While staying in simple, thatch-roofed huts with rural families and eating typical rural dishes, guests have the opportunity to explore the wonders of some of the most biodiverse tropical forests and beaches in the world. Visitor’s also experience firsthand the lifestyle of local people struggling to live in this environment amidst the mounting pressures of deforestation and land development. In addition to many exciting outdoor activities, Rio Piro also offers educational opportunities to visit several local sustainable development projects and learn about some of the conservation strategies employed in the area, including solar energy, agroforestry (vanilla, kenaf), a water buffalo breeding center, a community forestry cooperative that extracts fallen trees with oxen, a turtle protection program, a rural furniture shop right in the forest, and more …. a unique experience of rural tourism!

Here’s what the Rio Piro Valley has to offer

F 3,500 hectares (over 7,000 acres) of cooperatively managed primary rainforest.

F 4km. of pristine, isolated beaches. Playa Piro is one of the few remaining places in the world where primary rainforest meets the sea uninterrupted.

F The most biologically rich forests on the Osa outside of Corcovado National Park. All our tours offer excellent opportunities for birdwatching and spotting thousands of other native species of flora and fauna.

F Forest trail system linking a network of family homes in which guests can stay. Visitors who enjoy hiking and camping can take advantage of this system to keep on the move throughout their stay, giving them an opportunity to see several different parts of the Piro Reserve and a variety of distinct ecosystems.

Leisure & Adventure Activities

F Rainforest Canopy Platform -- Explore firsthand what some scientists have called "the last biological frontier." TUVA maintains several platforms in the Piro Forest Reserve from which visitors can see an abundance of wildlife in the rainforest canopy at heights of 75, 100, and 180 feet above the forest floor.

F Greenway Tour on Horseback -- From sea level to 1,200 feet, guests have the opportunity to see the Piro-Corcovado biological corridor firsthand during a horseback tour through the rainforest, with lunch at the top of a mountain with breathtaking 360 views of the Osa!

F Piro Community Forest Reserve hike -- Guests may also opt to take an educational rainforest tour on foot, guided by a local naturalist. See macaws, toucans, many birds, peccaries, 4 different species of monkeys…

F Waterfall and Beach Hikes -- The Piro Reserve is home to several beatiful waterfalls, perfect for bathing and cooling off on a hot afternoon. In addition, Playa Piro offers terrific surfcasting opportunities for visiting fishermen as well as turtle watching, tidal pools and more.

F Buffalo Forest Riding – Well, this migth well be a truly unique experience in rural tourism,. Like the camel of the forest ride on the back of a big water buffalo on shady trails, where you would not want to put your feet …cross rivers and lagoons… this is the ultimate all terrain forest transport!

Educational Tours of Local Conservation Initiatives

F Osa Fallen Timber Extractive Reserves (OFTER) -- As a sustainable alternative to traditional logging, local landowners have formed a cooperative to extract, process and sell high quality wood without cutting a single tree. The project utilizes low-impact methods such as oxen and buffaloes together with specialized monitoring and information systems to extract naturally fallen timber, resulting in minimal strain on the forest ecosystem. In addition, OFTER creates local employment and provides quick economic return to participating landowners.

F Rio Oro Sea Turtle Initiative -- Four endangered species of sea turtles -- the olive ridley, leatherback, hawksbill, and black -- actively come to nest on the miles of undeveloped beaches southeast of Corcovado Park. To counter the high predation and poaching rates of turtle nests in the area, TUVA initiated a project in 1992 to build a base of information about sea turtles on the Osa and engage the local communities in monitoring and conservation efforts.

F Biodiversity Center -- In 1996, TUVA founded the Fidencio Center, a rainforest facility that engages in applied plant research and cross-cultural education activities in the Piro Valley, including a buffalo breeding center. Using the Center’s field laboratory, resident researchers investigate and develop non-timber forest products with the help of local forest peoples and in conjunction with conscientious food, drug and natural product companies.

The Center's applied research mission is to identify useful plants and to develop marketable forest products from them. At the same time, the Center seeks to insure that local plant knowledge and resource management strategies are documented before they disappear and passed on to the next generation of forest dwellers. By combining the traditional wisdom with modern technologies, new opportunities based on alternative uses of the rain forest can be envisioned for the local people. Visitors can take tours of the Center’s arboretum, herbarium, and seed collection and learn about the important roll tropical plants play in the development of new medicines, foods, fibers, and other commercial products.

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