Estelí is home to hundreds of cigars factories, run by both Cubans and Nicaraguans. Nicaraguan cigars are known to be among the best in the world. A cigar tour is an absolute MUST-DO while you’re in Estelí. It is best to book your tour through your accommodation. The tour lasts around 2 hours and costs between 8 and 10 USD. I recommend booking with the TreeHuggers Agency.

This is a route with monuments called ‘Las Gordas’ that translate ‘The Fat Ones’, this is also a coffee route with many coffee plantations on the way. Many monuments of chubby women are to be found along the road. They all hold different objects that are traditional to the area, such as: tobacco plants, squid, corn or coffee beans. There are beautiful views and small local communities and villages on the way. The tour ends in San Juan de Limay. It costs 30USD per person (cheaper if in a group) and lasts around 3 hours. I recommend booking with the Treehuggers Agency.

You can explore the beautiful street art and murals gracing the walls of Estelí with or without a tour guide. A two-hour tour costs 10USD. The guides are very knowledgeable and will explain the meanings behind the artworks, as well as giving info on the artists that created them.

This is a great day trip to a very peaceful waterfall. Once you jump out of the bus at the Estelí North terminal, the waterfall is just 45 minutes away by foot. You simply have to pay 25 córdobas to enter the trail. The bus journey will cost you 20 córdobas each way.

Hiking and horse riding in the Miraflor Reserve are both incredible experiences, as the reserve is full of diverse flora and fauna. A real Nicaraguan countryside, this reserve is popular for its cowboy culture and friendly, rustic villages and communities. To enrich this authentic experience, you can stay overnight with a local family.

You will need a guide for this destination. There are plenty of tours, ranging from day tours to overnight or even three-day long trips. A two-hour horse ride costs 45 USD, while an overnight stay in a local community costs 22 USD per night, with meals included. I recommend booking with the TreeHuggers Agency.