About us
.jpg)
Manuel was born in the heart of the Osa Peninsula in the family finca of Piro. Miguel, his father, revealed to him all the secrets of the rainforest. It was his playground.
Very young, he became interested in wildlife photography. He became the foundation’s photographer and presented his work in personal exhibitions in the United States.
A few years ago, Manuel initiated a sea turtle protection program on the Platanares / Preciosa beach.
​
After a passionate and exciting but stressful professional career in France (real estate, communication, politics…), Pascal wanted to change his life. He chose the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica for its exceptional natural wealth, the beauty of its landscapes, its people and the policy of sustainable tourism development.
Manuel and Pascal first met through their passion for nature and this region. They got married and now want to share their little slice of paradise and their knowledge of this incredible region with you.
​
​
​​​​"We invite you to share our little corner of paradise and our passion for Osa Peninsula. Our goal is to offer you a unique experience in an exceptional natural setting. Our greatest pleasure is to exchange our experiences and our knowledge of the region. .​
We welcome you to Finca Terra Incognita as friends. We like meeting people, exchanging ideas, discussing… We favour simplicity and conviviality.
We can organize for you activities* on the site or nearby. We can accompany you and reveal the secrets of the finca or the peninsula according to your interests and wishes. We can also be very discreet and let you enjoy our little corner of paradise.
​
Manuel & Pascal
​
* Discover the activities available on the property and nearby in our Welcome Book.
​
Our project
Terra Incognita is an old traditional farm. Like all farms in these wild regions, it has been partly deforested for farming and stockbreeding. Nonetheless, many peri-peripheral or more inaccessible areas have been preserved.
Our project consists of supporting natural reforestation and reintroducing the biodiversity lost when the most maderable varieties of trees were cut down, as well as developing traditional cultures such as cocoa and vanilla.
Our dream is to share all this. We want to build wood and tree houses to welcome travelers, open trails and build platforms for animal and bird watching. ​
​
Our project is very recent. The areas reforested and the trees planted are still small. Our constructions and trails are progressing little by little
​
​Wood cabin
Our common dream has always been to build wood cabins in the jungle. It's a universal childhood dream.
We've built our first two cabins, which we offer to our guests, offering a unique experience of connection with nature. We're just at the beginning of our adventure, and the third hut is currently under construction.
Cacaotal
We eliminated more than 500 cocoa trees that were already on the farm, which were very old and diseased. We planted 800 small cocoa trees of 6 different species. Our goal is to learn step by step until we're producing home-made chocolate in a few years' time. Here too, we're at the beginning of the adventure.
​​
Vanilla plantation
The region is ideal for growing vanilla. It exists wild vanilla in the rainforest. We planted around 80 plants to start with. We're learning step by step. We recently got our first flower.​
​
Bamboo garden
Fascinated by bamboos, we planted a specimen of 50 different species. Some have grown very quickly, others are smaller or slower-growing. Our collection is beginning to take form.
​
Reforestation
Many parts of the property have been deforested for farming and stockbreeding. The rainforest regenerates quite quickly in a natural way. We simply want to speed up the process and reintroduce the biodiversity that has been lost by cutting down the most valuable trees.​
​
Trails
The property offers very different environments and eco-systems, with a wide variety of wildlife. We've created a network of trails to discover different aspects of the finca and the rainforest. Beware, some of them can be a bit rough. We've installed benches and armchairs at certain points to take the time to connect with nature.​
​
.png)
Melipona bees
We want to help protect melipona bees (stingerless bees native to the region). This species is threatened by habitat loss. By doing so, we will help pollinate local plants, which are essential to biodiversity.
To do this, we have installed several hives suitable for this species.​​
​​
Our eco-friendly approach
We try to reduce our impact on the environment as much as possible.
Our energy is 100% solar. Our cleaning products are organic. The meals are prepared with products from the garden and/or local and organic. Waste is sorted and recycled. The food waste feeds the hens or is composted. The furniture is made by a local craftsman with local fallen wood. The building materials are ecological. We replant many "native" trees in and around the property, on the beach and in the mangrove. We maintain and clean the beach. We have set up a program to protect turtle nests on the beach. We participate in many local environmental protection programs. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
We participate in the preservation and promotion of local heritage and culture.
We are very active in valorisation and promotion of the natural and cultural heritage of the region. We are particularly active outside the Peninsula but always in close contact with the local population.
We support the development of the local economy.
We promote the regional economy by giving priority to local suppliers. We offer activities organised by guides or family & local tourism companies. We use local products for the preparation of meals. We favour local employment.​