Given the expected number of international guests, we are able to accommodate everyone currently at our own Vera Eco-Resort. Rooms have already been assigned for all guests who have confirmed their attendance.

We will pick you up at the airport (MGA) in Managua upon your arrival and drop you off before your return journey, no matter what time of day you arrive or depart. Please share your flight details with us so that we can make those arrangements. The drive from the airport to our property is about 2 ½ hours. The driver will stop along the way if you request it :)

During your time with us, we will provide transportation as well if you have any offsite needs or interests. We will organize day trips to some nearby sites for those that are interested, including Cascada Blanca waterfall, some shopping / sightseeing in the town of Matagalpa, etc.

For U.S. citizens, a tourist visa is given on arrival at the airport. The charge for this fee is USD $10. Make sure to bring cash (in USD $) for this purpose, specifically new bills without any tears or marks. Again, there is no need to have a visa prior to travel as a U.S. citizen.

For other nationalities, please check with your country’s embassy for specific visa entry requirements.

VERY IMPORTANT - Please review our Immigration Arrival Details document for specific instructions on what to do once you land in order to clear immigration and customs. It is a good idea to have a physical copy of this document or have it saved to your phone.

At Vera Eco-Resort, we specialize in organic, farm-to-table, healthy cuisine, following a mostly vegetarian / vegan diet. However, we do now offer meat options for guests that prefer to eat meat as well, and we have a wood-fired oven that makes some delicious pizza available from 11:00am - 9:00pm. We also have a room service menu available.

For this special event, you can expect our Head Chef to create some unique, off-menu dishes. But to give you an idea of what is typically available, you can view our traditional menu here.

We have organized a special itinerary for this inaugural weekend; please see the itinerary below. However, all activities are optional, and we also have a full menu of regular activities on offer that can be arranged for you. Simply let us know in advance what activities or tours you are interested in, and we will make the arrangements. Please review our website for details.

For this weekend, we have arranged for 2 massage therapists to be onsite from 9:00am - 5:00pm daily from Friday - Sunday. To book a massage, simply contact our concierge.

We also offer horseback riding from 8:00am - 5:00pm daily. We have 7 horses available to ride, but groups are limited to 5 at a time, as we always have 2 guides accompany groups for safety reasons (one in the front, one in the back of the group). Children (of all ages), elderly, and inexperienced riders who are not yet comfortable going on full rides can enjoy a guided walk and introduction to the horses in our gated corral next to our horse stables. To book your horseback riding experience, please contact our eco-resort concierge.

The country is generally hot all year long because of its position close to the Equator. However, Matagalpa is in the mountainous north and is generally much cooler than the capital, beaches, or most other parts of the country. Vera Eco-Resort is at an even higher elevation than Matagalpa and is a sort of micro-climate that is typically a few degrees cooler than the city.

Mid-November to mid-May is the “dry season”, which typically sees warmer temperatures and less precipitation. At this time of year, you can probably expect temperatures to be in the 60s – 80s. Please also note that it rains frequently at Vera Eco-Resort throughout the year, though rains are markedly less heavy and less frequent at this time of year. It is thus a good idea to bring a light rain jacket.

What currency is used in Nicaragua? Should I bring cash (USD$ or local currency)?

The main currency in Nicaragua is the Nicaraguan córdoba, but U.S. dollars (USD $) are also widely accepted. Please check online for the latest exchange rate to the USD $. However, most hotels, restaurants, shops, etc. accept credit cards, and this is definitely the easiest option in most cases.

It is generally a good idea to have some cash on you (in either or both currency) though. ATMs are available at the airport and at banks throughout the country, if you prefer to have local currency. There are also money exchange operators at the airport, but the exchange rate is never as favorable as the ATM machines. Please be aware that if you pay in USD $, merchants will give you any change in córdoba.

What is the tipping policy in Nicaragua?

At Vera Eco-Resort, there is no need to tip. If you would like to leave a tip at the end of your stay, please give it to the concierge and we will divide it equally amongst our staff.

As a nonprofit, social impact project though, we do encourage donations. 100% of all donations received locally are funneled back into the project, which in turn positively benefits hundreds of people. You can also give through Visions USA (see ‘DONATIONS’ tab below for more details on those giving options).

In general, tipping in Nicaragua does not follow the same practice as U.S. culture. A nominal tip is usually given, though many restaurants and other vendors automatically add a 10% or 15% service charge. Of course, you can always leave more, if you like. If in doubt, the general advice is to leave a 10% tip.

For your convenience, we have made a Trip Packing List to help you prepare for your trip.

Regarding attire — we are an eco-resort and school in a stunning cloud forest, so we are surrounded by the beauty of nature. We advise you bring clothes that are comfortable and that would be good for outdoor activities especially. Long-sleeved shirts and pants made of breathable, stretchy materials are great, but whatever you are most comfortable wearing is what we would recommend.

The only times we would encourage slightly dressier attire would be for the welcome reception on 1/24 evening and the school inauguration on 1/25 during the day. For those events, nice casual / slightly dressier attire is welcome.

There is no need to bring gifts for students or staff, but if you do, we simply ask that you bring enough for everyone to share. We have 46 students and about 20 staff currently.

What we do ask for your help with, however, is to:

1. Bring a copy of your favorite book(s) to add to our bilingual library! Books in Spanish are preferred, if you can find the Spanish version. But we have a bilingual collection of books, so English is also fine. Bring as many books as you like (new or used) - everything is appreciated! We currently are open for Grade 10 students only, but we also continue to provide distance learning support to an additional 30 youth from Grades 7-9. So books should be at the young adult reader level, preferably, although books in English can be simpler / at the primary level.

2. Plan a short talk on a subject that is meaningful to you to share with our students!We will be organizing sessions for students & guests to interact and present on a topic of your choosing. Topics could be related to your profession, a hobby or special skill, a trip or experience you’ve had…anything! Plan to give an approximate 10-minute presentation followed by 10 minutes of questions & answers. Both students and guests are organizing mini-TED Talks like this, so the exchange will go both ways. If you have any questions or want to run your idea by us first, please contact Greg at greg@visionseducation.org.

3. Purchase & bring items off our Amazon wishlist, or bring any supplies or materials that you think have educational value!

4. If, at the end of your stay or anytime in the future, you would like to make a donation to support this project, your gift in any amount is very much appreciated. We have a variety of giving options we’d be happy to discuss with you, including a new Padrino/Madrina Fund (for sponsoring various aspects of the support we provide) and Legacy Donor giving options (for sponsoring a physical aspect of the project). Our Co-Directors of Development & Partnerships Rita Szczotka and Tamara Lafarga will be with us and would be thrilled to share more information about how you can get involved and support our ongoing efforts.

We have high-speed, fiber optic internet throughout the property, including at the Eco-Resort, Vera Cafe (our onsite restaurant), Escuela Vera Angelita (the school), and our barn. Details on the network name and password will be available on placards in your room.