Nayara Tented Camp
Nayara Tented Camp
At Nayara Tented Camp, canvas tents stand on stilts above the rainforest, each with its own hot spring-fed plunge pool, and from some of them, a view of Arenal Volcano.
The forest around the camp used to be cattle pasture. Nayara replanted native species, including thousands of Cecropia trees whose leaves feed sloths, and the wildlife came back. Today you can spot sloths, monkeys, toucans, hummingbirds, and butterflies from the paths and footbridges.
What the stay is actually like
Inside the tent: a four-poster king bed facing the greenery, a soaking tub, twin vanities, and indoor and outdoor double showers. It's air-conditioned and weatherproof, with mosquito netting around the bed and screens on the windows. Outside is a private terrace with a lounge area and the mineral plunge pool.
There are 29 tents sized for couples, six larger Family Tents, and two private residences, Casa Paloma and Casa Dana, each with a personal concierge who can arrange activities and private chef dinners.
Your days here
Cross the Mistico Hanging Bridges, swim below La Fortuna Waterfall, kayak on Lake Arenal, raft the Sarapiquí River, or walk the lava fields from the 1968 eruption. Slower options include coffee and chocolate tours and a guided birding walk. Back at camp, send muddy clothes to the complimentary laundry and book time at Sukha Spa.
Ayla serves Mediterranean food with Middle Eastern influences, and you can also eat across the neighboring Nayara resorts. After dinner, a guided night walk looks for red-eyed tree frogs and glass frogs.
Getting there and when to go
The camp is about three hours by road from either San José or Liberia airport. It's open all year.
December through May is warm, evenings get breezier starting in January, and rain can still roll in quickly. Pack light layers, a rain jacket, good walking shoes, insect repellent, and a swimsuit. There are currently no accessible tents because of the cliffside site and stilt construction.
The property
