What did we get ourselves into?
The romance
It All Started With a Chainsaw
Tamiaju began when Toni’s parents came to visit for a month. You see, even though they don’t speak the same language Toni’s dad, John, and Eladio have an intense bromance. Eladio, armed with nothing but a chainsaw, built the very first cabin: the MAD (Mom and Dad) House. When her parents weren’t using it, we listed it on Airbnb… and started dreaming bigger.
From Cosanga to Alaska (and back again, and again, and again…)
In 2017, Toni’s friend Zo offered her a summer job in Alaska. The idea was, go for one summer, build the empire, et voila! The goal was a forest-friendly business that supports us, and hopefully some of our neighbors too. Well, one summer turned into six, and three long, extra cold, extra dark winters.
Buying Forest in a Pandemic (Because Why Not?)
In March 2020, because the world wasn’t chaotic enough, we bought five hectares of beautiful cloud forest right across the river from our property. We’re now conserving that land as part of our long-term commitment to conservation of this important ecosystem.
What’s next?
We built Cabañas Tamiaju from scratch with a whole lot of love and a dash of stubborn optimism. We’re not done yet. Our dream is to keep this forest intact, to keep building something small, meaningful, and rooted right here in Cosanga. We’re dreaming, planting trees, and opening doors to anyone who wants to experience this place we call home. Every day brings new adventures and every guest a new perspective we’d love for you to come be a part of this.
Meet the team!
Monica
Queen of the kitchen and greenhouse whisperer. Grows the food, cooks the food, and somehow makes both look effortless. In her spare time she is a mom of 5, and an avid fan of all Cosanga football as long as it involves her family.
Byron
Byron is the master of machetes, maintenance, and keeping Eladio on task. Here he’s helping build a new bird observation platform near our light trap. He makes the wild look a little more organized.
Jhonny
If you’re out with Johnny and want to see some good birds be sure he leaves his camara behind (you know how it is). He is our resident bird photographer, hummingbird bartender (yes, we go through 100lbs of sugar a month), and weed whacker.
Alison
Shy but mighty. You might not spot her, but you’ll feel her presence in the spotless rooms and thoughtful touches. If she disappears when you wave; don’t worry, she’s not ghosting you. She’s just really fast.
Eladio
Builder of bridges, fixer of pipes, welder of weird contraptions. If it exists at Tamiaju, chances are Eladio built it. If it’s broken, he’s already halfway through fixing it; with or without instructions.
Toni
That’s me! I answer your emails, occasionally show up in the kitchen, and pretend to know what I’m doing on this website. I speak, Spanish, English, and a bit of French. I’m here to make sure you get here, get fed, and maybe even get inspired.
We’d love to see you!
Whether you’re here for the birdwatching, the cloud forest views, or just want to see who’s hauling 100 pounds of sugar a month for hummingbirds (hi, Jhonny), we’d love to meet you. The coffee’s hot, the boots are muddy, and the weird forest magic is very real.