In a remote corner of Costa Rica, a former cattle pasture has been restored as a lush rainforest, thanks to one family and thousands of butterflies.

The road north from San José winds through fern-studded hills before dissolving into mist. The villages become smaller, the air grows heavier and the tarmac narrows until the rainforest swallows the road. When the bus doors swing open, I find myself surrounded by green.

I walk towards a wooden gate marked Pierella Ecological Garden and pause. Tucked away in the town of Sarapiquí, Costa Rica, this private rainforest reserve isn't mentioned in many guidebooks, but it's home to one of Costa Rica's most unforgettable experiences.

Once a barren cattle pasture, this small family-run lodge is now surrounded by a regenerated rainforest. Pierella's owners, William Camacho and Kristal Barrantes, have spent the last three decades planting native trees and plants – and it is one of the few places in the world practicing butterfly-led rewilding. Dozens of butterfly species are raised and released here, helping to pollinate plants, disperse seeds and kick-start the complex dynamics a healthy forest needs. As the vegetation has slowly returned, so too have the birds, frogs, reptiles, monkeys and ocelots that now move through the forest.

In a country full of luxury eco-lodges, this off-the-beaten-path destination feels different. Guests stay and eat with the family, and the experience is deeply personal. It's rewilding with a human touch – an example of how tourism, when rooted in reciprocity, can help nature heal.

At the gate, I am invited in by a chorus of bird calls coming from the red ginger plants and cecropia trees. I walk a few steps along a path leading into an open-air kitchen and dining area where Kristal Barrantes, who manages the property, smiles and offers me a homemade dessert.

After finishing it, Gerald Barrantes (Kristal's nephew), lifts a spotting scope used for birdwatching and grins.

"Ready for an adventure?"

Under the dense, green canopy, Gerald whispers, "Come look at this." I lean in over a broad leaf where a red-eyed tree frog blinks back at us – lime-green skin, crimson eyes, blue-striped legs and tiny orange toes that seem to glow. Just beyond, a toucan with a yellow throat and a reddish band across its chest tears into a banana with its long, two-toned beak.

"Now look through the spotting scope," Gerald says, adjusting the tripod. Through the lens, I spot a majestic turkey vulture, its small red head vivid against the pale blue sky. Gerald explains that these birds live far from human settlements, deep in the wild. High in the trees, a sloth naps lazily, its brown fur blending perfectly with the branches.

Gerald keeps pointing out new creatures, one after another. He explains that in total, more than 200 bird species live in this four-hectare forest, along with monkeys, sloths, iguanas, bats, ocelots and countless frogs and insects. Cacao grows along the paths as well, and visitors can join a hands-on chocolate workshop.

It's hard to believe that this thriving rainforest was once a sun-bleached field.

"In 1995, Pierella was nothing but grassland – just cows and fences," says Gerald, as we hike through the property's narrow dirt trails.

Camacho wanted to restore what had once been rainforest. He had always loved butterflies and saw them as a way to bring life back to the land. Using his savings, he bought a 20m x 20m plot of pasture, planted host trees for butterflies........

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