Staying in a Costa Rican Treehouse
This was a real highlight of the trip so far. Nature Observatorio is a treehouse in a secluded part of the Costa Rican jungle at a point of extraordinary biodiversity. Only accessible after a hike and then by climbing a rope which is then pulled up to make this a real treehouse, even if a t-rex walked past you'd be completely fine. Occasionally you might see the trees move in a very jurassic park sort of way, don't worry though it's probably just some howler monkeys. Though the seclusion of this spot really does make you feel as though you've been transported back to the Jurassic period.... though the wine and food, shower, bed, and solar panel gives it that modern touch.
Unlike most other treehouses, this treehouse is suspended from the top down and supported by (7-8 I think) giant straps that run over the main branches at the top of the tree, with each being able to support 8 or so tons. At 2 tons the treehouse comes way under the maximum weight and according to Peter he designed it to be modular so he could easily hang another level underneath if he wished. He told us about the art of tree climbing by using ropes and in a non-destructive way. Around the jungle he pointed out tiny bit of fishing wire that are secured over branches to allow him to string up a rope at anytime. Using the simple method of catapulting a fishing wire over a branch he can use his special climbing equipment to climb the tree without harming it.
In the same way his treehouse is not damaging the tree and he expects to take the treehouse down and move it to another location in a few years to make sure of this. As we walked further on in to the jungle Peter began pointing out plants (including wild ginger) and little animals that I'd never thought I'd be able to see so easily. A couple of strawberry dart frogs here, some howler monkeys playing in the trees up there. I'd never been in a place (or perhaps had the right guide) where animals appeared to be everywhere. According to Peter this area of Costa Rica is indeed one of the most bio-diverse areas on the planet due to the variety of environments in such close proximity and the fact the area was bought privately and conserved many years ago. Most of the areas similar to this are reserves with thousands of loud tourists passing through a year. The animals in the reserves often move away from these area which explained why we hardly saw anything at the Monteverde cloud forest. The different eco-systems were also the coast areas, the jungle behind and around Manzanillo there was also a large swamp and mangrove area. Combined they create the perfect habitat for a huge array of animals.
After about 40 minutes of what I would describe as light hiking, we reached the tree. Looking up we saw the green and reddish bottom of the tree house and a face staring back down as us. One of Peters helpers (who I've completely forgotten the name of) was up in the treehouse cleaning and getting it ready for us. Peter called up to him to announce Kate's fear of spiders which we'd told him about and so the helper went about clearing the treehouse of spiders. We'd read online that there can be banana spiders (also know as golden-orb spiders and not to be confused with the Brazilian Wandering spider) in and around the tree house. These spiders are huge and look absolutely terrifying. Peter told us they were harmless and even had one crawl up his arm at one point (much to Kate's dismay). I did a bit of research afterwards and found out the large females are harmless and though they can bit at most they could give you a scratch, the males which don't appear to be around the treehouse are poisonous, but not dangerously so.
Kate decided to head up to the treehouse first so Peter helped put her harness on and got her ready with the rope before showing her how to climb the rope. To climb the rope you have to use all your available limbs. Both feet are looped into a piece of rope which is then connected to the main rope, then the harness is connected to the main rope above that. To climb you need to raise your legs up while sliding the connection up, then stand up and move the harness connection up with the slack you've created. It looks like it would be pretty easy but the rope moves around a lot and it's hard to stop yourself from standing up to the side rather than directly up. Kate did extremely well despite my best efforts to distract her by asking her if she'll be up there before sunset. Next it was my turn and I quickly found out just how hard it was. As I climbed up I noticed I was being pulled up slightly by the guy at the top, a helping hand to speed me along, I must have been the one taking my time. When you get to the top of the rope there is a narrow trap door that disappears in to the treehouse. You have to slither your way through and be careful not to bump yourself (you're wearing a helmet which definitely helps). Once you're through the trap door is closed and you're free to get out of the harness.
First impressions of the treehouse are awesome. The first thing you see is a panoramic view of the jungle with the sea just beyond it. The treehouse itself is clean and well fitted out with a kitchenette, sofa, toilet, and even a shower! The beds are up on the second floor which is access by one of two stairways on one side, they are really comfortable and have purpose built mosquito netting with none of those pesky holes in. Peter told us it was a custom design he'd come up with that was breathable, durable and above all, kept out the insects. He should definitely patent it because it really did work! There were also a couple of nice hammocks and some bookshelves with binoculars and some books on the wildlife of costa rica. It was awesome.
Peter asked us what we wanted for dinner and as Kate had got me the VIP package we got a bottle of wine too. We requested red as we hadn't had any for a long time and for dinner typical Costa Rican fare would be perfect. One of Peters employees would have to order the food and then carry it through the jungle to us where we would pull the food up on the rope to the treehouse. It's definitely the best delivery I've had. For security Peter leaves mobile phone in the treehouse in case of emergencies, but otherwise as soon as they leave you're on your own in paradise.
Peter had told us that the main times the animals come out are just after dawn and just before dusk. We spent an hour so looking around the treehouse and getting showered and changed in to our clean clothes. The shower is to the side of the treehouse with two glass panels so you can see out in to the distance while you clean. As I stood in the the shower - dipping in and out due to it being a little fresh - I could watch the birds fly from tree to tree. Some of the birds had giant beaks and flew in a very unique fashion. As I washed out the soap from my hair I suddenly realised it was a flock of toucans! This has got to be one of the best showers out there!
After getting dressed and and grabbing the binoculars we began to see and here the jungle come to life. Parrots flew by, toucans came to the trees next to us, including both the chestnut-mandibilled and the keel-billed (thanks to the wildlife books!). Soon howler monkeys appeared in the tree behind and infront of the tree house and we were busy running around in circles not sure what to look at or take photographs of next. A baby howler monkey appeared and did it's best to pose for photos before a slatey-tailed trogon tried to steal its thunder. The nature really was coming to us.
Around 5:30pm, before it went dark, our food delivery arrived far below, they connected the rope and we pulled up a big bag of tasty dinner and even more exciting was the bottle of red wine. After we had pulled everything up we had to pull up the rest of the rope that was hanging down and we were officially disconnected from the outside world. The dinner was chicken, rice and beans and was really tasty and the wine was an absolute treat. As we had dinner the sun began to set and the animals of the jungle started to quieten down. We'd occasionally see a toucan or a parrot fly past on it's way to bed and then as the sun disappeared the jungle went silent.
After finishing the dinner we spend a couple of hours reading by torch light and enjoying the wine before we also decided to head to bed, we also needed to be up early to catch the jungle waking up. I did a check upstairs to make sure there were no creepy crawlies, though they too seemed to have gone to sleep. We got in to the bed and made sure the fly net was tucked under to avoid anything getting in (Isla Ometepe style) and soon we were sound asleep.
We awoke to the sounds of the jungle. Howler monkeys in the distance, and all the birds waking up and announcing the suns arrival. We too got up to watch the toucans and parrots flying between trees again. We sat up watching the world come to life for a couple of hours though it hardly felt like anytime at all. All too soon the sun was fully up and the animals had gone away to do their daily business. Around 9am there was a call from below announcing that breakfast had arrived. We lowered the rope and up came our chef for the morning. It was at this point we noticed there were quite a few more insects around the treehouse than there were before, and more specifically there were a lot more tiny, little bees. They had all been attracted by a leaky carton of juice than had leaked over some of the bookshelf and now this swarm of bees had come to collect all the sugary goodness. I did my best to clean up before our helper made it up the rope but I wasn't quite successful. He arrived and helped me to clean up the mess - much more successfully that I had been doing on my own!
For breakfast it was jogurt, fruit and muesli, as well as some eggs and toast. We had a bit of time to pack our things and say goodbye to the treehouse (we really would miss it!). When we were ready we put our harnesses on and abseiled down to the jungle floor where we met Peter who asked all about the animals we'd seen. Peter continued to be a great guide all the way back and showed us some more poison dart frogs which were really cool. He took us to meet his family at his house where we met his new born son who was very interested in the strange people who had come to visit. Peter and his wife were extremely welcoming and we continued our great conversation before they very kindly gave us a lift back to Puerto Viejo.
And that, was my unbeatable 30th birthday (present), here are a few more photos!
Getting There
You can book your night (or more) in the treehouse through the nature observatorio website.
We caught the bus from the main street in Puerto Viejo towards Manzanillo, they come every hour or so and you can flag them down anywhere along the way. Ask your hostel to give the company a call to get a current timetable.
We caught the bus from the main street in Puerto Viejo towards Manzanillo, they come every hour or so and you can flag them down anywhere along the way. Ask your hostel to give the company a call to get a current timetable.
Journal
After we met Peter in Manzanillo he showed us to his car where we put our larger bags for storage while we were up in the treehouse. It was only a short 10 minute drive before we stopped at a quiet spot surrounded by jungle. We got out of the car and Peter told us this is where we start the short hike (40 minutes) up to the treehouse. We made sure we had all our necessary things that we might need up in the treehouse and then we set off at a leisurely pace as Peter talked to us about the area and we asked him questions about the treehouse and it's construction. Peter told us how he'd spent two years searching the jungle around Manzanillo searching for the right tree, and how his job as a structural engineer allowed him to design the treehouse in a safe and eco-friendly way.Unlike most other treehouses, this treehouse is suspended from the top down and supported by (7-8 I think) giant straps that run over the main branches at the top of the tree, with each being able to support 8 or so tons. At 2 tons the treehouse comes way under the maximum weight and according to Peter he designed it to be modular so he could easily hang another level underneath if he wished. He told us about the art of tree climbing by using ropes and in a non-destructive way. Around the jungle he pointed out tiny bit of fishing wire that are secured over branches to allow him to string up a rope at anytime. Using the simple method of catapulting a fishing wire over a branch he can use his special climbing equipment to climb the tree without harming it.
In the same way his treehouse is not damaging the tree and he expects to take the treehouse down and move it to another location in a few years to make sure of this. As we walked further on in to the jungle Peter began pointing out plants (including wild ginger) and little animals that I'd never thought I'd be able to see so easily. A couple of strawberry dart frogs here, some howler monkeys playing in the trees up there. I'd never been in a place (or perhaps had the right guide) where animals appeared to be everywhere. According to Peter this area of Costa Rica is indeed one of the most bio-diverse areas on the planet due to the variety of environments in such close proximity and the fact the area was bought privately and conserved many years ago. Most of the areas similar to this are reserves with thousands of loud tourists passing through a year. The animals in the reserves often move away from these area which explained why we hardly saw anything at the Monteverde cloud forest. The different eco-systems were also the coast areas, the jungle behind and around Manzanillo there was also a large swamp and mangrove area. Combined they create the perfect habitat for a huge array of animals.
After about 40 minutes of what I would describe as light hiking, we reached the tree. Looking up we saw the green and reddish bottom of the tree house and a face staring back down as us. One of Peters helpers (who I've completely forgotten the name of) was up in the treehouse cleaning and getting it ready for us. Peter called up to him to announce Kate's fear of spiders which we'd told him about and so the helper went about clearing the treehouse of spiders. We'd read online that there can be banana spiders (also know as golden-orb spiders and not to be confused with the Brazilian Wandering spider) in and around the tree house. These spiders are huge and look absolutely terrifying. Peter told us they were harmless and even had one crawl up his arm at one point (much to Kate's dismay). I did a bit of research afterwards and found out the large females are harmless and though they can bit at most they could give you a scratch, the males which don't appear to be around the treehouse are poisonous, but not dangerously so.
Kate decided to head up to the treehouse first so Peter helped put her harness on and got her ready with the rope before showing her how to climb the rope. To climb the rope you have to use all your available limbs. Both feet are looped into a piece of rope which is then connected to the main rope, then the harness is connected to the main rope above that. To climb you need to raise your legs up while sliding the connection up, then stand up and move the harness connection up with the slack you've created. It looks like it would be pretty easy but the rope moves around a lot and it's hard to stop yourself from standing up to the side rather than directly up. Kate did extremely well despite my best efforts to distract her by asking her if she'll be up there before sunset. Next it was my turn and I quickly found out just how hard it was. As I climbed up I noticed I was being pulled up slightly by the guy at the top, a helping hand to speed me along, I must have been the one taking my time. When you get to the top of the rope there is a narrow trap door that disappears in to the treehouse. You have to slither your way through and be careful not to bump yourself (you're wearing a helmet which definitely helps). Once you're through the trap door is closed and you're free to get out of the harness.
First impressions of the treehouse are awesome. The first thing you see is a panoramic view of the jungle with the sea just beyond it. The treehouse itself is clean and well fitted out with a kitchenette, sofa, toilet, and even a shower! The beds are up on the second floor which is access by one of two stairways on one side, they are really comfortable and have purpose built mosquito netting with none of those pesky holes in. Peter told us it was a custom design he'd come up with that was breathable, durable and above all, kept out the insects. He should definitely patent it because it really did work! There were also a couple of nice hammocks and some bookshelves with binoculars and some books on the wildlife of costa rica. It was awesome.
 |
| Kate with her helmet on! |
Peter asked us what we wanted for dinner and as Kate had got me the VIP package we got a bottle of wine too. We requested red as we hadn't had any for a long time and for dinner typical Costa Rican fare would be perfect. One of Peters employees would have to order the food and then carry it through the jungle to us where we would pull the food up on the rope to the treehouse. It's definitely the best delivery I've had. For security Peter leaves mobile phone in the treehouse in case of emergencies, but otherwise as soon as they leave you're on your own in paradise.
Peter had told us that the main times the animals come out are just after dawn and just before dusk. We spent an hour so looking around the treehouse and getting showered and changed in to our clean clothes. The shower is to the side of the treehouse with two glass panels so you can see out in to the distance while you clean. As I stood in the the shower - dipping in and out due to it being a little fresh - I could watch the birds fly from tree to tree. Some of the birds had giant beaks and flew in a very unique fashion. As I washed out the soap from my hair I suddenly realised it was a flock of toucans! This has got to be one of the best showers out there!
After getting dressed and and grabbing the binoculars we began to see and here the jungle come to life. Parrots flew by, toucans came to the trees next to us, including both the chestnut-mandibilled and the keel-billed (thanks to the wildlife books!). Soon howler monkeys appeared in the tree behind and infront of the tree house and we were busy running around in circles not sure what to look at or take photographs of next. A baby howler monkey appeared and did it's best to pose for photos before a slatey-tailed trogon tried to steal its thunder. The nature really was coming to us.
Around 5:30pm, before it went dark, our food delivery arrived far below, they connected the rope and we pulled up a big bag of tasty dinner and even more exciting was the bottle of red wine. After we had pulled everything up we had to pull up the rest of the rope that was hanging down and we were officially disconnected from the outside world. The dinner was chicken, rice and beans and was really tasty and the wine was an absolute treat. As we had dinner the sun began to set and the animals of the jungle started to quieten down. We'd occasionally see a toucan or a parrot fly past on it's way to bed and then as the sun disappeared the jungle went silent.
After finishing the dinner we spend a couple of hours reading by torch light and enjoying the wine before we also decided to head to bed, we also needed to be up early to catch the jungle waking up. I did a check upstairs to make sure there were no creepy crawlies, though they too seemed to have gone to sleep. We got in to the bed and made sure the fly net was tucked under to avoid anything getting in (Isla Ometepe style) and soon we were sound asleep.
We awoke to the sounds of the jungle. Howler monkeys in the distance, and all the birds waking up and announcing the suns arrival. We too got up to watch the toucans and parrots flying between trees again. We sat up watching the world come to life for a couple of hours though it hardly felt like anytime at all. All too soon the sun was fully up and the animals had gone away to do their daily business. Around 9am there was a call from below announcing that breakfast had arrived. We lowered the rope and up came our chef for the morning. It was at this point we noticed there were quite a few more insects around the treehouse than there were before, and more specifically there were a lot more tiny, little bees. They had all been attracted by a leaky carton of juice than had leaked over some of the bookshelf and now this swarm of bees had come to collect all the sugary goodness. I did my best to clean up before our helper made it up the rope but I wasn't quite successful. He arrived and helped me to clean up the mess - much more successfully that I had been doing on my own!
For breakfast it was jogurt, fruit and muesli, as well as some eggs and toast. We had a bit of time to pack our things and say goodbye to the treehouse (we really would miss it!). When we were ready we put our harnesses on and abseiled down to the jungle floor where we met Peter who asked all about the animals we'd seen. Peter continued to be a great guide all the way back and showed us some more poison dart frogs which were really cool. He took us to meet his family at his house where we met his new born son who was very interested in the strange people who had come to visit. Peter and his wife were extremely welcoming and we continued our great conversation before they very kindly gave us a lift back to Puerto Viejo.
And that, was my unbeatable 30th birthday (present), here are a few more photos!
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