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Activities at the San Luis Research Station property included in the daily academic programs fee
Other activities not included in the daily academic programs fee* Lectures by local scientists and residents of San Luis and Monteverde
Off site visits to other attractions San Luis area:
Monteverde area:
*Notes:
Details of available activities... . . .please look over the program options below and let us know what interests you most. If it's not on the list, just ask, and we'll try to arrange it! For each kind of activity, the following notes will brief you on what to expect, how much time to allow, how to dress, and what to bring with you. (Note on guides: Some activities are best done with a guide--and indeed a guide or staff member is required for some. Our resident naturalists will accompany you on these activities, depending upon availability. On the other hand, if you would like to hire the services of your own guide to accompany you off site, such as in the Monteverde Reserve, we can help).
Guided or self-guided nature hikes.Take a new route every day, hiking the lanes and paths of the Ecolodge property, or stroll one of the picturesque country roads of the San Luis Valley. There are trails for all ages and fitness levels--from gentle strolls to challenging climbs. Hike alone or with one of our expert guides. Below we describe some of the trails. . Details...
EI Camino Real: 1.5 km through varied kinds of forested habitat, including primary forest, secondary forest, old coffee fields, wind-exposed forest, and sheltered coves. It includes nice views of the valley and the Rio San Luis. Trail stars across the road from the dining hall and ends behind Cabina #2. Topography gentle to moderate; generally easy footing, but may be slippery when wet. Comfortable dress, footwear should be hiking boots, shoes, or strap-on sandals. Time: 1 to 2 hours or more round-trip, walking at a slow pace and stopping from time to time to observe the forest. EI Camino Real means literally ''the royal road”, a term that is used to mean ''the main road”.
Sendero EI Buho: under 1 km through varied habitat, including primary forest, secondary forest, banana groves and pasture edge. Nice views of the valley. Trail starts behind Casita #3 in the staff housing area, connects with the beginning of Sendero EI Nino (see below), and ends at the volleyball court. Topography gentle to moderate; easy footing throughout. Comfortable dress, footwear should be hiking boots, shoes, or strap-on sandals. Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour round-trip, walking at a slow pace and stopping from time to time to observe the forest. El Buho means ''the owl”.
Sendero El Nino: under half a km through regenerating banana groves, young secondary forest, and primary forest, ending at an extensive area of vegetable gardens and the house of Don Otoniel Rodriguez, Doña Alicia Cruz. Topography gentle to moderate, generally easy footing, but may be slippery when wet. Comfortable dress; footwear should be hiking boots, shoes, or strap-on sandals. Time: 45 minutes- 1 hr 15 minutes round-trip, walking at a slow pace and stopping from time to time to observe the forest and gardens (or to converse with the Rodriguez family). EI Nino is named for Sr. Nino Cruz who originally homesteaded and planted that portion of the property-it is customary in this area to name farms after persons who founded them.
Sendero EI Vueltón de Buen Amigo: several km through primary forest, secondary forest, pastures, and agricultural land, starting at Ecolodge San Luis, crossing the Rio San Luis, and climbing to the top of the farm EI Buen Amigo. Return may be back along same route or on an alternate path through Finca EI Buen Amigo. Topography moderate to steep; varied footing. Splendid views. Dress with layers, depending on weather- it can be quite warm or cold and wet. Wear rubber boots, hiking boots, or shoes that can get wet and muddy. Bring rain gear and water to drink. Time: 3 hours 30 minutes or more, round-trip, walking at an average pace. Fee $3 paid to Finca El Buen Amigo. Guide highly recommended. El Vueltón means “the big loop”.
Blindfold trail. Lead yourself through a sensory introduction to tropical forest! Blindfolded, using a guide-rope, walk slowly on a forest path, feeling your way over roots and under vines, and letting your senses of hearing, smell, and touch take over. The diverse tapestry of sounds and fragrances and textures of a tropical forest is at least as spectacular as its visual richness. Details... Blindfold trail walks can be done at any time, and are a superb start to your visit. One trail starts across the road from the dining hall, just past the enormous leaf-cutter ant colony and the overlook of the Rio San Luis gorge. Another goes through the teaching garden located past the staff casitas. Time for individuals or small groups: 20-30 minutes. The walk is on level terrain. Comfortable dress. Stow cameras or other items in a small backpack to keep your hands free.
Waterfall hike. Hike to the head of the valley, climbing up through the actual river bed, where the majestic San Luis waterfall (one of the tallest in Costa Rica) tumbles through a rocky gorge into the crystalline pool below. Bring your bathing suit and take a plunge (perhaps a brief one!) into the refreshingly frigid water, surrounded by the sound of thundering water and the bright colors of flowers and butterflies. Details... A long hike over moderate to very steep topography, footing, some parts quite muddy and slippery, access involves climbing across rocks and boulders in the river. The trek passes through pasture, agricultural areas, and forest belonging to Don Miguel Leitón, as well as through the river gorge itself, with outstanding views of the mountains and valley. Dress with layers, depending on weather-it can be quite warm or cold and wet. Wear rubber boots, hiking boots, or shoes that can get wet and muddy. Bring (or wear) a bathing suit if you would like to take a dip. Bring a rain poncho and plenty of water to drink. This hike is not undertaken in rainy weather or if there has been significant rain during the previous 12 hours; ask a staff member to be sure. Time: 3 hours or more round-trip, walking at an average pace. Under no circumstances should this hike be started later than 2:30 pm, to be sure that one is back by nightfall. Conditions are usually better in the morning than the afternoon. Fee: $7 paid to Don Miguel Leitón. Guide recommended.
Horseback riding for novice and expert alike. Ride with a guide over kilometer after kilometer of roads and trails, passing through varied tropical habitats, and taking in the unforgettable vistas of this spectacular landscape. On horseback you can cover a lot of territory while giving your legs a rest. As most people in the valley use horses to get around, you will get a better feel for the rhythm of rural Costa Rican life on horseback-and no doubt meet our neighbors on the road as well. Haven't ridden in years? No problem - our horses are gentle. Details: If you would like to ride, try to let us know in advance to allow time to bring the horses in from their pastures and saddle them. Rides generally last 1-2 hours, longer rides are available on request. Dress: if possible, wear shoes or hiking boots rather than sandals, and long pants rather than shorts, in order to protect your legs and feet. If you want to bring a camera, stow it in a plastic bag inside a small backpack. Traditional ponchos designed for use on horseback will be sent along if the weather is rainy. Fee: $10/hour.
Birdwatching. The site offers an outstanding abundance and diversity of birds; our list of species currently exceeds 220, and is still growing as new sightings are made. A short stroll will leave any visitor enchanted by the number and varieties of birds to be seen. Serious birders will find a wealth of species worthy of their attention. Lists of bird species which have been observed on site to date are available; please ask. Details: Guided bird walks are available before breakfast starting at 6:00 or 6:30 am, or in the afternoon. If you want to focus your efforts on some serious birding, let us know and we will help you set up the best possible program. If you wish to rearrange your mealtimes to get in more birding, just let us know.
Observations of nocturnal creatures. Grab a flashlight or strap on a headlamp and take a night hike with a resident guide. The tropical forest comes alive at night, and this is the best time to see many kinds of organisms. Search the foliage for cunningly-camouflaged leaf katydids or take a moment to ponder the works of the stupendous colonies of leaf-cutter ants. There is nothing more memorable than absorbing the sights, sounds, and scents of the forest by night in the company of an expert biologist. Details... Night hikes usually start right after dinner, and may take from 45 minutes to 1 hour or longer. If possible, wear shoes or hiking boots rather than sandals, and long pants rather than shorts, in order to protect your legs and feet. Bring a light jacket for warmth. If you do not have a flashlight, please let us know. Hiking will be over gentle to moderate terrain.
Hands-on farm activities. The Ecolodge is a working tropical farm, with coffee, bananas, citrus, a wide variety of indigenous crops, and an organic vegetable garden. Learn about traditional and modern tropical agriculture by doing it yourself. Milk a cow; or depending upon the season, you might pick coffee; harvest bananas and plantains; plant a row of living fenceposts; pick some fruit for a refreshing tropical fruit drink; or gather the vegetables for your own dinner. Details... . Let us know what sounds interesting, and we'll try to arrange things accordingly. Comfortable dress, hiking boots, shoes, or strap-on sandals are fine, although some areas may be muddy. Note on local customs... if we visit any of the neighboring farms, it is customary to avoid picking plants, flowers, or fruit until you has been expressly invited to.
Milking: done in the early morning and mid-afternoon, usually accompanied by Don Otoniel Rodriguez. Please try to let us know in advance if you are interested. Our cows (and pigs) are kept across the Quebrada Alondra (Alondra Creek), a 25-30 minutes' walk from the dining hall. Path is over gentle to moderate topography, but may be wet and slippery at times. Allow 1 hour 30 minutes or more total. EI Nino and the slash and burn garden: can be visited at anytime. From the house of Don Otoniel Rodriguez, follow the path up through the garden, through the forest and into the clearing which was an old slash and burn garden; we have planted this plot with a diversity of indigenous crops which have arguably been in cultivation in this part of the world for 5,000 years or more-yuca, tiquisque, ñampí, chayote, ayote, camote, maize, and more. Some shade coffee is also planted in the area. Allow 1 hr 30 minutes to 2 hours to have time to explore and observe (and watch birds!).
Finca La Bella: a cooperative farm located across the road from the Ecolodge properly, near the school. Finca La Bella is operated by around 2 dozen families, each with a small plot of land to work. Main products are coffee, organic vegetables, and a forest nursery. Topography gentle to moderate. Visits to Finca La Bella can be done at any time, although advance notice is desirable. Allow 2 hours or more for the visit. Fee $4 per person. Guide required.
San Luis Botanical Garden. This will introduce you to the medicinal and edible plant species most commonly used by the local community. The garden also has trails with labeled native plants. Students and visitors are invited to use this facility to learn about the amazing diversity of the local flora. Interpretative guided walks are available. The garden is located in the main campus area on level terrain. Allow 1 hour to 1.5 hours for observation and exploration.
Cultural and social events. Ecolodge San Luis offers an unparalleled opportunity to meet and talk with Costa Ricans, and to share perspectives, activities, and fun with members of the San Luis community. Take advantage of occasional local events such as fiestas, rodeos, and soccer matches, if they happen to coincide with your visit. Drop in for coffee at a neighboring farm (we'll send someone along to make the introductions and help translate). For our part, we will
make an announcement if there is a music program, community
fiesta, horse race, or local sporting event that might
be of interest. Cooking workshop. If you want to learn to make tamales, gallo pinto, tortillas, and empanadas, join our cooks in the kitchen-they'll love it. The best time to arrange a cooking workshop is when our cooks are not too busy with the next meal. If you speak a little Spanish, fine, if not, we'll help with the translation. Coffee workshop. Immerse yourself in the topic through the whole coffee cycle, starting with a look at the growing plants in the field, learning about harvest, processing, roasting, the different varieties, and end up back at the dining hall with a coffee tasting (or ''cupping' as it is known), in which you learn how coffee is tasted and rated by the pros. Dance workshop. Interested in dancing? We can put on an introductory dance workshop to teach you the basics of cumbia, merengue, and more. This can be done at any time, assuming one or more of our great dancers are available to teach you the steps! Spanish language practice - just say the word, and we'll get you started. Adelante! Volleyball. soccer... If you'd like to join in an informal game with staff and neighbors-or just take it in from the sidelines-- let us know! Lectures in the open-air classroom. Seminars, slide presentations, hands-on lab activities, research talks, and informal discussion sessions led by resident researchers will enrich your stay and enhance your understanding of tropical ecosystems and the challenges that face them. Learn about some of the creatures you have observed. Satisfy your curiosity and find out how biologists study these complex and fascinating systems. Details... lectures seminars, and similar activities will be announced, with details written on the blackboard in the dining hall. All are welcome, Volunteer research participation. The University of Georgia San Luis Research Station normally hosts research projects from the university itself as well as from other related organizations. The majority of these research projects are open or require help from volunteers. The activities available to volunteers vary according to each project. Some activities might involve recording data in the field, others might require lab duties. If you would like to participate as a research volunteer at the station, please let us know, and we will do our best to find you a position. However, we would like you to know that the volunteering needs of each project are very specific. There are times in which all the positions might be fulfilled or when current projects do not require help. Please let us know if you are interested. Day-trips to Monteverde / Santa Elena are easily arranged, and there are many options to choose from. Some of our favorites (in no particular order) include: the Skywalk canopy bridges, Skytrek zipline, or the original canopy tour; Selvatura canopy tour and canopy bridges, the butterfly garden, the frog pond, and the hummingbird gallery; the CASEM women's crafts cooperative and the Monteverde cheese factory; and the Santa Elena Reserve and the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve. Details... ask our staff for the specifics of each destination. Dress warmly with layered clothing, and prepare for mist or rain, as you will be at a higher elevation. Bag lunches can be arranged if you wish. Transportation to/from Monteverde can be set up with 4WD taxis if you do not have vehicle with you. Or you may want to join neighbors from the San Luis community as they ride up the hill on the milk truck early in the morning, delivering milk to the cheese factory-this costs a nominal fee! Travel time: from Ecolodge San Luis to Monteverde by 4WD taxis is around 20 minutes, from the Ecolodge to the Skywalk is around 45 minutes. Plan to spend a half day or a full day, depending on your schedule and preferences. Prices vary (we can get you the current entrance fees), and some activities are free. Relaxation takes many forms here. You might want to relax in a hammock or read a book under a tree (but keep your binoculars handy to catch sight of birds and monkeys that pass by); sit on the dining hall porch with a bird book and watch what flies by; catch up on your journal writing; do some photography; stretch your legs with an exploratory stroll along the road; or talk late into the night with resident naturalists, researchers, students, guests, and friends about your insights and observations. Enjoy!
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