Macaw Lodge
Parks & Wildlife · Jacó & Herradura · Nature tours
An eco-lodge on a private forest reserve in the Turrubares hills near Carara, where more than 350 bird species have been recorded. Come at dawn for a guided birding walk, taste chocolate on a root-to-bar cacao tour, or walk the forest trail to a waterfall.
- Start times
- 06:00, 09:00, 13:30, 15:00, 18:00
- Takes
- 1.5 h–4 h
- Best time
- morning
- Booking
- Book ahead
Highlights
- 350+ bird species on a private reserve
- Guided dawn birding walks (2.5 or 4 h)
- Root-to-bar cacao tour on the lodge's own orchard
- Night walk and guided Carara National Park tour
- Forest trail to a waterfall, botanical garden and lake
Tips
- Birding tours start at 6:00 am from the lodge reception - plan an early departure
- Day trip on the cacao tour needs 4+ people and booking 3 days ahead
- Bring binoculars, insect repellent, a poncho and shoes with good grip
- Bring a flashlight for evenings
- Minimum 2 people
- Cacao day trip: 3-day notice
- Bring binoculars, repellent
Good to know
- Most tours need at least 2 people
- Transport to Carara National Park is extra - ask when booking
- Forest trails call for long pants and shoes with good grip; bring a poncho if it rains
- The 'special offers' section of the website is unfinished - confirm any package directly
Prices (as published)
| Bird watching (2:30 hrs) — per person · min. 2 people · 6:00 am | $55 |
| Bird watching (4 hrs) — per person · min. 2 people · 6:00 am | $80 |
| Exploration of cacao: from the root to bar — per person · min. 2 people · 1.5 h | $44 |
| Night Walk — per person · min. 2 people · 90 min | $40 |
| Sustainable Living Tour — per person · min. 2 people · 90 min | $40 |
| Carara National Park — per person · 4 h · transport on request | $102 |
| Beach Day Pass in Punta Leona — per person · meals not included | $45 |
Contact & directions
- Website: https://www.macawlodge.com/
- Phone: +506 8762-9090
- Location: 9.7285649, -84.5186483 — Google Maps · Waze
Secret spots nearby
- Feria Nacional de la Lapa Roja (Scarlet Macaw Fair), Bijagual de TurrubaresLandmark · Free · hidden gemA free village fair in the hills above Carara National Park celebrating the scarlet macaws of the area: food made with local Turrubares ingredients, talks on wildlife and living alongside it, hands-on workshops, a cacao exhibit, games and races.
- Pacific lookout above Quebrada GanadoViewpoint · Free · hidden gemA viewpoint at about 660 m at the top of the long climb from Quebrada Ganado into the Carara hills, with a view down over the Pacific coast.
- Catarata Manantial de Agua VivaWaterfall · hidden gemA waterfall near Tárcoles, Puntarenas province.
- Carara National ParkTrail · about $11A transition forest where Costa Rica's dry north meets the humid south, famous for wild scarlet macaws plus trogons, monkeys and agoutis.
- Laguna Meándrica Trail (Carara)Trail · about $11 · hidden gemCarara's quiet northern sector, right by the Tárcoles bridge: a flat forest trail to an old oxbow lagoon of the river, with herons, kingfishers and often macaws.
- Crocodile Statue, TárcolesLandmark · FreeA crocodile sculpture by the coastal highway at the fishing village of Tárcoles — a fun photo stop that goes with the real crocs under the Tárcoles bridge a few minutes north.
Sources: https://www.macawlodge.com/ · https://www.macawlodge.com/tours-2/ · 0014_jaco.sql · intel-D.json · traveler reviews checked 2026-10-10