This is a wonderful little lodge operated by a French family, not too expensive, adjacent Tenorio Volcano National Park where you can see Rio Celeste, the turquoise river and waterfall in the national park and even the point at which two rivers join and see it turn turquoise! It is outside the little town of Bijagua on the road to the park. Read more about the lodge at their website: https://celestemountainlodge.com/en/ And this is one of those that I went to by public bus in 2017!
Would I Return
Yes!
Likes
- Nice room & good food.
- Great gardens for photographing birds and their private rainforest reserve across the road with a fun loop trail and a stream.
- Easy access to the Tenorio NP and a moderate drive to Caño Negro.
- Lots of birds & other nature.
Dislikes
- Not any that I can remember.
BIRDS at Celeste Mtn Lodge Slideshow (including Caño Negro) . . .
Nature & Other Activities
- Great Gardens & Rain Forest Trail on property.
- Volcano Tenorio National Park next door and not too far from Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge, both with lots of birds and other nature.
- Tubing, horseback riding and a Chocolate Tour are available nearby plus others depending on the season, etc. See their website.
NATURE at Celeste Mtn Lodge Slideshow . . .
Rooms & Food
- Nice, basic, clean rooms and delicious food!
Getting There
- Driving from Atenas is 164 km or about 3 hours.
- Any tour or transportation company can take you there including Walter.
- I went the most economical way, by Public Bus. In 2017 I road the Atenas bus to San Jose and caught the bus going to Upala. He stopped and let me off at Bijagua. It was a nice trip with a rest stop near Puntarenas at a restaurant & bus stop on Hwy 1 (possibly Barranca). The current suggested schedule may be quicker, taking a bus to Orotina with connection to Barranca and then that Upala bus, getting off in Bijagua. It shows the total time that way as 5:30. I don’t remember how long it took me going through San Jose. See the schedules on https://thebusschedule.com/cr Be sure to indicate a leaving time.
My Trip Galleries
- See my photos from this 2017 visit to Celeste Mountain Lodge by clicking the gallery image below or go to this address: https://charliedoggett.smugmug.com/TRIPS/2017-March-1822-Celeste-Mountain-Lodge
- Or my photos from a day trip to Tenorio NP in 2022 with photos of the waterfall that I was not allowed to see on the above trip because of storm damage to trail: https://charliedoggett.smugmug.com/TRIPS/2022-January-19-Waterfalls-Day-Trip/Rio-Celeste-Waterfall
¡Pura Vida!
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¡Pura Vida!