City tour Matagalpa
Exploring the ‘pearl of the north’

A guided city tour gives you a good impression of the history & culture of this northern city. First the most ancient graves in town will be shown at the local cemetery. Then, you go on to the house where Carlos Fonseca, founder of the Sandinista party, was born and raised. After visiting the most interesting coffee museum you will walk right into the historical center, to end up at the Guanaco farmer’s market, where you get in touch with daily Matagalpino life.
If you like, you also visit the Castillo de Cacao, where Nicaragua’s best chocolate is made from 100% organic cacao. From the roof of this ‘Cacao Castle’ you have spectacular views over the city and its mountainous surroundings.




Duration: 4-5 hours

Start: 08:30 AM | 14:00 PM
End: 12.30 PM | 18:00 PM

Included:
Transportation
Entrance fees
Bilingual guide
Complementary drink

Century-old finca
Coffee at Finca El Paraíso and a refreshing shower

At Finca (=farm) El Paraíso, founded in 1890, you will learn a lot about coffee growing and processing. Following this, a hike through the great flora & fauna to the top of an adjacent hill gives you great views over the area. After returning to the Finca you enjoy country-style lunch, before heading on to the Santa Emilia waterfall, to finish this tour with a refreshing shower in tropical surroundings.

Duration: 5-6 hours
Start: 09.00 AM | 12.00 PM
End: 14.30 PM | 17.30 PM

Included:
Transportation
Bilingual guide
Entrance fees
Country-style Matagalpino lunch

The ancient goldmines
Looking back and looking forward

You will drive to the top of the Mombacho vocano (1150 meters), completely covered with cloud forest.
The Mombacho is a dormant volcano with a wide variety of vegetation, bird wildlife (173 species), reptiles (36 species), amphibians (10 species), mammals (47 species) and several endemic butterflies. After visiting the scientific station you can explore this impressive volcano during a self-guided walk.
The crater trail is a well-kept path that leads all around the crater through dense cloud forest. It is 1.5 kilometres long and leads you to a spectacular viewpoint with great views over Granada, Las Isletas, Laguna de Apoyo and Masaya Volcano. You will also encounter natural heat sources. The routing is clear and interesting info is displayed on signs along the trail.



Duration: 4 hours
Start: 08.00 AM | 14.00 PM
End: 12.00 PM | 18.00 PM

Included:
Transportation by 4X4 vehicle
Entrance fees
Complementary cup of coffee

Cerro Apante (hike)
Hiking in a diverse mountain

Cerro Apante (Apante hill) is a natural reserve directly bordering the city of Matagalpa. During a hike you can fully appreciate the beautiful mountainous surroundings just north of Matagalpa. Passing several coffee farms you climb up the ‘Buena Vista’ to an altitude of 1.442 meters. As the name already indicates: yes, you can expect impressive views!
After enjoying this, you head for the open fields where a picnic lunch will be enjoyed. Then continue our journey to the summit, to the viewpoint on top of the forested Cerro El Plomo, with panoramic views over the surrounding villages, especially the village of San Ramón, where coffee growing and community-based tourism are joining forces in a more than interesting way. From San Ramón, you will be transferred back to Matagalpa.




Duration: 7-8 hours
Start: 08:00 AM
End: 16:00 PM

Included:
Transportation
Bilingual guide
Entrance fees
Picnic lunch

Cloud forest flora & fauna (hike)
and... Sustainability at Finca La Hamonia

Hiking and sustainability are the key words in today’s society. After a short drive up the hill from Matagalpa, you first tour La Hamonia, a auto-sustainable farm, where coffee, flowers and vegetable growing take place in synergy with nature. Also cheese is produced and even the fertilizers are completely natural! During a short break at the Selva Negra mountain resort you get ready for a 3-hour challenging hike to Cerro El Arenal, with dense cloud forest, giant trees, spectacular orchids and noisy howler monkeys all around.






Duration: 6 hours
Start: 08:00 PM | 12:30 PM
End: 14:00 PM | 18:30 PM

Included:
Transportation
Bilingual guide
Entrance fees
Snack

Coffee & chocolate
Agriculture in harmony with nature

The focus of this tour is on high quality products sustainably produced in the Matagalpa region. First, we pass by the Castillo de Cacao, where Nicaragua’s best chocolate is made from 100% organic cacao.
Not only the product itself is highlighted, but also the growing process of this interesting crop. After this, we head east and will get to know the dry tropical forest with the impressive waterfalls of Wanube. A refreshing swim is possible and a picnic lunch will be enjoyed while watching at and listening to abundant bird wildlife in the area.
The last stop will be Finca Esperanza Verde, a renowned Ecolodge with a sustainable coffee growing farm. The local guide will shed a light on the interesting details of coffee growing and producing in such a sensible natural area.




Duration: 8-9 hours
Start: 08:00 AM
End: 17:00 PM

Included:
Transportion
Bilingual guide
Entrance fees
Picnic lunch

Indigenous El Chile
Weaving workshop and interaction

The indigenous community of El Chile is widely known for its woven crafts. The local women make a large variety of products, such as bags, purses and backpacks. You can buy a product right out of the hand of the woman who made it! After enjoying a little workshop and having lunch with a local family, you hike up the El Chile hill for an impressive 360° view over the whole surrounding area.








Duration: 5-6 hours
Start: 08:00 AM | 11:00 PM
End: 14:00 PM | 17:00 PM

Included:
Transportation
Bilingual guide
Typical lunch with local family

Tres pinos (hike)
A distinct culture: the white ‘indigenas’

Pacsila is a very distinct region in Nicaragua: this is the land of the white indigenous people. These people do not come close to the Latino physiognomy of the ‘normal’ Nicaraguans: they are white, with blond or red hair and often covered with freckles. The most common story that circulates is that they are descendents of English and Dutch adventurers that crossed the area in the 17th century, but any proof of this is hard to find, since most historical records were lost.
A hike brings you through the countryside and forest, visiting the villages of Pacsila, El Carrizo and Piedra de Agua (the ‘Tres Pinos’). While enjoying the splendid views over the mountainous area, the focus of the hike will really be the contact with locals. The inhabitants will explain about the cooperatives they work in and the local crafts they make, such as locally made sweets, bread and even bags. A delicious lunch will be prepared by and enjoyed with a local family.



Duration: 6 hours
Start: 08:00 AM | 11:00 PM
End: 14:00 PM | 17:00 PM

Included:
Transportation
Bilingual guide
Typical lunch with local family