mawamba lodge tour

“TORTUGUERO REGISTRO CIFRA RECORD DE 186 AVES DISTINTAS”

Periodico la nacion, 2021.

TEL (+506) 2293-8181 ext 1009 o 1021 WHATSAPP (+506) 8854-6155 EMAIL [email protected]

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Costa Rica Travel Information

Mawamba Lodge: Tortuguero Lodge Between the Sea and River

March 8, 2024 By Sammi Leave a Comment

If you wan to visit Tortuguero but don’t know how to start planning your trip, this review of Mawamba Lodge will definitely help you. Surrounded by the ocean and river canals, Tortuguero is a unique destination in Costa Rica to experience the magical wonders of the Caribbean jungle. However,, lodging options are limited and it requires more planning as Tortuguero is not accessible by land.

To make your trip to Tortuguero easier, some lodges put together tour packages with roundtrip transportation, lodging, meals and activities. One such lodge is Mawamba Lodge in Tortuguero.

Below is our full review, including a video. If you are interested in booking your stay at Mawamba Lodge, please fill out the form below at the end of the review and we will be happy to assist you!

Mawamba Lodge Tour Packages (Classic)

They offer various tour packages depending on how many days you’d like to spend. On average, people stay 2 nights and 3 days or 1 night and 2 days but you can stay as long as you like.

All of the tour packages include accommodation, ground + boat transportation from San Jose (roundtrip only from San Jose or at the end of the trip, they can leave you in Guapiles to get your shuttle or car rental at the end of the trip), bilingual guide and all meals from the moment they pick you up at the beginning of the tour and drop you off at the end of the tour.

For the 2 days, 1 night tour package, they include two activities: afternoon walk on the property with a local guide and morning boat ride through the national park canals.

The 3 days, 2 nights and 4 days, 3 nights tour package includes three activities: afternoon walk on the property with a local guide, visit to Tortuguero town in the morning and boat tour in the canals in the afternoon.

Not included: national park ticket ($15+ tax per adult), alcoholic drinks, smoothies, bottled water, beer, tips, juice, sodas, cocktails, laundry, other activities and long distance calls.

Here is the video we made of our 3 days, 2 nights Mawamba Lodge trip. We were unfortunately not in turtle nesting season anymore so we didn’t see any turtles, but we saw plenty of wildlife, including toucans!

Make sure to subscribe to our Youtube channel for more Costa Rica videos!

Mawamba Lodge Location

To get to Mawamba Lodge, you’ll first get picked up by bus in San Jose, have breakfast in Guapiles and then catch the boat in La Pavona. The boat from La Pavona to Tortuguero (Mawamba Lodge) is about 1-1.5 hours.

One of the best things about Mawamba Lodge is the location. They are beachfront, a 15 minute walk to Tortuguero village and also riverfront! You get the best of both worlds: ocean and river.

This means that it is very easy for guests to spot sea turtles during the season, which is the main attraction of Tortuguero. As Tortuguero National Park was created to protect the nesting Green Turtles, Mawamba Lodge guests are just steps away from seeing baby turtles hatching and crawling their way to sea and mama turtles coming to shore to lay their eggs.

As Tortuguero is the single most important nesting site for Green Turtles, there is no doubt that a stay at Mawamba Lodge during turtle nesting season of June to October will be one of the main highlights for visitors to Costa Rica!

Not sure how to plan an itinerary with Tortuguero? Check out all our Costa Rica itineraries here but save our two week coast to coast itinerary that goes to Tortuguero!

Mawamba Lodge Rooms

They offer two different types of rooms: Standard and Superior.

The superior is a little bit bigger at 30 m² has a balcony deck with a hammock and table with chairs and all have a king bed. The standard is a standard 17 m² room with either one king bed, one queen bed + 1 twin bed or two queen beds.

The superior is a bit more expensive and is ideal for those who need more space. The location of the rooms are all great. Both the standards and superiors are in the gardens of the property, close to the pool and restaurant.

Restaurant and Pool

One of our favorite things about Mawamba Lodge was the restaurant. The staff was incredibly attentive and kind, accommodating to all my picky diet restrictions and our food allergies. So if you have a strict diet or food allergies , don’t worry! They will accommodate you with no problem and their food was very very good.

The only downside is that it’s the same menu for breakfast and the other meals. But at least they have several choices. If you are only there for 1 or 2 nights, it is not bad at all. If you happen to stay for like 4 nights or more, the meals may feel repetitive. They do offer some other side dishes and snacks for an extra charge.

The pool is so refreshing in the humid tropical weather. They also have a bar with great bartenders who really know how to make a yummy tropical drink! Sit under the trees, listen to the birds, read a book and cool off in the pool with a refreshing cocktail or beer.

Wildlife On the Property

Even though Mawamba Lodge is not next to the Tortuguero National Park, there is still a ton of wildlife you can see right on the property. Their guided walk of the property is a great introduction to the various gardens and forests they have, so you know where to look for various animals.

Right outside our room, we saw so many toucans and oropendolas every morning and afternoon! We also saw three sloths , a porcupine, iguanas, and white face monkeys . They even have a garden where you can spot red eyed tree frogs in the palm leaves.

Important Notes About the Rooms and Property

• None of the rooms at Mawamba Lodge have air conditioning. They provide fans. It is humid in Tortuguero around 85 F (28-29 C) and it does cool off at night. We slept comfortably at night and were always outside during the day doing the activities or hanging out at the pool.
• What to bring: clothes that are loose fitting, dry fast and wick sweat away. Tortuguero is VERY humid. Plenty of sunscreen and mosquito repellent. Get our full Costa Rica packing list here.
• Bring USD/CRC in cash and a Visa credit/debit card . Tortuguero does not have an ATM.
• Their windows are not glass. All their windows are just screens.
• There is hot water.
• Wifi is only available at the reception, lobby, pool and restaurant. Unfortunately, Wifi is not available in the rooms. If you have a Kolbi prepaid SIM card , we had 3g in our room.

Ready to book your stay at Mawamba Lodge? Fill out the form below! If you book your stay at Mawamba Lodge and a rental car through us , we will help you arrange your car delivery in Guapiles with both Adobe Rent a Car and Mawamba Lodge.

***The form is having some issues with ipad and Safari. If it doesn’t work for you, please email us at web @ Mytanfeet.com and include the following information: your name, date of tour, number of nights/days, number of adults and children (and children’s ages) and your pick up and drop off location.***

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3 day Mawamba Lodge Package Costa Rica City Escape

Dates & prices, suggested tours.

Departs daily - 3 days/2 nights package at the Mawamba Lodge. Includes accommodation with breakfast daily, 3 lunches, 2 dinners, roundtrip bus and boat transfers from San Jose, regular excursions and entrance fees to Tortuguero Natational Park. Max. luggage allowance is 25 lbs per person.

• Accommodations as per itinerary
• Meals as per itinerary; breakfast (B), lunch (L), dinner (D)
• Sightseeing: per itinerary
• Travel funds escrow protection program
• Entrance fees as per itinerary
• Items of a personal nature
• All other items not mentioned as included
• Select local taxes where applicable

San Jose - Tortuguero National Park

Tropical Lodge: Mawamba Lodge or similar accommodations

Depart San Jose by bus between 6 and 7 am. Stop for breakfast along the way. Continue to La Pavona and take a two-hour boat ride through the canals to the Mawamba Lodge. Here you will enjoy lunch and in the afternoon join a guided walk through the tropical rainforest and the small town of Tortuguero, before walking back to the lodge for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)

Tortuguero National Park

This morning you will explore Mawamba Park including a butterfly farm, a frog farm, a garden, an iguana farm, and have a nice walk along the lodge's private trails. In the afternoon, enjoy a boat tour in the Tortuguero Canals and observe the local wildlife of 300 different species of birds, monkeys, basilisks, and iguanas. (B,L,D)

Tortuguero National Park - San Jose

After breakfast you will be transferred by boat to La Pavona. Continue by bus in San Jose. Stop for lunch along the way. Arrive back to San Jose by 4 pm. (B,L)

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Mawamba Lodge

Canales de Tortuguero, Limon, Costa Rica, 10980 Tortuguero, Costa Rica – Excellent location – show map

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Excellent location!

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Located between the Caribbean Sea and the canals of Tortuguero National Park, Mawamba Lodge is accessible by boat or plane only. It offers spacious rooms and features an outdoor pool and an on-site restaurant featuring local and international a la carte menu. Breakfast is included in rate and is also served a la carte. The front desk can assist in reservations for boat tours, kayaking, and canoe trips. Walking tours are available to Cerro Tortuguero and night walks. During turtle nesting season (July to October) night tours are arranged. Each rustic room here features wooden décor and comes equipped with a seating area and a private bathroom with a shower and toilet. They also include a private balcony with a hammock and rocking chairs. At Mawamba Lodge you will find an outdoor swimming pool. Lush tropical gardens and direct beach access for leisurely walks.

Couples in particular like the location – they rated it 9.1 for a two-person trip.

Distance in property description is calculated using © OpenStreetMap

• Outdoor swimming pool
• 2 restaurants
• Non-smoking rooms
• Good Breakfast

Property highlights

Top Location: Highly rated by recent guests (9.2)

Breakfast Info

Continental, Vegetarian, Vegan, American

Saved to 3098 lists

Availability

Select dates to see this property's availability and prices

Property practices

Categories:, see what guests loved the most:.

Restaurants 2 Restaurants On Site

• Cuisine Latin American
• Ambience Family-friendly • Traditional
• Dietary options Vegetarian

Amenities of Mawamba Lodge Great facilities! Review score, 8.3

• Toilet paper
• Private Bathroom
• Free toiletries
• Garden view
• Outdoor furniture
• Clothes rack
• Fishing Additional charge
• Shuttle service Additional charge
• Fax/Photocopying
• Laundry Additional charge
• Meeting/Banquet facilities Additional charge
• Designated smoking area
• Entire unit located on ground floor
• Full-body massage
• Hand massage
• Head massage
• Couples' massage
• Foot massage
• Neck massage
• Back massage
• Massage Additional charge

See availability House rules

From 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM

From 5:30 AM to 11:00 AM

Cancellation/ prepayment

Cancellation and prepayment policies vary according to accommodations type. Please enter the dates of your stay and check what conditions apply to your preferred room.

The entrance to the property is closed between 8:00 PM and 5:30 AM

Children & Beds

Child policies

Children of all ages are welcome.

To see correct prices and occupancy info, add the number and ages of children in your group to your search.

Crib and extra bed policies

Cribs and extra beds aren't available at this property.

No age restriction

There's no age requirement for check-in

Pets are not allowed.

When booking more than 3 rooms, different policies and additional supplements may apply.

Accepted payment methods

Cash Mawamba Lodge accepts these cards and reserves the right to temporarily hold an amount prior to arrival.

The fine print Must-know information for guests at this property

Access is only by boat or by plane. Due to this location, a combination of land transportation and boat ride is required to get to Mawamba Lodge,

The Lodge offers daily boat transfers from the dock in Guapiles at an additional cost. Otherwise guests may arrange their own boat transportation but should let Mawamba Lodge their expected arrival time at least 3 days before arrival. Please contact the property to confirm your transportation method and inquire about any additional information.

Please note that the reception is closed from 20:00 until 05:30. It is not possible to check in outside the normal reception opening times

KEEP IN MIND THAT AFTER 4PM THERE ARE NO PUBLIC NOR PRIVATE BOATS AT LA PAVONA DOCK TOWARDS TORTUGUERO, PLEASE CALL US BEFORE YOU BEGIN TRANSIT TOWARDS TORTUGUERO.

Please inform Mawamba Lodge of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.

In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19), additional safety and sanitation measures are in effect at this property.

Due to coronavirus (COVID-19), this property adheres to strict physical distancing measures.

Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), wearing a face mask is mandatory in all indoor common areas.

FAQs about Mawamba Lodge

Does mawamba lodge have a restaurant on site.

• Main Restaurant
• Katonga Floating Restaurant

What are the check-in and check-out times at Mawamba Lodge?

Check-in at Mawamba Lodge is from 2:00 PM, and check-out is until 11:00 AM.

What type of room can I book at Mawamba Lodge?

How much does it cost to stay at mawamba lodge.

The prices at Mawamba Lodge may vary depending on your stay (e.g. dates, hotel's policy etc.). To see prices, enter your dates.

Does Mawamba Lodge have a pool?

Yes, this hotel has a pool. See details about the pool and other facilities on this page.

How close to the beach is Mawamba Lodge?

The nearest beach is 150 feet from Mawamba Lodge. All distances are measured in straight lines. Actual travel distances may vary.

What kind of breakfast is served at Mawamba Lodge?

Guests staying at Mawamba Lodge can enjoy a highly-rated breakfast during their stay (guest review score: 7.5).

• Continental

What is there to do at Mawamba Lodge?

• Swimming pool
• Couples' massage

How far is Mawamba Lodge from the center of Tortuguero?

Mawamba Lodge is 1.3 miles from the center of Tortuguero. All distances are measured in straight lines. Actual travel distances may vary.

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• Tortuguero Tours

Tortuguero Town Tour - Mawamba Lodge

Free vacation planning.

This history tour of the colorful town of Tortuguero, located within Tortuguero National Park, will enrich your understanding of Costa Rica’s diversity of cultures and the value the residents have placed on protecting nature in this unique area.

Tortuguero National Park is known for its beautiful tropical conservation areas including eleven miles of coastline where turtles come to nest. It is also known for its stunning network of canals that run throughout the rainforest along the northeastern Caribbean Coast. Within this lush setting lies the quaint town of Tortuguero, visited by hundreds of people every year to learn about its local culture and interesting history.

As the town of Tortuguero is only accessible by boat or airplane, the tour will start off with a short boat ride from Laguna Lodge. Upon arrival, you will walk through this picturesque town accompanied by your bilingual guide who is well versed in the history of Tortuguero. Your knowledgeable guide will share an abundance of interesting information about this area as well as introduce you to the way the villagers live today in their present day culture.

This typical Caribbean coastal village is known for its rich history and very colorful present. As you stroll through the town, you’ll visit the town school, National Park facilities, beautiful churches, general stores and one of the most effective recycling plants in the country. On the Caribbean coast, you can definitely see a difference in culture from other parts of Costa Rica. However, one major theme seems to remain the same throughout the country: the local people will most likely impress you with their friendly and kind nature.

Did you know that Tortuguero was once an ancient place of hunting, fishing, and agriculture? Several different ethnic groups have shared this land. The majority of people who originally came to live here were from the Miskitu-Zambo indigenous group of African- American descent. They fled from Nicaragua to seek refuge in this small isolated region of Costa Rica. Their ethnic roots are still part of the existing culture, mixed with Costa Rican people from Spanish decent as well as from other indigenous tribes.

You might also learn about Tortuguero’s forestry industry and how it evolved into the present day National Park. Tourism as a sustainable economy as well as major ecological initiatives helped raise awareness to create nature conservation areas and parks that served to preserve the natural wildlife habitats in this unique part of Costa Rica.

Please be prepared for this one-hour tour, rain or shine, by bringing sunblock, a hat and a rain jacket or poncho.

What to Bring

• Insect Repellent

Location and Availability

The Tortuguero Town Tour - Mawamba Lodge is available from Mawamba Lodge

• Learning Family

Cancellation Policy

Tortuguero Town Tour - Mawamba Lodge: Cancellation Policy

Latitude: N 10° 32' 32.07" Longitude: W 83° 30' 10.88"

• Overall 83.5% (63 Guest Ratings)
• Experience: 78.7%
• Expectations: 78.7%
• Guides: 88.1%
• Logistics: 88.7%
• Value: 78.4%

Learning the history of the area and town was the most interesting thing.

Abel was our guide, and once again, we learned so much about the national park, the town, and the sea. He offered to take us on a longer walk home via the beach and it was incredibly memorable.

I would skip this tour. There isn't much in the town to see. make it a shipping tour instead.

The guide basically walked us through main street. I was hoping for more.

Good for a short tour.

Wish we had more time to souvenir shop. We ended up separating from the group so we could spend longer in town. But easy walk back to the hotel along the beach.

Tortuguero was not to our taste - full of tourist booths. The walk back along the beach trail was much better. Laura found some turtle hatchlings making for the sea - my whole holiday highlight!!

Great experience and very interesting place to see and visit. The guide just dropped us off at the dock in town and we did not really give a tour of the town. This was fine with us as we wondered on our own.

Our guide Stephen was great. Talked about the history and issues of the town. We were able to do some exploring on our own and had a great time!

There was not much to see and the guide did not say at the beginning that we will have to walk back on the beach.

Not quite what we expected. Just walked by ourselves through the one street in the town.

I loved seeing the town of Tortuguero! The only suggestion would be to tell the group that there would be time after the tour to explore the town on our own. I felt a little rushed, trying to peek into shops and trailing behind, thinking that was the only time I had to do so. Otherwise, the tour was great!

Not really much to see on this tour, but it was good to stretch our legs a bit.

Not as fun in the rain, but that's no one's fault.

Mawamba Lodge

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Reviews we perform checks on reviews. tripadvisor’s approach to reviews before posting, each tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. if the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines , the review is not published. when the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site. our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines . learn more about our review moderation..

• Excellent 755
• Very Good 700
• Average 186
• Terrible 37
• All languages ( 1,740 )
• English ( 903 )
• Spanish ( 262 )
• French ( 261 )

" Take a USB hand fan, worth its weight in gold. "

" Take an umbrella in the rainy season & lots of insect repellant "

" Not many sunbeds but it isn't that sort of holiday, it's a perfect spot to base yourself to explore the national park. "

" Make sure you have a good raincoat, hat and don't forget binoculars. "

" If you can fly out rather than do the return by boat and then bus that would be ideal. "

Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.

MAWAMBA LODGE - Now $267 (Was $̶2̶8̶7̶) - UPDATED 2024 Reviews & Price Comparison (Tortuguero, Costa Rica) - Tripadvisor

Mawamba Lodge

View prices for your travel dates

Reviews we perform checks on reviews. tripadvisor’s approach to reviews before posting, each tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. if the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines , the review is not published. when the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site. our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines . learn more about our review moderation..

• Excellent 755
• Very Good 700
• Average 186
• Terrible 37
• All languages ( 1,740 )
• English ( 903 )
• Spanish ( 262 )
• French ( 261 )

" Take a USB hand fan, worth its weight in gold. "

" Take an umbrella in the rainy season & lots of insect repellant "

" Not many sunbeds but it isn't that sort of holiday, it's a perfect spot to base yourself to explore the national park. "

" Make sure you have a good raincoat, hat and don't forget binoculars. "

" If you can fly out rather than do the return by boat and then bus that would be ideal. "

Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.

MAWAMBA LODGE - Updated 2024 Reviews, Photos & Prices

View prices for your travel dates

Reviews we perform checks on reviews. tripadvisor’s approach to reviews before posting, each tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. if the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines , the review is not published. when the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site. our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines . learn more about our review moderation..

• Excellent 0
• Very Good 0
• English ( 0 )

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HOTEL CITY LOBNYA: Reviews (Russia) - Photos of Lodge - Tripadvisor

Mawamba Lodge

View prices for your travel dates

• Excellent 755
• Very Good 700
• Average 186
• Terrible 37
• All languages ( 1,740 )
• English ( 903 )
• Spanish ( 262 )
• French ( 261 )

" Take a USB hand fan, worth its weight in gold. "

" Take an umbrella in the rainy season & lots of insect repellant "

" Not many sunbeds but it isn't that sort of holiday, it's a perfect spot to base yourself to explore the national park. "

" Make sure you have a good raincoat, hat and don't forget binoculars. "

" If you can fly out rather than do the return by boat and then bus that would be ideal. "

Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.

Mawamba Lodge - UPDATED 2024 Prices, Reviews & Photos