7 Day EcoVillage Retreat Cahuita, Costa Rica, April 23-30 2022 (couple’s rate)

That is only 1300 per person!

Do you want to take positive action to combat global warming, environmental degradation, rainforest destruction, food security, and pesticides in our foods?

Let your feelings become fuel for action. Activism that goes beyond ‘Liking’, ‘sharing’ and venting on social media.

Join us in Costa Rica for a week of clean fun, learning, clean air, and organic food in an idyllic protected rainforest retreat.

Canadian scientist, Dr. Khosrow Farahbakhsh and his wife Rachel, channeled their feelings into action and helped build an EcoVillage in Costa Rica to address these concerns! They research and develop working examples of sustainable living for others to learn from! My wife, Leslie and I are going to visit them in mid-April to take part in a one week retreat and experience first-hand what sustainability looks like in real-life. Classes, food and accommodation as well as round trip from San José are all included from April 23 – 30, 2022.

We are taking a break from the rat race and negative media, to recharge in their off-grid community. To wake up to an unobstructed view of sunrise and a chorus of rain forest creatures (on a comfortable bed of course), breathe clean air, feel energized, reconnect with nature and be inspired into positive action. Join us!

Retreat Highlights:

• 7 nights accommodation
• Stay in beautiful comfortable bamboo houses with near zero-carbon footprint
• 2 Daily Eco-Sustainability classes with Dr. Farahbakhsh
• 3 fresh, healthy, homecooked, local meals/day with most ingredients grown onsite
• Trip to Cahuita beach
• Relax in outdoor wood-fired hot tub
• Hang out in hammocks with breathtaking views
• Do some gardening, if you’re into it!
• Enjoy full access to the 370 acre facilities including
  • sunrise-facing yoga platforms
  • wood-fired hot tub
  • Gardens and orchards
  • Quiet spaces to meditate
• A guided hike through the forest, with river swims
• Round Trip Group Shuttle from San José at specified time
• Maximum 8 participants – you get a lot of one-on-one time with Khosrow and Rachel and have plenty of opportunity to ask questions, get detailed information about various aspects of the project, such as harvesting rain water, solar energy, composting, planting rice, growing fruit trees and many other aspects of creating your own path to a more sustainable home

The Facility: EcoVillage at SEED

EcoVillage at SEED (Society for Ecological Education and Development) is on a 370-acre (150 hectare) property in a forested region on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, surrounded by three river systems. It integrates the principles of biodiversity, sustainability, and beauty. The farm and the houses are 100% off-grid, entirely on solar energy, and captured rainwater for all their needs. Organic compost feeds the hundreds of fruit trees planted around the farm, and sustainably harvested wood was used for all buildings. The whole area is beautified with flowering plants. They have even added an outdoor hot tub and a tilapia pond!

The beds are comfortable, and all meals included

The Rooms

Two rooms have private bathrooms and reserved for couples.

All other rooms come with shared bathroom.

Couples will have private room with one double bed.

Single occupancy includes a shared room with two beds.

The Expert

Dr. Khosrow Farahbakhsh is a former professor of environmental engineering and sustainable design from Canada who is presently residing in Costa Rica, where he maintains a large sustainable educational project. The project conducts research and features innovative features such as a bio-digester and efficient small-scale incineration and biochar production. At SEED, Khosrow provides workshops and internship on sustainable design, environmental management, sustainable building, water-food-energy nexus , etc.

Dr. Farahbakhsh’s previous research had focused on sustainable management of resources, energy from waste, integrated waste management, sustainable water and wastewater design, systems approach, climate change adaptation, pollution prevention, appropriate technologies, rainwater harvesting and graywater rescue, cleaner production, knowledge translation and transfer and complex adaptive systems. Khosrow has also conducted extensive work with indigenous people of Canada in areas related to decolonization of design and decision making and community driven and participatory research and development.

Dr. Farahbakhsh was the recipient of CMHC’s award for sustainable education (2009), Guelph’s Water Conservation Award (2009), and acted as a special consultant to NASA‘s Launch of sustainable water (2010). He has published widely on diverse technical and non-technical issues related to sustainable resource management and his work has been highlighted by international media including the Discovery Channel and CNN.

Rachel Farahbakhsh is a registered nurse with a passion for life-long learning, and a contagious enthusiasm for life, nature and people. The two of them combined are a force of nature.

Their EcoVillage experience provides a truly whole-systems approach that educates the mind, resets the body and inspires the soul!

It is reality that feels like fantasy.

Plan to stay the night of April 22 in San Jose. We will arrange for your transportation to the EcoVillage on Saturday April 23. The EcoVillage is located near the Caribbean coast town of Cahuita, near Puerto Viejo.

Your fee covers sustainability course, return transportation between San Jose, use of all facilities, room and all meals, plus guided tour of the rainforest, and a trip to the beach.

*Dr. Farahbakhsh also offers longer, certificate courses in sustainability. This one week course can count as credit towards the longer course.

Your participation and payment contributes to ongoing research and development for building sustainable communities, not only in Costa Rica but will also be shared with the global network of EcoVillages. Your feedback is essential for the growth and improvement of this retreat.

There is a 25% deposit required at time of booking. 85% Refundable until April 7th, 2022.  Balance of payment is due by April 14 2022