The Rio Indio Adventure Lodge

Wow. What a truly wonderful experience I had at the Rio Indio lodge. I had the good fortune to travel to the lodge with the principal, Dr. Alfredo Lopez. The trip to the lodge was even eye opening. It's a journey to get there from San Jose, CR but worth the experience. I went there to fish and fish I did! I caught Tarpon, Jack Crevalle in the ocean and Guapote, Machaca and Mojarra up in the rivers. A gruop of anglers came in while I was there and they took like seven different species never before encountered by them. They, likle me, absolutley loved it. The lodge is a grand old dame, built at great expense out of locally sourced materials and labor. Hurricane Otto devastated the area in 2016 and the lodge is still trying to recover fully from that. However, I will say that the level of accommodation and the spot on service I received there was really fantastic. They served us proper multi-course meals three time a day with sit down service and lovely repast. If you are looking for a far flung adventure coupled with luxury, this is the place for the seasoned traveler. It was one of the best trips I have ever been on and I have been on many.

Amazing place to get away and disconnect. Dr. Lopez and his staff were very attentive, and we received red carpet treatment throughout our stay. We flew into San Jose Costa Rica where we spent our 1st night at the San Jose Barcelo. We were picked up in the morning and transported via land (3 hrs.) to the San Juan River where Dr. Lopez himself met us as we boarded the boat and continued another 3 hrs. down river to San Juan de Nicaragua. Upon arrival we were greeted with Pina Coladas and sat down for a hearty lunch before heading out for an afternoon of fishing. We spent the next 4 days fishing for Tarpon on the ocean and Rainbow Bass and Snook in the jungle. Although the fishing was not what we had hoped for our guide Porfilio has been guiding with Dr. Lopez for 20 years and he worked endlessly trying to put us on the fish. The Lodge is beautiful, the staff is great, and the food plentiful. This was an experience of a lifetime and one my dad and I will cherish forever.

AMAZING tarpon fishing. Got into them every day and had some epic battles. Food and staff were great! Traditional Caribbean dishes with lots of fish. Great fresh fruits for breakfast. Lodge was peaceful and the air conditioning in my room worked great.

My husband and I traveled to the lodge from MN, a full day but worth it. The trip to the lodge is an interesting adventure in itself, a beautiful and very comfortable boat ride down the river through the jungle. Dr Lopez and his staff went beyond our expectations to ensure an amazing trip for us. The food, company and the grounds were even more than we had expected. We caught two trophy tarpon, one was 180lbs! We learned so much about the culture and people of the area, very kind and hard working. We felt like part of a family rather than just guests at the lodge. I highly recommend The Rio Indio Lodge if you are looking for a unique adventure with amazing hospitality.

This is a special place. A palace in the middle of the jungle. The staff are excellent and friendly. The tours through the jungle river tributaries are amazing. I would definitely go back. You don't expect air conditioning, great food and hot showers in the middle of nowhere. If you want to get away from it all and you like fishing or exploring nature this is the spot.

After a 2 year trip delay (covid), we finally made it to Rio Indio Lodge and we were not disappointed! The airport in Graytown was closed so we had to drive to the Sarapiqui River and then take a boat downriver to the lodge. This took a lot more time than the usual puddle-jumper flight, but the reward was getting to see much more of the beautiful countryside. The lodge itself is beautiful and the service is excellent. Doc and the staff will make sure that you have everything that you want or need. We enjoyed the jungle trip to fish for Guapote and we caught several nice fish. The Tarpon bite was slow while we were there, but we still managed to get a couple and several nice Jacks too! If you are looking for a quiet and relaxing jungle vacation, or an adventurous jungle excursion, I highly recommend the Rio Indio!!

We began planning this trip in January of 2021, but had to re-schedule for reasons obvious to anyone living in the present day. What we received for our patience was the trip of a lifetime that will forever be welcomed in our memories. We traveled down the Río San Juan, from San Carlos and we’re greeted upon arrival by the one and only Dr. López, backed by his incredible staff with a welcome coconut rum in hand. We spent 3 days fishing the Rio Indio, Rio San Juan, Lagunas Ebo and Barca, and every creek known to our expert guide Porfidio Durte. We caught giant Guapote, Bluegill, Mudfish, and one Tiger Bass. We were unable to fish for Tarpon in the Caribbean due to high winds and unstable ocean conditions, but the experience of fishing with Porfidio was once in a lifetime. His knowledge of the area was unparalleled, and we feel truly blessed for the jungle safari/ father-son fishing trip. Dr. López is the most the gracious and warm host we have ever met. His clockwork schedule and supreme love of the Rio Indio Lodge knows no boundaries. If we could give 10 stars we would. Do yourself the favor of trekking to this once in a lifetime location, warm staff, and exhilarating experience. Highly recommended!!

I had a blast fishing at Rio Indio Lodge. The owner opened the lodge all just FOR ME! Can you believe that??? So this place is literally in the middle of the rain forest which is great for all the fishing opportunities, but there are things that the people cannot control: immigration at the border, weather, waves, lack of baitfish, etc. But in the midst of all that, I had to cast a lot of times to get the fish that I wanted: Tarpon, Snook, Mojarra, Guapote (Rainbow Bass), etc. My guide, Rosendo, was awesome. He would check out the water/weather conditions and let me know prior to each day what he thinks is the best plan for that day. I wanted to do more Tarpon fishing but there wasn't a lot of baitfish and the weather didn't cooperate. So we ended up doing a lot of jungle fishing which resulted in finally me achieving a bucket list item of catching a Guapote. Because I worked hard casting so many times, I burned a lot of calories and ate a ton of the delicious food that the kitchen staff prepared for me. Any requests, they will be happy to try to accommodate you. And best of all, is that the staff will cook any of the fish that you catch and they'll do it amazingly! I highly recommend people to check this place out because even when I was fishing, there were so many wildlife sightings. Actually, I should back up that the folks will help plan everything in advance so there is no worry on your part. This even includes the COVID test that you have to take prior to going to Nicaragua.