Permaculture Design Course (PDC)

International Hands-On Certification in Costa Rica

Learn to design food forests, regenerative homesteads, and sustainable systems that thrive in any climate.

Join the Course
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The Permaculture Design Course at Finca Tierra is an internationally recognized, hands-on certification program.
Students learn ecological design by working with real systems in the tropics: food forests, soil, renewable energy, and planning a food system that can feed people year round.

More than 1,000 students from 40+ countries have studied here during the past 15 years.
They observe, plant, harvest, and design within a working homestead.

This 15-day program is for people who want practical experience.
Designed for students, homesteaders, and professionals ready to design sustainable systems anywhere.

Duration: 15-day / 14-night

Certificate: International Standard PDC (72 hours)

Class Size: 15 students

Meals: Farm to table, plant based

Lodging: Bamboo cabinas on-site

Location: Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica

Students attending a hands-on permaculture design class at Finca Tierra Education Center in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica.

Why Study at Finca Tierra

Finca Tierra is an off-grid education center and permaculture farm.
We generate our own solar power, harvest rainwater, and grow food systems that feed our family and students year-round.

Here, learning happens through real systems.
Agroforestry. Water. Energy. Soil. Food.

We live what we teach.

Curriculum Overview

Includes specialized training in Diet Design, from feeding a family to planning larger-scale production.

Design and Ecology
• Permaculture ethics and frameworks
• Site analysis and landscape design
• Pattern recognition and microclimates
• Climate-resilient planning

Water, Soil, and Food Systems
• Rainwater harvesting
• Greywater systems and biological treatment
• Composting and biochar
• Food forests, orchards, and staple crops

Plants and Propagation
• Seed saving
• Biointensive beds
• Propagation by seed, cutting, grafting, and rhizome
• Medicinal and edible crops

Natural Building and Energy
• Bamboo basics
• Small-scale renewable energy
• Waste to resource practices

Community and Regeneration
• Regenerative economics
• Ecovillage and community design
• Urban and suburban permaculture

Practical Skills

Mornings focus on skills learned on the land.

• Sharpening blades and tools
• Plant identification
• Food forest establishment
• Tree planting and support species
• Vegetable garden techniques
• Compost and biofertilizers
• Nursery management and potting soil
• Soil pH testing and balancing
• Swales, contouring, keypoints, and keylines
• Ferments, vinegars, and mead

What You Leave With

Each student completes a one-acre homestead design and leaves ready to apply permaculture anywhere.

Learning Approach

Hands-on experience
Half of class time is outdoors, working in mature systems.

Daily interaction
Observe water, waste, and food cycles in real time.

Practical skills
Composting, propagation, grafting, fermentation, mapping.

Design thinking
Apply systems logic to homes, farms, and communities.

Field trip
Explore indigenous land stewardship and ethnobotany.

The Permaculture Design Course — Day by Day

Students sharing a farm-to-table welcome dinner at Finca Tierra Permaculture Education Center in Costa Rica.

Day 1 — Arrival & Welcome Dinner

Arrive after 2 pm. Settle into your bamboo cabina and meet your cohort.
Farm-to-table dinner under the jungle canopy and an introduction to the 15-day learning experience.

Instructor teaching permaculture design principles at Finca Tierra using a site map and systems diagram during the course.

Day 2 —Permaculture Ethics & Whole-System Thinking

Foundations of permaculture ethics, philosophy, and systems thinking.
Tour Finca Tierra’s off-grid infrastructure: solar, water, waste, gardens.

Students observing food forest and main-crop systems during the hands-on Permaculture Design Course at Finca Tierra in Costa Rica.

Day 3 — Ecosystem Patterns & Energy Flows

See how nature organizes through patterns and energy cycles.
Walk through food forests and main crop areas to study resilience and diversity.

Students mapping terrain and maintaining food forest systems during the hands-on permaculture design course at Finca Tierra in Costa Rica.

Day 4 — Reading the Landscape & Mapping Designs

Learn mapping skills and terrain interpretation.
Sharpen tools, maintain food forest systems, and read natural landforms.

“Instructor teaching tropical pruning and companion planting techniques in the food forest at Finca Tierra Permaculture Education Center, Costa Rica.

Day 5 — Tropical Planting & Pruning Techniques

Learn companion planting and pruning strategies in the tropics.
Establish new fruit trees and guide long-term productivity.

“Students planting staple crops and learning water harvesting and soil ecology techniques during the Permaculture Design Course at Finca Tierra in Costa Rica.

Day 6 — Water Harvesting & Soil Web Ecology

Build small earthworks for water retention.
Work with grains and staple crops that regenerate fungal soil networks.

Caribbean beach near Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica — students enjoy free time during the Permaculture Design Course at Finca Tierra.

Day 8 — Free Day

Our town offers a variety of activities like surfing, kayaking, snorkeling, diving, hiking the jungle and horse riding. Calypso in the beach bars all night!

Student kayaking through tropical waters during a free day at Finca Tierra Permaculture Design Course in Costa Rica.

Day 7 — Free Day

Explore the coastline. Swim. Rest.

Indigenous elder teaching traditional medicinal plants and forest stewardship during the Finca Tierra Permaculture Design Course field trip in Costa Rica.

Day 9 — Indigenous Field Trip & Medicinal Plants

Visit a traditional steward of the land.
Learn about indigenous land use, natural building, ethnobotany, and the connection between people and forest ecosystems.

Student preparing compost and biofertilizer during the Permaculture Design Course at Finca Tierra in Costa Rica.

Day 10 — Building Living Soils & Biofertilizers

Create compost and biofertilizers.
Make and apply biochar, test soil pH, and use weeds as ecological indicators.

Instructor teaching contour mapping and land design during the Permaculture Design Course at Finca Tierra in Costa Rica.

Day 11 — Earthworks & Resource Management

Use leveling tools to find contour and keypoints.
Apply earthworks that improve stability and water flow.

Student creating a permaculture design plan comparing tropical and temperate systems at Finca Tierra in Costa Rica.

Day 12 — Design Across Climates & Garden Planning

Compare tropical, temperate, and arid strategies.
Begin your final design project.

Small-scale aquaculture pond at Finca Tierra Permaculture Design Course in Costa Rica, demonstrating integrated water and fertility systems.

Day 13 — Designing Aquatic Systems & Ponds

Study life in water.
Design small ponds and integrated aquaculture systems.

Students presenting final permaculture design projects during the regenerative economics and community design session at Finca Tierra in Costa Rica.

Day 14 — Regenerative Economics & Community Design

Zoom out to the community scale.
Explore bioregional systems, ecovillage design, and regenerative economics.
Present your final design and receive your PDC certification.

Group photo of Permaculture Design Course graduates and instructors at Finca Tierra Education Center in Costa Rica.

Day 15 — Farewell Breakfast & Departure

Breakfast and closing reflections.
Check out at 11 am. Leave ready to design your own sustainable future.

Hand-built bamboo cabinas surrounded by tropical forest at Finca Tierra Permaculture Education Center in Costa Rica
Eco bamboo cabin with thatched roof and jungle views at Finca Tierra in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica
Outdoor bamboo bathroom with handmade sink and tropical garden backdrop at Finca Tierra Permaculture Education Center in Costa Rica
Student standing at the entrance of a bamboo cabin at Finca Tierra Permaculture Education Center in Costa Rica
Interior of bamboo eco-cabin with mosquito net and organic decor at Finca Tierra Permaculture Education Center in Costa Rica
Grove of giant tropical bamboo used for building eco-cabins at Finca Tierra Permaculture Education Center in Costa Rica

Accommodation

Stay in hand-built bamboo cabinas crafted from materials grown on our land.
Elevated and screened, each cabina offers jungle views and the feeling of sleeping in nature.

Cabinas

  • 8 total: 4 private (queen), 4 shared (two singles)

  • Bamboo walls and floors

  • Large mosquito nets included

Facilities

  • Bathrooms with rainwater biological flush toilets

  • Solar-heated rainwater showers

  • Sheets, towels, organic biodegradable shampoo and soap included

Private cabinas are first come, first served once payment is received.

Plant-based tropical dishes prepared with organic ingredients from Finca Tierra’s farm-to-table wellness kitchen in Costa Rica
Fresh tropical vegan meal with breadnut hummus, salad, and breadfruit chips prepared in Finca Tierra’s bamboo kitchen in Costa Rica
Farm-to-table breakfast with tropical fruits, gluten-free pancakes, and homemade yogurt served at Finca Tierra Permaculture Education Center
Tropical farm-to-table lunch with plant-based stews, root vegetables, and salads served at Finca Tierra Education Center in Costa Rica
Gluten-free pancakes with raw honey and tropical flowers served at Finca Tierra’s wellness kitchen in Costa Rica

Farm-to-Table Wellness Kitchen

We cook from the land.
Most ingredients come straight from our gardens.
We make our own flours, coconut milk, ferments, honey, and chocolate.

Meals are plant based, with free-range eggs, yogurt, and cheese.
We accommodate vegan and gluten-free diets. Please let us know when you register.

Dining here is part of the learning experience.
Students connect directly with the food systems they help cultivate.

Learn in a living system.

Step inside our tropical classroom.
Filmed on our off-grid campus, surrounded by nature.

Tuition & Registration

Tuition
$2,000 USD

Early Bird
$1,850 USD when paid in full 60 days before the course.

Reserve your place
$400 deposit (non-refundable).
Your balance can be paid as either:

  • Early Bird Balance: $1,450 USD (if paid 60 days before the course)

  • Standard Balance: $1,600 USD (if paid after 60 days)

What’s included

  • All classes and hands-on training

  • Accommodation

  • All meals

  • Field trip

  • PDC certification

Not included: airfare and travel to and from Finca Tierra.

Language: English
Group size: 12–16 students.

Refund Policy

  • The $400 deposit holds your spot and is non-refundable.

  • Tuition (minus deposit) is refundable up to 30 days before the course.

  • Within 30 days, your balance may be applied to a future course.

Reserve Your Spot
Caribbean beach near Puerto Viejo de Talamanca with calm turquoise water and palm trees close to Finca Tierra in Costa Rica
Aerial view of Finca Tierra’s off-grid permaculture education center surrounded by rainforest near Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica

Getting Here

Fly into San José (SJO).

Pre-arranged shuttles to Puerto Viejo leave daily at 6:00 am and 2:00 pm.

Check-in
Sunday after 2:00 pm

Arrival options

  • Arrive Sunday morning and take the 2:00 shuttle

  • Or arrive Saturday and take the 6:00 am shuttle Sunday

Check-out
Sunday before 11:00 am

More details on travel and what to bring are available here.

Students receiving their Permaculture Design Course certification at Finca Tierra’s open-air classroom in the Costa Rican jungle
Graduates celebrating after completing the International Permaculture Design Certificate course at Finca Tierra in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica

Certification & Credits

You will graduate with a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC).
Recognized globally and listed on Permaculture Global.

Your certificate allows you to design, build, teach, consult, and certify others.

University students may receive academic credit.
Documentation available upon request.

View details here

Course Reviews

Read what past students have shared

  • “I am very excited to design my own home site and edible landscape and feel confident that I could do so effectively in any climate zone. Ian and Ana are very knowledgeable, passionate, and inspiring, and made us all feel at home on their farm. I would highly recommend this program to anyone looking to develop a thorough understanding of permaculture design principles and gain practical hands-on experience applying those principles. As an added bonus, the food is amazing and the farm is only a half-hour walk from beautiful Caribbean beaches.”

    -JJ from Philadelphia, PA, USA

  • “I learned more in those weeks than in my entire degree. It is hands down one of the best places to learn about permaculture.”

    -Angus, New Zealand

  • “Possibly the most incredible experience of my life. I couldn’t recommend it more to anyone and everyone.”

    -Liam, Florida, USA

  • “The best food we ate on our year trip. We have had such great memories from the Finca Tierra course and will be back once we get our farm and need a refresh.”

    -Andy, Australia

  • “I could listen to permaculture lecture all day but Ian adds enough practical hands on stuff to keep everyone engaged, great mix of lecture and practical. The course instructor was very knowledgeable and engaging not to mention passionate. Always made time for the students and answered any questions we had. The location of the farm is just far enough from town to get peace and quiet but it’s close to some of the better beaches.”

    -Mario, Mexico

  • “This place has changed the way I see the world and the way we choose to live with the land. What I have learned at Finca Tierra I can basically apply anywhere. I’m really excited to be coming back here soon. Ian and Ana are amazing, inspiring, engaging, and really passionate about sharing what they have learned through their experience of rebuilding the land and basically learning to be fully sustainable. You should come here if you want to be blown away! So beautiful.”

    -Gabriel, Louisana, USA

  • “Doing the Permaculture Design Course was an experience of a lifetime! Ian’s breadth and depth of theoretical and practical knowledge, together with his passion and enthusiasm for permaculture leaves you inspired, and with a strong foundation for knowing how to live in harmony with Mother Earth. It was also really cool to be able to walk around the food forest and just pick something off of a tree or plant and snack on tropical and exotic fruits and veggies. Three times a day we would plunge into a wholesome culinary journey over some really stimulating conversations.”

    -Bemnet, Ethiopia

  • “Wow. I came to the course already knowing the fundamental principles and ethics of Permaculture (the “Why” and the “What”) but did not know HOW to apply those principles and ethics to actually implement a design on a property. Now, after taking the course, I feel confident that I would have the fundamental level of understanding needed to design a site anywhere in the world. I had an amazing time and I highly recommend Finca Tierra to anyone looking to invest in an education / certification in Permaculture.”

    -Josh, USA

  • “I’d take this course once a year honestly 🔥🔥🔥”

    -Ozzy, USA

  • More words from past students can be found here

    – Reviews on Google
    – Reviews on Facebook

google-5-star-review-permaculture-course. review rating.webp

– Reviews on Google
– Reviews on Facebook

Join the PDC

  • A 72-hour, internationally recognized training in ecological design that teaches you to create food, water, energy, and waste-cycling systems that regenerate land.


  • At Finca Tierra in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica—an off-grid tropical homestead and education center. In the middle of the jungle, 1.8 miles from pristine beaches and the town.

  • Two weeks. Includes 72-hour instruction + hands-on projects, all meals, accommodation, materials, field trip, and a design project.

  • Yes—an International Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) upon successful completion; to design, build, teach and certify others.

  • Founders Ian Macaulay and Ana Gaspar. They’ve taught students from 40+ countries and run the working systems you’ll study.

  • Yes. No prior experience required. The course scales from homestead to small-farm design.

  • Daily immersion in mature systems plus Diet Design & Wellness Kitchen—you learn to grow a complete, nutrient-dense diet and build a green home.

  • Site analysis, water harvesting, soil fertility & biochar, food forests & orchards, vegetable systems, plant propagation, natural building, renewable energy, grey/blackwater, seed saving, design thinking, regenerative economics, and community design.

  • 12–16 for close mentorship and field time.

  • Hand-built bamboo cabinas on stilts with mosquito nets and shared warm rainwater showers. Private cabinas are first-come, first-served.

  • Seasonal Farm-to-table buffet, primarily plant-based with eggs and dairy; vegan and gluten-free on request. Includes ferments, coconut/cashew milks, local produce, and home staples.

  • Yes. Design principles are universal; techniques are adapted for any climate.

  • Mornings: hands-on practice. Afternoons: focused lectures and design work. One free day per week; one field trip (weather-permitting).


  • Fly to SJO. Shuttle to Puerto Viejo departs 6:00 am and 2:00 pm. Check-in Sunday after 2:00 pm; check-out the final Sunday at 11:00 am.

  • Light tropical clothing, closed-toe shoes, headlamp, reusable bottle, rain layer, insect repellent, swimwear, notebook, and any personal medications. A full list is on the logistics and planning page.

  • $400 deposit is non-refundable. Tuition (minus deposit) refundable until 30 days before the start date. Balance due 30 days prior.

  • High-speed Wi-Fi. Power is off-grid, so it is limited at night.

  • Often yes. We provide documentation; confirm with your university advisor.

  • 18+ Couples and solo travelers welcome.

  • Strongly recommended to cover flights, health, and weather-related changes.

  • It’s the rainforest: heat, rain, insects. We brief you on best practices; tell us about allergies or medical needs in advance.

  • Airfare, airport transfers, personal gear, and optional free-day activities.

  • Complete full payment early; private cabinas are allocated in order of payment received.

  • Occasional partial scholarships and group pricing for Universities/NGOs—email us.

Frequently Asked Questions

Join the PDC