Rural Tourism

One of the most intriguing efforts to encourage tourists to get to know the real Costa Rica is known as Rural Community Tourism. Rural tourism offers visitors the unique opportunity to observe and participate in cultural and educational activities set in Costa Rica 's rural countryside.
According to Costa Rica 's Tourism Ministry, over 40% of the 500 businesses that offer rural tourism services are owned by families or communal organizations.

What is community-based rural tourism?

Community-based rural tourism offers the opportunity to access without barriers the essence of rural life, and to explore natural landscapes and the least visited natural areas, hand in hand with excellent campesino hosts, while learning from the traditions and way of life of the local population.

The community-based rural tourism initiatives are run by community associations that own private ecological reserves, or are close to areas of environmental and cultural interest. These communities offer new experiences, combining tourism services such as accomodation, tours and handicrafts, with the incredible natural landscapes y and the lively campesino, indigenous or afrocaribbean culture of their community. This allow our visitors to discover the real Costa Rica, explore paradisiac places, benefit and share with comunities involved in the conservation of natural resources, enjoy and relax in a healthy and creative way.

To explore Costa Rica with us means…

• Warm, family-style hospitality
• Authentic experiences of sincere interchange with local people
• Unforgetable adventures
• An enriching experience, with the opportunity to get involved in agricultural work and other everyday rural life activities
• Affordable prices
• Explore natural landscapes with local guides that have always lived there and know it like the back of their hand
• Contact with nature in pristine places
• A chance to get involved in nature conservation efforts
• To know that your holidays benefit rural comunities, offering us the opportunity to generate complementary income sources to the traditional agricultural and fishery activities, and protect the natural resources.

The positive footprint of community-based rural tourism

Community-based rural tourism has very positive economic, social and environmental benefits, including:

• Supports community development and capacity building
• Complements and diversifies the income sources of campesino, fisherman and indigenous families
• Develops entrepreneural capacity
• Helps to reduce migration and the sale of land
• Allows to value and preserve the local culture
• Contributes to the active participation of women in the decision making process
• Promotes the development and conservation of private reserves
• Builts the capacity of the communities to provide enviromental services
• Allows the sustainable management of natural resources by the campesino families.

Places where you can enjoy rural tourism:

Near San Jose

La Cangreja

It features a sugar mill, waterfalls, horseback riding, the nearby Quitirrisi Indigenous Reserve and a chance to observe the making of cigars.

San Jose Rural Lodge

It conducts hiking tours in the Quitirrisi reserve and maintains farm and reforestation projects.

La Flor de Paraiso

Cottages for guests, vegetarian meals from the organic farm, a sugar mill, a botanical garden, and a medicinal plant garden are some of the possibilities.

Northern Plains

Rincon de la Vieja Agro-ecological Lodge and Tropical Rainforest

They offer a camping area and a lodge. Thermal pools, horseback riding tours, a butterfly garden, and a small zoo are some of the attractions.

North Pacific Area

Monte Alto Eco-tourism Lodge

It runs a huge reforestation project that has been a vital link in preserving not only the forest but also the upper Nosara River .

Southeast

Experience the outstanding natural beauty and cultural uniqueness of the Talamanca region, at Costa Rica 's South Caribbean Coast .

Participate in a cultural exchange with campesino and indigenous communities that will allow you to experience our authentic way of living, costumes, typical food and the warmth of our culture.

Yorkín Indigenous Reserve

This indigenous community is located in Talamanca, upstream the Yorkín river. There, you will have the opportunity to discover the Stibrawpa Association (craftswomen), a women's group who share their culture while preserving their customs and natural environment.

At Yorquin, the Stibraupa Women's Group cooks traditional food based on local natural products. There is a lodge and a cottage. Possibilities include visits to cocoa, heart of palm, and pejibaye organic farming operations; thermal springs and hiking trails throughout the forest; a waterfall; and talks on local legends.

Kekoldi Indigenous Reserve “Keköldi Guards”

Keköldi Indigenous Territory , located in the Costa Rican South Caribbean Coast.They promote the cultural and environmental conservation. Keköldi is located just 4 Km from Puerto Viejo and 17 Km. from Cahuita National Park.