San Carlos, Nicaragua

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We left La Fortuna on the 6am bus to Ciudad Quesada (1.20h) for our connecting bus to the border town of Los Chiles (2.5h) where we brought our boat ticket and got our exit stamp for the border crossing. The boat journey down the Rio Frio was beautiful seeing many of the same animals that we had seen in Tortuguero along the way. The boat dropped us off at the immigration post in San Carlos Nicaragua, after which we were picked up for our boat transport to the Jungle Lodge La Esquina del Lago, named because it sits on the corner where the Rio Frio and Rio San Juan meet the lake.

The lodge was built 10 years ago by a French fishing enthusiast and that is the primary reason for people to come and stay in the lodge, to catch giant tarpon and snook in the lake. The lodge was very quiet and peaceful at night (only disturbance being the bats trying to roost in our room at night), and with hardly any light polution the stars were clear and brilliant in the sky and the vegetation surrounding the lodge was full of fireflys.

The lodge provides 2 man kayaks for guests to go exploring the rivers and lake, so on our first day we did just that and paddled up the Rio Frio (Mark fishing on the way of course). It is a lovely small river full of herons, kingfishers, turtles and only the occasional small houses on the banks. It was a good work out paddleing against the flow on the way up the river, and a lovely leisurely float back to the lodge.

Mark had a couple of early morning fishing excursions (5am) with one of the lodges guides on small zodiac up the Rio San Juan. They caught lots of snook, the biggest weighing 15lbs, which we ate with the other guests and lodge staff. Very delicious it was too. He also spent quite a bit of time just fishing off the lodge dock for small mojara and catfish. I spent most of my time reading swinging in a hammock, bliss!

There is no land surrounding the lodge it is built on stilts as the surounding land is all wetlands, so if you want to go to town you have to ask the staff to run you accross in the boat. There is no real need to go anywhere though as all meals were included in the price, and very nice too, especially the banana flambe!

Our last night was great fun, after watching the most incredible sun set, the staff did a bbq and all the guests ate together on one big table. 3 Americans, 2 Germans, Us, and the French owner who played blues on his guitar whilst we all digested our meal with the local rum, Flor de Caña.

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Photos

Rio Frio
Enjoying some time on the water with one of the lodges 2 man kayaks

Tasty success
15lb snook caught in the Rio San Juan

Rio Frio
Enjoying time on the water fishing

San Carlos
The view of San Carlos across the lake from the lodge

Champa and Mark
Two happy fishermen

Sunset from the lodge
The island in the distance is one of the Solentiname islands.

View of the lodge
Taken from lake Nicaragua from the kayak

Geese, Piches
taken from the kayaks on lake Nicaragua

The hut
Our bedroom on our last night here, a very rickety Tarzan and Jane hut as the owner put it.

Comments

[Karen Squibb]

Wow !!
I would love this part of your trip - the lodge and surrounding area looked so peaceful and so pleased Mark has finally caught a whopper !! With a hammock to swing in and flambe bananas on the menu - I would be in heaven !! Take care and carry on enjoying.......