May June Special
Hacienda Guachipelin is always thinking about new ways to make the vacation more affordable. This time Hacienda Guachipelin is offering a promotion of the 3rd night for free when you book 2 nights. Guests will enjoy free admission to the hot springs, free visits to Chorreras waterfalls and Oropendula waterfalls. Other things that guests can enjoy, and that are part of the experience at no extra cost, are the live marimba music, the typical ox cart, roping lessons and milking the cows in a traditional way.
Hacienda Guachipelin has combined the traditions of a traditional cattle ranch with the mysteries of the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano and the adrenaline from the adventures for all family members.
Remember that Hacienda Guachipelin is located just 45 minutes away from Daniel Oduber International Airport, in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.
This offer is available through different channels like expedia.com travelocity.com and travel agents in different parts of the world.
For reservations please write to info+guachipelin.com
La Cangreja Waterfall
Cangreja Waterfall
This is my favorite place in the area. This big 40 meter high waterfall can be found in Rincon de la vieja National park, the name of it is Cangreja Waterfall. To get here you have to spend about two hours walking. In some places the track is a little bit difficult but it is definitely worth the effort. On the way you can see both forest and more open areas and you also get some good views. On this track it is definitely possible to see some animals such as monkeys, snakes and many birds. Before I went to this waterfall people kept telling me about this place and when I finally got there I was not disappointed. I did the hike alone and I had no problems finding the way, the path is very easy to follow. This is really the perfect place for a swim, the water is clear blue and not cold at all. Please, don’t forget to bring your bathing suit, you will need it!
After a couple of great months in the hotel it’s time for me to go back to Sweden. My internship is now coming to an end so this is my last article. I hope you enjoyed reading about the Hacienda and my time here.
Pura Vida, Camilla
Simbiosis Spa
Guanacaste Hot Springs
Simbiosis Spa, located at Rincon de la Vieja National Park’s entrance, has new attractions for our guests.
There is a new water fountain, geyser and 2 new hot spring water pools, making a total of 5 located in deferent areas.
There is a small bar at the reception that offers different drinks for visitors.
With the admission, guests will enjoy a volcanic mud treatment, a sauna treatment, and the hot spring waters to relax.
The admission fee is $20 for adults and $15 for children.
Simbiosis is open from 10 AM to 6 pm every day.
Just a quick note to explain about Rincon de la Vieja National Park, it is the most visited national park in Guanacaste, Costa Rica’s northern province. It’s main attraction is Las Pailas Trail, with lots of volcanic activity, similar to what you would see in Yellowstone.
Go for a hike to Las Chorreras Waterfall
Las Chorreras Waterfall
Just a short hike away from the hotel you will find Las Chorreras waterfall. This is a place that I recommend for everyone who makes a trip to Rincon de la vieja. The trail to the waterfall is a very easy walk. If you are lucky you may see some animals on your way down there such as snakes, birds and the blue morpho, the blue butterfly. Normally I don’t want to be around snakes at all but this day I would have given anything to catch a big wild boa on a photo. That would have been a really good story to tell my friends about. On the other hand I got to see the morpho, probably the prettiest butterfly I have ever seen with its bright blue colors.
Las Chorreras waterfall meets the Rio Blanco (the white river) and the visibility of the water here is just amazing. They tell me that the special blue and green color of the water comes from minerals from the volcano. From a big rock you have a great view over the waterfall and this is a perfect spot for photos. Next time I go to this waterfall I will bring lunch with me for a picnic outside and the most important thing, I will bring my bikini for a swim next to the waterfall.
Saludos, Camilla
Rally Can Am Rincon de la Vieja 2010
El proximo 16 de Octubre a las 9 de la mañana dara inicio el tradicional Rally de cuadraciclos Can Am Rincon de la Vieja, que tiene como base Hacienda Guachipelin. El evento es organizado por Jairo Solano de Solo Bueno, que lleva varios años organizando eventos de este tipo. Datos del evento estan disponibles en la pagina http://cuadraciclos.net/ o pueden comunicarse con Jairo Solano al telefono 8898-1377
El evento va a tener una ruta dentro de Hacienda Guachipelin principalmente. Se ha buscado una ruta que tiene de todo, lagunas, mucho barro, cuestas, potreros, cero peligro, muy plano, senderos, en fin 50 kilómetros de pura emoción. Despues de las 3 pm, una mini feria.
En Hacienda Guachipelin habra un paquete especial para los que quieren quedarse a dormir y disfrutar de las aventuras que ahi se ofrecen, como el tubing, el canopy, las cabalgatas y las aguas termales. La tarifa especial para ese dia es de $25 por persona con el desayuno incluido, sea en ocupacion doble o triple. Para mas informacion sobre el hospedaje y los tours pueden comunicarse con reservaciones al telefono 2666-8075 o escribir un correo a reservas@guachipelin.com
As mentioned in New York Times
Costa Rica cowboy
Simon Romero, from the New York times wrote about Hacienda Guachipelin. Land of Sabaneros is the article.
“I, too, was on a horse, touring Hacienda Guachipelín, a 4,300-acre ranch in northwest Costa Rica. Around me in the pasture were dozens of Andalusian horses.
Our three-day stay last August at Guachipelín, near the foot of Rincon de la Vieja, an active volcano that erupted several times in the 1990′s, was the most rewarding part of the trip.
We then began a three-hour hike to Las Pailas, a site of bubbling mud baths. Our horses waited for us at a hitching post near the park’s entrance. During the hike Juan José spotted a variety of animals and birds, including toucans, an anteater and a group of white-faced monkeys.”
To read the full article follow the link http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/17/travel/land-of-the-sabaneros.html?sec=&pagewanted=1
To make reservations in Hacienda Guachipelin or find more about its tours , Call Toll Free 1-888-730-3840 or email to info@guachipelin.com
Sustainability
Certification for Sustainable Tourism
Sustainability, as a model of development, seeks to meet the current demands of society without compromising the rights of future generations to meet theirs. The development of the country cannot be based on the unbalanced exploitation of resources to meet the demands of society. This is why the Costa Rica government created the CST, the certification for sustainable tourism. The CST strengthens the image of the country as an authentic environmental destination, considerably raising the competitiveness of the national tourist product.
A business like Hacineda Guachipelin will see improved efficiency within its operations through efficient handling of resources. As and end result there will be significant savings, a reduction in sources of pollution , and waste reduction.
Recently Hacienda Guachipelin was reevaluated by the Costarrican Ministry of Tourism and the certification was upgraded from 1 leaf to 2 leafs. This is proof of the effort that the staff of Hacienda Guachipelin is working with sustainable practices. This is Guachipelin’s compromise with todays and future generations.
Hacienda Guachipelin is located on the foot of Rincon de la Vieja Volcano. This national park has an area of 14,083 hectares and is divided into two sectors: Las Pailas and Santa María. The park contains nine volcanic cones and one lake, La Jilgueros. Pailas Sector: Trail (7.5 km) to the Von Seebach (1,898 meters above sea level) and Rincon de la Vieja (1,806 meters above sea level) craters; trail to las pailas (2.77 km); trail to La Cangreja (5.1 km) and Escondidas (4.3 km) waterfalls; trail to the Río Blanco pool (600 m); trail to fumaroles and mud volcanoes. For reservations contact our reservations office at info@guachipelin.com , from US or Canada Call Toll Free 1-888-730-3840 . There are great season packages for the month of September and October of 2010. For hotels with certification for sustainability check this link.
Riu Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a Central American country considered one of the world’s most beautiful spots, thanks to its breathtakingly spectacular natural landscape and exoticism and its mature democracy.
RIU’s first Costa Rican establishment, built by the firm itself and located on the oceanfront in Playa Matapalo, the beautiful region of Guanacaste on the country’s Pacific coast. The hotel is close to the international airport in Liberia LIR.
Riu is situated in northern Costa Rica, in Guanacaste on Playa de Matapalo beach. it has omplimentary sun loungers on the beach, a 6 story main building. It is surrounded by 35,000 m2 / 41,86 sq. yards of lush gardens. RIU is 33 km / 20.5 miles from Liberia airport and 50 kilometers from the most famous National Park, Rincon de la Vieja. This National Park is famous because of its abundant volcanic activity. Rincon de la Vieja is also famous for the adventure tours offered by Hacienda Guachipelin.
Hacienda Guchipelin is owned by a Costarrican family. It is a working cattle ranch and activities related to traditional cattle farming is still going on here.
For reservations for Hacienda Guachipelin, call toll free from US or Canada to 1-888-730-3840 or write to info@guachipelin.com
Costa Rica Dive
Guanacaste, is Costa Rica‘s northern province, famous for the sun, the nice beaches, the volcanoes, the adventure tours and the good diving. The starting point for good diving is Playas del Coco or Coco Beach. Coco Beach is a small fisherman’s town that eventually was turned into a tourist destination in itself. Lots of activities happen around Coco, and diving is one of them. But, how is diving in Guanacaste?
costa rica sharks
In Guanacaste, you would regularly see Southern Stingrays, Spotted Eagle Rays, a variety of eels, White-tip Reef Sharks, tons of Puffer and Porcupine Fish, Octopus, turtles, Seahorses, lobsters, Nudibranchs and numerous schools of many different varieties of fish. At the more advanced sites like the Catalina Islands, and the Bat Islands, you would commonly see many larger animals such as Giant Manta Rays, Whale Sharks, and Bull Sharks. On the surface you would often get the pleasant surprise visit of dolphin pods, hump back whales and pilot whales!
There are various kinds of small coral formations, which include both soft and hard sponges, as well as an unparalleled array of marine plants. They grow on the amazing volcanic rock formations that make up the remarkable bottom topography here.
One of the local sites that you would often be taken to, Tortuga, has a cute 30 ft. fishing vessel called “Rusty II” at about 70 ft. There are many stories explaining why it sunk, but Rich coast’s is definitely the best!
All the dives at the Catalina and Bat Islands are drift dives…. You would also drift from Play Penn to Punta Argentina if the current allows you. This is a local dive. The average range of visibility is 15 to 60 feet (5 to 18 meters) depending on the amount of plankton the tides bring in for the big fish.
The night diving here is incredible! All the marine life that is napping during the day, such as the 6 ft. moray eels and octopus roam the waters creating a spectacular show!
Hacienda Guachipelin has partnered with Rich Coast Diving to offer Guachipelin’s guests an unforgetable diving experience in Guanacaste. Rich coast operates since early 1993 in Playas del Coco. Rich Coast is a PADI 5 Star IDC facility in Costa Rica offering a full range of PADI scuba diving courses, beginning from entry level courses through to PADI Professional Dive Courses, and of course, fun dive tours and snorkel trips, catering to divers who appreciate personal attention, diving in small groups on the most comfortable boats. The owners, Brenda van Gestel, PADI Master Instructor, and Martin van Gestel in-house Course Director, are great hosts and fun to be around, yet serious and very professional with their job. A two tank dive is $80 and $20 for equipment.
Hacienda Guachipelin can arrange diving or snorkeling trips with Rich Coast Diving any time. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity, Adventures in Rincon de la Vieja Volcano, in Hacienda Guachipelin and Diving at Playas del Coco, with Rich Coast Diving, Land and Sea.
Hermosa Beach, Guanacaste
Playa Hermosa
Not to be confused with Playa Hermosa in the province of Puntarenas, Playa Hermosa, or Hermosa Beach, in the province of Guanacaste offers a much calmer and relaxing environment. The Playa Hermosa beach is lined with beautiful tropical trees while unfolding before the warm North Pacific Ocean.
Located at just a 20 minute drive from the Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia, Guanacaste, Playa Hermosa is a laid back tranquil beach town adorned with up-scale family beach homes and a few development projects along the northern sector.
The town of Playa Hermosa offers its visitors a nice variety of restaurants, shopping and night life. Other tourist activities include deep sea fishing, diving, snorkeling and sailing. Costa Rica hotels in the Playa Hermosa region are mostly within the mid-range budget or exclusive luxury hotels. However, a few low-budget hotels and rooms are available.
Playa Hermosa is also well known for its exquisite marine life. The region’s marine biodiversity can be easily enjoyed by snorkeling or diving. Booking a diving tour in Guanacaste is fairly easy and available in almost every town, including Playa Hermosa.
Other activities that can be easily enjoyed from Playa Hermosa is the visit to local National Parks. At just a short drive, visitors may head out to the Rincon de la Vieja National Park to experience volcanic activities such as boiling mud pots, vapor vents, hot spring waters and more.
The Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin, located near the park’s entrance, offers a variety of adventure tours that includes hiking, horseback riding, canyon tours, zip-lining and tubing among others.
Other must see parks near Playa Hermosa in Guanacaste include the Santa Rosa National Park and the Palo Verde Park.
For Reservation in Hacienda Guachipelin, please contact reservas@guachipelin.com or call toll free from USA or Canada to 1-888-730-3840