In some ways this is my favorite hotel/lodge in Costa Rica, but I put Maquenque first because technically I’ve photographed more birds and other wildlife there, but his one is more developed with nicer rooms and better maintained hiking trails plus a beautiful waterfall! Some might also prefer for the horseback riding! 🙂
I’ve got two slideshows for this lodge, the first with general shots and the second further down of some of the birds. I never tire of the Observatory and never run out of nature to photograph. 🙂
Miscellaneous Shots at Arenal Observatory
Likes
- This is almost a “perfect” lodge for nature lovers in almost every way! Every trail has loads of plants and animals to photograph and each repeat trip gives you new ones!
- It has given me my second highest number of species of both birds and butterflies.
- The best maintained trails of any lodge I’ve visited.
- A more modern and up-to-date room than at Maquenque with my preferred Room 29 where the deck overlooks the volcano to the right and Lake Arenal to the left.
- Excellent food at all meals.
Dislikes
- It is in the mountains or hills with lots of ups and downs and their buildings have a lot of steps which as I get older will be more difficult.
- But really, I like everything at Arenal Observatory!
Samples of Birds at Arenal
Nature
- There are too many good nature experiences at the Observatory to list them all! It is kind of equal with Maquenque as my two top favorite nature spots.
- Unlimited source of birds and other wildlife.
- As many or more flowers than any other lodge, both wild and cultivated.
- You can re-hike a trail and see different things than you saw before.
- And yes, from the deck of my room – many photo ops!
Available Activities
- The hiking trails are all the activities that I need there whether with a guide or on my own.
- Your first visit there, I recommend taking all of the guided hikes, then you are prepared for hiking on your own and will know where to see certain wildlife.
- There is a tractor-pulled trailer ride to the waterfall that was fun the first time, but I prefer to hike now.
- Some people love horseback riding but not me.
- One year I took a guided tour to Cañon Negro birding that I recommend if you’ve not been there.
- Another time a birding guide took me to La Fortuna and the Bogarin Trail where we saw lots of birds, but another year I took a friend and we did not see many birds. The lodge grounds are the best birding!
- They will call you a taxi to go to the nearby Butterfly Conservatory in Castillo Arenal, which is maybe the best butterfly garden in Costa Rica.
- Check the lodge website for many more activities.
Rooms
- Another big plus for this lodge is the large selection of all kinds and sizes of rooms and villas for whatever you need from a solo traveler like me to a large family or even a house for multiple families together. And the prices are very reasonable! One of the best values per dollar of any lodge!
- I always ask for Room 29 in the main building because the deck has the absolutely best view of both the volcano and Lake Arenal. And around April to June there are beautiful sunsets over the lake.
- Because of the great prices and best trails and birding, this lodge is often booked solid. So it is important to plan ahead for your trip there, especially in the high season!
Food
- As good or better than any lodge and with good service and reasonable prices.
Getting There
- You can fly Sansa to the La Fortuna Airport and take a taxi to the lodge which I did one time and save the long drive. I did this once and it was fun and maybe a little quicker than the drive.
- Walter takes me now and any tour or transportation service can take you.
- You can drive yourself. From Atenas it is 120 km or about a three hour drive one way plus any stop time along the way.
- Buses go to La Fortuna where you can take a taxi to the lodge.
My Observatory Trip Galleries
- List of galleries w/ links
¡Pura Vida!