Rainforest Chemistry

02/09/2026

🌿 Medicinal Plants & Natural Dyes Immersion – San Cristóbal on Friday September 4th 🌿

An authentic rainforest experience created from more than 18 years of collaboration, learning, and trust with the Chami Jablablo Ngäbe women’s association.
Step beyond traditional tourism and enter the living world of rainforest knowledge shared by the Ngäbe women who have maintained a deep relationship with the forest for generations.

We begin with a gentle-paced 2-hour jungle walk through San Cristóbal, discovering medicinal plants and natural dyes through:
🌱 Traditional Ngäbe knowledge and plant uses
🌿 Botany and rainforest ecology
🧪 The science behind plant properties
🌎 Cultural traditions and the relationship between people and the forest

After the walk, enjoy a Tribal Cuisine Experience: a traditional home-cooked meal prepared by the Ngäbe women using local ingredients, followed by a cultural exchange and a natural dye demonstration, including the traditional process of preparing plant-based colors and weaving the Ngäbe Kra bag.

During the experience, Mathilde Grand shares a short reflection:
🍫 “The Theorem of Theobroma” — exploring cacao through the connection between science, culture, and rainforest knowledge.
This is a small-group cultural immersion designed for curious travelers who wish to slow down, learn, and connect with the rainforest and the women who share its knowledge.
A tropical rainforest environment means walking in warmth and humidity, so comfortable shoes, water, and an open mind are essential.
Small groups only (maximum 12 people).
Guided in English, Spanish, or French.

🌿 A meaningful encounter with the forest, its plants, and the women who carry this living knowledge.

31/08/2026

🌿 Botanika Garden – Discover the Hidden Stories of Tropical Plants on Thu September 3rd 🌿

An unique botanical experience on Isla Colón, Bocas del Toro.
Located at Finca Flora in Big Creek, just a short taxi ride from Bocas Town, Botanika Garden offers a peaceful and inspiring 75-minute guided walk through a tropical plant collection created over two years through a shared passion for discovering and preserving the fascinating stories of plants.
Overlooking the beautiful waters of Bocas del Toro and Carenero, the garden invites you to explore the hidden connections between tropical plants, history, and human cultures.

Led by Mathilde Grand, founder of Rainforest Chemistry and specialist in ethnobotany, this experience invites you to discover:
🌱 How tropical plants traveled across continents and shaped history
🌿 Their traditional, cultural, and historical uses
🌎 The relationship between plants, people, and tropical societies
Take time to slow down and enjoy the garden’s peaceful atmosphere, including a moment of relaxation at the gazebo overlooking the small pond, with beautiful views of the sea and the islands of Bocas del Toro and Carenero.
A thoughtful experience for curious travelers who enjoy nature, culture, and learning at a relaxed pace.

🕙 Thursday September 3rd | 10:00–11:15 am
💵 $25 per person (transport not included)
📍 Finca Flora, Big Creek, Isla Colón — less than 10 minutes by taxi from Bocas Town
🚕 Taxi fare is usually around $3 each way
👉 Reservation required in advance.
DM us for details and to reserve your place.

🌿 Come discover the stories that plants carry.

29/08/2026

🌿 Coming This Week at Rainforest Chemistry.

In the coming week, we’re offering three cultural and educational experiences rooted in shared knowledge, respectful exchange, and care for people and plants.

📅 DATE – Monday August 31st.
Cultural Immersion: Natural Dyes, Fibers & Ngäbe Cosmovision.
A half-day cultural experience in the San Cristóbal community centered on ancestral techniques for extracting natural dyes and fibers from rainforest plants. The experience includes a talk and shared presentation on Ngäbe spirituality and cosmovision, offering insight into the worldview that connects plants, people, and territory through living knowledge.

📅 DATE – Thursday September 3rd.
Botanika Garden Experience.
A 75-minute guided walk exploring the colonial history of tropical plants that shaped medicine, food, and trade in the Americas.

📅 DATE – Friday September 4th.
Medicinal Plants & Natural Dyes Path.
A gentle rainforest walk focused on medicinal plants with Ngäbe women in the San Cristóbal community, followed by a traditional tribal lunch prepared over a fire pit, and a demonstration and hands-on workshop on the extraction of natural fibers and plant-based dyes.

🔔 Important information:
All activities are by reservation only.
🚫 No walk-ins.

📩 To receive full details (schedule, meeting point, price) and to reserve your spot,
please contact us by private message.

⏳ Reservations close 24 hours before each activity to allow proper preparation and coordination.

🌱 Thank you for supporting cultural and educational experiences grounded in shared knowledge, respectful exchange, and care for people and plants.

26/08/2026

🌿 Medicinal Plants & Natural Dyes Immersion – San Cristóbal on Friday August 28th 🌿

An authentic rainforest experience created from more than 18 years of collaboration, learning, and trust with the Chami Jablablo Ngäbe women’s association.
Step beyond traditional tourism and enter the living world of rainforest knowledge shared by the Ngäbe women who have maintained a deep relationship with the forest for generations.

We begin with a gentle-paced 2-hour jungle walk through San Cristóbal, discovering medicinal plants and natural dyes through:
🌱 Traditional Ngäbe knowledge and plant uses
🌿 Botany and rainforest ecology
🧪 The science behind plant properties
🌎 Cultural traditions and the relationship between people and the forest

After the walk, enjoy a Tribal Cuisine Experience: a traditional home-cooked meal prepared by the Ngäbe women using local ingredients, followed by a cultural exchange and a natural dye demonstration, including the traditional process of preparing plant-based colors and weaving the Ngäbe Kra bag.

During the experience, Mathilde Grand shares a short reflection:
🍫 “The Theorem of Theobroma” — exploring cacao through the connection between science, culture, and rainforest knowledge.
This is a small-group cultural immersion designed for curious travelers who wish to slow down, learn, and connect with the rainforest and the women who share its knowledge.
A tropical rainforest environment means walking in warmth and humidity, so comfortable shoes, water, and an open mind are essential.
Small groups only (maximum 12 people).
Guided in English, Spanish, or French.

🌿 A meaningful encounter with the forest, its plants, and the women who carry this living knowledge.

24/08/2026

🌿 Botanika Garden – Discover the Hidden Stories of Tropical Plants on Thu August 27th 🌿

An unique botanical experience on Isla Colón, Bocas del Toro.
Located at Finca Flora in Big Creek, just a short taxi ride from Bocas Town, Botanika Garden offers a peaceful and inspiring 75-minute guided walk through a tropical plant collection created over two years through a shared passion for discovering and preserving the fascinating stories of plants.
Overlooking the beautiful waters of Bocas del Toro and Carenero, the garden invites you to explore the hidden connections between tropical plants, history, and human cultures.

Led by Mathilde Grand, founder of Rainforest Chemistry and specialist in ethnobotany, this experience invites you to discover:
🌱 How tropical plants traveled across continents and shaped history
🌿 Their traditional, cultural, and historical uses
🌎 The relationship between plants, people, and tropical societies
Take time to slow down and enjoy the garden’s peaceful atmosphere, including a moment of relaxation at the gazebo overlooking the small pond, with beautiful views of the sea and the islands of Bocas del Toro and Carenero.
A thoughtful experience for curious travelers who enjoy nature, culture, and learning at a relaxed pace.

🕙 Thursday August 27th | 10:00–11:15 am
💵 $25 per person (transport not included)
📍 Finca Flora, Big Creek, Isla Colón — less than 10 minutes by taxi from Bocas Town
🚕 Taxi fare is usually around $3 each way
👉 Reservation required in advance.
DM us for details and to reserve your place.

🌿 Come discover the stories that plants carry.

22/08/2026

A lot of these epiphytes are Bromeliaceae.
What is happening in Monteverde, Costa Rica?

In Costa Rica’s cloud forest, a biological paradox unfolds: one of ...

22/08/2026

🌿 Coming This Week at Rainforest Chemistry.

In the coming week, we’re offering three cultural and educational experiences rooted in shared knowledge, respectful exchange, and care for people and plants.

📅 DATE – Monday August 24th.
Cultural Immersion: Natural Dyes, Fibers & Ngäbe Cosmovision.
A half-day cultural experience in the San Cristóbal community centered on ancestral techniques for extracting natural dyes and fibers from rainforest plants. The experience includes a talk and shared presentation on Ngäbe spirituality and cosmovision, offering insight into the worldview that connects plants, people, and territory through living knowledge.

📅 DATE – Thursday August 27th.
Botanika Garden Experience.
A 75-minute guided walk exploring the colonial history of tropical plants that shaped medicine, food, and trade in the Americas.

📅 DATE – Friday August 28th.
Medicinal Plants & Natural Dyes Path.
A gentle rainforest walk focused on medicinal plants with Ngäbe women in the San Cristóbal community, followed by a traditional tribal lunch prepared over a fire pit, and a demonstration and hands-on workshop on the extraction of natural fibers and plant-based dyes.

🔔 Important information:
All activities are by reservation only.
🚫 No walk-ins.

📩 To receive full details (schedule, meeting point, price) and to reserve your spot,
please contact us by private message.

⏳ Reservations close 24 hours before each activity to allow proper preparation and coordination.

🌱 Thank you for supporting cultural and educational experiences grounded in shared knowledge, respectful exchange, and care for people and plants.

19/08/2026

The Krä: a story woven by women.

For the Ngäbe, the Krä is far more than a bag. It carries ancestral knowledge, identity, and a deep connection to the Ngäbe Cosmovision.

For a young girl, learning to make her own Krä is a rite of passage—mastering the extraction of plant-based fibers and natural dyes, and the intricate art of weaving.

The spirit of the Krä was given to Ngäbe women by the Degos, and its meaning lives within a much larger ancestral story.

In the hands of these women, this knowledge continues to be practiced, transmitted, and lived.

Photos: Rainforest Chemistry

18/08/2026

🌿 Medicinal Plants & Natural Dyes Immersion – San Cristóbal on Friday August 21st 🌿

An authentic rainforest experience created from more than 18 years of collaboration, learning, and trust with the Chami Jablablo Ngäbe women’s association.
Step beyond traditional tourism and enter the living world of rainforest knowledge shared by the Ngäbe women who have maintained a deep relationship with the forest for generations.

We begin with a gentle-paced 2-hour jungle walk through San Cristóbal, discovering medicinal plants and natural dyes through:
🌱 Traditional Ngäbe knowledge and plant uses
🌿 Botany and rainforest ecology
🧪 The science behind plant properties
🌎 Cultural traditions and the relationship between people and the forest

After the walk, enjoy a Tribal Cuisine Experience: a traditional home-cooked meal prepared by the Ngäbe women using local ingredients, followed by a cultural exchange and a natural dye demonstration, including the traditional process of preparing plant-based colors and weaving the Ngäbe Kra bag.

During the experience, Mathilde Grand shares a short reflection:
🍫 “The Theorem of Theobroma” — exploring cacao through the connection between science, culture, and rainforest knowledge.
This is a small-group cultural immersion designed for curious travelers who wish to slow down, learn, and connect with the rainforest and the women who share its knowledge.
A tropical rainforest environment means walking in warmth and humidity, so comfortable shoes, water, and an open mind are essential.
Small groups only (maximum 12 people).
Guided in English, Spanish, or French.

🌿 A meaningful encounter with the forest, its plants, and the women who carry this living knowledge.

15/08/2026

🌿 Botanika Garden – Discover the Hidden Stories of Tropical Plants on Thu August 20th 🌿

An unique botanical experience on Isla Colón, Bocas del Toro.
Located at Finca Flora in Big Creek, just a short taxi ride from Bocas Town, Botanika Garden offers a peaceful and inspiring 75-minute guided walk through a tropical plant collection created over two years through a shared passion for discovering and preserving the fascinating stories of plants.
Overlooking the beautiful waters of Bocas del Toro and Carenero, the garden invites you to explore the hidden connections between tropical plants, history, and human cultures.

Led by Mathilde Grand, founder of Rainforest Chemistry and specialist in ethnobotany, this experience invites you to discover:
🌱 How tropical plants traveled across continents and shaped history
🌿 Their traditional, cultural, and historical uses
🌎 The relationship between plants, people, and tropical societies
Take time to slow down and enjoy the garden’s peaceful atmosphere, including a moment of relaxation at the gazebo overlooking the small pond, with beautiful views of the sea and the islands of Bocas del Toro and Carenero.
A thoughtful experience for curious travelers who enjoy nature, culture, and learning at a relaxed pace.

🕙 Thursday August 20th | 10:00–11:15 am
💵 $25 per person (transport not included)
📍 Finca Flora, Big Creek, Isla Colón — less than 10 minutes by taxi from Bocas Town
🚕 Taxi fare is usually around $3 each way
👉 Reservation required in advance.
DM us for details and to reserve your place.

🌿 Come discover the stories that plants carry.