Corcovada Jungle Lodge is part of a larger accommodation and adventure tour centre. Set amidst manicured gardens just above a rocky headland and adjacent to a sheltered little sandy bay, the property boasts tent accommodation on the lower level, cabins with magnificent sea views on the level above, and a hostel at the top of the hill nestled in the jungle. It was a bit of a slog getting up to the hostel itself, but its position in the jungle made it all worthwhile.
I was sharing the dorm with a French-Canadian girl who was keen to check out a local waterfall along the Rio Claro south of the lodge. As I was planning on walking the jungle trails that followed the coastline, we set off together. The trail wound its way through the jungle and in and out of little sandy beaches. At one point we climbed up to another property where cabins were situated high on the hillside overlooking the sea. We asked to have a look in one and were impressed with the simple but spacious room and the decent sized deck overlooking that magnificent view. At USD190 per night, it was a bit of a splurge though.
We continued on until reaching the Rio Claro. A beautiful, cool lagoon lay just beyond the beach where the river slowly discharged its flow. We forded at the shallowest part and discreetly left our packs on the shore. Then it was a matter a swimming about a 100m upstream to where a small cascade joined the main river. Janie climbed up and reported the way on was quite difficult. As we only brought a pair of thongs with us, I decided not to continue in that direction, instead swimming further upstream. I managed to reach a section of river partially blocked by a large boulder and some white water I wasn’t able to pass through about 400m upstream. Turning around, I floated with the current back to the packs to await Janie.
Janie returned after a bit and reported the trail to the waterfall was sketchy to say the least, especially in a pair of thongs. We swapped stories then packed our things ready to leave. Unfortunately, the tide had started to come in by this stage so our knee-high river crossing was now up to our thighs. Packs held high, we managed to get across without incident.
Back at our lodge, we decided to chill for a bit before continuing along the trail in the other direction. A German guy Janie had met the previous day invited us to check out a friend’s accommodation property, so we went with him and another French-Canadian guy. This part of the trail was very different from the other side in that it was up higher and crossed several little bridges en-route. As it was getting late by this stage, we were walking in the cooler dusk which made for a much more pleasant traverse. But then we had to climb up the side of a hill to get to the property. Janie and I had our phones with us which we needed to get back in the darkness that by then had prevailed.
Wild Woman Wandering 