The Vacation Finder

If you believe Costa Rica is touristic, you’re RIGHT. There are significantly more “gringos” here than in any other place we’ve visited in Central America.

But if you assume there are no locations left unaffected by tourists, you are incorrect.

What if we told you there is a community tucked away in the mountains that few travelers ever see? What if I told you that you could stay in clay huts in the forest, learn about sustainability and play in a secret waterfall with no crowds or selfie sticks?

Would You Start Packing Your Luggage As We Did?

We’re going to share a really unique spot with you. A location where you may disconnect from the so-called real world and come back in touch with the world for real.

Rancho Mastatal is little over 23 miles from the Pacific coast, yet a trip along bumpy gravel roads, past ranches and mountain farms will make you feel like you’re a world away from the picturesque beaches for which Costa Rica is so well known.

About Rancho Mastatal

Mastatal Sustainable Eco Lodge in Costa Rica

Back in 2001, Tim and Robin acquired a block of property in the little community of Mastatal. They had a goal of establishing a space where living sustainably wasn’t just about surviving, but was a place they could live and grow, and eventually educate others to do the same.

We learned about Rancho Mastatal via a reader who reached out to us on Instagram. She mentioned she went back in 2007 and had such a fantastic experience that this spot still has a special place in her heart a decade later. She felt it seemed like something we’d be interested in, and we were sold. (Honestly, it doesn’t take much to sell us on a property this great!)

Today, Rancho Mastatal is a location where you may come to learn, to disconnect, to rest and to go off the traditional tourist road.

You may relax in a hammock with a nice book or you can plunge in and learn about sustainability from the apprentices working on the Ranch… or you can do a little of both, as we did! Whatever the objective of your vacation, we are sure it will be one of your most unforgettable experiences in Costa Rica.

Sustainability At Rancho Mastatal

There are so many great things going on at Rancho Mastatal that we can’t possible mention them all. But some of the most stunning creations we saw:

1. Sustainability Workshops

One of the key aims of this location is to teach people how they might live a life that is healthier for our Earth. Rancho Mastatal invites hundreds of people each year - from high school and university groups as well as individuals who would want to learn about sustainable living. They conduct workshops on themes including natural construction, renewable energy, wilderness medicine, permaculture and more.

2. Permaculture Farming

One of the key priorities of the ranch is food production. It is done consciously, with a focus on building systems that operate nicely with the land they have and caring for the Earth.

3. Local Meals

At Rancho Mastatal, they claim their kitchen is the heart of their ranch, and if you visit you’ll understand why. All meals are cooked with foods grown on the farm or nearby.
They even manufacture their own sauces, vinegars and herbal drinks. And all the things that are not grown onsite (such coffee, eggs, poultry, etc.) are obtained from local farmers.

4. Natural Building

Rancho Mastatal is an amazing example of several styles of natural architecture. They employ local materials and labor and have been able to demonstrate many various kinds of building on the several structures across their site.
It’s a terrific example of using natural materials and thinking about a design that makes sense for your climate and area. If you’re interested, you may learn more about their natural earth building.

5. Renewable energy

There are many different instances on the Ranch of different sources of renewable energy that allow them to limit their footprint while yet offering creature pleasures.

One the ranch, you’ll see

Solar power
Bio gas
Rocket stoves
Composting toilets

6. Creating work for residents

One of the areas that we were most impressed with is that Tim and Robin have worked so hard to consider their influence on the local community. They have made sure to incorporate them in their initiatives and have established well-paying employment and educational possibilities for locals. The rural hamlet of Mastatal is really flourishing, which isn’t all that usual for rural communities today.

Meals at Rancho Mastatal

Mastatal Sustainable Eco Lodge in Costa Rica

Meals are provided in your stay at Rancho Mastatal, and it will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of your visit.

Meals are thoughtfully produced by locals on staff during the week. On weekends, the apprentices take turns cooking, and on certain Sunday evenings the kitchen is closed and customers are invited to dine at the nearby soda (restaurant) to support the community.

Each meal on the ranch is meticulously crafted with foods produced on the property or obtained from local farmers.

Tim told us that they buy 500 eggs each week from a local woman, who has utilized this revenue to maintain her family and send her children to school.

Each meal we had throughout our stay was absolutely amazing and there was more than enough to go around. They manufacture their own dressings, spicy sauces, pickled veggies and fermented kimchi. They also manufacture their own fermented sodas (very healthy and tasty!) and hooch (or alcoholic beverage).

And while the food is great, one of the major pleasures of meals is that it’s a time where everyone gets together for discussion and to be fed as a community.