Discover the natural beauty and rich cultural heritage of Guanacaste on a private full-day experience that combines one of Costa Rica's most important wildlife sanctuaries with an authentic traditional hacienda. Ideal for families, nature lovers, and travelers seeking a deeper connection with Costa Rican culture.
Enjoy a relaxing 90-minute boat tour through the wetlands of Palo Verde National Park, where your expert guide helps you spot crocodiles, monkeys, iguanas, tropical birds, and countless other native species.
Explore one of Costa Rica's most important ecosystems, famous for its incredible birdlife, lush mangroves, and diverse wildlife that can be observed throughout the year.
Visit Hacienda El Viejo and experience Costa Rican traditions through handmade tortillas, an ox-powered sugar cane mill, local sugar tastings, and fascinating cultural demonstrations.
Complete your experience with a delicious homemade lunch featuring authentic regional flavors prepared in the heart of the hacienda.
We understand that travel plans may change. We understand that travel plans may change. Our cancellation policy for tours and day experiences: cancellations made 7 or more days before the tour date receive a full refund. Cancellations made between 48 hours and 6 days before receive a 50% refund. Cancellations made less than 48 hours before the scheduled experience are not eligible for a refund, although exceptional situations may be reviewed individually.
No-show reservations are charged in full. Guests are granted a complimentary waiting period of up to 1 hour after the scheduled pickup time; beyond this period, the booking will be considered a no-show.
Tour rescheduling must be requested at least 24 hours in advance.
Guest safety is our priority. Experiences affected by exceptional weather or river conditions will be rescheduled whenever possible. If rescheduling cannot be arranged, a full refund will be issued.
✓ Sunscreen
✓ Bug spray
✓ Hat or cap
✓ Sunglasses
✓ Camera
✓ Reusable water bottle
✓ Binoculars
✓ Comfortable clothing
✓ Comfortable walking shoes
✓ Cash for personal expenses (gratuities)
✓ Private air-conditioned transportation
✓ Complimentary bottled water
✓ Snacks and refreshments
✓ Experienced certified bilingual local guide
✓ 90-minute covered boat ride on the Tempisque River
✓ Palo Verde National Park entry fee
✓ Hacienda El Viejo cultural experience — tortilla making & trapiche
✓ Traditional Guanacaste farmhouse lunch
Covered boat ride down the Tempisque River through Palo Verde National Park, then a private visit to Hacienda El Viejo — tortilla making, the ox-powered trapiche sugar mill, and traditional Guanacaste cuisine. Lunch and National Park fee included.
Your certified private guide, exclusively dedicated to your group. Guide pickup is included on the way to the destination.
We had expected the boat ride to be the highlight and it was extraordinary — egrets lifting off the banks, a crocodile almost close enough to touch, howler monkeys we heard before we saw them. But the trapiche completely stole the day. Watching an ox calmly turn a stone mill that has been pressing cane for over a century, then tasting what comes out of it — there are no words. We left Costa Rica knowing something about this country that most visitors simply never find.
I travel frequently and rarely feel like I have truly touched a place. This day was the exception. The cook handed me the dough, showed me the motion, and laughed when my first tortilla came out completely wrong. The second was better. We ate them still warm at lunch, with food that tasted like it had been made by someone's grandmother — because it had. The Tempisque River in the morning, this in the afternoon. A day I would take again tomorrow.
Our children are ten and thirteen, and they were completely absorbed from the moment the boat left the dock until the last bite of lunch at the hacienda. They asked questions the whole way — about the birds, about how the mill worked, about what the ox was called. Our guide answered every single one with patience and genuine enthusiasm. This is how travel should feel: immersive, personal, and genuinely educational without ever feeling like a lesson.
