La Reina Community

Description

The mountainous community of La Reina, located in the municipality of San Ramón in the department of Matagalpa, is home to the farmer cooperative ´Danilo Gonzalez’, which is part of the de Agricultural Union of Cooperatives, UCA San Ramón. This cooperative offers ecological and collaborative activities like hikes through the nearby, bosky mountains, walks through the tunnels of an old and very productive mine, and activities to learn more about the local coffee producers.

The temperatures in this area are very comfortable, due to the height of the mountains which range from 780 to 1200 meters above sea level. In the mountains visitors can hike the trails and get into the forest where a large variety of plants, birds, monkeys and other animals can be admired. The mountain hike is realized by guides; each can attend a group up to 7 people (US$15 per group).

Another interesting attraction in the area is the old gold mine, where one can walk through the tunnels which show interesting rocky formations. Here, visitors receive information about the history of the mine and interesting people who passed through it. There is an entrance fee of US$1 per person.

In the community, the visitor can get to know every single step of cultivating coffee and participate in sowing, maintaining and harvesting. Another activity offered by the community is a class on how to make traditional Nicaraguan food (US$40). Horseback riding is also offered.

The people of the community offer rooms (US$12 per person/day/breakfast included) to receive tourists in their houses, which allows the visitor a rustically and real countryside experience. Food is also served at these guesthouses for US$4.50 per plate.

Getting There

La Reina is located at a distance of 18.5 kilometers from Matagalpa and 3 kilometers from San Ramón, and it can be reached by public buses that leave from Matagalpa. To realize a visit to this community, be sure to contact UCA San Ramón at least 24 hours in advance.