FAQ

A visit to PachaMama is a rich experience to digest. A minimum stay of ten days is required in order to help you get oriented and experience the essence of the village. Shorter stays are possible if participating in a workshop, as this will also help to integrate into the spirit of PachaMama.

In order to allow our guests to dive deeper into the PachaMama experience, a minimum stay of ten days is required. Unless you are booking a specific workshop or retreat, please plan to stay in PachaMama for at least ten days.

Work Exchange participants are required to stay for a minimum two-month commitment.

To be certain of your Visa status, contact the Costa Rican Consulate or Embassy in your home country. Visitors from most European countries, Israel, Canada and the USA can stay 180 days without applying for a visa.

Cancellation Policy

(please read carefully before making any payments)

Every Work Exchanger staying in PachaMama is required to have a valid, up-to-date health insurance policy. Contact your insurance provider, air carrier or credit card company to see if you have coverage. If not, there are several options for travel insurance including worldnomad.com. Please bring your policy number with you. Visitors who are not part of the Work Exchange program are advised to purchase health coverage but are not required to.

It is not necessary to get Colones before arrival. PachaMama accepts U.S. currency, credit cards, and debit cards for payment. However, we do not accept travelers cheques or any other foreign currency. There is no ATM machine in the Village. (There are ATMs for Colones in San Juanillo or USD in Nosara which is about 45 minutes away). The best is to bring US Dollars in small bills, or Colones. There are NO additional fees for using a credit or debit card in PachaMama EXCEPT when purchasing vouchers, which are used in the shops and restaurant. If you use a card to purchase xoco vouchers we do need to charge an extra 13% currency, so we suggest you bring cash for vouchers.

Please note that ALL MEDICINAL EVENTS must be paid for in cash.

It is recommended to have cash at PachaMama. Remember, there is a 13% fee to use a credit card to top up xocos used around downtown. Additionally, if you plan to participate in any medicinal events, those must be paid for in cash. Please plan accordingly.

There are ATMs in San Juanillo or Nosara but with limited access, as there are transaction limits in place.

Please remember PachaMama is an Eco Village, committed to minimizing its impact on the environment. Please bring only 100% natural and biodegradable products for hygiene and personal care. This includes soap, shampoo, shaving cream, dental hygiene products, deodorants, insect repellent and so on. You can also buy such products upon your arrival in the Village’s Jungle Shop.
Make sure to bring a refillable water bottle and reusable shopping bags. You will need a good flashlight – please bring one that doesn’t use batteries, otherwise use only rechargeable batteries).
It is advised to bring comfortable clothes for yoga and meditation, sandals with a good grip and some warmer clothes for chilly evenings. One white outfit if you are attending the Waterfall of music or the Cura with Carioca. Some ‘stylish’ clothes for events are also recommended. PachaMama provides bedding for casitas and cottages but bring your own towels for showers and the beach.

PachaMama is taking major steps towards zero impact and a no-waste policy. Therefore, we ask that you not bring disposable plastic containers, plastic water bottles, plastic bags, industrial/individually wrapped snacks & tetra packs. Our water is of excellent drinking quality (see below) so no need for bottled water. Please use common sense and remember recycling is the last resort (and is limited in Costa Rica).

Yes, there are many beautiful camping spots, with nearby toilets and showers. You need to bring your own camping equipment. 

Campers who cannot fit their camping needs into their luggage can buy them in San Jose. A good option is Universal located by Sabana park.

A foam mattress is available to rent for your stay.

Please note that due to weather conditions, camping facilities are unavailable from May 1st and re-opening November 20th.

Please write to info@PachaMama for camp fees. 

If you bring anything electrical, Costa Rica runs on 110 Volts, 60Hz. If you bring 220V equipment, a voltage converter is needed. Please bring only rechargeable batteries.

It depends on your cell phone whether you can use it here or not. If you have roaming capabilities you will most likely be able to connect with the Costa Rican cellular network. If your phone doesn’t connect through roaming you can buy a pre-paid mobile sim card at ICE or any mobile service provider but this requires that your cell phone be unlocked. Be aware that reception also depends on topographic features and distance from cellular antennas. Note that you can only buy a SIM card outside of PachaMama, for example at the airport. Inside of PachaMama the best service provider is Kolbi.

Yes, you can access wi-fi at our Internest, a lovely spot with a beautiful view of the forest. Some accommodations also have wifi connections, such as the AC Rooms, cabinas, and villas. Please keep in mind that we are in the forest and internet availability is also affected by the weather.

Visitors are encouraged to purchase a local SIM card (Kolbi has the best connection in PachaMama) which are available in the airport, throughout Costa Rica, and in the small shop in nearby San Juanillo if they need ongoing connectivity beyond this free internet period.

There is full-service laundry available. Our wash & dry service is $14 a full-service load or $4.5 for either a wash or a dry. You can also hand wash items and hang them on our communal drying lines.

Yes and it is easy. You can either arrange it with the major car rental companies before you come for airport pick up or you can do it once you are here. Several companies in Nosara will drop off your rental car here in PachaMama. You will need a driver’s license, passport and credit card. Please note that your driver’s license is only valid 90 days after entry even if you have 180 days on your Visa.

It is good to ask your credit card company what, if any, insurance they provide for you when renting a car in Costa Rica; this will help reduce the cost of renting. Many rental companies require a letter of proof from your credit card company to use that insurance. Additionally, there is a mandatory insurance that is not covered.

The Jungle Shop sells 100% organic fruits and vegetables as well as non-perishable items, toiletries, health foods and everything else necessary for your stay in PachaMama.

During the high season PachaMama has a daily taxi service to the nearest beach in San Juanillo. A round-trip on the Beach Bus is priced at $5.

Nosara is 40 minutes away by car. It has a small airstrip for domestic flights, banks, a post office, restaurants, private or public medical aid and several car rental companies.

San Juanillo is 15 minutes away by car. It is a small village with several cafes and a mini market. The beach taxi takes you to this Village.

Evening activities include movies, dancing, singing and other events. The schedule of evening activities is posted on the board and regularly updated.

PachaMama is located about 5 km from Playa Ostional, one of the most important nesting sites of the Olive Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) in Latin America. Thousands of females arrive in huge “arribadas” over the course of several nights, digging holes in the black sand and laying their eggs (100-110 per animal) into this nest. The biggest arribadas normally occur between July and December. During these mass arrivals, thousands of nests of the turtles that have landed early are destroyed by the later arrivals; this is why local people from the village are allowed to collect eggs during the first phase of each arribada. Turtle arribadas in Ostional are supervised by the national wildlife protection authorities. During nesting time, PachaMama sometimes organizes tours to see this spectacular event. It is also possible to visit the site on your own.

Yes, the water in every faucet in PachaMama is 100% safe to drink. We filter the underground well waters and monitor the quality of the water closely. Remember to bring a reusable metal bottle you can refill and carry. If you forget your bottle, the Jungle Shop has them available.

All bathrooms are unisex. Bathrooms in the bungalows and cottages are private. There are public showers and toilets set in a few locations around PachaMama. Toilets and showers are in separate buildings. As part of our water conservation efforts, we have converted most of the public toilets to compost toilets as traditional toilets use between 5-7 liters of water per flush.

Accommodation with private bathroom include upgraded bungalows, cottages, cabinas, houses, and villas.

The Cottages, Upgraded Bungalows, Cabinas, and Villas are equipped with small refrigerators. Casitas do not.

See here for a list of all accommodation types.

All Cabinas , AC Rooms and Villas have AC as well as some of the Casas. The year-round temperature is 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit (25-35 degrees Celsius) during the day. Nighttime is usually more temperate.

Neither the standard or upgraded bungalows have AC

The standard Casitas are simple yet comfortable. They are equipped with a full-size bed with a mosquito net, a small table, a meditation chair, and a reading lamp. See also the accommodations page.

The casitas do not have locks on the doors. PachaMama is a safe community but it is still advisable to practice caution with your valuables and not leave them out in plain sight. There are lockers downtown where larger items (computers, ipads, phones, etc.) can be stored. To use the lockers bring your own lock, or purchase one in the Jungle Shop.

We recommend bringing a combination lock as there is no key to lose.

Your children are most welcome to visit PachaMama. While they are here, they can enjoy the beach, explore the forest and play in the onsite playgrounds. Playdates with resident children are also very common. Many of the local women and some work exchangers offer babysitting options. The community’s school and kindergarten are open to families who visit for an extended period of time, see the Children in PachaMama page for more information.

PachaMama is located on the Pacific coast of Guanacaste, in a dry tropical forest. From December until May, it is “dry season” in Guanacaste, where PachaMama is located, with average temperatures of 80-100 degrees Fahrenheit (25-38 degrees Celsius). The climate is tropical – warm in the day and cooler at night. From April, there are occasional short tropical showers, increasing in length during June, July & August. The mixture of sunny days and tropical rains creates a unique and beautiful climate. The ‘green’ or rainy season is from September on, with rains starting to decrease in Mid-November. If you arrive in San Jose, long pants and a sweater may be needed; it is higher in elevation and significantly cooler.

Yes, but it is strongly advised to use a 4-wheel drive vehicle.

During the Retreats, PachaMama is in silence. All public areas in the Village are silent zones and no children’s activities are planned for this time. If you are a couple, one of you may participate, but as a single parent, this would not be possible. Besides requiring you to remain in complete silence, which can be confusing for your child, the retreat consists of a full-time schedule.

Staying at PachaMama with children during Silent Retreats is not recommended even if you are not attending. The entire community is in Silence and this can be challenging for families.

As much as you are comfortable carrying around. There is no luggage carrying service in PachaMama – although we are glad to help. Please note that the terrain is hilly and depending on the season, sometimes muddy, so pack only what you need.  To lighten your load, you may choose to leave some of your items in a locker downtown.

Sending packages sometimes takes a long time and there are occasional uncertainties with deliveries. There can be long delays or disappearing packages that the post office (and PachaMama) do not claim responsibility for. If you stay in PachaMama for a short period, it might only arrive after you leave. It’s recommended to use private courier services like Fed-Ex, DHL, and TNT. It’s more expensive but reliable.

The forest of PachaMama is home to over 300 species of birds, several families of Howler Monkeys, Coatis, Armadillos, Porcupines, Deers, Squirrels, Raccoons, Bats and more. You may encounter scorpions on occasion.  If you are lucky you may spot a snake, or one of the three species of wild cats that inhabit the forest – the Ocelot, the Jaguarundi or the Margay Cat. Nature here is not aggressive, and the Village has been living in harmony with it for many years.

If you have any serious allergies, please bring your epi pen if you require one.

The Xoco system was implemented to streamline the flow of money between various branches of the PachaMama community and to simplify things for our guests and residents when they are making purchases. Xoco means cacao in Nahuatl – the native tongue of the Aztecs.

Xocos are used throughout PachaMama in the Jungle Shop, Verde Restaurant, and Wild Treats. They can be topped in downtown in the Welcome Center or Jungle Shop. Remember that Xocos can be purchased in cash or card with a 13% service fee.

PachaMama is actually not owned by anyone. It is a not-for-profit project created by a group of spiritual seekers who came together to make an alternative, tailor-made lifestyle. All of the proceeds are reinvested in PachaMama’s maintenance and development.

The terrain here at PachaMama is very rough; the trails are uneven and can have loose dirt, rocks and tree roots on them and can be very slippery when wet.  You will need to be walking up and down hills to get around PachaMama, both to your accommodation and to the group rooms. Many of the trails are not lit so you need to be able to navigate uneven forest trails with only a flashlight.

Unfortunately, PachaMama is not considered to be an accessibility-friendly site. If you think you may have issues with navigating our property please write to us with your concerns.

Please see our page on HOW TO GET HERE. If you intend to drive to PachaMama on your own, please let us know so we can help provide the most accurate directions.

When making your travel plans we ask that you arrive between 9:00am – 3:00pm, while our Welcome Office is open.

On weekends the office is closed at 12:30pm, you can still arrive as late as 3 pm but please let us know your estimated arrival times.

If you cannot arrive during these hours, please let us know as you may be asked to stay elsewhere as welcoming people after dark is not possible.

Please be clear on your arrival information when communicating with us.

We have a strict no pet policy, including emotional support animals and service dogs.

This is for many reasons, but above all it is not safe for pets.

We have many wild animals that live here with us , snakes , racoons, and large cats are just a few. While they pose no threat to us , your pet is another matter.

Many of our accommodations are not pet friendly with no AC or no walls and keeping them inside while you attend the workshops would not be suitable for them.

We understand it can be difficult to leave your pet behind but we thank you for your understanding.

While we appreciate the challenges of traveling to a new country, we are not able to help with Hotel recommendations. Most of us do not stay in Hotels while we are here and do not frequent them enough to give solid recommendations.

We can tell you there are many hotels in Costa Rica so there should be something in your budget where you need it.  We would suggest using one of the Hotel Apps like Booking.com, Orbitz or Kayak.

You are also welcome to reach out on our facebook group and see if one of our other visitors has a recommendation.