REGUA - Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu
REGUA - Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu
REGUA - Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu
4.5
About
Reserva Ecologica de Guapiacu (REGUA) is a Brazilian non-profit non-governmental organisation and nature reserve located within the Atlantic Forest of south-east Brazil. REGUA's mission is the long-term conservation of the forests of the upper Guapiacu river basin in the state of Rio de Janeiro. REGUA has visitor accommodation - Guapi Assu Bird Lodge - where wildlife enthusiasts, particularly birdwatchers, can explore the Atlantic Forest. The lodge is non-profit making, with all income generated going towards our conservation work. NB: Please note the pin on the map on our TripAdvsor listing is correct but the postal address is not - our actual postal address is: REGUA Caixa Postal 98112 CEP 28680-000 Cachoeiras de Macacu-RJ Brazil
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4.5
98 reviews
Excellent
75
Very good
19
Average
2
Poor
2
Terrible
0
KatyChicago
Chicago5 contributions
Feb 2022
How would you like to be awoken by birds' dawn chorus, or hear a common potoo's lament as you go to sleep? All this from a luxurious room with a wide balcony overlooking a splendid garden. We were pampered from the moment we were picked up from GIG and driven to this gem of careful restoration of the Atlantic Forest. We felt like part of the family, with wonderful meals and every need met with care. The extensive trail system is an escape into intensely rewarding birding made all the more remarkable when one thinks that but for the efforts of the Locke family this habitat would not be here. Our guide, Adelei Carvalho da Cunha, was marvelous, tracking down specialty after specialty. We enjoyed exploring on our own, but saw so much more with his expertise! REGUA is a gem!
Written 11 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Renee R
Margate City, NJ42 contributions
Sept 2024 • Couples
REGUA's main purpose is conservation and education but they have an ecolodge open to the public to help support their efforts. Over the last 35 years or so REGUA has transformed cow pastures into amazing natural areas. Just outside the doors of the lodge we saw everything from hummingbirds to toucans. The wetlands area had a variety of birds as well as caiman and capybara. At night an owl sung us to sleep. The before and after photos of this property are extraordinary. The rooms were clean and the food was good. They even accommodated our early morning birding schedule with 6 am breakfasts.
Written 8 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ClaireandJim
Maidstone, UK89 contributions
Jun 2015 • Friends
Regua is an amazing place, set in the remnants of the South Atlantic Rain Forest Regua is protecting and expanding this forest and the flora and fauna it contains. You can choose to visit to see the 400+ bird species on guided walks and take advantage of the off-site trips. You can wander the paths on your own and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the place. You can talk to the researchers and others about the work that is going on to improve our understanding of the forest, which will emphasise how much more there is we need to know. This is a place that stays with you. You take a photo, shoot a video, and you need more. You glimpse an Antbird or see a Pottoo and you need to see more. You see the sunrise/sunset and you need to see it again. If you stay at the lodge it is very comfortable. The food is good and is preceded (in the evening) by Caipirinha! Life is good - thoroughly recommended.
Written 23 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gypsgris
Poughkeepsie, NY473 contributions
Nov 2014 • Couples
Many people coming to Brazil are hoping to see the "tropical jungle". While there is the Tijuca National Park in the middle of the city of Rio de Janeiro, to really experience the Atlantic Rain Forest (Mata Atlantica) you have to go a little outside the city to REGUA - a lodge in the foothills of the Orgãos (Organpipe) Mountains. The work being done here - recreation of the original state of the area - allows visitors to get a glimpse of the original Brazil. While REGUA particularly caters to birdwatchers, it has information on many other denizens of the Rain Forest. To see wildlife however requires patience and a good guide. The guides at REGUA are excellent. The patience is for you to bring. I have seen Capybara (every time), Crab-eating Wolf (once), monkeys (occasionally), interesting butterflies, dragonflies, strange insects, and many species of birds there. You will get a good insight into the life of Brazilians, the countryside, and the Atlantic Rainforest. If you are at all interested in nature, do go there. it is a fantastic experience! I have been going there regularly during my 3 years in Rio - and will return when I visit Rio again!
Written 21 May 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JJ503
Victoria330 contributions
Sept 2014 • Couples
We stayed 6 nights as independent travelers and birders. The pluses: efficient emails in setting up our visit, very spacious comfortable room with gorgeous views, excellent food, kitchen staff, local guide and driver, very good trails for wandering and birding. There are however some cautions. It's popular with large tour groups. Avoid being here when there's a large tour group. These groups take over the lodge and often don't leave any food, drinks, or space for guests who are not part of the group. Be sure you have a professional local birding guide for birding excursions. The lodge has many unpaid volunteers who may try hard but lack the skills that most birders expect from a birding guide. Don't pay too much of your expected expenses in advance, as it's easier to pay any extra amount owed once you're here. Overall, a great place for Atlantic Forest birding. We wish the lodge and reserve continued success.
Written 25 September 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
VenturesBirder
Asheville, NC26 contributions
Nov 2019
A wonderful place to stay in the Atlantic Rainforest. The house/lodge sits atop a hill with a wide selection of trails leading into the forest and around the wetland. Birding is excellent and one also has the chance of running into a Tapir, which are part of a reintroduction program. Local guides don't speak a lot of English, but are excellent birders. Rooms are simple but comfortable and the food is deliciously prepared by the staff. And who could forget the Capirinhas before dinner every night?
Written 17 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ann B
Kyrenia N.Cyprus313 contributions
Jun 2019 • Friends
As part of our organized tour in Brazil a day trip to Regua while we were staying in Rio had been arranged for us. Just wish we could have had longer there - like a couple of days.
A few hours walking tour was nowhere long enough to really grasp the incredible work being done here by Nick, Raquel and their team.
Lovely Raquel took us for a walk around the re-estabished wetlands pointing out so many different birds, dragonflies and butterflys that have recolonised the area (bit hard to miss the cute capybaras) sadly the tapirs are still not ready for visitors.
After a super lunch we were due to leave but miraculously Mateus one of the rangers knew just where there was a good chance of us seeing a sloth. Into the truck and off with Raquel and Mateus, a fair drive away and sucess, Mateus found our sloth , sleeping up in a tree.He even took our photos for us as you had to lean back and try to balance extended lens (not easy when you are over 70!!)
A brilliant day. would love to return.
Raquel and Nick I hope you got your olive oil ok?
A few hours walking tour was nowhere long enough to really grasp the incredible work being done here by Nick, Raquel and their team.
Lovely Raquel took us for a walk around the re-estabished wetlands pointing out so many different birds, dragonflies and butterflys that have recolonised the area (bit hard to miss the cute capybaras) sadly the tapirs are still not ready for visitors.
After a super lunch we were due to leave but miraculously Mateus one of the rangers knew just where there was a good chance of us seeing a sloth. Into the truck and off with Raquel and Mateus, a fair drive away and sucess, Mateus found our sloth , sleeping up in a tree.He even took our photos for us as you had to lean back and try to balance extended lens (not easy when you are over 70!!)
A brilliant day. would love to return.
Raquel and Nick I hope you got your olive oil ok?
Written 8 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pachydiplax
Fordingbridge, UK40 contributions
Jan 2016 • Couples
Spent thirteen nights at this wonderful place - for more than half of the stay we were the only guests. A five star guest house and nature reserve all to ourselves!! We were picked up from our Rio de Janeiro hotel by the ever joyful and sharp eyed Alcenir for the two hour drive into the rainforest area, stopping to see new birds and butterflies en route. Thomas, the lodge manager met us on arrival and we were shown to our room with a balcony and views over the ever growing replanted rainforest. (Such is the rate of growth, the wetland view is now obliterated). Everyone was consistently pleasant and anxious to help; the girls in the kitchen had no English, but with minimal Portuguese on our side and some arm waving we got by. Everyone else spoke English. Thomas was a constant presence, cheerful, helpful and an expert server of evening caipirinhas. Raquel and Nicholas, his parents, and the driving force behind REGUA were excellent hosts - even providing a birthday lunch and cake for me! - and made us feel so welcome. Mention must also be made of Jorge Bizarro, an entomologist of eminence, who accompanied us on several trips out and was a mine of information on Lepidoptera and Flora.
Food was a little bland, but always good, and the fruit and juices were fantastic.
I am usually ready to return home at the end of holidays, but I was very reluctant to leave this haven of peace.
Food was a little bland, but always good, and the fruit and juices were fantastic.
I am usually ready to return home at the end of holidays, but I was very reluctant to leave this haven of peace.
Written 7 February 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peter W
Woking261 contributions
Sept 2014 • Friends
We all talk about doing something to save the planet - and here there are people doing just that, by replanting the Brazilian coastal forests. And by staying here, you are helping them in their work. The accommodation is basic but one wouldn't expect anything more. The food is delicious and the staff are friendly. We had a good walk up to a waterfall (although it's a 20 minute drive to where we started - or presumably a good extra hour or so's walk). All within a couple of hours' drive of central Rio. I couldn't believe that I was only the 24th person to review this place. It deserves much more.
Written 27 February 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Raffers2000
East Bergholt, UK54 contributions
Jul 2019
We stayed here for 11 nights in July/August 2019. We had room 1, which had a large balcony that overlooked the banana feeders so we could watch the marmosets without leaving the room. The kitchen staff were brilliant - making sure there was enough vegan/vegetarian food for my family. The food was also really nice - buffet style. Room was clean, beds comfortable and there were screen doors with insect netting so you could leave the doors to the balcony open at night if you wanted to listen to the rainforest. Great hot and powerful showers. Air conditioning when it got too hot. The wildlife was simply stunning - several very well-marked and easy trails from the Lodge on which you'd easily get well over 100 species in a couple of days. We did multiple day trips out too, so ended on 299 species in 10 days. The REGUA guide and driver we had were both brilliant. Very comfortable air-conditioned minibus too. The work they do at REGUA is also important - re-planting lost rainforest is a worthy cause to support. Highly recommend this place as a gentle introduction to Brazil - especially as it is less than 2 hours from Rio airport.
Written 10 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tem sim , fica praticamente no Parque
Written 20 October 2020
Estou tentando contato com o local e nada. Eles nao respondem email e nem mensagem pelo face
Written 18 September 2019
Passenger57348927123
Rio de Janeiro, RJ
abre hj ? tem restaurante no local? paga para entrar?
Written 8 September 2019
Gostaria de saber se terá passeio para dias 17 a 19 de janeiro que inclui criança.
Written 14 January 2019
I am planning a trip to REGUA and want advice on driving from rio airport. We are being advised to get a driver but really would rather rent a car and drive ourselves. From your post it looks like you drove with your daughter. Any advice you might offer would be appreciated. Sharon J. Raleigh, NC
Written 6 July 2018
brauliosassi
Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Olá gostaria de saber como é feito o agendamento para fazer as trilhas se puder me orientar agradeço.
Written 29 May 2018
Estarei hospedada na pousada água cristalina do dia 15 ao dia 18. Como posso ir a reserva?
Written 12 January 2018
One little question - is there a hairdryer in the rooms or should I take one with me?
Written 27 December 2016
Hi Mary, You would need to bring your own hairdryer. The power sockets in the rooms are 110 volt.
Written 10 February 2017
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