Rio Muchacho Organic Farm, Canoa

I visited Rio Muchacho for quite a long time and it was such a wonderful experience. It is a beautiful sanctuary surrounded with so much biodiversity! The staff is so friendly and they always made me feel like I was part of the family. Nicola and Dario really care about empowering people with knowledge and are thorough and comprehensive in explaining their expertise. It was a real treat to be able to be surrounded with people that have consistently making a difference in the community for decades. The food is also incredible! It was arguably some of the best food I have ever eaten! When I was there, a Swiss guy that was visiting said it was some of the best food he had ever eaten! I would love to come back and visit the farm soon! Thank you Nicola and Dario for everything you have done for your community and for the guests that have visited you!

It was a wonderful stay at Finca rio Muchacho. I worked there for 5 months and due the time it became like my second family. Because of the location and also because there is no internet, the farm is the perfect place to get out of your stressful everyday life and take a look at it from a different angle. Rio Muchacho is still in the process of rebuilding because of the earthquake in 2016. That’s why there are a few spots that look like construction site on the farm, but the guest rooms are really lovely. The food is very tasty because the cooks know how to create real feasts from the home-grown fruits and vegetables. Stuff and family are very nice and they try to integrate your strengths and experiences into the daily work. I think such a break is good for everyone from time to time to reduce the stress level, therefore I can honestly recommend everyone to stay on the farm.

I was with Río Muchacho for a permaculture course and it was a great experience. Nicola does so much to promote sustainable agriculture in Ecuador. It's really inspiring!

Our family of 10 had a wonderful 6-day stay at Rio Muchacho. We participated in the three-day tour, volunteered at a local school, and learned about farm life/permaculture. Coming from city/suburban life to this peaceful, rustic setting was an inspirational, transformative experience. We made meaningful connections with Nicola, Dario, and the staff, who were very attentive and accommodating to the needs of our large family (children ranging from 2-18). Our kids enjoyed feeding the animals, riding horses to watch monkeys, harvesting from the gardens, and much more. There were many charming qualities of the farm, like how they play classical music in the morning while feeding the pigs:) The food was wholesome and delicious--the best we had during our 2 week stay in Ecuador. One of our sons had a birthday the day we left, and the staff had decorated his place with flowers and leaves and even made him a special birthday cake! Though it was nice to get back to warm showers and certain other conveniences, we will miss the special simplicity and connection to nature we experienced at Rio Muchacho. We hope to be able to apply some of the ideas relating to sustainability as we return home--composting and perhaps some chickens to add to our backyard garden! We cherish the memories we made here and would highly recommend the experience!

I lived here and took permaculture courses with Dario and Nicola several years ago. Still to this day, I think of the time at Finca Rio Muchacho as some some of the most enjoyable and informative times of my life. I am truly grateful to Nicola and Dario for everything that they gave to me. I couldn't recommend a stay at their farm more.