Jardín Secreto is located in a rural jungle region near Tayrona National Park, where inconsistent utilities are a normal part of everyday life. Water, electricity, and therefore Wi-Fi are not guaranteed and may be interrupted at any time due to weather, infrastructure issues, or regional outages. It is common to experience situations like “mucha lluvia,” “no hay agua,” or “no hay luz”—sometimes for a few hours, sometimes for a few days.

We’ve lived and worked under these conditions for years, as have many people in remote and rural areas throughout Colombia. This is not an emergency or a failure—it’s simply the reality of living in the second most bio-diverse place on Earth. Animals and nature haven’t been paved over or restricted and things in general are more wild and rougher around the edges. We make efforts each day so that our property remains comfortable even when the lights are off or the water isn’t running. When things aren’t working or are unavailable we adapt, we improvise, we switch to our backup supplies and continue on with a smile.

Being a guest here means stepping outside of urban comfort expectations. This is not a commercial hotel, or resort and It is not comparable to an apartment with on-demand utilities. Jardín Secreto is a living, evolving project, and part of the experience is learning how to live well with fewer resources, care for water and waste thoughtfully, and stay grounded when things are imperfect.

The property, accommodations, and business are under construction and a constant work in progress. For our guests’ there are opportunities to help us improve our facilities and operations while enjoying our property and exploring the region. Each week, the place becomes more functional and comfortable than it was the week before—but it is far from finished. Guests are joining the journey, not arriving at a completed destination.

This experience is best suited for people who are adaptable, patient, curious, and open-minded—those who see value in learning through experience rather than expecting everything to work perfectly all the time. If temporary discomfort, change, or uncertainty feels overwhelming, this may not be the right fit. If you’re excited to learn, contribute, and grow alongside us, you’ll likely feel right at home.

KM 21 Troncal Del Caribe.

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Our properties are on a private road that’s directly accessible via public transportation. Our neighbors are wild monkeys, exotic birds and a wide variety of insects, reptiles, and an assortment of fruit trees. Nearby nurseries, private gardens, hostels, eco-lodges and commercial nurseries create a community of people who help care for the land and each other

About 1 hour from the historic center of Santa Marta. About 20 minutes walking will get you to the village of Calabazo and the entrance to Tayrona National Park or you can take the public bus about 30 minutes to access the park from the Canaverral entrance.

You can watch this YouTube video

Or use the following instructions from the city of Santa Marta:

You can reach us anytime via email: info@jstayrona.com or whatsapp +57 350 270-7137

We offer three pricing tiers:
Volunteers - Work 3 days per week & pay very little
Hybrid - Work 3 hours per day & pay ½ price
Guests - Full Price, no efforts required, but sweat equity contributions greatly appreciated.

Lorem Ipsum: Collaborative, honest, and straightforward. We're here to guide the process, bring ideas to the table, and keep things moving.