Promoters of environmental development
Cultural and environmental preservation
For our founders, protecting nature has always been a key topic; therefore, this aspect has always been taken into account in the Company’s business strategy.
El Viejo Wetlands is a tourist center located in one of the oldest estates of Guanacaste. In it, you will find a casona [manor house] built in 1850 and restored in 2008, which, being 150 years old, is the second oldes casona in Costa Rica. El Viejo Wetlands was created with the purpose of:
• Providing sustainability to the Wild Life Reserve: the funds collected are used for the maintenance of the Reserve.
• Contributing with the generation of employment in the area: 33 people are hired and products made by Guanacaste artisans are sold there.
• Offering cultural and environmental education: preservation of flora and fauna, reestablishment and rescue of species, among others.
At El Viejo Wetlands, visitors learn about the environment and about the conservation of species through:
• Boat tours on the Tempisque River.
• Guided hikes around the Reserve and its wetlands.
• Bicycle tours around the area.
Experience cultural learning through activities such as:
• Tour of the trapiche [old-fashioned/manual sugarcane mill] to learn how our ancestors used to produce sugar.
• Visits of an authentic pastureman house [casa del sabanero], where you can learn how our ancesors used to live (their customs and traditions).
• Learning to prepare typical traditional Guanacaste dishes.
El Viejo Wetlands generates 33 direct jobs and, since 2015, we take part in sustainability projects through the sustainability plan called “Certificate of Sustainable Tourism (CST)” promoted by the Costa Rican Institute of Tourism. We currently have four of the five recognition leaves awarded by this program. If you want to make a reservation, please visit us here
