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On December 3rd, 2016 three members of the Arenal Observatory Lodge & Spa team participated in the 4th Annual Conteo De Aves Arenal. In total, 70 birders participated in this year’s bird count.

After many years of leading bird watching tours in Costa Rica, it is always exciting for an experienced guide to see something new. Recently, on an early morning bird watching tour in the forest gardens at Arenal Observatory Lodge, naturalist guide Cristian Campos saw something quite unusual.

Forty-eight years ago, the quiet agricultural community of Arenal, Costa Rica lived peacefully raising cattle and farming around the rainforest-covered, cone-shaped mountain called Cerro Arenal. Life had been tranquil like this for nearly 500 years.

No one expected on the morning of July 29, 1968, that sudden events would change their lives forever and the history of the Arenal Volcano.

Millions of visitors come to Costa Rica every year to see and experience its spectacular nature. From rainforests to cloud forests, volcanoes and mountains to beaches and lush jungle, Costa Rica deserves its fame for amazing natural resources.

In addition to Costa Rica’s excellent system of national parks, it is the country’s organization of private nature reserves that helps preserve Costa Rica’s tropical ecosystems and their biodiversity.

When the fresh pink glow of sunrise creeps up the side of Arenal Volcano and stretches over the forest treetops, there is no better place to be than on the large open deck at Arenal Observatory Lodge & Spa. And when the sun sinks low over beautiful Lake Arenal, the sky awash in fiery colors and the lake mirroring rosy hues, again, there is no better place to be than on that same deck. Sip a cool drink, snap your most memorable travel photos, and revel in the splendor of nature’s beauty.

Painter and ceramist, Costa Rican artist Rebeca Fernandez Zeledón was born in 1967. With studies in Fine Arts at the Universidad de Costa Rica and the Universidad Autónoma de Centro América, she obtained an specialization degree in ceramic in the italian city of Faenza. Her creative experience has been permanent in her life since she was15 years old and this has been also her earing and lifestyle. With personal and collective exibitions in Costa and Italy, she obtained several distinctions as innovative designer.

This is a summary of the major eruptions of Arenal Volcano between July 29, 1968 and 2008 (Source: La Nación Newspaper)

“Currently the volcano is in a resting period with very little activity”

Bordered by the Cerro Chato volcano and La Fortuna town and hidden among lush green trees and sloping forest is the Arenal Volcano National Park, in Costa Rica, a place where the Arenal Observatory Lodge with its 870 acres of different forest, habitats and biodiversity is nested- a place to hear “the frog sings”.

Some days, Arenal Volcano really smokes
Arenal Volcano stills let off smokes. This “sleepy volcano” may “wakes up” again and starts erupting.
Because of the gas we see in the cone of the volcano, from Arenal Observatory Lodge & Spa, we decided to check this phenomenon with volcanologist and friend J. Barquero, mentioning the stages taking place in the Arenal Volcano.

By Shannon Farley, travel blog writer for Enchanting Costa Rica

“Phil’s Villa” is named in memory of Phillip Slosberg, a longtime guest at Arenal Observatory Lodge & Spa, who built this house and made it his home. Phil, as he was affectionately known, lived here with his wife, Jeanie, from 2008 to 2011.

Just around the bend on every trail at Arenal Observatory Lodge & Spa is a magnificent new view of the impressive Arenal Volcano and rainforest in Costa Rica.

The award-winning eco-lodge is uniquely located inside the Arenal Volcano National Park, directly between the massive volcano and Lake Arenal. Seven miles of mountain biking, horseback riding and hiking trails meander across the volcano lodge’s 870-acre property.

Explore our habitat and discover its riches
When it’s rainy in Costa Rica, you can be sure there will be plenty to do throughout the country.
Located at the foothills of the Arenal Volcano at an elevation of 350 ft above the sea level, Arenal Observatory Lodge is an eco-project farm with a friendly atmosphere that the whole family can enjoy during the trip.

The Aspinall Family came to Arenal in 1972 when the Costa Rican Electrical Institue (ICE) was building a dam to create Arenal Lake. At the beginning they had to either walk or ride by horses from the entrance of the National Park and decided to buy an abandoned cattle farm of about 870 acres to plant macadamia, lumber trees and protect the remaining natural forest.

The beautiful region of the northern plains of Costa Rica sits in the shadow of its more famous neighbor, Arenal Volcano, this volcano is so fascinating, delightful and the awe-inspiring natural character of the environment, immerses you in wildlife and the rainforest.

Each day of theweek for the last ten years, our bird specialist named Cristian organized a morning tour in the Arenal Observatory Lodge. Every morning, starting early, the tour begins with small talk to begin the walk-through of the property fields.

We are know how to put on a party – big time. If you are lucky enough to share a holiday or fiesta with our local people, it will add a whole new dimension to your vacation.

December – All month – the Lights Festival in San Jose features homes and business decotared with lights. Parades, concerts and nightly firework displays. The following activities can make your trip an unique experience:

For two days in September, the Arenal Observatory Lodge & Spa had the pleasure of hosting a workshop on birdwatching in collaboration with the Costa Rica Ornithology Association (Asociación Ornitologica de Costa Rica). In addition to our staff at the hotel, we invited members of the community to join us for one of two, four-hour long workshops providing an introduction into ornithology and the importance of birdwatching.

December 2013 – Arenal Annual Birding Count

The 1st Arenal Annual Christmas Bird Counts, sponsored by Arenal Observatory Lodge and conducted by International and local bird watchers, bird lovers and volunteers, were held throughout the Arenal area. The counts attempt to record every individual bird encountered within 8 different routes and during 8 hours of one calendar day during December 7, 2013. The Christmas Bird Counts identified 341 bird species only in Arenal surrounding area; this represents 38% of Costa Rica´s Biodiversity.

We had a very pleasant and enjoyable stay at the lodge and in the La Fortuna area in general. My group was especially pleased with their accommodations and I was happy with my room as well, even though my view was not quite as good and I couldn’t see the birds that they had so close to their rooms!

Highlights Exceptional location and views of Arenal Volcano. Eco friendly resort so you can get up close to the...