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The Best Way to Explore Turrialba

TOURS

With Local Guides

Community-Based Tourism

Discover the difference of learning from the locals. Not only will you experience the culture of the region but you’ll also come to value why this area is so important to maintain.

Your adventure will also support local families and businesses, ensuring the economic development and conservation of the communities in which they live.

Choose Your Tours

RETUS Tours partners with small family businesses to bring you authentic, off-the-beaten path, and culturally-immersive experiences in the charming town of Turrialba, Costa Rica. All of the businesses are owned by women and promote the practices of ecotourism which help to maintain and grow their communities sustainably.

Butterfly Sanctuary

Observe the flight garden, hatching area, and laboratory
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Pottery Workshop

Get your hands dirty painting authentic red clay ceramics
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Farm Tour & Artisanal Cooking

Explore the cuisine and aquaponics gardens
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National Monument Tour

A historical archeological treasure to explore
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Traditional Folkloric Dance

Enjoy the beauty of Costa Rican folkloric dance
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Authentic Bread Making

Bake your own loaf using traditional techniques
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Waterfalls Tour

Swim, hike and experience the beautiful landscapes
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Tortilla Making Class

Hand-form your own tortillas in a home kitchen
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Cheese Making Class

Try your hand at making the famous delicacy
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Contact Us

How To Book a Tour

01.

Choose Your Experiences

Select which tours you want

02.

Complete the Form

Request more information about the tours you want to experience

03.

Watch your Email

A RETUS Tours representative will personally work with you to firm up dates and travel details

Book a Tour

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Mollejones
Tour Duration: 1.5 Hours

Butterfly Sanctuary

Sisters, Karen and Evelyn, started their business in 2014 on the family’s coffee plantation. Recognizing the environmental impact that threatens the butterfly population of Central America, they breed and help ensure the survival of 7 butterfly species only found in the Mollejones area of Turrialba.
As global exporters of pupae (young butterflies not yet matured), your guided tour will begin in their laboratory where you will learn about the process of breeding butterflies, their life cycles and the important environmental work that is done at the sanctuary. The tour concludes at the flight gardens, where you’ll be surrounded by these exotic species. A truly magical experience for children, butterfly lovers and photographers.

In the words of the sisters, “We are all butterflies. The earth, our cocoon.”
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Appropriate for all ages and levels.
Tour Duration: 1.5 hours

Pottery Workshop

Learn the art of traditional Costa Rican pottery at this studio started in 2007. Marielos shares the traditional methods passed down from her grandmother and mother. You will learn the techniques used and the eco-friendly process that maintains and preserves the environment. The clay is dug from soil in the Turrialba area and is hand crafted into high fired useful and decorative pottery. You will have a chance to paint a piece of pottery to take home with you. Then, visit the gift shop and select other beautiful pieces. In her words, “Let clay delight your senses!”
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Physical requirement: Low-medium intensity.
Tour Duration: 45 minutes
Lunch: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1.5 hours

Farm Tour & Artisanal Cooking Class

Experience the freshness of Costa Rican cuisine at MIA Farm, Restaurant and Cooking Classes. A truly “farm to table experience” where you can wander the estate gardens, learn about aquaponics gardening, pick some produce and then sit down for a traditional pre-fixe home style meal. If your tour tastes run more to the hands-on side, Maru and her daughters Idali and Alicia invite you to attend one of their cooking classes, where you can learn to make Costa Rican tortillas, tamales and much more! In their words,”With love from our garden, and shared with you at our table”.
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Appropriate for all ages
Tour Duration: 2.5 hours

National Monument Tour

Explore the country’s most significant archeological site, a 540-acre city dating back to 1000 A.D. Angie or Rosa, the local tour guides and historical enthusiasts, start tours with a presentation of the region, unveiling the importance of their ancestors and their way of life which was always in harmony with the environment. Next, they chronicle the natural history of the site which is one of only two International Historic Civil Engineering landmarks in Latin America. Finally, guests walk on the 800-foot Los Monticles trail to experience aqueducts, petroglyphs, monoliths, and ancient abandoned structures.
In her words, “Knowing is how we take care, and taking care is how we conserve.”
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Appropriate for all ages and levels.
Tour Duration: 1.5 hours

Introduction to Traditional Folkloric Dance

The beauty and energy of Costa Rican folkloric dance represents the blending of Indigenous, Spanish and African cultures across the country. On this tour, you will learn the steps to a simple folk dance under the guidance of Cecilia. She recently returned from her career as a professional folkloric dancer to share the cultural history and to demonstrate the regional folk dances of Costa Rica to visitors. Be inspired as she selects, explains the history of, and performs a beautiful dance just for you.
In her words, ”The rhythm of dance matches the spirit of our culture”.
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Tour Duration: 1.5 hours

Authentic bread making

There’s nothing better than the smell of fresh baked bread, and this tour is sure to delight with an assortment of artisanal style loaves! First, the owner and certified chef, Laura, will “welcome” and describe the ingredients and demonstrate her expert techniques in how the dough is prepared by hand. You will be able to choose from several different traditional forms and shapes to personalize your own creation! Finally, the bread is put into a traditional wood-fire tin oven, so hot it takes only 5-10 minutes to bake the bread and you can savor your masterpiece. In her words, “Bread is the flavor of my people, generation after generation.”
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Tour Duration: 2.5 hours.
Minimum age to take the tour 12 years.
Physical requirement: Medium-high intensity.

Waterfalls Tours

For the outdoor enthusiast, experience the mountains and adventure that awaits at the Catarata las Trillizas (The Triplet Waterfalls)! Over the course of a ½ mile hike, Angie and Rosa, the local professional tour guides, educate visitors to the natural wonders, local culture and history of their hometown. The beautiful landscapes and natural environment make for the perfect photo opportunities, and when you reach the base of the 65, 100 and 130 ft falls, you have the option to take a dip in the cold pools below.
In her words, “Experience the riches that surround us.”
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Appropriate for all ages and levels.
Tour Duration: 1.5 hours

Tortilla Making Class

On this tour, you are invited to a hands-on experience cooking a dish made famous in the town called “tortilla de queso,” which are cheese tortillas, with renowned Turrialban cheese, sour cream, and other special ingredients baked right into the corn masa. In the home and kitchen of Doña Miriam, you will learn the technique of “palmeando” (using your palms to shape the round delicacies). After you’ve cooked the tortillas, you can enjoy them warm with a cup of local Costa Rican coffee and enjoy the amazing views from Miriam’s patio. In her words, “Enjoy this culinary adventure with your hands and taste buds.”
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Tour Duration: 1.5 hours

Cheese Making Class

As a farming community, Turrialba is famous for their cheese, and there is nothing better than trying a fresh hand-crafted batch straight from the Villa de Luz farm. The owner, Cristina, carries on her family’s tradition producing artisanal milk and Turrialba Cheese using traditional methods, while allowing visitors an opportunity to make and taste it themselves. She teaches guests the complete process, from manually milking the cows to repurposing the by-products to make organic fertilizers used on site at the farm to conserve and protect the environment.
In her words, “The secret of Turrialba cheese starts with our happy cows.”
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