Sustainable Living Lodge

Placement number:  0111
Location: Costa Rica
Preferred Languages: English or Spanish
Date: All year
Requirements: Contact Ecoteer for more information
Minimum Period: 1 week

Rancho Mastatal is an environmental learning and sustainable living center, retreat and lodge located in the last virgin rainforest of Costa Rica’s Puriscal County. We practice and promote living responsibly in the tropics, while educating our visitors about the significance and majesty of the world’s disappearing tropical forests.

Our site encompasses 300+ acres of picture-perfect waterfalls, crystal-clear rivers, and impressive trees in the transition zone between very wet and pre-montane rainforest in one of Costa Rica’s most undiscovered regions.

Role of Volunteer

Volunteers and interns to Rancho Mastatal work and live daily with amazing campesino people, make lifelong friends and participate in a style of living that often times changes them forever. Volunteering and interning at Rancho Mastatal offers you the unique opportunity to feel and become a part of the magic and beauty of this infrequently visited area of Costa Rica.

Volunteers

Volunteers may work on any number of tasks and projects, depending on the specific needs of the Ranch at the time of their visit. On occasion the work can be mundane and tiring—like weeding, planting, and hauling. Nevertheless, for the most part, the work is interesting, dynamic, inspirational and educational. We demand a lot out of our volunteers but make sure that the hard work is compensated with incredible food, plenty of time to explore the beautiful surroundings and the community, and a unique feeling of being part of an incredible movement. As a volunteer, in addition to helping out with projects around the Ranch, you will be helping out in the kitchen with cooking and cleaning duties. We encourage volunteer independence as much as possible, though we offer direction and supervision when necessary.

Interns/ Research students

Interns are given more flexibility and less guidance than volunteers. Internships are sometimes, but not always, funded or sponsored by a college, university, or other organizations. We do not define any specific time commitments for interns, but expect them to work on their project on a daily basis (except weekends). You make your own schedule, giving you the opportunity to explore the local wonders and other parts of Costa Rica during your time in Costa Rica. Interns are not expected to cook and/or clean, though are welcome to, especially if they enjoy the culinary arts, or would like to contribute to the communal environment of the Ranch.

Any relevant area of study is accepted, below are a few examples

• Preservation/conservation
• Reforestation
• Sustainable Community Development
• Ecotourism and sustainable development
• Insect Collection
• Aquatic environments
• Weather indications

Volunteer stories

Find out what our past volunteers thought of this placement!

Various volunteers and visitors
"When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all of your thoughts break their bonds: your mind expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties, and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be." 

Cost

Volunteers

$15 per night for stays 1-3 weeks
$10 per night for stays 3 weeks to 3 months
Work exchange for stays longer than 3 months

Interns

US$450 per month

Please note:
All fees include accommodation and 3 meals per day

Travel

Volunteers and interns are expected to pay for there own way to the lodge.