Just returned from Bosque del Rio Tigre in Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula. I can't say enough about the comfort, cleanliness, clean smooth linens (washed by hand in pristine mountain water), and of course the food. Three meals a day, one more delicious than the next. Freshest ingredients with wonderful flavorful local spices. And way healthy! The lodge is tucked right into the jungle, with toucans and macaws and rare tropical birds flitting near the rooms. I could bird-watch from my bed, and see and hear the river below. Our hosts, Liz and Abraham, and our guide, Ulysses (and Abraham who serves as host, guide and cook at various times) were part of the special charm of the stay. We stayed 7 full days, and enjoyed each one better than the next. For serious birders, the guides are top-rated and know every single little bitty bird by its call and chip-note. It helped us greatly to add to our life lists. Swimming in the river cooled us down each day and the hot showers got us ready for drinks and dinner by candle-light, with the jungle noises as background. This is a turn-key trip with Liz and Abraham making sure all transportation needs are taken care of and on time. Truly, I would go back tomorrow. I miss them all already.

This is a very rustic place, in the jungle, and the reason to go there is to enjoy the birds. This is a very rustic place, share bathroom, and no privacy, but the birds you will see and the food they will cook will make it up if you really really like nature.

My husband and I didn't really know what to expect when we got there.. and it was a little bit of a shock, the sharing bathroom and no privacy thing... the lodge is open to nature, which can be cool once you get use to it. It took me a few days..

We spent 5 nights, my favorite part was the river, we took hikes up the river and found fun swimming places, to swim against the current..

We loved the food and overall the service.

Abraham is a nature lover and an incredible guide, that will show you birds and animals that you wont see at a first glance.

The rooms are basic, a bed with a mosquito net on top of it, and a table. Beds are hard (I like hard so that wasn't a problem for me, but might be for others)

You will be up a 5:30 am... unless you sleep like a rock. Whoever is going to do birdwatching, will be up at that time, and you WILL hear the noise of bathroom, walking, eating etc..., so forget about sleeping late... BUT you will be in bed very early as well as there is no electricity, so passed dinner, if you are lucky and have friends with you, or of you socialize with the other guests at the place, you can chat some, or read under the led lights they have.. or take a night walk with Abraham to go find some birds or frogs, but besides that is bedtime..very early..

The lodge is far from Puerto Jimenez, 30 mins taxi, that will cost you 25-30 usd each way.. so it gets very expensive to take tours

Bosque del Rio Tigre is a truly special place that will appeal to birders or anyone with an interest in nature. The lodge is set amidst the rainforest and and feels a part of it, yet is comfortable, clean, and has excellent food. Liz and Abraham are wonderful hosts, and the place has a relaxed, intimate feel. Feeders draw in hummingbirds, tanagers, doves, and even a motmot! Little tinamou and blue ground dove were feeding right next to the lodge on a couple mornings, and toucans and turqoise cotingas were spotted with from the front step. Short trails around the lodge afforded a wide variety of additional sightings, including poison dart frogs, iguanas, and boat-billed herons. We spent three nights there and I wish we had had more, as it is one of the best places I have ever stayed.

Bosque del rio Tigre is the most extraordinary place I've ever had the pleasure of visiting. We arrived in heavy rain. The 4WD taxi that ordinarily fords the river couldn't -- the river was too high. So, we were ferried across in yellow inflatable kayaks by host Abraham. We were soon settled in our room: the outside walls are half walls so the room is open to the jungle. Wide eaves protect from rain; mosquito netting protects from bugs at night. The lodge, designed by host Liz and largely constructed by Liz and Abraham, is beautifully detailed; the beds are among the best I've slept in; the linens are crisp and smooth. Food is delicious and healthy -- lots of green salads, fruit, homemade bread. Everything is spotless. Liz and Abraham are perfect hosts.
All this on a few hours of solar-powered electricity a day!
Adding to all this, the lodge is a bird-watcher's paradise. We saw many life birds simply sitting on the veranda, even in pouring rain. The property also contains a number of trails, and Abraham is one of the best guides I've met. Having lived in the area most of his life, he knows every bird, frog, insect, snake, and plant, and is very patient with those of us who sometimes have trouble seeing what's in front of their eyes.
We stayed at the lodge during record rains (almost continuous for four days), which resulted in lots of sticky mud on our shoes and clothing; the toilets (spotless) are shared; the showers (lots of hot water!) are in a separate building. None of that mattered. It was our favorite place on the entire trip.