The translation of Pedacito de Cielo is “Little Piece of Heaven.” Hotel Pedacito de Cielo Eco-Lodge is a 300 hectare site situated on the San Carlos River in the San Carlos region. The site is run by Marco Tulio Hidalgo, and he is eager to share his little piece of heaven with you.
The lodge sits right above the San Carlos River and private bungalows come equipped with a lounging area and a porch overlooking the river. There are two decks that sit high above the Rio San Carlos and offer great views of the river, the setting sun and makes for easy birding. In the evenings, the calls of both the Scarlet and Great Green Macaws are heard, and both are frequently seen. There are gardens, fruit and fruit trees right outside of the individual cabins that attract honeycreepers, orioles, oropendolas and even toucans right to your door.
The reserve for the lodge is actually about 2 km from the lodge. At the reserve there are a number of trails that take you through quality rainforest and native species reforestation plantations. There is also a separate lagoon to explore. There are covered decks and trails for you to bird from at the lagoon. The forest hosts hard to find species such as the Dusky Antbird, while the lagoon is home to rare species such as the Rufescent Tiger-Heron. Don Marco can set up a ride to take to you to the reserve, but the birding along the road is great on its own. You are welcome to bird without a guide; however Hugo is the guide available to take you to and through the reserve. Although Hugo does not speak English, he is able to communicate in one form or another, and visitors enjoy his company.
In addition to birding and hiking, horseback riding tours and tours of the San Carlos River via kayak are available. Another highlight at Hotel Pedacito de Cielo Eco-Lodge is undoubtedly the delicious cuisine cooked mostly with fruits and vegetables grown right on site. Marco is extremely accommodating and will do just about whatever you need to make your stay enjoyable.
Other Bird Route reserves in the area include Laguna del Lagarto Lodge, Maquenque Eco-lodge and Quebrada Grande Reserve.
Contact Information
To make a reservation at Hotel Pedacito De Cielo Eco Lodge you can call the lodge at 506-8308-9595, or 506-8981-0920 and speak with Don Marco. You may also be able to coordinate pick-up from Pital or Boca Tapada with Marcos. Prices and more information are available at http://www.pedacitodecielo.com/EN/index.php
DIRECTIONS
(N 10° 42' 54'', W 84° 10' 32'')
Mi Pedacito is in the northernmost reaches of the Costa Rican Bird Route, north of the town of Boca Tapada. To get to Mi Pedacito one must travel to Pital. Once you reach Pital, reset your trip odometer and continue straight through Pital for 1.0 km to the gas station. Continue past the gas station for 2.5 km where you will arrive at a Y intersection. Go Right and continue for approximately 9 km to another Y. Follow the sign to Boca Tapada to the right. After another km or so you will reach another gas station, where you will continue straight and stay to the left. Here you will see a sign for Mi Pedacito de Cielo. Continue on straight through the town of Saino and follow the signs for Boca Tapada. Boca Tapada in total is about 28 km from Pital. Continue straight through Boca Tapada going down the hill, and then following the road back up the mountain, where you will wind around for about another 6 km and pass Maquenque Eco-lodge. Near km 34 from Pital you will come to a major Y intersection. Continue for 1km to Mi Pedacito de Cielo. Go right for 2.5 km to reach Laguna del Lagarto Lodge. Getting to Mi Pedacito can be an adventure in itself; however it also offers you an opportunity to explore some of the least visited areas of Costa Rica.
There is bus service to Pital via Ciudad Quesada. A different bus runs one time daily from Pital to Boca Tapada. The bus continues all the way to Mi Pedacito de Cielo.
