I visited the lodge for about 10 days in November, and it was delightful. The staff are all lovely and helpful, and many of them are incredibly warm and really go out of their way to make you feel at home. Everyone was friendly, especially Priscilla and Christian in the restaurant. I did several all-day birding tours arranged through the lodge. Raul Obregon was an excellent guide, and I would use him again without hesitation. He worked very hard to ensure we saw lots of species and that I actually saw the birds and understood something about them. I do suggest that if you are arranging birding tours, I suggest you speak with the staff about your goals and preferences. I had a different guide for one day (because Raul was not available), and that experience did not meet my expectations as much. The guide would record things he heard whether or not I heard them, and (though the lodge told me that the tour would last all day and run regardless of the weather) he stopped the tour before 2 pm because he believed it was going to rain. I said I was prepared for rain and happy to keep going as planned , but he didn't change his mind. Though that was a real bummer, I still think my overall visit was wonderful enough to warrant a five rating. If I visit again (which I hope to do), I will make sure to clarify expectations in advance and ensure the guides are aware of those and will fulfill them. I have to say, though, that the highlight of my trip was the night walks. I think most people only do one or two of these, but I did many--I think five or six. Every night I saw something new! Mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates--it was so much fun. And Christian (not the same one as in the restaurant, but the guide who leads the lodge's morning walks and night tours) was absolutely amazing. He is one of the kindest people I've encountered while traveling, and he's knowledgable and eager to share information about nature. I saw him interact with lots of different guests, from people who really want to learn and explore, to children, to people who are a little clueless about the rainforest and its wildlife (such as those who asked if they could see elephants and tigers at the lodge). In all cases, Christian was professional, patient, and helpful. He met every guest where they were and did his very best to give them a great experience. I learned so much from him! Maybe even more importantly, on one instance I had a fall (totally my fault--I simply wasn't paying attention and stepped off the path), and he was incredibly helpful, assessing my injury, and making sure I was okay. I really appreciated his expertise especially in that situation, especially because I was traveling alone.
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