Prior to its purchase by Cia Ricco in 2002, this Nicoya area ranch was run as a cattle farm supporting 200 head of cattle.
The ranch was 87 Hectares at the time of sale and purchase. There was a live-able cabin on the lowest part of the ranch, which Cia renovated and lived in until she sold it off to friends along with 8 hectares in order to help pay for the construction the a guest lodge and rancho, slightly higher up on the property and having water views. That original cabin, now a lovely five-bedroom house, is available for sale or rent as a potentially helpful adjunct to the purchase of the main lodge and property. (Photo pending)
Subsequently, some smaller parcels were subdivided out as gifts to the community and to family, leaving the 75 hectares which are currently for sale.
Cia, having been a psychotherapist, used the ranch for 10 years for individual, couple’s, and group retreats. The construction of an unusually large open-air rancho (35′ ft in diameter with a 45′ height) using local materials including teak beams, with no center pole, created the perfect environment for group gatherings, including seminars, yoga, dance, arts programs, and/or use as an open-air dining facility. The rancho design and water-tight thatch roof keeps it cool and comfortable in all weather conditions.
Guests discovered the healing possibilities of getting out into the beauty of nature, being around the loving and open attitudes of the local people, and enjoying the abundance of fresh, natural foods. The word most commonly used by people to describe their experiences at the ranch was a great sense of PEACE.
Guests enjoying interacting with locals.
Cia delighted in offering the readily available and very special local eco-tourism opportunities to guests as adjuncts to their retreats. Mauricio, Cia’s Costa Rican son is an excellent tour guide. Should you have an interest in running an eco-tourism lodge, Cia and Mauricio would happily connect you with the various beneficial coops and tour operators in the area, as well as acquainting you with national parks. (See our Eco Tourism and Expansion Possibilities pages).
Her love of animals of all kinds, and horses in particular, was another delight for Cia in owning and running the ranch. At it’s peak, she had 24 horses (a number of whom were born on the ranch), 12 cows, several goats and sheep, chickens, dogs, cats, an iguana, and several wild rescue birds and rescue animals, including a monkey. She now maintains just 5 horses for the purposes of working and showing the ranch and her own affection. Other than these horses and two remaining cats, the rest of the animals have been released appropriately into the wild, given other homes, or sold. Should you wish to acquire animals of your own and/or retain those few remaining, Cia will be happy to consult.
Not least among her passions was the volunteer work and retreats she ran for teens from the US and Costa Rica, mother/daughter groups, underprivileged children of all ages from Costa Rica, and helping the women of her own small community of San Rafael and vicinity with their micro-financing efforts and arts and crafts.
Due to health challenges, Cia stopped promoting and running retreats three years ago and began to slowly downsize her activities and the operations of the ranch. She continued to enjoy her peaceful existence there and the company of her son, Mauricio, who has lovingly managed and cared for the ranch for her. With his marriage and moving out of the home last year (though he remains available to work), Cia has decided that it is time to simplify further by returning to the US. She has found a condominium complex in Florida nestled in a bird sanctuary to remind her of Costa Rica and will purchase a condominium there at the time of this sale. She hopes to continue to spend a few months a year in Costa Rica with her son and the community she has so come to love.