Rest and reconnect in Costa Rica’s wild northern highlands.
“The earth has music for those who listen” – George Santayana
Set on a 1000-hectare private reserve in the foothills of Tenorio Volcano, Hacienda Montezuma is a traditional Costa Rican ranch where days still move to the tempo of the land.
This July, the hacienda opens its doors for the first in a small, seasonal series of retreats shaped by the restorative pull of nature. Hosted by the ranch’s owner, Floriana Acosta, alongside a select circle of practitioners and therapists, the programme blends yoga, meditation, forest walks, Costaphonics, breathwork and horse-led healing — all rooted in Costa Rica’s ancestral traditions.
DATES
16th – 21st July 2026
PRICE
From $8,500pp
GROUP SIZE
Up to 15 people
THE CONCEPT
Holistic Healing, Rooted in the Land
Wellness at Hacienda Montezuma draws on the volcanic terrain, fertile soils and flowing water that define this part of Costa Rica.
At the heart of the program is Ericka Sánchez, one of Costa Rica’s most respected movement practitioners. With over 25 years’ experience, she leads daily movement practices, breathwork and meditation, working alongside Integrative Health Practitioner and Doctor of Acupuncture Lourdes Madrigal. Between activities, Montezuma’s herbalist prepares teas attuned to each guest, and a team of therapists offer massage and sound healing through the afternoons.
Each day follows a loose theme. The pace is gentle, leaving time for reflection and time to explore the land.
THE DESTINATION
A Living Farm
A private family farm and working cattle ranch set between the Miravalles and Turrialba volcanoes, Montezuma offers a privileged window onto life on a traditional Costa Rican hacienda.
At its heart are two farmhouses and a lakehouse, surrounded by 900 hectares of rewilded pasture. Volcanic soils nourish cacao groves and forest, crystalline springs feed the rivers. Wildlife is abundant throughout the estate, including monkeys, tapirs, anteaters, sloths, pumas, toucans, hummingbirds and butterflies.
In the kitchen, Chef Emmanuel cooks from the estate: produce from the gardens, fruit from the orchards, cacao from the groves. Each meal is shaped by the land.
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Day 1: Arrival & Grounding
Guests arrive through the morning and are welcomed with herbal teas and light snacks before gathering at La Casona for lunch. In the afternoon, Floriana will gather guests, introducing the spirit of Montezuma and the flow of the week.
Later, a restorative class focuses on releasing tension through breathwork and myofascial release, closing with a long Shavasana accompanied by sound healing.
The day ends with meditation and integration practices — a chance to settle body and mind — before everyone sits down to dinner together.
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Day 2: Healing & Energy
The day begins with guided breathwork and a warming facial treatment to gentle wake the body. Then, a silent forest walk to a secluded waterfall, where you’ll cleanse with volcanic mud and spring water, before settling down to a picnic by the falls.
Back at the hacienda, the afternoon returns to movement with gyrokinesis – a breath-led practice for spinal mobility and fluid strength – alongside optional therapies including massage, sound healing and cold facial treatments.
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Day 3: Horses & Flow
Morning meditation and dance wake the body and clear the mind. This is followed by a guided Costaphonics listening walk in the forest: small sensors are attached to plants and trees, translating their natural vibrations into sound, heard through headphones as you move slowly through the landscape.
The afternoon is set aside for horse-assisted healing and therapeutic massage, before everyone gathers for dinner.
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Day 4: Integration & Vitality
Meditation and breathwork set the tone for the morning, steadying body and mind. A strengthening barre class follows, with a focus on posture, strength and controlled movement.
In the afternoon, guests create personalised blends in a botanical oil workshop, finishing with a cold facial immersion to stimulate circulation. Later, there’s an optional Vayu practice exploring gravity, suspension and fluidity using aerial fabrics — working with the body’s five vital winds (vayus) to support balance, energy flow and overall wellbeing.
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Day 5: Closing & Giving Back
The morning begins with meditation, followed by breakfast by the lake. Then it’s time for a guided conservation walk, during which each guest plants a tree — a small, living mark left on the land.
After lunch, the afternoon turns to uplifting dance before a guided cacao ceremony, drawing on the region’s long relationship with cacao. The day closes with a final shared supper.
Travel Information
INCLUDED
- Five nights’ accommodation at Hacienda Montezuma
- Daily breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and juices – with an emphasis on simplicity and provenance
- Guided hikes, rides and activities around the reserve
- Daily classes, including meditation, breathwork, dance, yoga, gyrokinesis, horse healing and the Costaphonics listening experience
- One 90-minute treatment (sound healing, Thai or Swedish massage)
- Return transfers from Liberia airport
NOT INCLUDED
- International flights
- Travel insurance
- Additional treatments (including acupuncture) – available on request
More on Montezuma
In Conversation with Floriana Acosta, Owner of Hacienda Montezuma, Costa Rica
Listening to the Forest: The Power of Costaphonics
