Costa Rica Ecovillage Tour
12 DAYS | Embark on a transformative tour of the intentional communities in Costa Rica
Get exclusive access to eco-communities.
The eco-adventure you’ve dreamed of is waiting for you in the lush lands of Costa Rica. Home to dozens of the world’s leading ecovillage models, we have chosen a selection of the most diverse and inspiring examples for you to experience. Due to decades of relationship building with these communities, you will get access to the founders, residents, and incredible sustainable living homes simply not available to anyone else.
This isn’t just another vacation—it’s an immersion in a whole new way of being on our planet.
Costa Rica Ecovillage Tour
Save your spot with a $500 deposit
All meals, lodging, and tour transport included.
June 9-20, 2024
Act fast. Limited spots still available.
Apply for a tour Scholarship: Explorer Exchange Program
Jan 12-23, 2025
Tour Highlights
What you can expect to experience during your time in Costa Rica.
Visit 7 Communities Over 12 Days: Travel to the most inspiring models for sustainable community living, enjoying quality time with their founders and residents.
Build Community within a Small Group: Our group will itself become an intentional community on wheels, deepening relationships and practicing cooperative culture with each other.
Explore Costa Rica’s Beautiful Nature: Dive into stunning landscapes, from rainforests to beaches, experiencing how ecovillages blend sustainability with the nature around them.
Gain Practical Guidance for Your Own Project: Get insights from ecovillage experts to fuel your sustainable living project, turning inspiration into reality.
Enjoy a True Eco-Vacation Adventure: Relish in a meticulously curated experience that combines the thrill of adventure with the comfort of all-inclusive travel.
Featured Communities
Experience the below communities during the June ecovillage tour. Subject to change.
Alegría Village
Location: San Mateo
Land: 70 hectares
Accepting New Members: Yes
Website: alegriavillage.com
Alegría Village is a new ecological neighborhood in the hills of San Mateo, Alajuela, Costa Rica, dedicated to best practices in regenerative living and design. Nestled on 70 hectares (170 acres) of fertile farmland, Alegría includes extensive permaculture food forests with hundreds of fruit trees, edible community gardens, abundant springs and creeks that supply our water, and hiking and biking trails for exploring our natural surroundings.
Each neighbor has their own space - their own private land and home - and we all share a community center, pool & hot tub, yoga & meditation shala, coworking hub, permaculture farm, and sacred spaces tucked throughout the property. We now have over 135 neighbors, from 32 different countries (including many Costa Rican families) calling Alegría Village home.
La Ecovilla Original
Location: San Mateo
Land: 42 acres
Accepting New Members: Yes
Website: laecovilla.com
Our original La Ecovilla welcomes 43 families from 29 different countries. They built their home on this former cattle farmland, first transformed into an edible forest then organized with roads and general services by 2012. Located in the heart of Costa Rica’s fruit growing region. Residents enjoy a peaceful land and purposeful life dedicated to nature and each other's care. Today there are many shared spaces, eco services and activities.
Ecovilla San Mateo
Location: San Mateo
Land: 494 acres
Accepting New Members: Yes
Website: ecovilla-san-mateo
Our first addition to the original La Ecovilla. With the same vision that made La Ecovilla a reality, welcome to Ecovilla San Mateo, a future community of communities! We are located 10 minutes away from La Ecovilla, still in the fruit growing region of Costa Rica with amazing weather, just 45 minutes from San Jose, one hour from the airport, and less than 40 minutes from the beach.
Brave Earth
Location: Arenal
Land: 35 hectares
Accepting New Members: No
Website: braveearth.com
Our prayer is to create an imprint of lived possibility in solidarity with all Life, in dialogue with the living planet, and in service to the collective transition. We are embodied through an experiential center, residential community, regenerative agricultural commons and community resilience network. We have been in operation of the center since January 2021 and over the last few years we have planted nearly 500 trees in our intentional food forest.
Rancho Mastatal
Location: Puriscal
Land: 300 acres
Accepting New Members: Yes
Website: ranchomastatal.com
Rancho Mastatal is an education center, working permaculture farm, ecolodge and community rooted in environmental sustainability, meaningful, place-based livelihoods, and caring relationships. Our campus encompasses more than 300-acres of wildlife refuge with beautiful waterfalls, pristine rivers, idyllic swimming holes, impressive trees, extraordinary wilderness views, and intact habitat for the area's rich flora and fauna. 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.
Collectivo Tacotal
Location: San Mateo
Land: 60 acres
Accepting New Members: Yes
Website: fincavidaverde.com
Collectivo Tacotal is a 25 family consensus-based ecovillage founded in 2008. The intentional community is based on the principles of permaculture, non-violence, ecological stewardship and interconnectedness. The land is roughly 60 acres and runs along the majestic Rio Machuca which creates its eastern border. The community is made up of a diverse group of people from the US, Costa Rica, and Mexico with a shared love of music, earth-stewardship and intentional gatherings.
VerdEnergia Pacifica
Location: Puriscal
Land: 178 acres
Accepting New Members: Yes
Website: verdenergia.org
VerdEnergia is a growing ecovillage and regenerative agroforestry project situated within acres of reforested jungle. Part ecovillage, part reforestation project, part farm, Verde is a community of people on a mission to practice and share practical applications of permaculture. We’ve integrated our practice into everyday life, using permaculture principles as a guiding tool as we regenerate and gently cultivate the forest we are honored to call home.
Itinerary
Get a taste for what awaits you on the tour. Itinerary subject to updates.
Overview
Beginning in San Jose, our tour will wind through the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica stopping at ecovillages along the way. Each community will have at least a full day of our attention in order to more deeply immerse ourselves in what it’s like to live there. In addition to the community visits, we’ll take time to explore the local culture and natural beauty of each region we visit —Puriscal, San Mateo, and Arenal.
Day 1: Settle In
Our tour will begin at 2pm local time on the start date at Hotel Brillasol in Alajuela (town next to the airport, max 15 minute taxi ride). Please plan to arrive by 2pm or earlier that day, in order to be present for orientation starting promptly at 3pm.
We will spend the first night of the tour at Hotel Brillasol and have dinner at the hotel. This will be an enjoyable evening to settle in and get to know each other… before taking off on the adventure!
Day 2: Visiting Our First Community
Traveling away from the bustling city early in the morning, we’ll enter the mountainous jungle of the Puriscal region. Our first community to visit is VerdEnergia Pacifica, a thriving permaculture and education center with a unique economic model centered on their regenerative agriculture systems.
Day 3: Deepening at VerdEnergia
Take the day to explore all that VerdEnergia has to offer, including a waterfall hike, tour of the extensive permaculture farm, viewing of their sustainable food production, and a well deserved dunk in the swimming pool! Evening talk with community founders and local residents.
Day 4: Welcome to Rancho Mastatal
Next we’ll travel through winding jungle roads to reach a world-renowned natural building center and thriving community called Rancho Mastatal. Find your lodging at one of the many tiny houses and tree huts, before engaging in a conversation with community founders.
Day 5: Exploring Sustainability
Followed by an optional morning hike to a stunning waterfall, this day is all about deepening into the culture of sustainable living. Participate in a hands-on fermentation workshop, learn all about composting toilets, and discover what makes projects in the local village so unique.
Day 6: Entering San Mateo
San Mateo is a region in Costa Rica with no less than four intentional community projects to explore. We’ll find our base in this area for the next four nights. And our first visit will be to the newest community the region has to offer, Ecovilla San Mateo. Engage in personal conversations with the community founders about their exciting development plans.
Day 7: Visiting Collectivo Tacotal
Our next day in San Mateo will be to visit one of the older and more organic community projects. Surrounded by wild jungle, a community of musicians, activists, and permaculturists have created a unique neighborhood home. Meet with the founder of Collectivo Tacotal and learn about the story of this creative community.
Day 8: Journey to Alegría
Welcome to Alegría, meaning happiness. Meeting this community and its pioneering founder, Stephen Brooks, is sure to bring a smile to your face. Learn all about this growing eco-neighborhood with its stunning gardens, yoga shala, geodesic greenhouse dome, and lessons incorporated after the founding of other communities throughout Costa Rica.
Day 9: La Ecovilla, Where It All Began
Our last full day in the San Mateo region will be spent in the area’s oldest and largest community, La Ecovilla. Learn about the gardens, residents, eco-projects…. and feel into what it’s like to live within an established ecovillage. We’ll celebrate together in the evening with a delicious restaurant dinner.
Day 10: Hot Springs Time!
As our time together draws to a close, we’ll relax and celebrate together at a healing hot spring near the Arenal Volcano National Park. Add-on excursion activities are available to purchase for the more adventurous at heart, including horseback riding and waterfall hikes. Spend the night on location at the hot springs.
Day 11: Final Community Visit
Our last community stop on this tour will be to a special one — Brave Earth. As a self-described living lab for cultural transition, Brave Earth is at the forefront of exploring how to live as responsible humans at this time in history. They are pioneering local resiliency networks, regenerative agriculture commons, and new systems of self-governance all within their beautiful tropical rainforests.
Day 12: Wrap Up!
After spending an enjoyable evening at Brave Earth, we’ll make our way back to Hotel Brillasol in Alajuela for final farewells!
Plan your departure for the evening of the last tour day or the following day. Tour will end at 6pm on the final day back at Hotel Brillasol where the journey began. Lodging is not included for the last day of the tour.
Trip Details
Explore detailed trip information to prepare for your adventure.
Included
All ground transportation from tour start and end point
All lodging in shared rooms (Private surcharge for single room upgrade)
All meals, except when you choose to eat separately or purchase extra drinks
All entrance and tour fees
Not Included
Transportation to/from country
Insurance of any kind
Alcoholic beverages
Optional gratuities to guides
Laundry fees and items of a personal nature
Flights & Pick Up
You are responsible for booking your own flight, which we recommend you book as far in advance as possible to get the best price. We recommend booking a flight that arrives at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO).
Tour Start
Our tour will begin at 2pm local time on the start date at Hotel Brillasol in Alajuela (town next to the airport, max 15 minute taxi ride).
Please plan to arrive by 2pm or earlier that day, in order to be present for orientation starting promptly at 3pm. We will spend the first night of the tour at Hotel Brillasol and have dinner at the hotel.
You are welcome to arrive a day or more earlier and stay at Hotel Brillasol or another hotel of your choosing. You are responsible for booking your own accommodations outside of the tour dates.
Tour End
Plan your departure for the evening of the last tour day or the following day. Tour will end at 6pm on the final day back at Hotel Brillasol where the journey began. Lodging is not included for the last day of the tour. Kindly book your own lodging at Hotel Brillasol or another hotel of your choosing.
Please be in touch with any questions regarding your travel planning. We’re happy to help!
Lodging
Lodging will be rustic and often in a beautiful rural setting. We ask you to be respectful and open to new experiences, such as using a composting toilet and sharing bathroom facilities. Some accommodations may have limited to no wifi, or wifi in only common areas. There will be no air conditioning.
Rooms will be shared with fellow travelers, with up to three beds per room. If possible, couples can have their private double room. We will separate male and female rooms unless your preferences are to stay together.
Private Room Upgrades
Please note that while we offer the option to upgrade to a private room for accommodations, it's important to understand that this upgrade is not guaranteed. Given the nature and locations of our tours, many of the accommodations we utilize may be unable to provide private room upgrades. However, when available, we will make every effort to assign you to a private room. Please be aware that refunds for unfulfilled room upgrade requests are not provided, as this upgrade is subject to availability and the discretion of the accommodation providers. Your comfort and satisfaction are our priorities, and we strive to accommodate all requests to the best of our ability.
Meals
As much as possible our meals will be fresh, local and organic, with produce grown on-site. Most meals will be vegetarian. When eating out at restaurants, we will have a fixed menu with a few options of local specialties. One beverage is usually included with lunch and dinner. Extra dishes and drinks are on you.
We can accommodate a range of dietary requirements, to a point, so please contact us to inform us about any food allergies and come prepared with your own specialty food or supplement needs. We will stop at grocery stores where you can purchase your own snacks.
Weather
Costa Rica offers a diverse climate that caters to a wide range of outdoor activities, making it an ideal destination for tours in both January and June.
January
In January, the country revels in its dry season, presenting visitors with hot sunny days and scant rainfall. Daytime temperatures are comfortably warm, typically hovering in the high 70°Fs to low 80°Fs (25-28°C), while at night, they cool down to the low 70°Fs (21-23°C). The mountainous regions provide a cooler escape with temperatures ranging between 64-72°F (18-22°C). For this period, it's advisable to pack sun-protective clothing, a sun hat, swimwear, and a warmer layer for those cooler mountain excursions.
June
June marks the transition into Costa Rica's green season, which brings about a mix of sunshine and tropical showers, predominantly in the afternoons. This month is characterized by lush landscapes and vibrant wildlife, offering a unique charm. Daytime temperatures in June are similar to January, often in the high 70°Fs to low 80°Fs (25-28°C), with the possibility of slightly higher humidity. Nighttime temperatures remain comfortable in the low 70°Fs (21-23°C). In the mountains, the temperatures can be cooler, making a light jacket or sweater a good addition to your packing list. The occasional showers make a waterproof jacket and moisture-wicking clothing recommended for comfortable exploration.
Packing
Due to the limited space in our vehicles, each passenger will only be allowed one suitcase and one day bag. We will be dropping you off at the same hotel we pick you up from and baggage storage may be arranged with them if you are bringing extra luggage for an extended trip. Please respect these very real space limits and bring the smallest piece of luggage you can manage with. Laundry service will be available at some of our locations.
Physical Requirements
This trip will include several day hikes and walks up hills and on uneven terrain. We will visit a few waterfalls and rivers with slippery footing. Some of our accommodations have narrow stairs and no elevators. You will be responsible to carry your luggage to and from your rooms, which will not always be paved surfaces.
Please consider your physical fitness before registering for the tour. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.
Unfortunately, due the nature of the tour we cannot accommodate anyone with mobility requirements.
Traveling with Children
It is possible to bring children on this tour, however not all children and families may be suited to this adventure. Kindly contact us if you are thinking of bringing any children under the age of 12 years old.
This tour includes long periods of sitting for presentations, strenuous walking, uneven terrain, some long car rides, and moving among multiple locations for sleeping. Laundry services are limited. We want to encourage families to join, so long as they are prepared for these challenges. We look forward to speaking with you about if your family is a good fit for the opportunity.
If we decide that this tour is a fit for your family, please know that we have limited reduced rate tickets for children under 12 years of age. Parents or guardians assume full responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of their children throughout the tour.
Children 4-6 years old need a booster seat if they are under 1.5 meters tall. Please be sure to bring a car seat if your child needs one, or you may rent one at cost.
Payment & Cancellation Policy
A refundable deposit of $500 is required at the time of booking to secure your space. Full payment is required 60 days before the departure date.
At the time of booking you can choose to make your payment in full, just pay the deposit, or pay the deposit and make your remaining payments in three auto-payment installments.
Cancellation and Refunds
Your tour deposit is 100% refundable for 30 days from the date it is received unless noted otherwise. Deposits made 60–90 days before a tour departs become non-refundable on the final payment due date. If you book a tour less than 60 days before its departure date, the entire tour cost becomes non-refundable after 7 days but may be creditable in the event of a medical or family emergency. Once your deposit refund date has passed, your deposit will not be refunded under any circumstance. Please read our Tour Conditions for more information.
Reviews
Authentic reviews to make informed decisions about your journey.
One of the greatest experiences I have ever had. A completely unique journey to some wondrous ecovillage projects, full of inspirational humans. To share the tours with others with similar visions was enriching and a real privilige. I left feeling fulfilled and educated.
— Adam Bates
Ecovillage Tours has put something really special together. The amount of research and care they have put into this trip is impressive in and of itself and have helped facilitate meaningful connections both within the tour group and with the communities hosting us. This eye opening experience has the potential to change your life by exploring more unique paradigms.
— Nathan Oxenfeld
It is an experience worth paying for. You get to know places and people who are on the real hands on effort for bringing change and make local ecosystems more resilient.
— Edward Bryce
I joined the Costa Rica Ecovillage Tour hoping to visit communities I otherwise could not have. I did that but I also met so many wonderful people. I don't know anywhere else I could go on a vacation and learn so much and grow in so many ways.
— Marek Pierepiekarz
My trip to Costa Rica was inspiring, eye-opening and educational. Our guides were kind, great listeners, knowledgeable, and receptive to group feedback. The country was beautiful and the nature around us was healing. The diversity of communities we visited were very interesting and thought provoking. I'd recommend the tour for people interested in new ways of being.
— Lex Silvie
Meet Your Guides
Embark on your journey with confidence – get to know your experienced guide.
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Jason is the founder of Regeneration Nation Costa Rica, a podcast exploring who's doing what to bring Costa Rica toward environmental and social well-being. As a permaculturist with a background in business, he bridges ecologically-focused entrepreneurs with the 21st-century tools and business practices he’s found useful in his own endeavors.
After a decade of traveling, visiting intentional communities and permaculture projects all around North and Central America, Jason settled on Costa Rica as his home. In 2009, he co-founded Finca Fruition, a permaculture education center and homestead in CR. During his dozen years dedicated to that project, he hosted hundreds of guests, volunteers, interns, and students, produced events, taught a little, and learned a lot.
Jason’s been a dedicated earth steward for more than 20 years. His current mission is to promote & network regenerative projects throughout CR, hoping to enhance their potential to make their intended impact and thrive.
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Jess recently joined Ecovillage Tours, drawn by their mission to promote conscious living through visiting intentional communities worldwide. With almost 20 years of experience in international education, including 10 years of guiding cross-cultural service-learning projects for college students across Latin America with Peacework, Jess brings a wealth of expertise.
Prior to Peacework she worked at Manna Project International in Guatemala and The School for Field Studies in Costa Rica overseeing student and volunteer-driven community development initiatives. Jess holds a Master's in Intercultural Service, Leadership, and Management and has worked with various grassroots organizations across Latin America.
Travel has always been integral to her life journey, evolving from external exploration to internal introspection, where she discovered yoga, meditation, and indigenous wisdom. This quest has led her to seek out conscious communities worldwide. Presently based in Mexico with her partner and daughter, she is eager to continue her work connecting individuals with transformative centers for sustainable community living through Ecovillage Tours.
Is this tour right for me?
On the fence? Discover if this tour is meant for you.
Choosing to embark on an ecovillage tour is an investment in your journey into intentional community living. Thanks to years of relationship building with community founders, we’re able to give you an experience that’s simply not available to the regular traveler.
Still unsure?
Explore if this tour is right for you…
This tour ideal for those who want to:
Join intentional communities: Engage directly in projects that focus on environmental and social regeneration, creating vibrant, sustainable spaces for communal living.
Explore sustainable living: Dive into the world of ecovillages as a lifestyle choice, integrating principles of ecological balance and community harmony into your daily life.
Network with regeneration leaders: Forge deep connections with key figures in the regenerative movement, gaining inspiration and momentum to advance your life's purpose.
Get a true eco-vacation: Embark on adventure travels that support ecovillages, choosing experiences that contribute positively to the planet and align with your values.
Learn from successful projects: Observe and study the approaches of others, applying their strategies and innovations to develop your own land or community initiative effectively.
Why choose this tour?
Knowledgeable guides: Led by experts in ecovillages and intentional communities.
Authentic experience: We partner with local communities for a genuine and unfiltered experience.
All-inclusive: From eco-friendly lodging to local cuisine, we've got you covered.
Small group size: We limit the number of participants to ensure a personalized and intimate experience.
Hassle free travel: We cover all the logistics, so you can get the most out of the experience.
What’s the alternative?
You could try visiting intentional communities on your own, except that…
Many communities are not open to the public and, if they are, the founders will not give you their undivided attention as a just normal passer-through.
Figuring out the logistics of getting yourself around the country is a headache and you’ll have no immediate support if something goes awry.
Traveling alone isn’t as nourishing or nearly as fun journeying with a small group in an intentionally held container for connection.
It’ll take years of relationship building and financial investment to even come close to the experience that Ecovillage Tours is able to offer… because we’ve done all that work for you already!
Still have questions?
We are happy to help! Sign up below to book a discovery call with one of our team members.
Ready to go?
The communities are excited to welcome you.
Let your adventure begin.