Jungle Yoga & Wellness Escape in the Costa Rican Mountains

AmaTierra sits at 600 metres in the Costa Rican mountains, on eight acres of hardwood forest. The centre has been running for years and holds a run of TripAdvisor Certificates of Excellence. Jill Ruttenberg is a clinical herbalist and nutritionist (AHG) who lives on site; Bob Ruttenberg co-runs it. Jill grows much of what guests eat — fruits, vegetables and herbs from the property's own gardens — and uses the same herbs in her consultations and preparations.

The daily rhythm is gentle rather than athletic. Hatha yoga classes run daily and are pitched at all ability levels, and meditation classes are free to all guests. The yoga shala is built from teak, open-air, with a skylight at the top and views out over the jungle and down to the dining area. Guests consistently describe it as the centre of the stay. Beyond yoga you can book massage, energy balance sessions, mind/body work and one-to-one herbal or nutritional consultations. There's no gym and no high-intensity training programme — this is a yoga and wellness centre, not a fitness camp.

Food is a big part of why people come back. Meals are home-grown where possible, organic, and cooked as international cuisine — the gardens supply a lot of the produce and herbs. Spring water is sourced on the property. Guests eat together, and the dining area has the same mountain views as the shala. Several reviews mention meals as the highlight of the trip.

The casitas are simple and tastefully done, each with two queen beds. This is not a luxury resort — it's a working eco-retreat with an emphasis on nature, quiet and fresh food. The setting is genuinely rural: jungle, birds, mountain air, and the nearest town a drive away. Tours and transportation are included in the package, so you can get out to see the surrounding area without arranging it yourself.

If you're choosing between Costa Rica retreats, the distinction here is the herbalism and nutrition angle. Jill's background in Chinese medicine and clinical herbalism means you can combine the yoga week with an actual consultation about diet, detox or a specific health concern — that's rarer than a yoga deck with a view. It also means the centre works well for people who want structure around food and wellbeing rather than a packed activity schedule.

What's included

- Private casita accommodation with 2 queen beds - All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) - Home-grown organic farm-to-table cuisine - Daily gentle Hatha yoga classes - Free meditation classes - Fresh spring water - Amenities, tours and transportation as part of the package - Access to the open-air teak yoga shala - Garden and forest access on the 8-acre property

What's not included

- International and domestic flights - Travel insurance - Massage and bodywork treatments - Energy balance and mind/body sessions - Herbal and nutritional consultations - Personal expenses and souvenirs - Alcoholic drinks - Airport transfers if not part of your package