Bosque de Paz

Beautiful lodge in a beautiful location with excellent staff and food. My family (a total of 7 of us ranging in age from 10 to 69) stayed here for 4 nights. The weather was unusually rainy and windy for much of our stay (apparently, it is never windy and January is usually dry), but we still had a lovely stay. The trails were beautiful and plentiful and the hummingbirds, coatis, and paca that were commonly seen around the lodge were a treat. Fredrico (the owner) and his staff were absolutely wonderful. The waterfalls, blue river, and the towns of Zarcero and Sarchi were all beautiful, unique, and not too far too get to (but via crazy roads). It is only 90 minutes, but a whole world away from the airport. By staying here, you are helping to conserve the large tract of wilderness the property owns which provides a wildlife corridor between two national parks.

Incredible location! Incredible staff! Lots of incredible comments about this place. Staff were great! Food was excellent! Rooms were perfect! Loved the trails and feeder areas. Birds galore! Coatimundi, Agouti, and more were seen during our visit. Birders should be able to find many species. Mario, Maria, and all are treasures. Would go back if life finds us near them in the future.

Amazing! The staff was extraordinary. The room was beautiful. The food was GREAT. You are steps away from the cloud forest. Wildlife comes right up to the lodge. The drive in is breathtaking. Close to the waterfalls. Hummingbirds galore all around the lodge. Great for a retreat.

Do not rush through Bajos del Toro on your way to La Fortuna. This town has long been a secret paradise to travelers with an appreciation for authentic local culture and natural wonders unequalled in Costa Rica. But you have to slow down to see the wildlife and hike to waterfalls that you can enjoy without any other tourists. Basque de Paz is the perfect home base for exploring The Valley. Only minutes away from the town, you are nestled in the natural mountains. There is no one else around. The birds and wildlife are incredible. We saw two species of monkey, agouti, agouti paca, coati, at least fifty species of bird, and I saw the tail of a puma on one of the many trails that crisscross the huge property. The staff are incredible. Everyone was so kind. We got to know everyone quite well, they helped my Spanish and I helped their English. The food was out of this world delicious. We are vegetarian and the chef accommodated us for three nights with creative, fresh cooking. We ate breakfasts and dinners at the lodge, and usually found some casado in town for lunch after our day hiked visiting the local waterfalls. Rooms are simple but very clean. Hot showers that worked great (which is not always the case in remote rainforest housing). Sitting each morning with coffee on the front porch and watching the innumerably colored birds and clouds of hummingbirds was the perfect way to start the day. There aren’t any clubs or televisions here. It’s all nature all the time. So yeah, Basque de Paz is amazing. Do yourself a favor and book more than one night.

I visited as part of a college biology (natural history) class (I am an ecology professor). Bosque de Paz is a wonderful place, with a wonderful and friendly staff, owners that care personally about you and the habitat they protect, and visited by fellow lovers of nature. The expert guides, Mario and Noelia, are super awesome and know their stuff. The place is a gem. Also…great rooms with good hot showers; the food was superb! We had a blast!

It has been 3 years since I have been able to visit Bosque de Paz due to the pandemic. This privately owned biological reserve has stayed true to its mission of conservation, preservation and education. At this time of year (the rainy season), there are very few people so we had a lot of privacy. Generally, the mornings were overcast, partly cloudy or sunny with the rain coming in the afternoon so I was able to go on a good hike every morning. When it was raining, I enjoyed sitting on the terrace listening to the rain beat on the steel roof. If you are an orchid enthusiast, the orchid garden is worth walking through. The orchids are all from the property legally repositioned to the garden from fallen logs and branches. If you are so lucky to be staying when the botanist in charge of the garden is there for the monthly visit be sure to schedule a tour. There are over 240 species that have been documented and as most of the orchids are small and it is easy to walk past extremely tiny orchids in bloom. When we were there 40 species were in bloom. If you are interested in birds ask for a birding guide (at an extra cost) who will enhance your experience. Because of the weather, the bird watching was not optimal but I did manage to observe several species including 3 I have not seen before. The meals are included in the price with generous portions. All the food is prepared on site - including the tortilla's, ice cream and fresh juices made from tropical fruits. The food is tasty. I particularly like the soups served at dinner time. If you have a special diet please inform them when booking your stay. This is located in a fairly remote area so letting those needs be know in advance is a must. Rooms are clean and comfortable. While there is Wi-Fi, there are no TV's or phones in the rooms so it is truly a getaway to a peaceful part of the world.