Firstly some reasons why you might NOT want to come to the Mariposa:

What happens if I have an airport pick up?
Managua is our nearest airport. When you have passed through baggage check and the final passport check, as you emerge from the airport go through the door ahead of you (NOT the one on the left) and look for the Mariposa sign. For the cost for an airport pick up, look at Prices - you are not expected to pay the driver.

What about travelling by bus from Managua, Granada or Masaya to the Mariposa?
For the detailed instructions for these journeys: see Directions, as well as a mobile telephone number Contact Info should you need it!

What is the food like at the Mariposa?
We do not provide a restaurant service - instead, we offer family style meals and students eat together, usually outside on the terrace. Our aim is to provide tasty, nutritious food that is also kind to the planet, as well as to animals and, indeed, to our own bodies. Eating 1lb beef costs the planet 7 times as much as eating 1lb of grain, pork 5 times as much and chicken twice as much. This is because of the amount of grain consumed by a cow in order to produce that much beef. So we eat lots of locally sourced and grown fruit and vegetables (increasingly from our own gardens), Nicaraguan produced rice and beans (the staple Nicaraguan diet) and - once or twice a week - meat, fish or chicken. Every meal is freshly cooked and served with a drink prepared from fresh, in-season fruit.

What is the weather like?
There are basically two seasons in Nicaragua - hot & dry (December through to May) and hot & wet (May to November)! It rarely rains all day in the wet season but often rains at night - great for studying as the days are fresh. Because the Mariposa is quite high up (about 500 metres) we nearly always have a breeze and so it is cooler here than in the lowlands. It can actually get quite cold at night.

What clothes should I bring?
Students are advised to bring a range of clothing, rain gear in the wet season - but always something for very hot days and something e.g. sweatshirts, socks, pyjamas for the cooler evenings and nights. Long trousers and socks are advisable for walking and horse riding. Also pack some sandals, plastic shoes for beach (the volcanic lake has a stony beach, uncomfortable for bare feet) and some shoes that have good grip for walking up slopes! The Mariposa itself is very informal - if you want to help look after the animals or in the garden and get your hands dirty then bring some old clothes with you!

Is there anything else I should bring?
Ear plugs if you have difficulty sleeping…Insect repellent (more on insects later), mosquito net if you wish, camera, binoculars - usual stuff!!! You can buy things like batteries, toiletries locally (we supply sheets, towels, etc and also a bottle of organic shampoo and soap) if you need to restock. A small rucksack/bag for days out and a water bottle which you can refill from the filter here. Sun screen and a hat, especially for days when we go out in the back of the camionetta which means your face/shoulders can easily burn even when it doesn't seem very sunny. Books, cards, games can be useful and bring a torch (flashlight) if you fancy a night time wander around the Mariposa grounds.

Is there anything I can bring to donate to any of the Mariposa projects?
The most useful donation for us is actually money! For example, we are purchasing a large number of young trees in order to respond to a request from some local farmers to help them reforest their land. To help us with this, frankly, we just need the cash!!! And some hands to do the planting once you are here……We are also currently building and resourcing a pre-school classroom, using donations of cash for the building and of children's books and toys for the resources. We will also fund a part-time teacher to run it. Good children's books in Spanish are very difficult to buy here so we appreciate any gifts of those….but please bear in mind that children who live in extreme poverty often are not used to the things that Western children's books take for granted. We also appreciate donations to the Mariposa library - whether resources for teaching in Spanish or good books in English.

How safe is Nicaragua?
There are no guarantees, and like all establishments in a country where the majority of the population live in poverty, we need to take some precautions. But Nicaragua is the safest country in Central America and, outside Managua, the crime rate is low (about half that of the USA). We have all night security staff and our dogs do a fantastic job of alerting us to anything strange. We also have close communication with local police who visit us regularly.

What are the most important health issues?
You should talk to your doctor about the health precautions you need to take before arriving in Nicaragua. Malaria is not common in this area, dengue (a flu like illness, also carried by mosquitoes) is more common but there is no prevention. Other vaccinations need to be decided in consultation with your doctor.

Are there insects?
Yes. We have surprisingly few mosquitoes but there are certainly some, especially at the beginning of the rainy season, they usually bite around 5.30 in the evening. There are also little midges which bite sometimes - they are completely harmless but irritating. So bring repellent, natural stuff is good but you need loads of it as the effect does not last as long as the nasty chemical DEET.

There are also occasional scary insects like scorpions (not seriously dangerous, though you would not want to be bitten by one as it will give y ou a bad headache) and a spider called a "pico caballo" which is a member of the tarantula family, though not dangerous. We are an eco hotel and therefore do not exterminate insect life - there is always someone on duty to help if you have a problem with any unwanted wildlife in your room.

What other wildlife is there?
Again, because we an eco-hotel we are encouraging wildlife as much as possible on our very small piece of land. Birds are thriving here - we have breeding tanagers, hummingbirds and guardabarrancos (the Nicaraguan national bird) amongst several other species. We have resident bats, frogs, toads and you may come across squirrels, foxes, lizards, iguanas and the occasional snake. We have a small-scale wildlife rescue project including capuchin monkeys, Pancho the racoon, parakeets and parrots - all of which will be released to the wild when they are ready. The Mariposa also has a number of rescued animals, including dogs (we have 3 big ones and two puppies), cats, horses. We keep pigs, ducks and chickens - and the cockerels can be noisy early in the morning!

Is there internet access?
The Mariposa has wireless internet access - you are welcome to bring your own laptop or use the office computer for limited periods of time. There are cheap, friendly internet cafes in nearby La Concha and most students enjoy using them as part of getting to know the local community.

What is there to do in the evenings?
Not much!! There are nearly always other, interesting students who are more than willing to have an after dinner beer on the terrace. You can go for a night walk if you wish (there is always a guide on duty who can take you). There are local bars and restaurants and sometimes a nearby weekend event/fiesta. You are of course welcome to use the TV, DVD player and borrow any of the books from the library. Generally students find themselves getting up early and preferring an early night to help concentrate in Spanish classes the following day!

How can I pay for my stay?
At present we cannot accept credit cards. We have a local ATM machine and are happy to take you there to take out money, so you do not have to travel with large sums of cash on you. Dollars cash or cordobas (the local currency) are good for us. Please pay within three days of your arrival. See PRICES for more information.

How does the Spanish school work - how big are the classes?
Before starting classes, unless you are a complete beginner, you will be asked to complete a brief "test" just to see what your level is - we use six levels of grammar in the school, from absolute beginner to advanced. Formal classes are in the morning - from 8.00am to 12.00pm with a break for juice/coffee. You will have two teachers - one for grammar and one for conversation. After your first day it is your responsibility to get to your class on time, it is not for your teacher to come looking for you. We change your teacher periodically. Classes are a maximum of three, usually two and often one-to-one. Our teachers are all local people - they have many years of experience of teaching Spanish and are mostly also trained teachers. Some of them are studying English at university. We try and put beginners with the teachers who speak English…. Please talk to Bergman (who heads up the school) if you have any problems with your classes. Two of the teachers eat lunch with the students - so if you wish to keep practicing your Spanish the opportunity is there! And there are always plenty of people around in the afternoons as well…..there is a lot more info on the SPANISH SCHOOL pages.

Can I stay at the Mariposa without doing classes?
Yes, you can and you are welcome to join in with the afternoon/weekend activities if you so wish. Please note that we cannot organise separate activities for the mornings.
The cost is the daily rate (see PRICES).

Can I do organised voluntary work at the Mariposa?
The Mariposa is primarily about trying to provide secure, reasonably paid employment for local Nicaraguan people, for which we use the income provided by the Spanish school students. As such, our focus is not to provide volunteering opportunities for foreign travellers….having said that you are, of course, more than welcome to help out informally with cooking, gardening, looking after rescued animals and we can place people in local schools as classroom assistants (we require a reference if you want to do this). There is no discount for helping out!

And how can I book Spanish classes and a room at the Mariposa?
Easy - just email Paulette and tell her your dates. There is no deposit, we just ask you to let us know should your plans change for any reason.