Our Eco-Project
Our eco-project is multifaceted and there are activities, accomodations and learning opportunities for every type of traveller. We offer various travel-pack options so that you can stay at Las Cascadas for as long as you'd like. We’re situated in a beautiful location in the mountains, about 20 kilometers from the coast so it’s easy to make beach day-trips.
A majority of the land acquired for this project was primarily used for animal agriculture, something that is completely unsustainable and results in significant environmental degradation. We want to protect the valley from further misuse. By repurposing this land into botanical gardens, biodiverse food forests, a sustainable eco-community and nature preserve, the carbon footprint of this area will be drastically improved. This in turn results in massive improvements in wildlife habitat, the reintroduction of native food-bearing plants and many more beautiful landscapes for people to enjoy, respect and feel compelled to protect. Forests support countless species, including our own; we need them to live.
Our multifold project will consist of various aspects and our resources will grow as the community grows. Although our project is still in the planning stages, we invite you to step with us for a moment into the future, as we describe how we envision each sector of the project.
Nature Preserve
You step foot into the nature preserve and your senses come alive. You are suddenly absorbed with the sounds of the tropical forest. In every direction you look, you see immense beauty and you feel abundance. In the distance you see rolling green mountains covered with trees and plants, giant birds of prey soaring effortlessly over the valley and waterfalls dropping into giant pools below. You feel reconnected, a healing sensation rushes through your body, you take a deep breath and continue on the trail down to the valley floor to cool off in one of the swimming holes.
Our nature preserve is an eco-tourism destination for all types of travellers. There are countless opportunities for wildlife viewing in their natural habitat. You’ll find howler monkeys, beautiful birds, colorful butterflies, interesting insects, giant trees and lush flora. The preserve currently comprises nearly 2,000 acres (800 hectares), several mountain peaks with elevations as high as 750 meters (2,500 feet), a densely forested valley full of tropical plants, stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and the Nicoya Peninsula and as many as 16 waterfalls (including the tallest in Central America). The preserve is home to an estimated 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) of well-maintained hiking trails with various access points, ramps for wheelchair access and walkways with handrails to get to the waterfalls. There are restrooms and refreshment stands as well.
Our preserve protects and conserves wild native flora and fauna and geological features that play a part in our ecosystem and Earth’s biodiversity. With this project, we intend to preserve the entire valley, which consists of 8.5 kilometers (5.3 miles) and around 3,500 hectares (9,000 acres) of lush forest, as well as pasture which we will re-forest. Before purchasing the lots, most of the land was clear cut for pasture so the old-growth primary forest had disappeared. Since this land is now being preserved, we’re allowing nature to take its natural course so that the forest can grow again.
Imagine a place with hundreds of varieties of mangos, avocados, bananas, papayas, pineapples, and many more species of fruit. Welcome to our organic fruit forest where you can come and visit one of the largest collections of tropical fruit varieties on the planet. Here at Las Cascadas, we love and celebrate fruit! Come and taste the delicious fruits that are in season, participate in an immersion program to learn about permaculture, green building or organic farming, or just take a tour of the grounds to learn more about fruit trees.
The fruit forest is above the head of the valley on 125 acres (50 hectares) of land. It provides us with the optimal food for our bodies, a reliable and sustainable food source that provides food self-sufficiency and food security, and a way to connect with the growing process and our food source. By permaculture techniques we make sure not to harm the environment. Planting fruit trees has many beneficial environmental benefits, from cleaner air and green jobs to reduced CO2 emissions and energy costs.
The Village at Las Cascadas
While you’re here, come visit The Village at Las Cascadas. The Village has something for every taste, all organic and raw vegan. You’ll find restaurants, a juice bar, smoothie stands, a chocolate shop, a raw vegan ice cream parlor and artisan markets. There are galleries, small shops and a section for local artisans to sell their art. You’ll find fountains, benches and beautiful landscaping so you can take a stroll around or just relax. Here you’ll also find a visitor center to help you with anything you may need and tour operators where you can book a variety of different activities and reserve accommodations.
If you have an eco-friendly, conscious business and are interested in having a presence in The Village, send us an email: info@lascascadas.com.
Recreational Activities
Las Cascadas offers one of the widest ranges of recreational opportunities in Costa Rica. In addition to a plethora of hiking trails, visitors and residents can ride mountain bikes through tropical forests, ride a BMX bike, and spend lazy days bathing in the natural swimming pools. We plan on building the largest mountain bike park in Central America, with exciting trails, water holes nearby to cool-off and shuttles to bring riders to the trailheads. We have special trails along the valley floor for our electric quads. Visitors and residents have access to rock climbing, repelling and bouldering on the valley cliffs close to the falls and climbing and bouldering walls for beginners and practice. There’s a state of the art skate park with awesome views and some very cool natural obstacles for all kinds of tricks. We also have a high adventure park, ropes course and a canopy tour with over 450 meters of vertical drop from the top of the botanical gardens to the bottom of the waterfalls. If you have a passion for a particular recreational activity and would like to bring that to the community, please let us know!
While you’re here, don’t miss our world-class botanical garden, sitting about 400 feet above the falls on 17 acres of gently rolling land. Come let the butterflies be your guides as you take a serene walk through the quaint, pebbled paths, surrounded by an array of tropical plant species and beautiful flora and fauna from all over the world. There are water fountains and benches so that you can stay and relax for a while, enjoying the beauty and presence of Mother Nature. It’s a perfect spot for bird, insect and butterfly watching as it attracts many diverse species.
From the garden, looking through the mountain peaks, you have spectacular views of the ocean and Nicoya Peninsula in three directions. Sitting in the middle of the garden you will find a state of the art boutique hotel, with second floor rooms that provide you with excellent views of the gardens, the mountain range, the surrounding valley and the ocean. Have an amazing raw vegan lunch at the restaurant in the garden. We also offer the possibility of getting married underneath an arch of flowers and vines in the heart of the garden.
