I lead an annual women's adventure experiential travel trip in Costa Rica each February. My group and I loved our time at Danta-- the vision and passion of owner, Merlyn, the outstanding manager, Nelson, and everyone else on the staff. The rooms and bungalows are very comfortable, and each one is uniquely designed, but always with local sustainable materials. And the bathrooms! Each one more creative than the next!!

While Danta is physically located in a remote and beautiful setting, it is deeply connected to the local community of Guadalupe and the Osa. That is part of what makes it so special. The Finca Kobo "chocolate" tour <with an incredibly delicious ending!> and the opportunity to learn some of the history, traditions, and stories of the Guaymi community are unique offerings well worth the time and money.

The lodge is built from wood that they collected in the area and it does look great. We stayed in the main building and were the only guests because in early December it was just the beginning of the season. It would have been nice to stay with other guests because it felt a bit akward to be on our own. They told us that they were pretty much full all the time from Mid-December to the end of April. There are also some individual bungalows which are built in the middle of the jungle. They are certainly worth a try as well. We only stayed for one night because we went on the hike with one of their guides from Los Patos to La Sirena Ranger Station through the Corcovado NP. it is the most convenient lodge to spend the night before this long hike. The tours they had on offer sounded nice, i.e. canoeing in the Osa bay, visiting the Guayami people or visiting the Cocoa farm which apparently makes excellent chocolate. We would have loved to visit the Cocoa farm but they were not yet open, again too early in the season. The lodge has a few easy to do trails which keep you busy for an afternoon. We didn't see many animals but that was probably due to the rain. We did see a basilisk lizard who was running across the water on his back legs, hence its other name "Jesus Christ Lizard". The food was delicious. The only critisism we've got is the dessert which was made with tinned fruit. The lodge calls itself an Eco lodge which does not go with tinned fruit. We hope that they will not serve tinned fruit anymore. They must have bananas or papaya nearby which they can serve instead. Our room was big and the bathroom pretty much outside. Looking at the jungle whilst you are having a shower is a great feeling! Despite it being so open-air we didn't see any creepy crawley's. They may have seen us though...

We only stayed one evening, on our way to Corcovado, but Danta was an oasis. We took the bus from Puerto Jimenez (40min-1hr) to La Palma. We got a "taxi" to Danta.
Our room was in the main lobby/hotel area but walked around on the trails and saw the other independent hut options available. We had some tropical drinks at the bar and enjoyed an amazing 3 course dinner. It would have been great for a few days stay.
They accommodated our early departure and provided a granola and fruit breakfast. They had arranged for another "taxi" (wooden benches on the back of a pick up) to drive us to Corcovado at 6am. It worked out great!
At dinner they asked if we would like a box lunch ($10) to take on our hike. This sounded like a good idea and they had them prepared for our departure. The contents were two sandwiches, juice box, an orange, and some candies. By the time we were ready for lunch, the sandwiches (ham with hot sauce/mayo?) were a soggy mess. We were sad/disappointed.
In any case, the stay was great. The decor was so unique and interesting. In speaking with the owner, we found out he let the local artisans run wild with their imagination and creativity. Danta is truly a one-of-a-kind place.

Danta Lodge provides an amazing jungle experience. The bungalows are built with local, sustainable materials by local artisans who take a pride in their work. Not only are the bunglalows comfortable, they are very creatively designed. The open ceiling bathrooms are amazing! Heavily netted walls keep unwanted critters out of the bungalows. The jungle noises are wonderful to wake up to. This is a birders paradise! Individual trails lead from the Lodge to each bungalow. The open air Lodge itself is another amazing building very artistically designed. The food here is amazing and locally sourced. There are some wonderful trails on the property which backs up to Corcovado National Park. Merlin has taken the family farm and recreated a sustainable Lodge that many people can experience and learn from. The family continues to involve the community in all they do by providing work opportunities, encouraging local businesses and giving back to the community. I recommend a trip to the ranger station and taking a guided hike from there. You will need water shoes or old boots for water crossings. The transport to the park consists of riding in the back of a flat bed truck on the river beds and water crossings - this is a great part of the experience. I also recommend the mangrove kayak tour (Merlin will advise you the best time to go). Another tour I really enjoyed was the Chocolate Tour at Finca Kobo. Not only did I learn about the process of making chocolate, I learned so much about organic farming and also providing food and safe passage for the birds and animals of the region. Ask Merlin to tell you about his vision for Danta Lodge and the community and also request a viewing of the video "Cracking the Golden Egg" and compare what you are experiencing at Danta Lodge with what is happening in other parts of Costa Rica..