Selva Bananito Lodge

Selva Bananito Lodge, in the Talamanca Mountains above the Caribbean

Selva Bananito is a remote ecolodge in its own private reserve in the Talamanca Mountains, on the Caribbean slope, protecting rainforest on the edge of La Amistad International Park. Days start at dawn with the birds and end early, with the forest for company. It suits birders, active travellers, student groups and anyone who wants to step away from screens for a few days.

Why we choose it

• A real piece of wild forest. The reserve acts as a buffer for La Amistad, so the wildlife around the cabins is the wildlife of the mountains, not a garden.
• Cabins that open to the jungle. Every cabin has a wide terrace, and the folding doors open the whole front of the room to the view.
• Days with a local guide. Bilingual guides lead the waterfall hikes, the birding and the forest walks, and explain how the lodge protects the land.

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Rooms and views

The rooms are wooden cabins raised in the forest, each with a wide terrace and hammocks. The Standard cabins have a full bed and a queen, and the Superior cabins have two queens. There is also a Honeymoon Room and the Kinkaju Room. Each room comes with mosquito nets, and the floor-to-ceiling folding doors mean you wake up looking straight into the trees.

On the property

Meals are shared at a communal table with the other guests and the guides, and the kitchen cooks with local ingredients from the farm; vegetarians eat well here. For the energetic there is rappelling down a waterfall, a zip line on platforms in the canopy and tree climbing. Slower days are for birding, wildlife spotting, horseback riding and forest walks. Guests can also plant a tree in the reserve before they leave.

The lodge is honest about what remote means: no nightlife, no shops, and some hikes that ask for decent fitness.

Location and getting there

The road in is bumpy and wet, with river crossings, so a four-wheel-drive is essential and sedans are left at a meeting point where the lodge collects you. With our private transfer that is all handled for you. Selva Bananito pairs well with a few days on the beach at Cahuita or Puerto Viejo afterwards. See more of La Amistad International Park.

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