Welcome to Selva Verde
A TRULY UNIQUE COSTA RICAN ECO-LODGE
Selva Verde is more than a lodge and more than a rainforest reserve. It is your gateway into a magical world of towering Almendro trees, Mantled Howler Monkeys, and Keel Billed Toucans. Immerse yourself in tropical nature as you hike through deep green forest or reflect quietly in a comfortable hammock. Rekindle your sense of wonder and discover the out-of-the-ordinary. Experience Selva Verde!
Located just 2 hours from San José, Selva Verde provides easy access to the wonders of the rainforest. Since 1986, we have been a haven for nature enthusiasts from around the world. Our abundant biodiversity, comfortable rainforest lodge, and exciting activities are ideal for adventure seekers, bird and wildlife watchers, students, and families. Come explore Selva Verde's 500 acres of vibrant tropical nature in the heart of Costa Rica's Sarapiquí county.
Conservation
WORK IN PROGRESS
Work in progress
Rainforest Ecology at Selva Verde Lodge
COSTA RICAN RAINFOREST LODGE
Jungles of Selva Verde
Selva Verde is located in the midst of the 500 acre Sarapiquí Rainforest Preservation Area in the lush lowlands of northeastern Costa Rica. It is a haven for nature enthusiasts, bird and wildlife watchers, scientists and students, as well as adventure seekers.
The rainforest surrounding Selva Verde provides habitat for over 398 bird species, 69 species of mammals, 49 amphibian species, 77 reptile species, more than 10,000 species of insects, approximately 1,500 species of orchids, 350 species of trees and countless plant species.
On a tour of Costa Rica’s rainforest it is possible to find between 50 and 100 different tree species in a few acres. You will also find a wide diversity of plants, birds and animals. There are approximately 1,500 species of orchids alone.
Selva Verde Lodge In the Midst of the Costa Rica Jungle
The buildings of Selva Verde Lodge are incorporated into the Costa Rican rainforest on platforms and elevated walkways that blend in with the natural environment. Our extensive network of covered walkways allows our guests to go on long walks throughout the rainforest observing wildlife, plants and birds while staying dry.
Protection of Costa Rica’s Rainforest
Selva Verde Rainforest Reserves have been identified as critical pieces of the San Juan-La Selva Biological Corridor, part of the greater Mesoamerican Biological Corridor initiative, a proposal to connect protected habitat from southern Mexico and Belize to Panama.
This region of Costa Rica’s rainforest is important because it is the last remaining area where the Almond tree (Dipteryx panamensis) is dominant. It is the habitat for the endangered Great Green Macaw.
Costa Rica’s Rainforest is for the Birds
Costa Rica has a greater variety of bird species than all of North America and Europe. Now the Sarapiquí region is home to the Costa Rican Bird Route and Selva Verde is one of the established sites on the route.
The route consists of twelve birding sites, teaming up established and newly created biological reserves, to offer a variety of bird watching opportunities and programs in the San Juan – La Selva Biological Corridor of northeastern Costa Rica’s rainforest.
The first of its kind in Central America, the Bird Route not only gives visitors access to primary rainforest, but also gives land owners access to tourism income and an alternative income to other activities that are not as environmentally sustainable.
Tours of Costa Rican Rainforest
Costa Rica has protected more than 2.7 million acres of microclimates with 75 national parks and reserves. Many of these beautiful parks, gardens, waterfalls, volcanoes, caves, birding and wildlife habitats are located close to Selva Verde’s Costa Rica jungle lodge.
Sites such as the Braulio Carrillo National Park, the Arenal and Poas Volcanoes, and the Heliconia Island Botanical Gardens are just a few of the local attractions that are available as day trips that can be arranged by the lodge. Let Selva Verde Lodge be your Costa Rica rainforest tour headquarters.
Corridors - Pathways for Wildlife
Mesoamerican Biological Corridor
Thirty years ago, rainforest stretched from Costa Rica’s Central Valley to the Atlantic coast. Today this area is a patchwork of small fincas, agricultural plantations, and a handful of rainforest reserves. Selva Verde is one of those reserves – protecting an important remnant of the forests that once blanketed the area.
In order to maintain optimal levels of biodiversity within the reserve, Selva Verde is working with local conservation organizations such as the Sarapiquí Conservation Learning Center and the Centro Cientifico Tropical to create forested pathways between Selva Verde and other preserves in the area. These pathways, known as biological corridors, will allow rainforest wildlife to migrate more freely and ensure a brighter future for the area’s biodiversity.
Selva Verde’s Rainforest Reserve has been identified as a critical piece of a much larger corridor initiative known as the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor (MBC). The MBC is an international initiative that links critical habitats from southern Mexico to Panama in an effort to conserve biodiversity and promote sustainable development throughout this ecologically fragile region.
Selva Verde sits in the middle of the San Juan-La Selva section of the MBC and provides habitat for one of the corridor’s most endangered species – the Great Green Macaw. Less than 200 of these birds can be found in Costa Rica. The macaw’s very existence is tied to the Almendro tree – the bird’s preferred nesting and food source. The wood of the Almendro is also a very desirable building material and has been extensively logged throughout Sarapiquí Valley. Selva Verde’s reserve protects one of the largest Almendro trees in the region and macaws are frequently seen in and around the preserve.
Selva Verde is committed to working with local and regional conservation organizations to save Great Green Macaws and the Almendro trees - within our preserve and beyond our boundaries. Protecting the Great Green Macaw’s habitat also protects habitat needed by many other rainforest birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and plants – ensuring a future for rainforest biodiversity and for Selva Verde.
For more information and maps of the San Juan-La Selva Biological Corridor VISIT THIS WEBSITE.
Rainforest Plants Tour
COSTA RICA ECO TOURISM WITH SELVA VERDE
Selva Verde’s Costa Rican Rainforest Plants Tour
Our Rainforest Reserves contain more than 500 acres of primary tropical rainforest and provides habitat protection for plant and wildlife species, such as the Almond Tree and the Great Green Macaw.
Costa Rica is home to 330 species of trees and countless plant species (estimates range from 9,000-10,000 types of vascular plants). Tropical forests are much more diverse than the temperate forests further north. In lowland tropical rainforests, such as surround Selva Verde’s Costa Rica jungle lodge, it is possible to find between 50 and 100 different tree species within a few acres. On a plant tour of the Costa Rican rainforest, you will also find a wide diversity of plants, such as bromeliads, epiphytes and vines. There are approximately 1,500 species of orchids alone.
Selva Verde Lodge’s Costa Rica Jungle Giant
Our Costa Rica jungle lodge property is home to an award-winning almond tree. Already a mature tree when the Spanish came to the Americas in the late 1400s, the tree is approximately 600 years old.
This enormous tree stands 54 meters (177 feet) high and 14 meters (46 feet) in circumference and in 2007 was recognized as a natural and national treasure of Costa Rica. It won the 2007 Exceptional Tree award from the INBIO, the National Institute for Biodiversity in Costa Rica.
Almendro trees, or Dipteryx panamensis, are considered guardians of the tropical rainforest and a symbol for the region. They are also a critical part of the endangered Great Green Macaw’s habitat. Our award winning tree should live for another 100 to 200 years.
Birding at Selva Verde
THE BIRDS OF COSTA RICA
Keel-billed Toucans, Great Green Macaws, Wood Thrushes, Grey-necked Wood Rails, Sunbitterns and Violet Crowned Woodnymphs are just a few of the birds that inhabit the Selva Verde Rainforest Reserve. For decades, Selva Verde has been a birding hotspot – captivating beginner and expert alike.
Birding for Beginners: Join one of our morning or afternoon bird walks and let our naturalist guides introduce you to the amazing world of tropical birds. Experienced birders are more than welcome too!
Birding Checklist: This site-specific bird list will assist both avid “tickers” and beginning birders.
Birding beyond our Borders
Take your birding to a new level and jump on the Costa Rica Bird Route – an innovative tourism project designed to promote habitat conservation throughout the Sarapiquí.
The Costa Rica Bird Route (CRBR) features twelve birding hotspots – including six established biological reserves and six newly created private reserves. Opened in April 2008, it is the first of its kind in Central America. It is organized and managed by the Rainforest Biodiversity Group, with funding from the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Neotropical Migratory Bird Act.
Selva Verde is one of the CRBR's portal sites and serves as a base camp with comfortable accommodations, dining facilities, and excellent on-site birding opportunities. From Selva Verde, Bird Route visitors can easily access the newly created remote sites, owned by local community members. Day visits to these remote sites provide visitors with the opportunity to explore brand new, off-the-beaten-path wildlife areas. Local landowners receive economic benefits from your visit which encourages them to preserve natural habitats on their property and throughout the region.
Selva Verde is proud to be a participant in the Costa Rica Bird Route and encourages birders of all levels to jump on board! For more information on the Costa Rica Bird Route, VISIT THEIR WEBSITE.
Check our BLOG for some great insight into the many different species found at Selva Verde.
Migratory Season of Birds of Prey: A Privately Guided Sarapiquí Experience
Experience a bird-focused adventure. Join us this migration season to enjoy one of the largest movements of the year, where you can observe birds such as the Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus), Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni), and Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura). This package is designed for you to enjoy both migratory birds as well as the endemic and native species that are abundant in the country. Costa Rica is home to over 900 species, with Sarapiquí hosting approximately 515 of them.
FROM THE BLOG ( VIEW ALL )
Velvet Worm Sighting in Selva Verde Lodge!
The night of September 9, 2022, during a night hike, our guide Randy Alvarado managed to spot in the primary forest of Selva Verde Lodge a species that is exceptionally hard to find in Costa Rica, a velvet worm (Onicóforo in Spanish). This is one of the oldest living beings in evolutionary terms, as it is known they exist since the Cambrian Period, more than 515 million years ago.
NEWS ( View All )
Migratory Season of Birds of Prey: A Privately Guided Sarapiquí Experience
Experience a bird-focused adventure. Join us this migration season to enjoy one of the largest movements of the year, where you can observe birds such as the Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus), Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni), and Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura). This package is designed for you to enjoy both migratory birds as well as the endemic and native species that are abundant in the country. Costa Rica is home to over 900 species, with Sarapiquí hosting approximately 515 of them.
OUR STORY
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