Learn about Caminos de Osa, the initiative that seeks to consolidate a sustainable tourism destination in Costa Rica based on local entrepreneurship.

Caminos de Osa is a project that seeks to promote the natural attractions of the Southern Zone. It is nothing new, it is an initiative that was born in 2015 thanks to the joint work of several groups:

  • Iniciativa Osa Golfito (Inogo)
  • CRUSA Foundation for Cooperation
  • National System of Conservation Areas (Sinac)
  • office of Second Vice-President of the government of Costa Rica

Sustainable Cause

Of course, this idea would not be possible without the 40 entrepreneurs of the area, who changed their lucrative activities such as hunting, logging and gold mining for rural tourism.

These former activities were negatively affecting the region, since, as Daniel Villafranca, project director, says, “the natural wealth of the area must be understood”.

In fact, the Osa Peninsula has one out of every two threatened trees in Costa Rica; one out of every three threatened flora species. In fact, 80% of the territory is protected under different types of conservation. This allows the Peninsula to be home to 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity.

But what about its human population? In fact, most of the inhabitants of this area have no employment opportunities, which is why they turn to activities that are harmful to local sustainability, such as those mentioned above.

However, adventure tourism has become an opportunity for local entrepreneurs. Thus, during the last few years they have been training people who venture into the world of tourism.

Connections with Southern Communities

Learn about Caminos de Osa, the initiative that seeks to consolidate a sustainable tourism destination in Costa Rica based on local entrepreneurship.
Source : La Revista CR

In order to connect with the communities, several tours were conducted, allowing them to share and find tourist attractions in order to encourage economic activities.

Three routes through the Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve are offered:

  • Crossing the road of gold: gold mining in the Osa jungles has been the livelihood of many families in the area. This activity has had a great impact on the territory since pre-Columbian times. The route proposes an ancestral pilgrimage throughout the Peninsula along the roads used to extract gold.
  • Jungle Trail: is a journey to find the natural treasures hidden in the lesser known areas of the Osa Peninsula.
  • Water Trail: Drake Bay was used in the sixteenth century by the famous pirate Sir Francis Drake, to hide one of his legendary treasures. It is a route that serves to know the natural treasures that this Bay hides by means of the most used transport in the region: the sea and the rivers that lead to it.

But not only are there excursions, Caminos de Osa offers sustainable lodging in the Osa, tours guided by local experts (Coconut Tour, Seabird watching, Sierpe Azul Tour, to name a few) and local enterprises, which combine experience and respect for the essence of the region.

Caminos de Osa leverages collaboration between the private, public, academic and non-profit sectors to make this place a sustainable tourism destination and to improve the lives of its communities.

Sensorial Sunsets