Authentic Community Ecotourism in Veraguas, Panama

Who We Are?

Ecoturismo La Yeguada OBC is a community-based organization founded in July 2019, specializing in sustainable tourism and authentic experiences in the La Laguna Forest Reserve of La Yeguada. We are made up of people committed to conserving the natural environment and strengthening community bonds in the district of Calobre, Veraguas Province.

As a legally established community ecotourism organization operating in this natural reserve, we offer responsible tourism just an hour and a half from the city of Santiago de Veraguas, connecting visitors with the biodiversity and authentic culture of rural Panama.

Our Origin

Our organization emerged as an innovative response to the negative impact of conventional tourism on the region’s fragile ecosystems. Aware of the importance of protecting Veraguas’ natural and cultural heritage, and recognizing the unique potential our territory offers for sustainable community development, we decided to join forces to create a different proposal.

Our model of community ecotourism is based on three essential pillars: profound respect for nature, appreciation of local knowledge, and the active participation of all families in the community in the benefits of responsible tourism.

Community

Local Impact with a Community Identity

As a legally established civil society organization operating within the La Laguna Forest Reserve of La Yeguada, we work directly with farmers, artisans, rural women, and local entrepreneurs, creating sustainable development opportunities for more than 50 families in the region.

Environmental Education
We promote a culture of environmental conservation through ancestral local knowledge. Our certified community guides share insights about endemic flora and fauna along interpretive trails, encouraging sustainable best practices in ecotourism. Through environmental education workshops, specialized talks, and school activities, we help children, youth, and visitors connect with their surroundings in a meaningful and mindful way, fostering ecological awareness in new generations.

Community Commitment
We promote an equitable model of community-based tourism, where economic, social, and environmental benefits are fairly distributed among the families of the region. Every responsible ecotourism activity supports rural employment, fair trade, and strengthens local economies. We actively encourage the participation of women entrepreneurs, young leaders, and community groups in sustainable territorial development that respects the natural environment and preserves the cultural identity of Veraguas.

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Genuine Commitment to the Community

Our commitment goes beyond tourism: we are an active part of the social fabric of the Calobre district. We organize environmental clean-up days, community reforestation, sustainable nurseries, and training in responsible tourism, while also strengthening environmental education in rural schools and supporting projects led by women and young entrepreneurs.

All our efforts are aimed at achieving sustainable and inclusive territorial development, where the community is both the protagonist and guardian of Veraguas’ natural and cultural heritage.

Conservation of Natural Ecosystems

Promotion of Responsible Tourism

Sustainable Use of Resources

Support for the Local Economy

Environmental Education

Waste Minimization

Protection of Flora and Fauna

Promotion of Clean Energy

Reforestation and Restoration of Green Areas

Continuous Monitoring and Evaluation

Tourism That Includes Everyone

For us, true ecotourism is not measured in photographs, but in regenerated forests, empowered entrepreneurs, and children who inherit an unbreakable bond with their land. Every visitor who comes to the La Laguna Forest Reserve in La Yeguada contributes directly to this positive transformation.

Day by day, we write a new chapter of sustainable community tourism for La Yeguada, where local development and environmental conservation go hand in hand, creating a lasting legacy for future generations of Veraguas.

Our Vision

To leave a positive mark on our territory and on those who visit it, building day by day a model of rural ecotourism that inspires respect for nature, strengthens the social fabric, and contributes to fair and sustainable development in Veraguas.

We aspire to be an example of community tourism recognized nationally and internationally, demonstrating how rural communities can lead the conservation of ecosystems and share their cultural richness with the world, promoting responsible ecotourism as a tool for social and environmental transformation.

Our Mission

To promote a model of community ecotourism that conserves the natural and cultural heritage of the La Laguna Forest Reserve in La Yeguada, strengthening the active participation of women, youth, farmers, artisans, and local entrepreneurs.

We promote responsible and inclusive tourism experiences that connect visitors with the environment, foster environmental education, and contribute to the sustainable development of our communities in Calobre, Veraguas.

Innovation with Purpose

In every action, we seek creative solutions that address contemporary environmental and social challenges. We incorporate clean energy, low-impact practices, and responsible waste management systems, always with an inclusive and participatory approach.

For us, innovation means caring for the present and planting the seeds of a sustainable future alongside those who live in and protect the La Yeguada territory, integrating green technology with ancestral knowledge to create authentic ecotourism experiences.