Boruca Indigenous Tribe Cultural Experience
A full-day cultural immersion with the Boruca people of Costa Rica's South Pacific, known for their hand-painted masks and living traditions.
* Rack rates before Costa Rica's 13% VAT. Includes hotel pickup & certified bilingual guide. Book now, pay later.
The experience
Experience true cultural immersion in Costa Rica's South Pacific with a visit to the indigenous Boruca community, known for the vibrant hand-painted masks they carve, depicting the legends, stories and nature themes that shape their identity. The day begins at their workshop, following each step of mask making from woodwork to painting, and you each receive your own mask to decorate with guidance from a master painter. It is a hands-on, participative experience that also includes a textile workshop. A guided tour of the community museum and town follows, where you learn how the Boruca famously defended their identity against the Spanish during the Conquest. The day ends with a traditional lunch made from locally harvested ingredients, served alongside the telling of a Boruca legend. It is an ideal cultural and educational day for families or small groups, with a chance to buy unique handcrafted gifts.
Highlights
- Hands-on mask making with a master Boruca painter
- Keep the mask you paint
- A traditional textile workshop
- Guided visit to the community museum and town
- Stories of how the Boruca resisted the Spanish Conquest
- Traditional lunch with a live telling of a Boruca legend
What's included
- Round-trip transportation from your hotel
- Bilingual guides
- Mask-making and textile workshops
- Community museum and town visit
- Snack and traditional lunch
What to bring
- Suntan lotion
- Sunglasses
- Camera
- Hat or visor
- Insect repellent
A typical day
- Early pickup from your hotel in the Manuel Antonio, Dominical or Uvita area
- Drive to the Boruca community in the South Pacific
- Mask-making and textile workshops
- Guided museum and town tour
- Traditional lunch with a Boruca legend
- Return drive to your hotel
Departures & pickup
- Pickup from hotels in the Manuel Antonio, Dominical or Uvita area.
- A full day, about 8 hours, as a private tour scheduled on request.
- Requires a minimum 3-day booking window so the community can prepare for your visit, with a minimum of 2 guests.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, a minimum 3-day booking window is required so the community can prepare for your visit.
Yes, a minimum of 2 guests. Solo travelers can contact us about availability.
Yes, you decorate and keep your own mask with help from a master painter.
From hotels in the Manuel Antonio, Dominical or Uvita area.
A full day, roughly 8 hours including travel to the South Pacific and back.
Yes, it is an easy, educational and hands-on day that families enjoy.
Plan your Boruca cultural day
Free hotel pickup, certified bilingual guides, book now and pay later.
Prefer just your group? Take this tour private →
