Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
harvest, or hike or horseback ride up to cloud forests. The community has English-speak-
ing guides and a bird-watching specialist.
Cebollal
The first settlement to cater to tourists, and it remains the most popular. You can stay with
families or in more comfortable
cabañas
(cabin) and enjoy miles of trails that reach up to
1400m with pockets of cloud forest that draw colorful quetzals to their canopy in May and
June.
VILLAGE
La Perla
A fine place to immerse yourself in the collective-farming universe that is Miraflor, this
small village is in the high zone, which means there are hundreds of orchid varieties here.
The village is home to a women's farming cooperative and guests are encouraged to wake
up with the smacking rhythm of fresh, handmade tortillas, milk the cow, collect the eggs
and work the farm before hiking into the nearby forests. La Perla is also a convenient spot
from which to visit the
Laguna Miraflor
.
VILLAGE
Los Volcancitos
The wildlife-lovers' destination. This is where you'll find the best remaining patch of vir-
gin cloud forest, although deforestation is a serious issue. It is home to technicolor quet-
zals in April and May, as well as troops of spider and howler monkeys. There are
homestays nearby, but it's also quite easily accessible from Cebollal. Walk 45-minutes to
the La Rampla bus stop on the Estelí-Yali road, from where it's a further one-hour walk
south to the jungled, volcano-shaped mountain (which, despite the name, isn't actually a
volcano).
FOREST
La Pita
There are not many activities for visitors in this dynamic village, but it has some fine
homestay options and it's only a 30-minute walk from Cebollal. It is also the most con-
venient departure point for
Pozo la Pila
(admission US$0.40)
, a refreshing waterfall-fed
swimming hole surrounded by high rock walls.
VILLAGE
Sleeping & Eating
There are several choices of accommodations within the reserve, all of which should be
booked through UCA Miraflor or Tree Huggers in Estelí.
