Between
6:00 and 7:00 a.m. you’ll be picked up by a microbus at your
San José hotel to begin your exciting adventure. You will
travel a breathtaking route through Cartago, the old capital of
Costa Rica, before continuing on toward the town of Turrialba.
The two and a half hour trip then skirts the slopes of the Irazú
and Turrialba Volcanoes toward the north, and the Reventazón
River Basin and Orosí Valley toward the south. Majestic
scenery includes rolling fields of ornamental plants, sugarcane,
coffee, and macadamia, and the jungle-covered mountains of the
Talamanca Mountain Range. A stop en route is taken to enjoy a
delicious traditional breakfast and beautiful views of the town
of Cervantes.
The bus trip ends in Santa Marta, where you board a four-wheel-drive
vehicle for the remaining six-kilometer gravel road journey to
the banks of the Pacuare River. Views of the mountains covered
by dense jungle couldn’t be more dramatic! Advancing down
the road, you plunge ever deeper into the beauty of the zone until
you arrive at the Pacuare River, the Cábecar culture’s
symbol of life. The adventure continues as you leave the four-wheel-drive
vehicle and cross the river on a hanging gondola that carries
you above the river via a 100 meter cable running from riverbank
to riverbank. Upon arrival at the other side, another experience
begins—no more vehicles, electricity, or roads. The last
300 meters to the Pacuare Lodge are hiked over a trail that parallels
the river. Equipment is transported by our staff, and a refreshing
cocktail awaits your arrival.
