Finca Tatín (tel. 5902-0831 or 5776-5156, www.fincatatin.centroamerica.com) is a wonderfully secluded jungle camp and backpackers’ haven about half a kilometer up the river where you’ll find a variety of accommodations, including shared-bath dormitory beds for $5 per person, shared-bath doubles for $12, and bungalows with charming stone showers in the private bath for $20 d. Couples might want to splurge for the bungalow, as the shared-bath double rooms have very thin walls. All rooms have mosquito netting and fan.

The lodge gets major props for ecological consciousness. Water for the showers comes from the river, while water for the bathroom sinks is collected rainwater. All the bungalows have their own septic tanks with all waste material being buried.

Excellent meals are served in the lodge’s open-air restaurant housed under a thatched roof. Dinner is a family-style affair, allowing for opportunities to meet fellow travelers. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner cost $3.50, $4.50, and $6.50. The menu is a varied palette of creative vegetarian, Guatemalan, and international dishes.

Activities include bird-watching in the surrounding forests, hikes lasting from 30 minutes to four hours all the way to Lívingston, and kayaking in the Chocón Machacas Biotope or down the Río Dulce to Lívingston. A two-person kayak rental costs $6 per day plus gas for the return lancha pickup. The lodge is run by a friendly Argentine. Italian, English, and French are spoken.