An ecolodge love story in San Pancho, Mexico

Once upon a time…in 2005, my parents (now lovingly known as Jungle Judi and El Tigre) stumbled upon a piece of paradise just outside the sleepy fishing village of San Pancho, Mexico. With their life savings, they bought five acres of wild, beautiful jungle. At the time, San Pancho was quiet (muy tranquilo)—just a handful of taco stands, a couple of small hotels, and a few old expats watching the sun melt into the Pacific.

Early years in the jungle, founders Tamara, El Tigre & Jungle Judi

Buying the property was exciting, terrifying, and full of adventure. For a family from the border of Vermont and Quebec, the winding jungle road felt like a huge step into the unknown. Majestic palms, blissful waves, and chachalaca calls replaced our familiar maple trees, lakes, and snowy winters. As we embarked on our new journey on the Mexican Pacific, we were falling in love—first with the jungle itself, and soon after, with the San Pancho community.

Celebrating 20 years

Meanwhile, at Middlebury College in Vermont, I was studying environmental economics. While on a semester abroad in Australia, I discovered the magic of ecolodges. In my Entrepreneurship 101 class, I sketched out a plan for a family ecolodge. Why not give it a try in Mexico on our new property? That seed of an idea soon found its tropical soil.

Not long after, the Tailwind Jungle Lodge came to life. Locals thought we were a little crazy—composting toilets? Open-air treehouse-style platforms? No cell signal? But what we were really building was more than a lodge. It was a love story. Every hammock hung, every palapa built, every guest welcomed became part of the adventure we were on together. We hosted our first guests in 2007 and in 2009, we became the first certified sustainable ecolodge in Mexico through Sustainable Travel International. Soon after that, we began hosting our first retreats.

Now, 20 years later, we look back in awe. San Pancho has blossomed into a vibrant, international hub of community, friendships and wildpreneurs. Though some aspects of development have been a challenge, the jungle, the ocean, and San Pancho still hold the same magic that first called to us.

And our journey? It has been blissful waves, butterflies, sunsets, and plenty of blood, sweat, and tears. Through it all, our love—as a family, for San Pancho and our amigos, for this wild slice of jungle, and for the thousands of adventurous guests who have stayed with us amidst the palms—has only deepened. It has been the richest life adventure we could have imagined, and we are grateful for every step of the ride.

The Tailwind Jungle Lodge is more than just a business—it’s our family’s 20-year love story, still unfolding and brimming with wonder. We are deeply grateful to all the guests who have stayed with us over the years, helping make our dream possible.

VISIT US IN THE JUNGLE

Here are some of our favorite photos from the last couple decades, so many precious memories with family, friends and guests from around the world!

May our ecolodge love story in San Pancho Mexico continue for many more decades to come!