Jungle Hideaway and Karen Mogensen Nature Reserve

WATERFALLS AND WILDLIFE. Minimum stay - two (2) nights. Enjoy authentic Costa Rica. If you're looking to experience the culture, meet locals, have off-the-beaten-path experiences, this is for YOU! Comfortable two-bedroom one bath house. Located in a safe, delightfully friendly, pastoral community. Wake to bird calls and howler monkeys. Walking distance to the Karen Mogensen Nature Reserve. Wildlife, waterfalls, cool water swimming holes, local culture all in a peaceful tropical setting. The space The Jungle Hideaway is approximately 64 square meters (~640 sq. ft.) and is divided into four rooms: two bedrooms (each with a full-size bed), one bath, and an open living /dining / kitchen area. The Jungle House sits on 2500 M2 (~1/2 acre) of land and is surrounded by private land that is a mix of forest and pasture. Guest access Electricity; gas stove; refrigerator; blender; rice pot; slow cooker (crock-pot); mosquito nets; comfortable beds (2); toilet & shower; clothes washing machine (solar drier). Water from the tap is drinkable. No TV; only a few people in the community speak English. Fans, no A/C. NOTE: Airbnb does not allow me to post phone #'s, email or web page info. I can send you the following information when you book your trip: Detailed directions to the Jungle Hideaway. An interactive map of the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica; Information on the Karen Mogensen Nature Reserve; YouTube videos; Public and private transportation information. i.e. Busses and Ferries via the Golf of Nicoya; Bird lists for the area (~ 200 species); Information on nearby swimming / surfing beaches and a butterfly farm; And other information to enhance your visit. Other things to note JUNGLE HIDEAWAY AND THE KAREN MOGENSEN NATURE RESERVE Embark on an extraordinary journey into the very essence of vitality in the mystical heart of Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula Blue Zone, where time seems to stand still, and the secrets of longevity whisper through the lush canopies and vibrant landscapes. Experience authentic Costa Rica: Interact with the locals in a Tico farming community; eat wholesome locally grown organic food; view a plethora of wildlife; enjoy great photo opportunities; appreciate the quiet tranquility; experience rustic yet comfortable accommodations; and practice your Spanish. Full Disclosure Hello Airbnb friends: I enjoy the Jungle House, the warm tropical climate, the friendly, safe and healthy community of San Ramon de Rio Blanco (SRRB), the forest and its varied wild critters great and small. That is what initially intrigued me, and continues to delight me, about this special place. I like hiking forest trails, taking a dip in a tropical freshwater pool, waking at dawn to a chorus of monkeys and birds, taking an afternoon siesta in my hammock slung under a mango tree, observing tropical wildlife from my patio, the peaceful silence, and so much more. Sharing this special place is my motive for offering to rent my JUNGLE HIDEAWAY. I want everyone to enjoy what I call an ‘authentic’ Tico experience. Authentic can be comfortable but it is not touristy. So, in the interest of full disclosure, I want you to know ahead of time the special ‘opportunities’ that come with a tropical vacation at the JUNGLE HIDEAWAY. If you are truly the adventuresome type .… skip this and enjoy. If you don’t like surprises, or are traveling with friends, and for those who may be newcomers to the non-touristy side of travel in the tropics, you may want to read the following tidbits. I offer this information to help you fully enjoy your travel experience. THE COMMUNITY: San Ramon de Rio Blanco (SRRB) is not a tourist town. It is a Tico farming community with about fifty families. Most of the population of SRRB own their own homes and at least half own large tracts of land. About 25 years ago the community voluntarily set aside some of their property as a protected watershed and a future location for a community ecotourism project. They received the encouragement, and a bit of financial assistance, from the Costa Rican government, international conservation organizations and, quite notably, a Danish woman named Karen Mogensen. Some of this set-aside land was primary growth tropical rain forest, but the majority was cow pasture which, thanks to the planning and foresight of the community, is now a healthy secondary growth forest. The vegetation is a mix of evergreen and deciduous trees. Ecologists describe this life zone as a transitional-dry tropical forest. The availably of accessible year-round open water, the diverse vegetation and the determination of the community to re-grow a forest has created a healthy habitat for people and wildlife. The community named their reserve after the Danish conservationist and their benefactor, Karen Mogensen. Note #1: There are no markets in SRRB. You will have to purchase your groceries at the supermarkets in Jicaral - the closest town of any consequence. Note #2: The San Ramon de Rio Blanco community operates the Cerro Escondido Lodge located in the Karen Mogensen Reserve (KMR). It is a great place if you want to spend just a night or two in the jungle. The KMR is a hike-in destination. The guided hike into the KMR cabins takes about one hour. Once there your friendly Tico hosts will provide you with comfortable accommodations and delicious Costa Rican cuisine. You may want to review the following information if you are planning to stay at the JUNGLE HIDEAWAY. It is long, and goes into much too much detail, but that is why I call it "FULL DISCLOSURE". The JUNGLE HIDEAWAY: The nearest neighbors - and your local hosts - are Fernando and Xinia (pronounced "Sinia") Quiros. The Quiros’ home is one half kilometers to the south of the Jungle Hideaway. Xinia and Fernando will get you set up in the JUNGLE HIDEAWAY for your stay. (Spanish only!) NEIGHBORS: SRRB is a wholesomely friendly Tico community. I encourage you to go out to meet your neighbors and you can pretty much expect visitors. The locals will give you your privacy, but they will also want to get to know you. Xinia and Fernando are your closest neighbors. Fabio and Carlos Rojas are two bachelor farmers in their 80ties who live at the end of the road at the entrance to the Karen Mogensen Reserve. The Rojas brothers own and manage a large tract of land with primary (500 - 700-year-old trees) and secondary growth forest, cool freshwater streams, and waterfalls. The Rojas brothers support themselves by charging a small fee to enter their property and use their hiking trails and cool freshwater swimming holes ($2 in 2023). DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION: Water from the tap is fine to drink. The bathroom has no sink. The newly installed on-demand shower provides a warm shower. During the dry season, a cool shower is refreshing in this climate. The JUNGLE HIDEAWAY has a washing machine. Power outages are not uncommon. Mosquito nets protect you from critters (insects, etc.) that drop from the ceiling. WILDLIFE: Critters big and small are numerous, fun to observe, and usually not going to cause a problem. To note, there are very few mosquitoes, blackflies, or chiggers. I rarely ever get bitten and hardly ever use repellent. There are a few snakes in the area, but they keep pretty well hidden, and you will be lucky to see one. There are a few critters that are, more or less, your permanent housemates. Small lizards and geckos are always on the hunt for an insect snack. It is fun to watch them stalk their prey on the window screens and around the lights at night. The rather loud chirping sounds that you hear at night are the geckos. There is a hive of stingless bees (Mariolas) that live in the front door. A colony of about 30 Great Lined bats (Saccopteryx sp.) permanently reside in the ‘bat house’ attached to the front of the house. These bats are insect eaters, and it is great fun to watch them take flight every evening at dusk. The occasional animal visitors might include an impressively large cockroach (~ 6 cm), scorpions, and whip scorpions (no tail and no stinger). These three are always in contention for the ugly bug award. The scorpion sting is comparable to a bee sting. As a precaution, and to avoid surprises, I recommend that you shake out your clothing and shoes prior to dressing. On very special occasions you may enjoy a surprise visit from the army ants. Acting as a single unit they march by the thousands creating an enormous living black undulating mass over the forest floor. When they take a detour for a house the floor and walls are blackened with ants. For their prey of small insects and arthropods, there is no escape as the ants gain entrance to the most inaccessible cracks and crevices. Ticos call these ants the “house cleaners” so noted for their ability to rid a dwelling of roaches and spiders. It is the attack of ‘shock and awe' of the insect world. With pheromone-driven communication, discipline, and resolve they are in and out of a house in about half an hour. It is enough to leave you scratching your head in disbelief. One moment they are there by the tens of thousands and the next there is not so much as evidence of one disoriented ant soldier. Then there are the barely visible sugar ants. When there are sweets around - they abound. Most often, they find you before you see them. For their size, they pack a remarkable fiery bite. The assortment of tropical ants is impressive, and they all enjoy their particular niche food. Your cooking area will never be totally free of ants; however, you can manage their numbers with an immediate and thorough cleanup after meals. The impressively large Marine Toad (Bufo marinus) will hop up onto the patio and is not at all shy about entering the house if you leave your door open. During the rainy season, you may find yourself sharing your shower with a tree frog (family Hylidae). The midday heat brings out the lizards. The most noteworthy of these is the Ctenosaur or Black Iguana (Ctenosaura similis). This large lizard actively patrols the forest edges, the access road, and the area around the JUNGLE HIDEAWAY. For the uninitiated, it can be a bit startling to have a meter-long lizard waddle/run across your path or in your direction. These large lizards (the Ticos call them garrobos) are very accustomed to living around humans. They are omnivores and will often visit the JUNGLE HIDEAWAY looking for a handout. I mention this because some have become quite tame to the point where they will come up to you and eat out of your hand. Ctenosaurs have sharp claws and rows of jagged teeth. Don’t let them mistake your finger or toes for bits of food. There are also true iguanas. The true iguanas are slightly larger than the Ctenosaur, greener in color, and much more cautious around people. I suggest that you keep your doors closed. Once the large lizards, bats, or birds get into your house they create holy havoc, and it is difficult to get them out. THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT: At night you might hear armadillos scraping the dirt around the house for bugs or worms. The loud chirping sounds are the geckos; you might enjoy owl hoots or the ‘creel’ of nightjars (Caprimulgidae). Occasionally you will hear a nocturnal prehensile tale porcupine crunching on a coconut. We have even had an ocelot visitor who likes to leave a smelly calling card by the front door. Just before daybreak listen for the stomp of oxen hooves and the rattle of a passing ox cart. Fidel, the ox cart driver, may even be singing on his way to work. TELLING TIME BY NATURE: The male howler monkeys get started just before daybreak at about 5 am. Their roar is quite loud as they are often in the trees just outside your door; the bird chorus starts in at around 5:30 am; Male long-tail manakins (Chiroxiphia linearis) call "toledo" from dawn to dusk during mating season; from about 10:30 am to 2 pm is lizard time; 5 pm is the bird song reprise; and at 6 pm enjoy the sound of insects, frogs, nightjars and owls until about midnight. TRANSPORTATION: The Jungle House is accessible by rent-a-car from the airport or public transportation and a taxi from Jicaral. (After booking I will send you detailed information on travel options from the San Jose or Liberia airports). The 16km drive from Jicaral to the Jungle Hideaway is on a secondary/gravel road. A taxi ride from Jicaral costs approximately $15. (~ 10000 Colones in 2023). The ARSA Bus Company provides service from San Jose to Jicaral. You can also catch a bus to Puntarenas and cross the Gulf of Nicoya by ferry to Playa Naranjo. At the ferry dock in Playa Naranjo you will find a bus waiting to take passengers to Jicaral. Driving or taking the bus will take you from 2.5 hrs to 4 hours from SJO. Driving from the Liberia (LIR) airport is approximately 1.5 hours. FOOD AND FUEL: Fuel up your rental car in Jicaral. The closest grocery store of any consequence is in Jicaral and it would be wise to provision up before you leave Jicaral for the JUNGLE HIDEAWAY. Note: There are no grocery stores in SRRB. Xinia raises chickens so you can buy good fresh organic eggs from her; also, SRRB neighbors, Dña. Mely – get directions from Xinia and Fernando - sell delicious homemade farm cheese and, occasionally, have fresh farm-raised, pesticide-free pork, and chicken. Several SRRB farmers raise honeybees so you can purchase locally raised (i.e. killer bee) honey. Getting there: The most convenient option is to fly into the Liberia airport (LIR - officially named Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport), rent a car, and drive to the Jungle House. Total time: ~ 1.5 hrs. HINTS ON ARRIVAL at the SJO or LIR airports: You will need Costa Rican Colones. Avoid the currency exchange booths - these are a rip-off. Instead, use your home bank card at one of the ATMs (Cajero automático) located in the baggage claim area at SJO. (There are two banks in Jicaral that have ATM machines.) The ATMs give you the actual exchange rate (minus your bank fees). If you have an unlocked cell phone, you can buy and install a Costa Rican Kolbi sim card and use your phone to call Costa Rican numbers at the local rate. You will also have a data plan so that you can use your phone to connect to the Internet, etc. The Jungle Hideaway has excellent reception from a Kolbi cell phone tower. Note: Other company sim cards (Claro and Movistar) will not work on the Kolbi tower in SRRB. There is a Kolbi booth to purchase cell phone chips in the baggage claim area of SJO. You can purchase a Kolbi CR Sim card in Jicaral. SJO and LIR offer free Wi-Fi. Most gas stations and grocery stores in Jicaral take Visa or MC. Tropical Tours Shuttle offers van service from Liberia to Jicaral for ~$40. Bus service from Liberia to Jicaral is available. Expect the buses to be crowded around the holidays. SECURITY: Use common sense. The community of SRRB is very safe. Keep the doors closed and lock the house when you leave for any length of time. Keep your valuables out of sight. A small lockbox is provided for your passports and cash. LANGUAGE: Although most people in the community do not speak English communication is hardly a problem. Creative communication goes a long way. COMMUNICATION WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD: The CR phone company, ICE, has activated a Kolbi cell tower in SRRB. So, you should be able to enjoy cell phone service (Text messages, WhatApp calls and Internet*) at the Jungle Hideaway. With a local data plan, you can connect to Wi-Fi. Restaurante La Josefina in Jicaral offers good food and free WiFi. * You won't be able to make a cell phone call at the JH. Just WhatApp, Text and Internet.