Rancho Mastatal is an education center, working permaculture farm, Eco-lodge and community rooted in environmental sustainability, meaningful, place-based livelihoods, and caring relationships.
We offer profound, innovative and authentic apprenticeships, residential workshops and guest experiences. We practice, promote and teach about natural building, fermentation, permaculture design, renewable energy, agroforestry, wilderness medicine, homesteading in the tropics and more.
Our campus encompasses more than 300-acres of beautiful waterfalls, pristine rivers, idyllic swimming holes, impressive trees, extraordinary wilderness views, and intact habitat for the area’s rich flora and fauna. Visitors and participants have access to over 10 kilometers of trails, an extensive library, our working permaculture farm, and the tireless team who make the Ranch such a unique place to learn.
We are located in the rural farming town of Mastatal, situated on the edge of the last remaining virgin rainforest of Costa Rica’s picturesque Puriscal County. It is a wonderful place to take in Costa Rica culture, practice your Spanish, visit other permaculture projects, or catch a pickup game of fútbol.
Come on out to pay us a visit and please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or suggestions regarding our work.
Natural building is a focus at Rancho Mastatal. We take pride in designing and building our own sustainable homes to minimize the impact on our environment and maximize their sustainability. We use local labor and resources to not only build our infrastructure but also community.
Our food is sourced from our local and regional foodshed, and each meal is prepared by hand from whole foods. We do not own a can opener. We do not own a microwave. We minimize our use of fossil fuels by cooking on fire, with solar energy, or with methane gas from our biodigestor. We value traditional methods of food preparation as well as innovation and culinary fusion from many practices. Each meal is served with something fresh and something fermented, and most include local or exotic delicacies like pejibaye, ojoche, jackfruit, breadnut, zorillo, starfruit, tropical greens, taro, and many more.