Amatierra: A retreat for the whole person

AmaTierra is a small retreat and wellness center in the hills of San Pablo de Turrubares, west of San José. It sits on 8 acres of hardwood forest at about 600 meters, so the air is warm but not as heavy as on the coast. People come for a quiet week of gentle yoga, home-cooked food and countryside walks, and yoga teachers bring their own groups here too.

The yoga

AmaTierra teaches gentle hatha yoga every day, and its site says classes are open to every age and ability, which makes it an easy first retreat if you're new to yoga. It also runs free meditation classes. Practice happens in an open-air shala built of teak, looking out over the hills.

Alongside the yoga, the center offers massage, energy balancing and herbal and nutrition consultations with its own practitioners. These are extras you book on site or as part of a package.

Retreats and packages

You can come in one of three ways:

• An in-house package. AmaTierra runs its own all-inclusive stays, such as a 5-night Relax in Nature package and a 7-night Yoga and Wellness package, with daily classes, meals and lodging.
• A retreat led by a visiting teacher. Its 2026 to 2027 calendar lists retreats you can join, including women's yoga retreats in late 2026.
• Your own group. Teachers can rent the center to host their own retreat.

Check their website for current rates and what each package includes.

Rooms and food

Guests stay in private casitas set apart among the trees, each with 2 queen beds. The restaurant cooks farm-to-table meals using food grown on the property, and meals are included in the all-inclusive retreats.

Getting there and things to do nearby

AmaTierra says it's about an hour's drive southwest of San José, 19 kilometers west of Puriscal on Route 137. That makes it one of the closer retreats to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), handy if you only have a long weekend. The center arranges tours to Carara National Park, the beach at Esterillos Oeste, La Paz Waterfall Gardens and Poás Volcano, local waterfalls and horseback riding, and it can set up surf days on the Central Pacific coast.

If you're comparing it with beach retreats, our guide to choosing a yoga retreat in Costa Rica covers the main options, and where to do yoga in Costa Rica explains what each region is like.

Website: AmaTierra Retreat and Wellness Center

Frequently asked questions

Is AmaTierra good for beginners?

Yes. Its daily classes are gentle hatha yoga, and the center says they're suitable for every age and ability level.

How far is AmaTierra from San José?

About an hour by car, according to AmaTierra. It's in San Pablo de Turrubares, 19 kilometers west of Puriscal.

Are meals included?

Meals are included in AmaTierra's all-inclusive retreats and packages. The food is farm-to-table, much of it grown on the property.

Can I bring my own yoga group?

Yes. AmaTierra hosts retreats led by outside teachers and has a page on its website for teachers who want to book the center.

[Updated on: 4 November 2026]