Located amid Costa Rica's rich biodiversity, the Chachagua Rainforest Reserve offers a unique opportunity to connect with nature that few travelers encounter.
While Costa Rica is home to an astonishing half a million species, which accounts for about 5% of the world's total biodiversity, this exclusive reserve embodies the essence of “pura vida,” offering a privileged experience to its visitors where several reserves and microclimates collide.
Located just a few forks in the road from more typical tourist areas, you’ll enter a world filled with exotic wildlife, lush vegetation, traditional Costa Rican culture, and a commitment to conservation. If your vacation goal is to fully immerse yourself in an authentic rainforest experience, the Chachagua region is ready to captivate you.
In the Chachagua Reserve, nature truly takes center stage. Towering trees draped in oversized leaves, epiphytes, and delicate orchids form a living cathedral that inspires awe.
This 130-hectare reserve of mature secondary forest connects with Costa Rica’s largest private reserve, the world-renowned Children’s Eternal Rainforest, but is located far from most human development making wildlife sightings much more effortless.
The Chachagua Reserve also connects to Monteverde Cloud Forest and Arenal Volcano National Park, making the healthy populations of wildlife species traveling in the area very diverse. Just touching on the avifauna in the region, around 243 bird species are counted throughout the year.
If you include migratory species, this number reaches about 400. These birds, alongside other animals, continuously seed the Chachagua Reserve, adding to the constant evolution of this thriving ecosystem, a unique piece of Costa Rica’s unrivaled natural splendor.
With the wonder of the Arenal volcano just twenty minutes away in La Fortuna, the enchanting Chachagua reserve is just a stone’s throw away from widely popular tourist destinations, but staying in the immediate area invites you to dive deeper into a world of rainforest splendor featuring wildlife and authentic Costa Rican culture.
This corner of the country remains, for many, a well-kept secret. Avoiding the crowds increases your chances of interacting with mammals, and small tour sizes allow for more personalized interactions with the local guides.
The Chachagua Reserve is also free from lava flow damage, meaning the rainforests have had 3000 years to mature, rather than 80-90 years in some areas closer to Arenal. The difference is immediately apparent as lush foliage, glistening waterfalls, and exotic fauna envelop you.
Time will slow down, your body naturally relaxes, and these moments spent in nature’s embrace leave a lasting impression on you and your family.
The Chachagua region captures visitors' hearts beyond the rainforest thanks to its vibrant demonstrations of Costa Rica’s heritage. Join the movement to protect the reserve and uplift those who call Chachagua home by collaborating with local artisans, farmers, and entrepreneurs during your visitor experience.
You can take a piece of Chachagua home with you and support local craftspeople with artisan crafts. Whimsical figures of toucans, sloths, hummingbirds, and butterflies are carved from balsa wood, then hand-painted and hung around local shops, and each artisan carries skills passed down through generations.
You can explore small coffee, corn, banana, pineapple, and sugar cane crops, a tribute to the nation’s agrarian roots. Indulge in an immersive cacao and coffee tour experience where you learn the ancient art of cacao preparation.
Guides recount how the ancestors once ground cacao beans on a traditional metate, imbuing chocolate with deep spiritual significance while you sample chocolate as it was meant to be savored—pure, robust, and laden with antioxidants.
For a refreshing twist, try the sugar cane experience. Extracting fresh cane juice becomes a joyful, communal ritual. Infuse it with local fruit and enjoy a “Cielito Lindo,” a drink that resonates with the land’s richness and culture. In the distance, you can hear gentle rivers and cascading waterfalls just steps from the ranch.
When night descends, retreat to your spacious sanctuary at Chachagua Rainforest Hotel & Hot Springs, where modern comforts harmonize with the serenity of the rainforest. Let the gentle hum of nocturnal wildlife lull you into a state of wonder, whether taking in the lush greenery on a rainforest night hike, relaxing on your private deck, or soaking in the rejuvenating, spring-fed thermal pools.
Built with minimal construction to preserve the rainforest’s untouched splendor, Chachagua offers an immersive escape that balances indulgence and environmental stewardship. The Chachagua Reserve is a state of mind rather than a destination, one of peace, connection, and renewal. By staying here, you’ll discover a new place while supporting conservation and the empowerment of the land and its community.