Sabalos Jungle Lodge
From the frontier town of San Carlos, a two hour panga ride on the coffee-colored waters of Nicaragua‘s Rio San Juan will bring you to the riverbank huts of Sabalos Lodge. Partially hidden by the dense greenery of Los Guatuzos Wildlife Refuge, the seven cabins offer wilderness accommodation at its most adventurous. Yaro Choiseul-Praslin owns the lodge, a silver-haired Sandinista who led the agricultural reforms of the 1980s. His tales of revolution regale the multinational visitors who venture into the jungle. Wooden walkways lead to an open-sided dining room and to the huts scattered among the jungle foliage. Sparse on refinements, the huts offer soft mattresses mosquito nets, private bathrooms with water, and electricity – at least until 9 p.m., when generator is switched off and plunged into darkness.Lying in bed, listening to the soundtrack of jungle life, it is easy to imagine that this is virgin territory, uncharted by all the most daring, but for centuries, pirates navigated this river. Local excursions include wildlife walks and kayaking. Photo by: Tamsin&Andy
