It is truly a paradise, lush grounds, secluded, amazing wildlife and the staff goes out of its way to assure you have the best possible experience during your retreat. If you enjoy exotic wildlife there is plenty to see on the resort. You will view exotic critters just hanging out around the main areas of the resort. That being said, you will experience significantly more if you are active. If you have the ability you should hike, walk, or stroll it is highly recommended. Be warned, this is a mountainous region and you will get some exercise. If you have limitations the resort will provide a driver and golf cart for extended tour and sightseeing in remote areas of the resort.
The level of service and the pride the staff takes in the comfort of their guests cannot be understated. We travel frequently and consider Nayara Springs one of the finest locations we have visited. The entire resort is impeccably maintained and the level of service was beyond our expectations. Without question we can state that every one of our needs was met during our escape to the rain forest.
If you have camera equipment available it will benefit capturing the experience, you will get images that may be a once in a lifetime experience. We traveled with one camera body and three lenses. two telephotos, one at least 400mm, and a macro. I would have liked to bring one long lens (600mm) but the weight on long hikes would have been a challenge. A cell phone is OK but there is a lot that will be missed because your cell phone camera just does not have the ability to reach out to some of the target subjects.
We spent five days at the Nayara resort and took several private tours all of which provided us with an enriched experience. Be advised that each of the tours was a bit more remote and you will spend some time driving to your destination on some bumpy roads. Early mornings are best, critters are most active before it gets too hot, and it does get warm, you know, tropical rain forest and all…..
Dining
Breakfast is complementary and we mostly dined in our suite. Nothing was better than sitting on the deck, eating, and having wildlife come through our portion of the jungle. The breakfast menu is outstanding and is delivered promptly within a half hour window of your selected time.
There are several restaurants on the resort, we hit several and the food was prepared perfectly and always quite tasty. It is highly recommended you make reservations to dine on the resort for dinner, we did not one night, we ate in town. You can also get a shuttle to eat in town, there is a large variety to choose from, just check with the front desk for recommendations. We did this a couple times for lunch and the local cuisine was outstanding. The locals were all very kind and the town was friendly and safe.
Night Walk
Easy – 3 hours
The Rojas Bonilla family allowed nature to take its course and enabled the natural environment to stake its claim on their property. Not only that but the family carefully planted native plants and trees to ensure that their gardens would provide the perfect home for many frog and wildlife species in the area. You will experience a sanctuary with freshwater springs and reedy ponds maintaining a perfect environment for its inhabitants. Taking an easy stroll to enjoy the sights and sounds of the rain forest at night, you will observe creatures that you may have never seen before and enjoy nature. You may see other small groups in the preserve, I would describe it as semi-private.
CAÑO NEGRO Wildlife Refuge
Relaxing, no effort
You will start the day (morning preferred) with a long drive on some remote and bumpy roads. It will be worth the effort! Once you reach your destination you will board your private pontoon boat and will be served a full meal of your choice. A menu will be provided for you the prior day to ensure you enjoy the adventure with a full stomach.
Personally, this was the pinnacle of the trip! Floating down the river there was an abundance to see, sometimes we were overwhelmed because so much was happening at once. You have three other sets of eyes on the boat, someone was always pointing to something cool. In one section of the river two troops of Monkeys came down to the river for water. We were literally 20 yards from White-face and Howler monkeys.
Nayara Private Celeste River
Intermediate to challenging
Again, fantastic adventure with a decent drive and semi-bumpy roads.
On this adventure you will experience the full influence of the rain forest for its beauty and a small test of your endurance. Starting at the base you travel up through the rain forest on a fairly-rugged path. While we saw people in sandals and gym shoes I would not suggest it, we wore light weight water proof hiking shoes. The forest is dense and lush and there is not much room to get off the beaten path although we did occasionally. You will incur a decent vertical climb only to get to the top and find hundreds of stairs to walk down to the base of the waterfall. It’s amazing. I can only repeat what I have already stated earlier so I will keep it brief, incredible sights!
This was the last of our excursions but the resort offers many more to its guests. River rafting, horseback riding, hanging bridge tours (I hate heights) and an extreme hike to the top of a volcano. There is another trip to Nayara in my future.
Suggested must have items, try to keep everything as light weight as possible.
- Water proof hiking shoes
- Rain jacket
- Water bottle, it is warm, stay hydrated
Links:
- Images from our trip to Nayara Springs
- Click images for larger sizes
- Naraya Springs – Explore