Saying things like, “If you were in Costa Rica you would be paying 3 times this much” … “look at our reviews, we only have one bad review” … “you want me to call the jaguars and alligators” … “why don’t you go to your room and take a shower, oh, that’s right, your shower doesn’t work.” He finished by aggressively snatching our empty beer bottles off the table, walking off and slamming them into a trash bin. We went to bed that night feeling very uncomfortable. In the morning we decided to pack up and leave. Bela offered us 50% off the remainder of our stay but we thought it best for both sides if we leave. We had booked for 4 nights but ended up leaving after 2. I will say, Bela was pleasant in our departure, giving recommendations of other accommodations and continuing to provide the service of onward transport. The bottom line : The employees on the grounds don’t s

Our stay at Guacimo Lodge was a special experience. With my wife Christina we managed to place ourselves for a few days on the border between worlds: that of the Nicaragua-Costa Rica transnational communities and that of protected nature in the nearby Indio Maíz biosphere reserve. The San Juan River brought us peace every morning, in the afternoons the mountain behind us brought us the sounds of the wind, birds, monkeys and insects and at night the room with openings on all four sides gave us the sensation to rest on the top of a tree. The staff welcomed us and treated us like family. When we said goodbye, we promised to be back soon.