Every young child has a special place where they feel happiest. For Fernando Madrigal, as a young boy growing up in Costa Rica, that place was his grandparents’ farm – the Finca La Troya in the Orosi Valley of Cartago.
“I spent practically all of my childhood and youth on this farm until my grandparents sold it,” reflected Madrigal. “I remember that La Troya was a magical place. There was a place at the top of the farm where there was a mountain with primary forest. My uncle, Rodrigo Madrigal Montealegre, would take me, my brother and my cousins walking there. The forest was full of monkeys, sloths, vines hanging from the trees, natural springs full of water and spectacular nature. To me, it was the most beautiful place in the world and I was always very happy there.”
The desire to recapture his childhood magical forest led Madrigal in 2008 to seek out another place of amazing Costa Rica nature. “I went to a prestigious real estate agency in Costa Rica and asked them to find me the wildest place, with spectacular nature, abundant wildlife and plentiful natural springs. We found exactly what I was looking for in the northern foothills of the Rincón de la Vieja Volcano, which we now call ‘Sensoria’,” he said.
Talk about an enchanted paradise. On the private nature reserve of Sensoria, rainforest grows thick and wild, sky blue volcanic mineral streams and waterfalls flow bountifully, steaming thermal springs bubble out of the earth, and exotic animals roam freely.
As its name implies, Sensoria is a place for your senses: to hear, see, smell, touch and taste. It is an extraordinary Costa Rica Eco Tour that takes you hiking through pristine wilderness to swim in hidden waterfall pools and volcanic thermal springs. Madrigal said they created the tour for nature lovers to be able to experience the breathtaking beauty of a rainforest. Trails are as natural as possible and accessible for any ambulatory person in good physical condition, he said.
Sensoria’s proximity to the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano and National Park, and its verdant jungle on the volcano’s northeastern slope, make it a unique Guanacaste tour. The region of the massive Guanacaste Conservation Area is reported to hold 2.6% of the world’s biodiversity. Madrigal said they protect the fragile ecosystem by limiting the number of people visiting the reserve: maximum 30 persons in a day on two or three different tours.
“This place is easily the most gorgeous place on planet Earth! It feels like a dream here. It’s hard to believe nature can feel so sublime. Thank you for caring for this place and keeping it sacred,” summed up one Sensoria visitor.
How to get there: Sensoria is located north of Liberia and 4.5 km north of the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano in Guanacaste. The hiking tour lasts three to four hours.
Article by Shannon Farley
