These days, you can't swing your new-fangled, hydration-compatible backpack without hitting an ecolodge in Costa Rica, which is great news for eco-minded travelers. The vexing question is how to choose one. Rafiki Safari Lodge, a luxury tented camp 20 miles south of the tourist hot spots of Quepos and Manuel Antonio, is one of the best, particularly for wildlife-watching junkies.

Situated on the banks of the Savegre River, each of the ten tented suites, imported from South Africa by

These days, you can't swing your new-fangled, hydration-compatible backpack without hitting an ecolodge in Costa Rica, which is great news for eco-minded travelers. The vexing question is how to choose one. Rafiki Safari Lodge, a luxury tented camp 20 miles south of the tourist hot spots of Quepos and Manuel Antonio, is one of the best, particularly for wildlife-watching junkies.

Situated on the banks of the Savegre River, each of the ten tented suites, imported from South Africa by the South African owners, sits atop a wooden deck with rocking chairs that invite lounging. The open-air, thatched-roof main lodge serves as a staging area for the day's adventures—and the bar serves as a bragging venue post-adventures. As befits the owners' nationality, one of the lodge's specialties is African braii, or barbecue.

Rafiki sprung from an idea by Constant and Ralene Boshoff, who fancied bringing a model of sustainable tourism common in Africa to Costa Rica: that is, one that relies on high-end tourism to help fund wildlife conservation. In this case, they are working toward reintroducing the endangered tapir, the largest land mammal in Central America and an adorably goofy-looking creature.

Adventures abound in Costa Rica's rainforests, and Rafiki subscribes wholeheartedly to the fun of a different adventure every day—or every few hours. Whitewater raft or flatwater float the Savegre River, horseback ride across rivers and to mountaintops with views over the ocean, or head out on an exploration by foot of the 842-acre property in search of improbably colorful toucans and trogons. Package safaris combine activities with a trip to a local shaman. Return to cool off in the 100-foot spring-fed waterslide and pool at the lodge.