Finca Ganadito

Finca Ganadito is a social enterprise committed to sustainability, providing an eco-conscious living space and a versatile venue for retreats, rentals, and service-based learning. At its core lies an agro-ecological farm dedicated to regenerative agriculture, producing fresh food, improving soil quality, and increasing biodiversity. Outreach programs include sea turtle conservation, forestry reserve stewardship, and educational efforts to promote responsible tourism, food security and sustainable resource management.

The project is located in Punta Ganadito - a hidden secret corner of Drake Bay, off-the-beaten-track, with a stellar sunset beach, and surrounded by primary forest reserves, mangroves, sea turtle nesting beaches and waterfalls. The tourist town, Agujitas, is an hour's walk away along the beach or 20 minutes by car, and volunteers get plenty of opportunities to go there. On your free days you can explore round the surrounding foothills and beaches, plus there are local rural tours available and tours to the world-famous Corcovado National Park and the Caño Island marine reserve.

Guest accommodation is either in the purpose-built 12-bed 'Moon House', or in one of the premium 'Jungle Houses'. The Moon House includes hammocks and a bathroom block with compost toilets and showers. The Jungle Houses have private double rooms and shared dorms with single beds, hot water showers and private decks with hammocks. Other common areas include the ‘Long House’ which has an open-plan kitchen-diner, coffee and smoothie bar (Café Colibrí), and a souvenir shop. The brand-new multi-use platform, known as the 'Sun House', provides epic sunset views and a gorgeous space for yoga classes, workshops, ceremonies and parties. High-speed Starlink internet is available throughout the property.

Even though Drake Bay is a touristic area, we live and work with Ticos (Felipe, Rebe, Rob and most of the staff are Costa Rican nationals) and so volunteers will be immersed in a genuine rural Costa Rican lifestyle. The work activities we have developed for guests are focused on learning, science, sustainability and regenerative tourism. You will create regenerative farming inputs and soil, protect nature, generate data and increase biodiversity, so by participating in the program you will leave a positive footprint behind as a genuine ecotourist.

All of our group trips, internships and volunteer positions are managed by Lilly and Felipe, and they will be your hosts during your stay at Finca Ganadito :)

Felipe (Operations Manager) is a Tico graphic designer who traded the city for a life closer to the jungle, becoming a farmer and passionate nature lover along the way. He enjoys getting his hands dirty, experimenting with regenerative agriculture, and discovering the world of plants and fungi. Lilly (Program Coordinator) has lived a nomadic life across different countries and found Finca Ganadito while solo backpacking through Central America. She immediately saw how special this place was and never quite managed to leave. A chemist by training and curious about just about everything, she now shares her love for yoga, sea turtles and the natural world. They both came to the finca wanting to live more consciously and contribute to something that makes a difference. Creatives at heart, and you’ll often find them painting. They hope to inspire others to step beyond the familiar, discover new ways of seeing the world, and to make sure that, at least for a while, the finca feels like home.

The owners, Rebe and Rob, are currently on sabbatical while they develop some new projects and diversify Finca Ganadito to build resilience and sustainability into the brand. Rebe is a yoga instructor, psychologist and vegan chef; and Rob is a biologist, nerd and general Jack-of-all-trades. Finca Ganadito was born from Rob's vision of creating a model sustainable community. Between them, Rebe and Rob have traveled to over 50 countries and worked around the world in many different sectors.