Guacimo Lodge

My wife and I stayed 4 nights at Guacimo Lodge and had a very good experience. One must remember that the lodge is in a very isolated region with the river being the only way to get around. Consequently, it is a full day of travel to arrive here from Granada or Managua. But this is the reason you come here - for peace and isolation in the jungle. The lodge has a beautiful setting. It is a hike up to your room, but the exercise is worth the spectacular view. The rooms are not luxurious, but very comfortable( we stayed in the more expensive one). There is a comfortable bed(with netting), a flush toilet and chairs on a deck. Some may question the price tag for this basic type of accommodation. When you realize that the lodge was built in such an isolated area and everything had to be brought in by boat over long distances, you can appreciate the value of your room. As for activities, the lodge has several tours to keep you interested. Our favorite day was a morning going up the San Juan River and a tributary. We watched the birds and animals before stopping in a park for a 1.5 hour hike in the jungle. In the afternoon, we went down river to El Castillo and had a very interesting walk around this cute town and its fortress. Our guide for the 3 days was a local man named Orlando. He was very knowledgeable and had a keen set of eyes to spot wildlife, which was dominated by birds. The driver of the boat, Elgin, was very professional and safe. The other staff member to mention was the cook who prepared a variety of delicious meals. The food is not fancy, but it is very tasty. Finally, I would like to talk about the owner, Manuel. Manuel had just hired a new manager who was to arrive on the day we left. So Manuel was the person who looked after us. He was extremely attentive, always checking on us to see if we needed anything. He also sought out our opinion on any improvements that could be made to the lodge. Manuel genuinely cared about his guests and after talking to him over 4 days, it was also evident that he genuinely cared about the Nicaraguan jungle and was doing everything he could to protect it. I recommend staying at the Gaucimo Lodge.

This had been this biggest bummer on our 3 week backpacking trip through Nicaragua. Pros: The location is beautiful. Orlando, the tour guide, was very informative and funny. Cons: After a long day of travel to arrive at guacimo lodge we entered a room that looked as if someone was just living in it. The shower drain was clogged with gobs of hair. The sink is covered in soap and toothpaste scum. There was a dried contact lens in our bed. Bat poop scattered around the floor. We were told there are two USB plugs in the room, but asked not to use them as there is limited power through the solar generator. When we opted to use them, the lights in our room flashed on and off until we unplugged from the USB. So, no outlets to charge anything in your room. You have to charge devices in the lobby area. The shower head is very clogged, sprays in all different directions. There is no hot water. The food on the menu is misrepresented as to what you’re actually served. Fajitas don’t come with tortillas. The “French onion soup” was raw white onions in a bland broth for $9. We were never shown any type of program that would show the options for the 3-4 day package they advertise on their website. When asking about the 4 day package we were given the price of $1400!! Of the 2 tours we decided to do we were given a price that was off the top of the head. “That’s like $32 or $36 per person, something like that.” The night tour came in at $40 per person. The tours lasted roughly 2 hours and were generally an enormous and expensive let down. Just for reference, in other areas of Nicaragua, volcano boarding with pickup and drop off cost $35 pp, a volcano hike with a guide, pickup and drop off cost $50 per group, snorkeling cost $20 pp. Our disappointment with our experience at guacimo lodge became obvious and the manager, Bela, asked to speak with us. Bela may be a great manager to those that are enjoying their experience, but he is not equipped to deal with those that are not. After explaining our disappointment from the room to the food to the tours, Bela became increasingly upset and began to mock us. Saying things like, “If you were in Costa Rica you would be paying 3 times this much” … “look at our reviews, we only have one bad review” … “you want me to call the jaguars and alligators” … “why don’t you go to your room and take a shower, oh, that’s right, your shower doesn’t work.” He finished by aggressively snatching our empty beer bottles off the table, walking off and slamming them into a trash bin. We went to bed that night feeling very uncomfortable. In the morning we decided to pack up and leave. Bela offered us 50% off the remainder of our stay but we thought it best for both sides if we leave. We had booked for 4 nights but ended up leaving after 2. I will say, Bela was pleasant in our departure, giving recommendations of other accommodations and continuing to provide the service of onward transport. The bottom line : The employees on the grounds don’t s

Guacimo is such a unique and beautiful lodge- we had the best time and we will definitely be back! The views are gorgeous and the rooms were lovely! Would highly recommend a visit to El Castillo (the closest town), which is such a peaceful oasis.

Many of us have a happy place – somewhere we like to go to calm our mind when our head hits the pillow at the end of a long day. Guacimo Lodge is my happy place. Waking in the middle of the night to see the light of the moon on the river. Sitting on the balcony of our bungalow above the tree canopy and observing the birds going about their business. The sheer pleasure of seeing macaws, toucans and parakeets in their natural environment . The fun of the river, kayaking into the Indio Maiz and looking for caimans in the dark. A visit to Guacimo and the deep nature that surrounds it is a wonderful escape from man made stresses and a tonic for the soul. Guacimo Lodge is a unique and very special place – so looking forward to going back in a few weeks time.