Hacienda El Viejo & Palo Verde National Park

A working sugarcane hacienda featuring its own private national refuge of 1,148 hectares, ideally located across from Palo Verde National Park. This remarkable property offers a unique opportunity to experience the rich natural landscapes of Guanacaste’s tropical lowlands.

Within this magical setting, guests will enjoy a jungle river boat tour along the Tempisque River, allowing for an authentic encounter with nature as you navigate through the pristine wilderness of the Guanacaste wetlands.

As part of the experience, you will also immerse yourself in the cultural heritage of Guanacaste—a journey back in time to discover how past generations lived, preserving traditions that are still alive today. The experience begins with the Trapiche Tour, where you will visit an ox-powered sugar mill traditionally used to extract sugarcane juice. The visit continues along a scenic trail leading to the Sabanero House, a charming representation of historic Guanacaste estates and family life. Here, local women will warmly welcome participants and teach them how to make traditional tortillas, offering a meaningful opportunity to interact with the local community and experience their customs firsthand.

To complete this exceptional experience, you will enjoy a magnificent lunch at “La Casona,” a two-story wooden building dating back to the 19th century, recognized as an important cultural and historic landmark.

For the final experience at Hacienda El Viejo, guests will enjoy a Rum Experience. Costa Rica is widely known for products such as coffee, pineapple, bananas, and sugarcane. Sugarcane, in particular, is produced on a large scale and is used to create both sugar and rum through a fermentation and distillation process.

This experience offers guests the opportunity to learn about the history and production of rum in Costa Rica while enjoying a tasting of this traditional spirit.