good for you

Tucked away in the lush green mountains of central Nicaragua, Finca Esperanza Verde Ecologde, along with its organic coffee farm and nature preserve, comprise a cool, environmentally friendly and utterly tranquil paradise for both relaxation and participation in country life. Gorgeous sunsets, friendly and delightfully house-proud staff, a peaceful atmosphere and delicious food, along with a wealth of opportunities to help on the farm and explore the beautiful surrounds, make Finca Esperanza Verde an excellent place to spend a few days.

Run exclusively by local staff, the ecolodge offers simple, elegant and comfortable lodging for 26 guests, while the farm provides delicious organic coffee and the nature preserve is filled with rainforest walks over well-marked trails, perfect for walkers and bird watchers.

good for nicaragua

The name translates as 'Green Hope Farm' - it's completely run by locals, it's solar and hydro-powered, the buildings are low-impact and the farm produces organic, shade-grown coffee. The lodge, farm and nature reserve are all part of a community-based project run by Sister Communities of San Ramón, Nicaragua, a non-profit organisation run by volunteers in the U.S. All profits stay in the community of San Ramón, providing a sustainable and environmentally-friendly source of income for local people and resources for community projects like reforestation, fresh water schemes and the local school.

Rooms

Food

All packages include full board and non-alcoholic drinks.

Delicious local food is prepared and served in the main lodge, with a view over the coffee plantation. A variety of healthy, delicious Nicaraguan dishes are prepared with fresh local meats, fruits and vegetables. Vegetarian and other special diets can be accommodated with advance notice. Cold soft drinks, freshly made fruit drinks and beer are available from the solar-powered refrigerator.

The varied breakfast menu allows you to choose traditional huevos rancheros (fried eggs with tortillas and green tomato relish) or pancakes with fresh fruit and honey, or a continental breakfast.

The lunch - the main meal in Nicaragua - includes, among many choices, grilled chicken with spicy pepper sauce, rice and salad; grilled sea bass with salad and steamed vegetables; or vegetarian cannelloni with rice and salad.

You can also request a picnic lunch to take out on excursions.

The dinner menu includes, among several options, roast chicken with refried beans and tortillas, or lentil soup, cannelloni and salad.

Delicious traditional desserts follow, including rice pudding and fresh tropical fruits.

The lodge's chefs are more than happy to host an impromptu cooking class, too, showing you how to whip up your own tamales and tortillas.

Features & Facilities

This hotel isn't about facilities; in fact it prides itself on its lack of facilities. It's about relaxing and taking a break from the stresses of the modern world. You therefore won't find internet connection, telephones or TVs here although there is a town, San Ramon, just 18km away.

Instead there is:

• Coffee farm
• Restaurant
• Hiking
• Butterfly Farm
• Spectacular bird watching
• Rainforest
• Bonfires under the stars
• Cookery classes
• River swimming
• Folk Music
• Indigenous Culture.

Packages generally include tours of the coffee farm, butterfly farm, cookery classes, folk music. See 'Rates' section for more information on packages and activities.

Local Info & Activities

the coffee farm

When purchased in 1997 Finca Esperanza Verde was an abandoned coffee farm on a muddy track. Since that time the Sister Communities of San Ramón have replanted the coffee, re-laid the road, created an ecological coffee processing facility and built a ecotourism lodge for 22 guests mostly on the income from selling CafŽ San Ramón in North Carolina. When visiting the farm you can learn all about growing coffee in an environmentally responsible way by participating in the care of the coffee bushes, making compost and, during the coffee harvest season (November through February) picking, processing, and sorting the green coffee. If you desire, you can follow the coffee to Matagalpa where it is sun dried, sorted, graded, cupped and exported. The farm's all-Nicaraguan staff enjoys teaching visitors about coffee and you can easily detect their pride in the farm, which with their care has become home to hundreds of species of birds, butterflies, mammals, trees and orchids.

The 220-acre certified organic farm has 28 acres (16 manzanas) of Arabica coffee that flourishes under the shade of the farm's extensive tropical forest canopy. The farm is a leader in the local, small, organic coffee growers cooperative where it has organized educational events and developed important markets for San Ramón's shade grown, organic and fair traded coffee in North Carolina and the southeastern US.

the butterfly farm

In January 1999, a delegation from Durham, including entomologist John Wallace and two of his students, visited Esperanza Verde to train several farmers in butterfly pupa propagation and to build a large netted butterfly pavilion. The farm now raises several varieties of butterflies, shipping their pupa to the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, North Carolina. The Finca raises its butterflies by capturing only a few in the wild and keeping them in the pavilion where specific host trees, suitable for egg laying, are grown. The pavilion is closely supervised and after the eggs are laid they are removed to screened cages to protect them from parasites and predators. The caterpillars hatch from the eggs to be fed their host plant's leaves - to keep them all well fed the Finca has a large garden of appropriate plants. Once a month the pupa are collected for export. As part of your visit, you can assist in the care of butterfly eggs and caterpillars and the work of gathering their daily diet of leaves, as well as preparing pupa for export.

bird watching

The mix of habitats within walking distance and the abundance of species (over 200) makes the Finca Esperanza Verde a terrific destination for twitchers. Good trails access most sites, but you are advised to take a local guide when heading to more remote bird-watching spots. The guides share their enthusiasm for wildlife as well as colorful local tales about the species.

Birding groups recorded the first official sightings at Finca Esperanza Verde of Yellow Headed Caracara in 2003 and Streaked Xenops in 2004.

insider tips

health

Unpurified water is unsafe to drink - stay away from it.

It's a good idea to get hepatitis vaccines before traveling in Nicaragua and other parts of Latin America. Dengue fever can be a problem in rural areas - take insect repellant - the main symptom is a high fever - don't take aspirin, which increase the risk of hemorrhaging. Instead, see a doctor.

There are occasional cholera outbreaks in Nicaragua, which shouldn't affect you at the Finca, but may be a danger in other parts of the country. The first symptom is diarrhea, so see a doctor if you have a severe attack.

Malaria can be avoided by doing all you can to stop the mosquitoes from biting - wear sleeves and take anti-malarials, and avoid perfumes and aftershaves that attract the bugs.

visas

Citizens of most countries can stay in Nicaragua for 30 or 90 days without a visa, but your passport must be valid for the next six months, and you need proof of sufficient funds (US$200 or a credit card). In theory, you also need an onward ticket, but it's rarely checked.

The 2006 Central American Border Control Agreement (CA-4) means visitors to Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala may now travel between the four countries without having to complete entry and exit formalities for periods of up to 90 days.

To check whether you need a visa, visit www.cancilleria.gob.ni

dangers and annoyances

Theft can be a problem in Nicaragua. You'll be safe at the Finca but take care at bus stations and airports and in urban areas.

climate and best times to go

San Ramón has 3 climate zones. The farm is located at an elevation of 1,200 meters (4,000 feet) and is classified as "semi-wet tropical" while the town of San Ramón at 750 meters (2500 feet) is "semi-dry tropical" and warmer. Nearby the town are areas classified as "dry tropical" which are much warmer and dryer. Evenings in San Ramón are pleasant and require a sweater or jacket at the farm.

November through February is a good time to visit the Finca, as this is coffee harvesting season, and guests are welcome to participate.

Sustainability

Finca Esperanza Verde was founded in 1998 by Sister Communities of San Ramón, Nicaragua, a non-profit organization based in Durham, North Carolina, USA. Its mission is to strengthen friendship and cooperation between San Ramón, Nicaragua and Durham, North Carolina through interpersonal exchanges and social and economic development projects which support justice and the organisation's belief in an interdependent, one-world family.

The ecolodge project comprises six green buildings powered by solar and micro-hydro, and the farm is completely run and managed by local people. The buildings and the programs at the Finca are designed to improve the environment and serve as a demonstration coffee farm for the many growers in the area.

The design and construction of all buildings at the Finca emphasize low impact, green materials and local labor. Structural materials include handmade brick and small amounts of locally harvested lumber for windows, doors, and roof framing, with metal roofing. The buildings were designed to blend with the mountainous landscape, causing minimal disturbance to the land. Already deforested land was used for the construction sites - no trees were felled to build the lodge.

The property is 100% powered by photovoltaic and micro-hydro electric generation. The rooms are compact and serviceable, making a small footprint. Paths are made from crushed stone to allow minimum run-off. Plantings to control erosion are located in 100% of the areas of concern. Small streams flowing from the seven springs found throughout the farm have been returned to pristine condition by eliminating discharges of coffee depulping, bathing and human waste. Lagoons are used to filter the depulping waste.

Getting There

Finca Esperanza Verde is 160 km. from the capital of Managua, 30 km. from Matagalpa, and 18 km. from San Ramón.

traveling independently from matagalpa airport:

Walk up the road in front of the airport a short way past the local bus stop sign. Wave your hand in a downward position when you see a bus marked "Matagalpa" or "Jinotega". Your suitcase will be hoisted on top of the bus where it will be safe. Pay $3 (approx.) in cordobas or dollars. Follow directions below.

Traveling by bus: Buses to Matagalpa frequently leave Managua (2.5 hr.), Granada and Le—n (2 hr.). In Matagalpa. change bus stations by taxi to the Guanuca station. Take the bus that passes through the center of San Ramón (15 min.) in the direction of Pancasan/ El Jobo. Get off at Yucul (45 min. from Matagalpa). Follow the signs in Yucul to Finca Esperanza Verde, a 1 hour walk uphill.

By car: Finca Esperanza Verde is 45 minutes over gravel roads from San Ramón, by a vehicle with moderate clearance. Once in Yucul, turn left off the main road, following the signs toward Finca Esperanza Verde.

Visit our Transport section for flights, hybrid car rentals and train bookings.

Rates & Bookings

Rates are generally for packages and include Full board and activities.

1 night only stays can be arranged on request and special prices apply. Please enquire with The Good Travel Company.

The 'Loro' or 'Tucan' cabins are dorm style accommodation sleeping 3-6 people sharing. Each cabin comes with a private bathroom.

The 'Colibri' cabins have 3 private double rooms each sleeping 1-2 people and each with a private bathroom.

1. Mountaintop Retreat - 3 days and 2 nights 2 guided walks; All about organic coffee tour and presentation; butterfly farm visit and presentation; Camp fire with folk music group.

Colibri - Single: US$200 p/person

Colibri - Double: US$160.50 p/person

Loro/Tucan 3 persons sharing: US$147.33 p/person

Loro/Tucan 4 persons sharing: US$138.00 p/person

Loro/Tucan 5 persons sharing: US$132.40 p/person

Loro/Tucan 6 persons sharing: US$128.67 p/person

2. Rainforest Sampler - 4 days and 3 nights 3 guided walks; All about organic coffee tour and presentation; butterfly farm visit and presentation; Camp fire with folk music group; Cooking class and demonstration in the traditional Nicaraguan kitchen including roasting coffee and making tortillas.

Colibri - Single: US$273 p/person

Colibri - Double: US$222.50 p/person

Loro/Tucan 3 persons sharing: US$205.67 p/person

Loro/Tucan 4 persons sharing: US$193.13 p/person

Loro/Tucan 5 persons sharing: US$185.60 p/person

Loro/Tucan 6 persons sharing: US$180.58 p/person

3. Coffee and Campesino culture exploration - 5 days and 4 nights 4 guided walks; All about organic coffee tour and presentation; butterfly farm visit and presentation; Camp fire with folk music group; Cooking class and demonstration in the traditional Nicaraguan kitchen includes roasting coffee and making tortillas; Half day trip and picnic to campesino baseball game, swimming and bird watching at the Wabule River.

4. Tropical & Migratory Bird Exploration - 5 days and 4 nights 4 guided birding walks with our naturalist guides to look for 150 species in different areas of FEV's wet tropical forest. FEV has hosted several bird banding operations and is the location of 2 official first sighting for Nicaragua. Learn about how our shade grown, organic coffee cultivation enhances bird habitat, includes a Presentation on coffee cultivation; Butterfly farm visit and presentation, Camp fire with folk music group; Half day trip and picnic to a dry tropical forest and river habitat near FEV including swimming and observing numerous species of humming birds and water fowl (seasonal) at and near the Wabule River

Colibri - Single: US$441 p/person

Colibri - Double: US$329.50 p/person

• Loro/Tucan 3 persons sharing: US$292.33 p/person
• Loro/Tucan 4 persons sharing: US$268.25 p/person
• Loro/Tucan 5 persons sharing: US$253.80 p/person
• Loro/Tucan 6 persons sharing: US$244.17 p/person

all packages include

• Accommodation
• All meals and non-alcoholic drinks.
• All rates include Tax
• Transfers can be arranged to nearby towns/cities at an extra charge.
• Check in time is 2pm and check out time is 10am.

child policy

• Children under 3 years of age stay free.
• Children 3 through 11 years old pay half-price for lodging, food and activities.

booking & cancellation policies

• A booking is confirmed on the payment of 40% of the total cost of stay.
• A further 50% is due at least 30 days prior to arrival. And the remaining 10% is due 15 days prior to arrival.
• If cancellations are made 30 days or more prior to arrival date, a 10% cancellation fee is charged.
• If cancellations are made 15-29 days prior to arrival date, a 60% cancellation fee is charged.
• If cancellations are made 14 days prior to arrival, or less, there is no refund given.

Want to avoid cancellation fees? Visit our Insurance section for information on travel insurance.