“THE CATALEYA 3XPERIENCE” A unique way of living life in modern times, outside the Matrix
Maule
CATALEYA – 300 km south of Santiago A long, narrow and magical piece of land with native forest, hills, meadows and its own stream, right in the heart of Chile.
We are Sebastián (Swiss-German), Ceci (Chilean) and parents of three daughters. Three years ago we started this dream: a regenerative, experimental project with a true community soul – a place where dreams still fit.
Here we don’t work, we live from sunrise to sunset with all kinds of land-based tasks. You swim in summer, practise ice baths (Wim Hof style) in winter, grow 100 % organic food, build with wood, cob and straw bales, distill essential oils, make preserves, and live surrounded by native forest and your own waterfalls.
This is the Cataleya 3Xperience: intense, raw, fun, exhausting and deeply transformative.
Who we’re looking for Motivated people with independence and real commitment. Recommended minimum: 3–4 weeks (the longer, the better). Medium & long-term volunteers (3–24 months) are especially welcome.
What we offer
• Healthy home-cooked food (exactly what we eat ourselves)
• Basic accommodation: main house, cabin under construction, converted van-room or nice camping spot
• Composting toilet (biodegradable hygiene products only, please), solar shower, solar electricity, cable internet (zero Wi-Fi, phones on airplane mode inside the house)
• Private mountain-water lagoon for swimming
Current projects
• Finishing the big straw-bale & cob house
• Building volunteer cabins + therapy cabins
• Food forest, market garden, preserves
• Chickens, goats & cheese-making (coming soon)
Especially welcome Farmers, gardeners, carpenters, builders, plumbers, electricians, solar experts, natural builders, content creators… but truly anyone with good energy and eagerness to learn is perfect.
This is NOT a resort or a yoga retreat with Wi-Fi. This is real, pioneering, no-filter rural life. If you’re ready to unplug from the virtual world, reconnect with the earth and truly grow… we’re waiting for you with open arms.
Recommended minimum stay: 3–4 weeks Ideal: several months or a full gap year
Sebastián, Ceci & the Cataleya family ❤️
Write to us. This can change your life.
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Grain farming
Aromatic or medicinal plants, teas
Seed saving or production
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Bakery
Green Building
Renewable energy production
Food justice / sovereignty
Methods or systems
Biodynamic agriculture
Holistic management
No-till farming
Permaculture
Regenerative agriculture
Host type
Self-sufficiency property
Certified organic
Former WWOOFer
15
Hectares
|
37.1
Acres
Sebastian
Member since 2021
Languages spoken:
English, German, Spanish
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Response rate: 100%
Response time: typically within 5 days
Maule
Linares 300km south from Santiago de Chile
Reviews
Amoyon
United States
•
June 2025
The “Cataleya” Experience is one that will go down in my history book. No matter where you are on your journey, if you are willing to look, you will find what you are looking for, or what is looking for you. Sebastian and his family are extraordinary human beings, and I felt welcome even before I arrived. Sebastian, Anay and the kids (PuppyPillow😋), and the pooches…, I will never forget this experience. ❤️
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Niklas
Germany
•
November 2024
We spent four weeks at Cataleya Farm with Sebastian and Su for our first WWOOFing experience, and it was both intensive and educational. The farm is beautifully located in a valley surrounded by mountains, offering a peaceful escape from society. It’s an ideal place to detox, enjoy nature’s quietness, and cuddle with sweet dogs and cats and watching amazing sunsets. The food was great. Su treated us daily with healthy, delicious meals, with her lentil pancakes being a highlight!
The farm focuses on self-sufficiency, blending work and life seamlessly. Our tasks were varied and season-dependent, including plowing, weeding, planting, building walls, and more. Sebastian has tons of ideas, so there’s always stuff to do. However, this is not the place for those seeking short hours or weekend relaxation. You’ll experience the reality of farm life and should come motivated to embrace its challenges and rewards.
Sebastian and Su are kind, interesting individuals with strong perspectives which may differ from yours. Spending an entire season here is ideal to experience full cycles, from planting to harvesting and eating, though we sadly missed this part.
Our time at Cataleya Farm was fun, challenging, and educating. We recommend it to anyone seeking to explore farm life, an alternative lifestyle, or a break from modern society. Thank you, Sebastian and Su, for this experience!
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Emil
Germany
•
September 2023
We had a great time in Cataleya. Sebastian takes a lot of time to explain the activities to everyone. It was great for our first WWOOF experience because we were able to try out so many different things. From manual work in the house to agricultural work outside, everything was included. This variety was ideal, so the work didn't become boring.
Plus, you really become part of life on the farm. We ate together and sat around the campfire and talked about everything. It was also ideal for us when it came to spending our free time. We got tips and advice for the area from Sebastian, which really helped us a lot.
All in all a great experience we had.
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Ismael
Chile
•
September 2023
I spent 5 days in September with Sebastian in Cataleya. I am Spanish and now I am living in Santiago de Chile, a city full of smog and stress. I was just looking for nature, tranquility and some physical work and I was a little scared when Sebastian told me that "in Cataleya to live is to work." When I arrived I was surprised to find such a true and committed ecovillage project. Cataleya is many things: a home that Sebastian shares with his daughter, volunteers, two cats and a dog; a valley crossed by streams, surrounded by snow-capped mountains where only the "queltehues" can be heard; an organic plantation of fruit trees and vegetables where there is always something to do and learn; a space for coexistence (I was lucky enough to meet 3 other volunteers) in which to share talks, fun and songs; a dream full of challenges that Sebastian tries to carry out with passion and hard work...
After these 5 days, I returned to Santiago with a renewed spirit, blisters on my hands and the feeling, not of having gone sightseeing, but of having participated in a very real and human project.
100% recommended for everyone who is determined to take the Matrix red pill!
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Pasé 5 dias en el mes de septiembre con Sebastian en Cataleya. Soy español y ahora estoy vieviendo en Santiago de Chile, una ciudad llena de smog y estres. Solo iba buscando naturaleza, tranquilidad y algo de trabajo físico y me dio un poco de miedo cuando Sebastian me dijo que "en Cataleya vivir es trabajar". Cuando llegué
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Abid
United States
•
May 2023
I spent two incredible weeks at Cataleya early winter and it exceeded all my expectations. It offered the perfect combination of hard work, physical fitness, and a chance to contribute meaningfully. As a developing place, there are numerous projects to choose from, and the more time you could spend, I think the more meaningful the experience will be. There are many learning opportunities here, ranging from mastering various tools to exploring unique building techniques and gaining knowledge about crops and plants.
Sebastian has fascinating ideas about the world and this place. Engaging conversations and mental stimulation are never lacking. Sebastian and Katlin are incredibly accommodating, making sure every wwoofer has an enjoyable stay. If you're someone who enjoys hands-on work and taking initiative, you'll like this place. There might be times when you will work independently but it depends on the ongoing projects and the number of wwoofers. Winter nights/mornings can be cold so pack appropriate clothing (there is a wood-burning fire place in the house for heat).
Above all, the area surrounding Cataleya is breathtaking, offering numerous opportunities to immerse yourself in nature and have a great time. One of the highlights of my stay was going on hikes, particularly a solo hike I did to Viscacha Peak, which I will never forget. I highly recommend it. Although I wasn't able to fully appreciate the beauty of this place during my limited stay, I sincerely hope you will.
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Alexander
Russia
•
February 2023
Beautiful place and good friend.
Everyting is like in description.
I stayed in Cataleya for a 4 weeks. This time is flew by unnoticed: we had a lot of conversations with Sebastian and Kathleen on many different themes, done a lot of different work together and independently from harvesting to constructing, listened to sonds of nature and watched for stars, sunrises and sunsets.
There are a lot of places for travel-activities around the Cataleya: mountains, forests, thermas and rivers, city-tourism.
Therea are big ambitions, good energetic and a big potential here. You can join to making story of Cataleya.
I recommend.
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Reply from Sebastian
...Ambitious person with a lot of energy and a high capacity of learning so Alex can easily do a lot of also heavy things independently. Thanks to his healthy lifestyle he is very fit, strong and wants to help to create a beautiful place together. We shared a lot of nice and interesting conversations as well as hikes together. We are glad to having the opportunity to get to know and he is always welcome again. Very recommended :)
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