The Space
Come and visit the Lazy J Wildlife & and Wellness Center in the southern zone of Costa Rica. We are truly a unique one-of-a-kind Costa Rica nature filled experience. Our non-profit mission is to save the wildlife of Costa Rica. Along the way, we provide a private, all-inclusive wellness retreat center for a maximum of 6 people per day. All-inclusive amenities include a private chef with 3 custom meals per day specifically designed to your request and an on-site wildlife biologist available for educational nature walks or to answer any questions you have about the Costa Rican environment and wildlife.
Nestled in the mountains above Ojochal, our 500 acre wildlife reserve and wellness center is surrounded by 1000s of additional acres of virgin Costa Rica rainforest. The elevation is 3000+ feet (900 meters) and creates its own unique microclimate. The daily weather is spectacular as clouds roll through the house and property with temperatures in the mid 70s Fahrenheit (23 degrees Celsius) so no A/C is ever needed. The custom 2 story 3 bedroom eco-friendly bamboo house has 9 sets of double doors that open onto a 8 foot balcony that surrounds the house. At night the temperatures dip down into the mid-to-low 60s Fahrenheit (17 degrees Celsius) and provide a wonderful night's sleep free of A/C or heating elements. The Rio Aguila flows behind the house providing pleasant 24/7 sounds of flowing water along with an excellent location for meditation and/or watching the surrounding nature.
Who We Are
The Lazy J Wildlife and Wellness Center is an affiliated branch of iRescue® Wildlife Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the rescuing, rehabilitating, releasing and retiring of native Costa Rica wildlife. For more information about what we do and our non-profit organization, just ask.
What We Are NOT
We are NOT a zoo. Our facility is an active animal rescue center available only to our private guests. We are not open to the public.
Daily Life at the Lazy J
Ever wondered what daily life would be like on a wildlife refuge embedded deep in the mountains of Costa Rica? Let us show you. We allow you to occupy the main bamboo house and provide a guided nature filled experience throughout your stay. Surrounding the house living wild in the environment are many types of birds, monkeys, sloths and various mammals. In our direct care are close to 100 animals. Witness our staff in action as iRescue® provides rescue, rehab, release and retirement services to the wildlife of Costa Rica.
How You Can Help
Stay with us! Tell your friends! Write a review! The cost of your stay goes directly to fund the daily operation of the iRescue® wildlife rescue center along with helping us to expand our facility. You are truly supporting our operation! Want to volunteer at the rescue center during the day? We can definitely find something for you to do. Our experience is great for kids. We help teach them about all different types of Costa Rica wildlife and the importance of respect for the environment.
Guest Access
Guests are allowed to access all parts of the wildlife reserve except the areas that are housing rescued wildlife.
Interaction with Guests
Our all-inclusive package includes a host that can be available throughout the day when needed to provide nature guided activities, a private chef and an on-site wildlife biologist.
Getting Around
How To Get Here
Our facility is 3 - 4 hours from San Jose. If you do plan to rent a vehicle, a 4x4 can be useful. However if you do rent a car or a truck that is not 4x4 then don't worry. You can drive to a location 20 minutes from the facility, park your vehicle there and our staff will pick you up and deliver you to the property.
Other Things to Note
What To Do Activities:
We have a multitude of different activities to choose from depending on your preference. Want to do nothing but eat, sleep and lay in the hammock all day? No problem. The choice is yours. However if you feeling adventurous or inspired by nature, let us be your guide.
Choose From:
* Mountain nature walk with an official Costa Rica wildlife biologist
* Waterfall picnic
* Visit a Costa Rica farm and experience how a local family grows their own food and lives off the land.
* Bird watching
* Beach day
* Visit our partner Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary
* Gardening 101