bungalow for tourist at Rancho margot

Rancho Margot located near the Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica is home to one of the most exciting development projects in the country.  It is the brainchild of Juan Sostheim who came to Costa Rica from Chile to retire, but instead created Rancho Margot,  a self sustainable, self sufficient working ranch.  Juan has opened it to tourist to come and see how all this is done and  enjoy the peace and tranquility of the rain forest setting.  There are fourteen bungalows where you sleep and enjoy the gorgeous views from your own front porch.  Then you get a guided tour of the ranch, take a guided hike into the rain forest,   or take a horseback tour to the highest peak to see the mighty Arenal Volcano  erupting .  The lovely open air restaurant serves typical Costa Rica food which is fresh and delicious, most of it grown organically right there on the ranch.

At Rancho Margot electricity is produced by water driven turbines.  There is a very swift river running right down the middle of the property surrounded by thick jungle rain forests filled with monkeys and colorful tropical birds.  Dairy cows are raised for cheese and milk.  Orchards and organic gardens are sown for the fruits and vegetables.   Chickens are raised  for their eggs.  Biodigestors convert animal waste into energy.   Cell phone and internet service is all there because  Juan installed several satellites around the ranch in order to get the service.

Juan is very active in the local community.  He has reforested hillsides, purchased shuttle buses, hired English teachers for the local school children.   He built an animal rescue center on the ranch with a veterinary clinic.

Rancho Margot welcomes researchers, horticulturists, students, volunteers, backpackers and high-end tourists as well.

Also there is a yoga center built built on stilts overlooking the beautiful river.

Transportation is provided from La Fortuna.

Mimi, the tiny spider monkey (shown in the above photo) was brought into Juan’s rescue center after having been injured.  He was treated by the vet and now after two weeks is doing well.

You can learn all about Rancho Margot at www.ranchomargot.org

We at costaricalearn strive to inform you of unique tourist destinations in Costa Rica which are very reasonably priced and offer high quality service.  We welcome you comments.  At the end of this post simply click  on comments or go to the top of this page and click on contact us.

While working many years  as a travel agent specializing in Costa Rica, I have had the opportunity to explore most of this small unique country , now on the forefront of  “World Ecotourism”

I have my special places which I feel are the most Unique  ecotourism destinations for the nature lover  traveling to Costa Rica , and I highly recommend them to every ecotourist.

Nature Lover’s Paradise:  Unique ecotourism Destinations

1. Tortuguero national park on the Caribbean (Atlanta) side of Costa Rica.   Please read my extensive article ( with photos) on Mawamba Lodge and the Tortuguero Canals.  Go to page one of  www.costaricalearn.com  go to the search box and type in tortuguero canals.

Or find them on the web  www.grupomawamba.com

2. Poas Volcano National Park, approximately 15 miles north of Alajuela in the “central valley”  Poas is inactive at the moment.  It is a very large geyser.  You can look down into the geyser which is spectacular.  It is a large blue-green gurgling pool of hot steam.  Please read my extensive article with photos about Poas Volcano.  Go the page 1 of costaricalearn  to the search box, upper right hand side,   Type in Poas Volcano.   OR on the web  www.costa-rica-guide.com/parks/poas.htm

3. Doka Plantation Four Generations Coffee Tour,  Costa Rica , on the road to Poas Volcano, five miles outside of Alajuela.  A must do tour.  Learn all about coffee, how it is hand picked, processed, and packaged up according to its quality.  Taste several varieties and make your own decision and take some  home with  you. Check them out on the web www.dokaestate.com

4. Arenal Volcano National Park and Arenal Lake, Costa Rica.  Most popular tourist destination in Costa Rica.  Read all about it by going to page 1 and in the search box at top of page on right- type Arenal Volcano National Park or find them on the

web   www.costa-rica-guide.com/Natural/Arenal.html

5. Rincon de la Vieja National Park, in north central Costa Rica    A very unique destination!  Please go to page 1 of costaricalearn.  Go to the search box at the top of the page and type in rincon de la vieja.  There you will see my extensive article on this volcano along with photos.

OR find it on the web   www.costarica-nationalparks.com/rincondelaviejanationalpark.html

6. Corcovado National Park and Cano Island  south western Pacific.  One of the most remote national park in Costa Rica.  Filled with wildlife and birds.  Here you will experience a primary   rain forest with unusual trees,  some with buttress of 4 meters in diameter.  It is recommended to explore this park with a guide.  Do not go in alone.  It is dense and unforgiving.  Cano Island can be reached by boat thru a tour company-located out of the jungle lodges around Corcovado.  Uninhabited , Cano Island is a reminder of Robinson Crusoe.  With beautiful long stretches of unspoiled beaches to stroll upon. It is a day trip from the mainland.  One cannot sleep on the island.   Read more about Corcovado on the web     www.costarica-nationalparks.com/corcovadonationalpark.html

Special Interest tours- can be done in 1/2 day or 1 day

1. Rancho Margot- Arenal Volcano, Lake Arenal  This is a self sustaining ranch  (learning center) where all the food is grown organically, electricity is by water powered generator,  setting  is a unique rain forest with views to Lake Arenal and a mighty river runs  through the middle of the property.  This is a nature lovers paradise. Take a guided tour of the ranch or  horseback ride to the summit with magnificent views of Lake Arenal.    The ranch has several very nice bungalows to house their guest and an excellent restaurant.  It also has a yoga center situated on the banks of the river.  You can learn all about this unique place on the web  www.ranchomargot.org please read my in depth article  (with photos)   Go to page one of costaricalearn , top right is the search box.  Type in Rancho Margot

2. Sloth refuge, Aviarios  del Caribe located  approx. 19  miles south of Limon on the Caribbean  coast.  Here injured sloths are nursed back  to health  and released into their natural habitat in the Costa Rica jungle.  Judy and her husband Larry, creators of this refuge, offer a tour for around $14 per person.  You see the baby sloths and learn first hand about the strange creature’s life style.   Buttercup, a mature sloth rescued from the middle of the highway when she was only a few months old,  is the star of the refuge. This is indeed a unique place.  Please read my more detailed article (with photos) on Aviarios del Caribe.  Go to the first page of costaricalearn , the search box  at top of page type in Aviarios del Caribe sloth refuge costa rica.

Or find them on the web www.slothrescue.org

Let’s travel to Costa Rica to the Arenal volcano area and visit Rancho Margot.  Rancho Margot is a self sustaining organic farm located near the Arenal  Lake with  great views of the Arenal volcano.  This is indeed a unique experience for tourist in Costa Rica.  It is  400 acres of rain forest  and borders the Children’s  Eternal  Rain forest  of Monteverde.  Juan Sostheim and his family bought the property and  turned it into a working ranch where everything is grown organically.  Electricity is generated on the property by a turbine driven by water power.  Internet and cell phones service comes  from satellite.  A string wide  river runs through the middle of the property.  The Sostheim family welcomes  tourist and have 10 beautiful bungalows and a bunk house to house their guest.  You can take a tour of the ranch and learn how things are run.  You visit the organic garden,  see the cows and pigs,  plant a tree, take a horseback ride to the highest point on the property.  Here you see the beautiful Lake Arenal as well as the Arenal volcano.  You see toucans and howler monkeys.  Also, there is a yoga center on the property l0cated on the banks of the river.

We stayed two nights and three days and enjoyed every minute of it.  It was the month of July and we got rainy afternoons with big thunderstorms and lightening which was great.  Mornings were sunny and pleasant.  There is a pet toucan down by the restaurant.  He lives in a very large wired area.  I had never seen a toucan up close like that.

Rancho Margot is like a botanical garden with all sorts tropical flowers and plants.  Just strolling around the bungalows was a delight.  You really feel like you are in the jungle.  Early morning we were awakened by the sounds of howler monkeys  near by.

Juan showed us the school buses he ordered on  E Bay and they actually were delivered to Costa Rica!  Juan had them painted jungle green with colorful birds all over them.  Quite a sight!  These buses are used to transport the guest from La Fortuna over to Rancho Margot, about a 20 minute ride.

Juan  also has an animal rescue station right on the property.  He showed us a small monkey which had been brought to the station the day before.  It had been hit by some school kids, and later rescued and brought to the Juan and his staff.  They had several other monkeys which were being nursed as well as two baby deer.

Juan explained that their overall mission is to protect and preserve the  rain forest.  They bring local school children to the ranch and teach them about protecting  and preserving the rain forest.   Tourism was incorporated into the project to help raise funds to run the operation.  It is a lucky tourist who gets to experience Rancho Margot.  It is indeed a unique place!    You can find them on the web  www.ranchomargot.org  and find out all the details if you want to visit the ranch.

Where is Rancho Margot located? Arenal Volcano and Lake Arenal,  La Fortuna, Costa Rica.

How to get to Rancho Margot ? When you make reservations Juan will provide information  on  how to get to the ranch.

Best time of year to visit? Mid December thru mid April rains less.   However, this area of Costa Rica is a very rainy area.  But most of the time you will get sunny mornings.  Remember you are in a rain forest which needs rain to keep it green.

Rates: Reasonable.  go to www.ranchomargot.org to check the rates, etc.