Reserva Natural Miraflor
Reserva Natural Miraflor
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
4.5
136 reviews
Excellent
84
Very good
28
Average
14
Poor
7
Terrible
3
Ally B
9 contributions
Sep 2021 • Couples
We visited for three nights and then left one earlier. Miraflor is pretty no doubt, but not especially so. There is a lot of pretty nature in Nicaragua and this one isn't especially animal filled or anything. I would recommend one day with a guide or ro grab a motorbike and explore one day. As it is in the moment One Day is definetly enough time.
When you're there, there is not much to do. There are cascades and a Mirador. And you can only really walk along the road. Down where you came from or up. Who expects hiking is in the absolutely wrong place. (Go to Tisey to hike, they have great marked hiking paths) Everything is fenced up. The first day we found neither the cascades nor the Mirador. The local people speak extreme slang Spanisch. Even our Argentinian friend had trouble communicating. Also they don't know where the cascades or the Mirador are and in typical central American manner won't tell you, that they don't know, but just give you any description. So one walks back and forth.
The second day Darwin gave us a description. As in a crudely drawn map. We found the cascades with it. They are small but amazing and deep enough to jump.
(go past a long painted fence on your way up, it ends, then to the right there is an orange door, it says rosa pila and cascadas I think. Go over the meadow, ignore the cows, go over the tree bridge, there will be signs. Pay 20cordoba each at the little families house and voila you're there. There is even a changing room)
We followed a non fenced off path into nothing for the Mirador for more than half an hour and found a small family and the dad took us to the Mirador. 20 Minutes cross country with mostly no på, h and we had to cross several barb wired fences. - By the way, thank you again man.
We are not inexperienced hikers, we've gone on map cross-country in several countries. This Mirador is not marked at all and you have to cross may brushes fields and private property. If you wanna see it badly, take a guide.
To the family stay. Next time we would stay with the Nica German couple, because we are germans and could talk to them. We learnt Spanish, usually it's enough for a bit of conversation. Not up in Miraflor. We simply didn't understand anyone really but Darwin, who wasn't usually there. And we were across the road from their house. You can read a book in a chair in the garden and have a view. Nothing else though. The rooms are dirt floor and insecty. The shower is a bucket. Which is fine, I don't mind, a tent isn't more luxurious. But usually I have reason for discomfort. But as we couldn't talk to the family and weren't involved form their side it didn't feel like a homestay at all, but a very uncomfortable hostel.
What we as tourists want, is information about the area, a look into how it to live there and some hiking and fun. Miraflor could be all of this, but isn't yet.
When you're there, there is not much to do. There are cascades and a Mirador. And you can only really walk along the road. Down where you came from or up. Who expects hiking is in the absolutely wrong place. (Go to Tisey to hike, they have great marked hiking paths) Everything is fenced up. The first day we found neither the cascades nor the Mirador. The local people speak extreme slang Spanisch. Even our Argentinian friend had trouble communicating. Also they don't know where the cascades or the Mirador are and in typical central American manner won't tell you, that they don't know, but just give you any description. So one walks back and forth.
The second day Darwin gave us a description. As in a crudely drawn map. We found the cascades with it. They are small but amazing and deep enough to jump.
(go past a long painted fence on your way up, it ends, then to the right there is an orange door, it says rosa pila and cascadas I think. Go over the meadow, ignore the cows, go over the tree bridge, there will be signs. Pay 20cordoba each at the little families house and voila you're there. There is even a changing room)
We followed a non fenced off path into nothing for the Mirador for more than half an hour and found a small family and the dad took us to the Mirador. 20 Minutes cross country with mostly no på, h and we had to cross several barb wired fences. - By the way, thank you again man.
We are not inexperienced hikers, we've gone on map cross-country in several countries. This Mirador is not marked at all and you have to cross may brushes fields and private property. If you wanna see it badly, take a guide.
To the family stay. Next time we would stay with the Nica German couple, because we are germans and could talk to them. We learnt Spanish, usually it's enough for a bit of conversation. Not up in Miraflor. We simply didn't understand anyone really but Darwin, who wasn't usually there. And we were across the road from their house. You can read a book in a chair in the garden and have a view. Nothing else though. The rooms are dirt floor and insecty. The shower is a bucket. Which is fine, I don't mind, a tent isn't more luxurious. But usually I have reason for discomfort. But as we couldn't talk to the family and weren't involved form their side it didn't feel like a homestay at all, but a very uncomfortable hostel.
What we as tourists want, is information about the area, a look into how it to live there and some hiking and fun. Miraflor could be all of this, but isn't yet.
Written 18 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Daghora
San Jose, Costa Rica3 contributions
Feb 2021 • Couples
We booked a tour with tree huggers, from Luna International Hostel. We spent a great day with gentle horses, nice landscapes, nice company of the guide and horse owner Darvin, who explained everything about the mountain, agriculture, how the community lives and how they care about the environment.
It is amazing to be on a horse so you can stop watching your feet and enjoy the mountains.
It is amazing to be on a horse so you can stop watching your feet and enjoy the mountains.
Written 26 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SatisfiedCust0mer100
Austin, TX6 contributions
Jun 2019 • Solo
Ariel, from tree huggers, was super attentive, helpful, and kind. He set us up well for our Somoto tour. I even forgot my ticket but he made sure to contact Henry from the tour to communicate this. Next, Ariel helped me set up a tour to visit Miraflor. It was perfect! I stayed with the family Ruiz Alaniz and they were amazing. Good food and warm company!! They were attentive and caring. The father and son even played me a few songs on their guitar and sang for me. The food was excellent and I was surprised to hear that they made the cheese themselves! Rodolfo wasn’t day tour guide in Miraflor and he was super friendly and professional (this was important because I tend to experience men hitting on me since I’m a solo traveler). Rodolfo and I walked for about five hours around Miraflor, looking at horses, cows, and eating mangoes and guanábana. The next day we went to the higher parts of Miraflor where there was even more greenery. We rode horses the second day and even had a fun time through the rain. Miraflor and Estelà have a special place in my heart. Also, try Kome rico in Esteli, amazing food and great service by family.
Written 27 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
La Loca
Nicaragua123 contributions
Apr 2019 • Solo
Miraflor is absolutely gorgeous. Beautiful vistas, wildlife, rolling hills and greenery for miles. I booked through Treehuggers in Esteli and my guide was Rodolfo who I HIGHLY recommend. He is incredibly funny, knowledgable, easy-going, enthusiastic and patient. We started down in the river and hiked uphill to Coyolito where we met the local families and had a delicious batido. The views from this point were already stunning. He took me through tomato farms and I even got the pleasure of meeting his family who is equally as warm and friendly, seeing how they live, their cows and chickens and pigs, and trying some local fruits and some of the cheese made right there from their cow.
Unfortunately my Miraflor trip was cut short by a day due to illness, but the first night I stayed with Egna and Darwin who were lovely and whose home has gorgeous sunset views, however if I did it again I would stay at another home because they didn’t seem as welcoming as some of the other families (almost a bit apathetic, like they had been used to receiving tourists and were just doing their job, also my room was separate from the family’s space which is great if you’re looking for more privacy but I wanted more of an integrative experience).
Overall, I can recommend Treehuggers and I definitely recommend Rodolfo as a guide; we had so much fun together and I reckon he’s one of the best guides I’ve ever had in my many years of travel.
Unfortunately my Miraflor trip was cut short by a day due to illness, but the first night I stayed with Egna and Darwin who were lovely and whose home has gorgeous sunset views, however if I did it again I would stay at another home because they didn’t seem as welcoming as some of the other families (almost a bit apathetic, like they had been used to receiving tourists and were just doing their job, also my room was separate from the family’s space which is great if you’re looking for more privacy but I wanted more of an integrative experience).
Overall, I can recommend Treehuggers and I definitely recommend Rodolfo as a guide; we had so much fun together and I reckon he’s one of the best guides I’ve ever had in my many years of travel.
Written 21 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
andreasU1570QD
Konitsa, Greece217 contributions
Jan 2019 • Solo
I stayed at hotel La Luna in Esteli. I got the details of going to Miraflores and stay with a family. I took the 1pm bus to Coyolito - Pita, and 2pm I arrive in San Jose village. I stayed in Erma & Darvin house. The house eas very nice and clean, with beautiful garden and stunning views! The hosts where fantastic, and Ermas food incredible! In the morning I had a long hike to the Reserve, passing small villages and plantations. The views are fantastic. The next day I had a horsebackriding. Was excellent, 5hr in total. If someone wants a real taste of Nicaragua, that's a place to visit!
Written 18 January 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Solaris T
4 contributions
Oct 2018 • Solo
The bus moves so slow it feels like walking would be quicker but frankly there is no rush here... everything moves slow... the views are breath taking. Buses leave Esteli at 6 am and 12.15 pm and the latest comes back to Esteli leaving from there at 4.15 and arriving in ESteli at around 5 ish. Worth the visit... there are some fincas there which you can stay at for around 25 usd a night.... a bit steep for my budget but Finca Nieblina is brilliant.
Written 3 October 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CornIsland
Corn Island29 contributions
Apr 2018 • Family
They answered the phone once, then found it hard to understand what we wanted, just hung up and after that never answered again... I read this happened before, but really didnt think it could be that bad. The girl who answered was named Karin I believe.
Written 3 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
2s0j0urn
Melbourne, Australia13 contributions
Mar 2018 • Couples
A friend with whom we were staying on Ometepe suggested that we head to the northern highlands to escape the heat because it was quite warm on Ometepe at the end of March. We elected to book a night at Hospedaje Luna based on the recommendation in Lonely Planet not realising that this is also the base of Tree Huggers. So glad that we did! Tree Huggers organised a perfect tour for us in Miraflor once we explained our interests - birds, trees and flowers, and explained that our Spanish is rudimentary. We were given the extremely knowledgeable, amiable and competent English-speaking guide, Aldo. Tree Huggers suggested we stay at Cayo Verde Ecolodge where some English is spoken to avoid long, silent evenings with a Spanish-speaking home stay family. (Don't get me wrong, we would have loved to have done a home stay but our Spanish is not up to it; we will return and do the home stay when we have improved our Spanish.) Cayo Verde was also fantastic - Maribel, the owner, is passionate about her garden which is like a mini garden of Eden. So many species of plants which Aldo could identify for us while also providing interesting anecdotes and information along the way. And Frank, the cook, is absolutely amazing. He uses many of the wild plants from the garden in his cooking, eg. wild climbing spinach and a special mint, and everything he cooks is healthy, organic and divine. He also makes the most fabulous and refreshing fresh fruit juices eg. dragon fruit juice - yum! We stayed in a tree-house cabin replete with hammocks and a view to die for and it was all peaceful and lovely. We can highly recommend Tree Huggers as tour operator, Cayo Verde Ecolodge for accommodation and Aldo as a guide.
Written 1 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
christianwalker
Granada, Nicaragua5 contributions
Mar 2018 • Solo
I came in to Estelà late on Thursday night not really knowing how I might get out away from the city to look for birds. Treehuggers had a very cheap tour set up for within half an hour of my arrival at Luna International Hostel. I met guide Agusto Gamez the next day, and we walked over to Puesta del Sol where I stayed the next two nights. Agusto only spoke spanish, but with my limited knowledge we were able to communicate plenty and he showed me a lot of good birds. Knew a lot about sounds and local distribution, which was the local knowledge I needed. He also knew how to navigate the small paths and trails through the local fincas.
Had over 150 species of birds in two days - highlights included Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird, Black Hawk-Eagle, Yellow-billed Cacique, Spot-crowned Woodcreeper, and Northern Emerald-Toucanet. Would recommend especially if you want a cheap way to find birds - El Jaguar and Selva Negra in the highlands may be better with more species but they're definitely more expensive. Booking through tree huggers for lodging, food and a guide was only about $80.00 USD for 2 days.
Had over 150 species of birds in two days - highlights included Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird, Black Hawk-Eagle, Yellow-billed Cacique, Spot-crowned Woodcreeper, and Northern Emerald-Toucanet. Would recommend especially if you want a cheap way to find birds - El Jaguar and Selva Negra in the highlands may be better with more species but they're definitely more expensive. Booking through tree huggers for lodging, food and a guide was only about $80.00 USD for 2 days.
Written 19 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
martin h
hereford5 contributions
Jan 2018 • Couples
My wife and I were travelling light around Nicaragua and, having read of Miraflor, had decided to go there. We arranged a three night stay with Tree Huggers in Esteli. They drew up a programme after listening to our wishes, and we were pleased with this responsive approach. We avoided taking the very early bus from Esteli, instead taking one around lunch-time which took us to a road-side stop where we were met and led up to our first night's stay at Linda Vista near Coyolito in the Low Zone. We had a nice chat with the lady owner (sorry, I forget her name) and walked up to a viewpoint about half an hour away. Our room and food were fine and early the next morning she walked with us in the half darkness back to the bus stop, from where we traveled up to our next halt, breakfast at the house of the school teacher and wife. Our first guide then arrived on foot and led us up, for 4-5 hours, passing by farmed areas and an area of cloud forest to Sontule in the Intermediate Zone. There we stayed for two nights with Rogelio and his wife. We had long conversations with them. I struggled a bit with my Spanish with Rogelio but with his wife managed pretty well. We sat in the kitchen, chatting, while she prepared food, while with Rogelio I helped a little with sorting through the freshly harvested coffee berries. The couple are similar in age to us (early seventies) so without prompting spoke at length about their early years before the Sandinista Revolution, the changes following the latter and the war with the Contras. Rogelio also talked about his personal faith. Most people in the village seemed to be loosely related so various people drifted in and out of the house. Our room was fine, comfortable bed with blankets and mosquito net. Bathroom facilities were pretty basic which did not trouble us in a short stay. The weather was pretty cold and damp (late January) so ample layers of clothing were needed. We had intended to go with our next guide to the High Zone, mainly in the hope of seeing more of the remaining forest and flora, but rain and mist put a stop to that, so we again chatted about the community while passing by farmed areas and taking shelter. Both guides were good and informative (conversations in Spanish). After two nights at Sontule, we took the bus back to Esteli. In summary, you need to speak some Spanish and be used to very rustic accommodation, but if you have an interest in hearing first-hand about recent Nicaraguan history and rural life, highly recommended. Do not expect to see much natural forest, though maybe the High Zone offers more of this.
Written 6 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
quetzatours
Esteli Department, Nicaragua4 contributions
Que hacer en Miraflor +50588404753?
60713Piper10
San Francisco, CA4 contributions
Do you have a room for the night of Feb 19th, that is a .sunday, for 2 friends
owstonlewis
Esteli, Nicaragua17 contributions
You should contact TreeHuggers directly to arrange a homestay in Miraflor. They have a lot of options and will be able to help you. Email treehuggersnicaragua and look on their website TreeHuggers cafe luz y luna
Have a great time!
60713Piper10
San Francisco, CA4 contributions
No. SABemos donde pasar la noche, 19 de Febrero, es solo una noche entre Leon y Granada.. surerencias?
owstonlewis
Esteli, Nicaragua17 contributions
Vaya a Masaya y visitar Masaya volcano entre 5.30 y 7.30pm en la noche. Es espectaculo!
Go to Masaya for the night. You should go up to see the volcanic lava in Masaya volcano. A once in a lifetime experience! You can stay in a dormitory for only 7 dollars at Maderas Inn, or 20 dollars a double, pretty basic hotel but Ok. They will arrange the volcano visit for you too. It is 20 dollars a person, 10 dollars entrance fee to the national park included. Makes it easy to do. It leaves Maderas Inn at about 4.45pm and back about 8pm.
60713Piper10
San Francisco, CA4 contributions
how long to drive from Leon?
honeybunny2015
Panama City, Panama55 contributions
i would say around 3 hours , may be a little less
Giorgia R
Turin, Italy3 contributions
nos gustaria estar una noche en la finca Fuente de Vida .la noche de lunes 8 agosto. tenemos coche e jegamos de Esteli.(2 personas en quarto privado).gracias
505badgolfer
Albuquerque, NM380 contributions
UCA Miraflor tiene un sitio internet. Puede ponerse en contacto con ellos para hacer una reservacion en una finca en la reserva ( no se si puede hacerlo por "Fuente de Vida.")
voixsurrhone
Lyon, France8 contributions
Bonjour, très intéressés par l'expérience, en particulier chez Dora. Nous sommes très pointilleux sur la propreté toutefois et aimerions savoir ce qu'il en est. Également savoir si la cabine a une salle de bain privée (On n'a plus 20 ans !).
Merci de votre réponse,
JD
scout-island
Williams Lake, Canada1 contribution
My family and I are interested in a homestay in Miraflor. I emailed Treehuggers about a reservation and they responded that I had to go to their office and reserve in advance. When we get to Estelli, we want to go right away to the homestay. What did others do? Is it okay just to show up and is it easy enough to get a place to stay? We have 3 nights to stay in the area. Any recommendations on how to spend the time? Also, how easy is it to get back to Managua? We have a late evening flight, so I am assuming we can travel back to Managua from Estelli/Miraflor on the day of the flight. Thank you for your thoughts... Margaret Anne
505badgolfer
Albuquerque, NM380 contributions
UCA Miraflor has a website which you will be able to easily find. Tripadvisor rules don't permit me to post the link. At the website, you may contact them directly. Treehuggers in Esteli is the other known option. Hope this helps.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Reserva Natural Miraflor
- Hotels near Reserva Natural Miraflor:
- (15.59 km) Bed and Breakfast Villa Riviera
- (2.43 km) Finca Lindos Ojos
- (3.09 km) Finca Neblina del Bosque
- (5.39 km) Finca Fuente De Vida
- (14.20 km) Hotel La Campina