Tour dé Belen
We offer a tour of the property, cacao forest, and a short hike to access the river and waterfalls.
What to expect:
- Finca Belen is a 30 minute walk from Minca down a scenic hiking indigenous trail, downstream of the river Giara. The tour begins with the exploration of a formerly abandoned cacao cultivation where you will experience first-hand the magic of an old growth cacao forest and learn about the history of the finca, the workings of the forest, and the cultivation/harvesting techniques of cacao.
- Next we will see and discuss what we have discovered to be evidence of the existence of an ancient village of the indigenous Tayona. Networks of stone paths and terraces, uncovered ceramic urns, tools and artifacts carved from stone and preserved by the forest. We will share with you what we have learned about the history of the land and the indigenous cultures that used to inhabitate it. We will then pass through some of Minca's most luscious virgin jungle landscapes where you will learn to identify some of the common trees and plants native to the area.
- After a short rest and a cup of hot chocolate in the cacao forest café, we will give a brief tour of our living quarters and show you how we are integrating ourselves into the land on our mission to create a self-sustainable jungle community.
- For the final leg of the tour, we will head down a windy jungle path towards River Giara where you will have a chance to experience one of Mincas grandest and most secluded waterfalls, knows as "la cascada de fertilizacion". After spending some time along the river, we will head back up towards home and the path back to Minca.
Things to know:
- The tour starting from Minca will last about 5 hours and require about 4 kilometers of walking through mountainous terrain. Everyone is required to wear adequate footwear (shoes or boots) and bring a bottle of water which can be filled up with filtered spring water at the finca.
- The final section of the tour to the waterfall is a fairly steep and rugged hike down and up the mountain. Anybody that wishes not to participate in this section will be free to take to the path back to Minca or to stay and enjoy the scenery in the cacao forest café.
- We ask that you do not feed wildlife on the tour and any garbage or plastic that comes with you also leaves with you. We also would like to remind you that there is no road access to the finca or the tour.
- Being the mountainous and ecologically diverse terrain that it is, the tour presents a certain level of risk that we must take into consideration. We ask that all people on the tour hold the land in high respect, take responsibility for their own safety, as well as the safety of others. Please stay within the defined route of the tour.
Tour Booking Form:
