El Viejo Wetlands
El Viejo Wetlands (Hacienda El Viejo) is a family-owned Costa Rican eco-tourism operator offering guided boat, wildlife, rum, brewery, and cultural tours on a 5,000-acre private wildlife refuge bordering Palo Verde National Park in Guanacaste, serving inbound tourists and event clients via direct website booking.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersCarrillo, Costa Rica
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What El Viejo Wetlands does
El Viejo Wetlands, operating as Hacienda El Viejo, is a Costa Rican nature-based tourism company headquartered in Ortega, Guanacaste Province. It operates a 5,000-acre Private Wildlife Refuge (registered under Minaet Act 35492) that borders Palo Verde National Park along the Tempisque River, a RAMSAR-designated wetlands area documented to host 280+ bird species, 80 mammal species, and 50+ reptile and amphibian species. The core offering is a portfolio of single, combo, private, and Day Pass tour experiences priced $70–$159 per ticket, including boat cruises on the Tempisque River, a rum distillery tour (Sabandí), a cultural tasting tour featuring an ox-operated trapiche sugar mill, and a craft brewery tour (Guanabeer), all bundled with lunch at La Casona — a historic on-site house designated a Costa Rican National Heritage site in 2023.
The business is family-owned (acquired in 1979 by a Costa Rican sugarcane-producing family) with no disclosed external investors, parent company, or funding rounds. It generates revenue primarily through direct-to-consumer ticket sales via its website (elviejowetlands.com) integrated with the FareHarbor booking platform, supplemented by TripAdvisor discovery, walk-in traffic, and an event hosting service for weddings, elopements, corporate retreats, and private celebrations. Underlying production assets include an on-site rum rickhouse (Sabandí, aged in oak barrels from estate sugarcane) and an artisanal brewery producing Guanabeer from Blue Zone spring water, giving the operator vertical integration into its tour F&B component.
The technology stack is commodity: FareHarbor for reservations, Google Analytics for traffic, and standard social media embeddings on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TripAdvisor. There are no proprietary technology platforms, AI/ML capabilities, patents, or disclosed third-party integrations beyond standard booking and analytics tooling. Operating geographies are concentrated in Guanacaste Province / Costa Rica, serving primarily inbound international tourists and domestic day visitors.
El Viejo Wetlands firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- El Viejo Wetlands
- Legal name
- Hacienda El Viejo
- Website
- https://elviejowetlands.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1979
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- El Viejo Wetlands (Hacienda El Viejo) is a family-owned Costa Rican eco-tourism operator offering guided boat, wildlife, rum, brewery, and cultural tours on a 5,000-acre private wildlife refuge bordering Palo Verde National Park in Guanacaste, serving inbound tourists and event clients via direct website booking.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where El Viejo Wetlands is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Carrillo
- HQ country
- Costa Rica
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices1 record
Markets served
El Viejo Wetlands business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Tour and Experience Sales: The company generates revenue through sale of tour experiences including boat tours, rum experiences, cultural tastings, brewery experiences, and day passes. Each tour package includes lunch at La Casona restaurant. Individual tickets range from $70 to $159 depending on the experience type.
- Event Hosting: The hacienda offers venue rental for special events including weddings, elopements, birthdays, and anniversaries in their natural settings near Guanacaste beach destinations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Rum Experience - Adult ticket at $70 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cultural Tasting Experience at $113 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Day Pass - Full Day Tour at $129 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Boat & Tasting Experience at $103 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Boat Cruise Palo Verde & Cultural Experience at $88 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Regular Boat Tour, Cultural Tasting & Rum Experience at $128 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Private Boat Tour and Rum Experience at $136 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Private Full Day Tour at $159 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Brewery Experience with Lunch at $70 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
El Viejo Wetlands product offering
Product offeringCore offering
El Viejo Wetlands (Hacienda El Viejo) operates guided nature, cultural, and beverage-production tours from a 5,000-acre private wildlife refuge bordering Palo Verde National Park in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. The core offerings include boat cruises on the Tempisque River, rum distillery experiences featuring Sabandí rum, cultural tasting tours with traditional Costa Rican cuisine, and brewery experiences featuring Guanabeer craft beer, all bundled with lunch at La Casona, a National Heritage site. The company also hosts private events such as weddings and corporate retreats at the hacienda.
Product overview
El Viejo Wetlands is a nature-based tourism operator offering a portfolio of tour experiences centered around its private 5,000-acre wildlife refuge bordering Palo Verde National Park in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. The offering consists of single tours (River Cruise Palo Verde, Rum Experience, Cultural Tasting Experience, and Brewery Experience featuring Guanabeer craft beer), combo packages pairing multiple activities, private tour variants, and a Day Pass offering access to five different tours. All experiences include lunch at La Casona Restaurant, a National Heritage site. The company also produces its own Guanabeer craft beer and Sabandí aged rum. Event hosting services for weddings and corporate retreats are also available.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Guanabeer: Artisanal craft beer produced with fine ingredients, brewed at the hacienda's brewery using pure spring water from Blue Zone springs
- Sabandí Rum
Products and services
- River Cruise Palo Verde Experience Boat tour exploring El Viejo National Wildlife Refuge and Palo Verde National Park along the Tempisque River, offering wildlife viewing of birds, monkeys, and crocodiles. Includes lunch at La Casona, a National Heritage site. Marketed as the most popular tour and priced from $70 per person.
- The Rum Experience Guided tour of the rum-making process from sugarcane to distillation, featuring artisanal production methods and rum tastings of Sabandí rum aged in oak barrels. Includes lunch at La Casona. All ages welcome; 1.5 hours; priced from $70 per person.
- Cultural Tasting Experience Cultural tour featuring traditional Costa Rican food tastings, ox-operated sugar mill (trapiche) demonstration, handmade tortillas, and local coffee. Includes lunch at La Casona. All ages (alcoholic beverages for adults only); 3-4 hours; priced from $113 per person.
- Brewery Experience with Lunch Craft beer tour showcasing the brewing process of Guanabeer, made with pure spring water from Costa Rica's Blue Zone, including tastings and lunch at La Casona. Adult price $70; children ages 7-11 priced at $49; 1.5 hours.
- Biodiversity Experience Nature-focused tour combining boat cruise, bird watching, and wetlands exploration with expert guides through the wildlife refuge and Palo Verde National Park.
- Day Pass – Full Day Tour Full-day access allowing guests to choose from 5 different tour experiences, including lunch at La Casona. All ages (alcoholic beverages for adults only); priced from $129 per person.
- Cultural Tasting and Boat Tour Combined tour pairing the cultural tasting experience with the Palo Verde boat cruise along the Tempisque River, including lunch at La Casona.
- Rum Experience and Boat Tour Combined tour featuring the rum distillery experience with a 1.5-hour boat cruise through the wildlife refuge, including lunch at La Casona.
- Rum Experience and Cultural Tasting Combined tour featuring the rum distillery experience with traditional cultural tastings and Sabandí rum aged in oak barrels, including lunch at La Casona.
- Boat Tour, Cultural Tasting & Rum Experience Full-day combo tour including boat cruise, cultural tasting, and rum distillery experience with lunch at La Casona; 4.5 hours; park entrance included; priced at $128 per person.
- Private Boat Tour Exclusive private boat tour of the Tempisque River and Palo Verde National Park for groups seeking undivided guide attention, including lunch at La Casona.
- Private Rum Experience Exclusive private rum distillery tour featuring artisanal rum production from sugarcane to distillation, including lunch at La Casona.
- Private Cultural Tasting Tour Exclusive private cultural tasting tour featuring traditional Costa Rican cuisine and agricultural heritage experiences, including lunch at La Casona.
- Private Boat Tour, Cultural Tasting and Rum Experience All-inclusive private full-day tour combining boat cruise, cultural tasting, and rum distillery experience, including lunch at La Casona; priced at $159 per person.
- La Casona Restaurant Historic on-site restaurant located in La Casona, a National Heritage site of Costa Rica, serving traditional Costa Rican cuisine as part of tour packages.
- Event Hosting Special event venue services for weddings, elopements, birthdays, anniversaries, and corporate retreats at the hacienda in natural settings near Guanacaste beach destinations.
- Sabandí Rum Premium aged rum distilled on premises from sugarcane, aged in oak barrels at the on-site rickhouse. Produced and featured as part of the Rum Experience tour.
- Guanabeer Artisanal craft beer produced at the on-site brewery using pure spring water from Costa Rica's Blue Zone and the finest ingredients, featured in the Brewery Experience.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 280 bird species, 80 mammal species, 50+ reptile/amphibian species observable on tours
Companies that use El Viejo Wetlands
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
El Viejo Wetlands technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
El Viejo Wetlands partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
El Viejo Wetlands competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park: Arenal-area nature park with hanging bridges and guided wildlife/nature tours in Costa Rica. Directly comparable as a Costa Rica nature-park operator running guided wildlife experiences near a national park.
- Vida Aventura Nature Park: Costa Rica eco-park in Guanacaste combining zip lines, hanging bridges, and nature trails. Comparable as a Guanacaste nature/adventure park selling bundled day experiences to international eco-tourists.
- Tortuguero Canal Tours: Boat and canal tour operators in Costa Rica's Tortuguero region offering wildlife viewing on waterways. Comparable as a Costa Rica wetland/river boat-tour operator focused on wildlife observation.
- Sky Adventures Monteverde: Monteverde-based adventure and ecotourism park featuring aerial tram, zip lines, and guided nature experiences. Closely comparable as a Costa Rica eco-park selling bundled nature/adventure tickets to international tourists.
- Pacuare Lodge: Remote eco-lodge in Costa Rica offering river-rafting, wildlife, and cultural experiences tied to a private reserve. Comparable as a Costa Rica eco-tourism operator combining river access, private reserve access, and nature-based experiences.
- Selvatura Park: Monteverde cloud forest nature park offering canopy tours, hanging bridges, and wildlife experiences in Costa Rica. Directly comparable as a Costa Rica nature-park operator selling multi-experience day tickets to international eco-tourists.
- Sunset Tours Costa Rica: Costa Rica tour operator running boat, sunset, and wildlife tours in Guanacaste and other regions. Comparable as a Guanacaste-based tour operator selling boat and wildlife experiences to international tourists.
- Aventuras Arenal: Arenal-area adventure and nature tour operator offering hiking, waterfall, and wildlife tours. Comparable as a Costa Rica regional tour operator selling nature-based experiences to international tourists.
- Tropical Trails Jungle Tours: Costa Rica tour operator offering guided jungle, wildlife, and boat tours across multiple regions. Comparable as a Costa Rica nature-tour operator with boat and wildlife experiences similar to El Viejo's Tempisque River offering.
Broad incumbents
- Costa Rica Expeditions: Established Costa Rica tour operator offering multi-destination nature, adventure, and wildlife trips across the country. Comparable as a larger, broader-scope Costa Rica eco-tourism operator that overlaps with El Viejo's nature-tour offering.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
El Viejo Wetlands social profiles
Digital presenceEl Viejo Wetlands financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
El Viejo Wetlands leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
El Viejo Wetlands funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
El Viejo Wetlands M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about El Viejo Wetlands
What does El Viejo Wetlands do?
El Viejo Wetlands (Hacienda El Viejo) operates guided nature, cultural, and beverage-production tours from a 5,000-acre private wildlife refuge bordering Palo Verde National Park in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. The core offerings include boat cruises on the Tempisque River, rum distillery experiences featuring Sabandí rum, cultural tasting tours with traditional Costa Rican cuisine, and brewery experiences featuring Guanabeer craft beer, all bundled with lunch at La Casona, a National Heritage site. The company also hosts private events such as weddings and corporate retreats at the hacienda.
Is El Viejo Wetlands a public or private company?
El Viejo Wetlands is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was El Viejo Wetlands founded?
El Viejo Wetlands was founded in 1979. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is El Viejo Wetlands based?
El Viejo Wetlands is headquartered in Carrillo, Costa Rica, in the Latin America region.
How does El Viejo Wetlands make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Tour and Experience Sales are the primary driver. The others are event Hosting.
Who are El Viejo Wetlands's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park, Vida Aventura Nature Park, Tortuguero Canal Tours, Sky Adventures Monteverde, Pacuare Lodge, Selvatura Park, Sunset Tours Costa Rica, Aventuras Arenal and Tropical Trails Jungle Tours. Costa Rica Expeditions is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does El Viejo Wetlands have an API?
No public API is recorded for El Viejo Wetlands.