"Finca Ecologica El Zopilote" Top 5 Page for this destination Isla de Ometepe Things to Do Tip by mircaskirca

On the way back from Finca Magdalena to El Porvenir I also wanted to visit Finca Ecologica El Zopilote. It's a permaculture farm located in a quiet place, a 10-minute walk up the trail from the village of El Madroñal, run by a few peace-loving Italians, working with respect for the environment and nature. The finca offers to the visitors different types of accommodation such as camping, hammocks, dorm beds and private cabañas. All the cabins are constructed from natural materials and are integrated perfectly into the surrounding nature. The roofs are all made from natural palm leaves from the island. In order to limit the use of cement in El Zopilote they make use of natural stone and rock as well as recycling materials such as glass, bottles and metal.

There is a communal kitchen where guests can cook their own meals, and three times a week they organize pizza nights with a good selection of organic pizzas to choose from. You can have tropical fruits for free as well filtered water. The compound has compost toilets, an artisan's workshop and a clay oven for bread and pizza. The land is completely planted with trees and plants of all kinds, including a nursery and a vegetable garden. There is also a wonderful lookout where you can watch amazing sunset with the volcan in the background.

For those interested in permaculture, sustainable living and ecology they organize tours with one of the owners where you will get hands on experience with permaculture, composting, rainwater harvesting, solar power, recycle of all the trash, and more. And there is always plenty of work in El Zopilote so they have open arms for volunteers and WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) members that come to work and learn how a tropical farm operates.

And don't forget to check out the yummy products in the small shop. All the products are organic and handmade in the farm. The list is huge. You can get everything from coffee, chocolate (6 different flavours), homemade nutella (rich chocolate-peanut spread), peanut butter, tahini, marmalades (made with seasonal fruits, herbs and spices from the farm), mango chutney, liqueurs (made from various herbs, nuts, fruits and spices), honey, juices, yogurt, granola, muffins, cookies and cakes, whole wheat bread, tomato sauce, chili oil and chili paste, cold pressed coconut oil and banana vinegar, and also soap (natural soaps made with oils and plants from the finca), natural sponges and notebooks (made from their homemade recycled paper). I would certainly buy lots of their products if I stayed on the island longer. But it was my last day so not very practical to carry them with me. I only bought three chocolate pralines with different flavour: coffee, nuts and coconut. A top-grade chocolate products with exquisite taste!

Directions: Maderas side of the island; a 20-minute walk by a dirt path from Albergue Ecológico El Porvenir or a 10-minute walk from El Madroñal (a tiny settlement between Santa Cruz and Balgue)
Website: http://www.ometepezopilote.com/