Location: 30 km from Estelí
Area: 206 km²
Tel. (505) 2713 2971
Miraflor Natural Reserve is located 30 km from Estelí from Nicaragua. Miraflor Natural Park covers an area of 206 km². The area is predominated by tropical dry forest and tropical rain forest. Miraflor Natural Park is famous for over 200 species of orchids that grow pretty much anywhere: trees, rocks, ground and etc. It is located in the jurisdiction of the City of Estelí, at 1450 meters above sea level with 206 km², it has a diversity of flora and fauna varieties. It is divided into different zones: Miraflor Natural Reserve is divided into different zones: dry tropical forest, forest of natural grasslands (Mesa de Moropotente) and nebliselva latifoliates and the buffer zone. The community of Miraflor is made up of forty-two communities and farms that have been established in different parts of the area. The economic activity is agriculture, livestock and ecotourism. Coffee production plays an important role, considered the most important ecological product, its care is organic and of excellent quality.
The vegetation provides the conducive space for the development and habitat of mammals, felines, birds. The predominant bird species in the reserve are the Togones or cobas of the Trogonidae family, especially the males are present. Due to the position in which they perch on the trees, it is very difficult to spot them, since they position themselves on the branches without moving or singing, with their tail vertical down. The most sighted species of this family are: Trogon violaceus, Trogon collaris, Trogon elegans, and the Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno).
Of the 10% of exploration of the territory belonging to the reserve, 150 species of orchids have been inventoried. The reserve has orchid Gardens with different objectives including the protection and rescue of identified and endangered species. These orchids grow in different environments. They are best known those that grow on trees, stones and directly on the ground. The most common are those of the genus of the Sacoila, Aulosepalum, Bletia, Ponthieva and Govenia, developing in the riparian and dry forest of the area.
Miraflor Lagoon: This body of water naturally located at 1380 m
a.s.l., is surrounded by cloud forest with an abundance of bromeliads,
orchids and birds. Sometimes you can see Congo monkeys. The lagoon is
linked to beautiful local legends, which have turned it into a mystery,
accompanied by these tales by the occasional rumbling inside.
Apaguis
Caves: Located 300 m from the Esteli-Sontule road. They are caves that
the indigenous people of the region excavated by hand to extract jasper
that they used to make tools. The caves are surrounded by oak forest
associated with pines. This territory is located in an area that
provides a good view of the city of Estelí and nearby communities. The
villagers tell the stories of elves who live in the caves.
La
Chorrera: Temporary waterfall with 609 m high, has gallery forest with
little intervention, the area is difficult to access. This is the
preferred area for the calving of the pumas, besides that you can
observe bird species such as the red coba (Trogon collaris) and other
animal species. The different low-altitude jumps contemplate the
possibility of climbing.
La Montañuela: It is an open forest in the
gorge of the community of La Pita, its main activity is coffee
plantations. You can preferably observe the species of yellow coba
(Trogon violaceus) and the white-throated cenzontle (Turdus assimilis),
internal paths have been established to observe the rocky elevations
where tunnels of difficult access have been formed.
Other sites of
tourist interest: The Reserve is organized in different areas for
tourist exploration, such as: Cerro el Pindo (Mosaic of forests,
paddocks, agricultural areas and houses), archaeological sites,
Volcancitos forest (mature cloud forest, quetzal habitat and congos
monkeys), Orange forest and Tayacàn are cloud forests with families of
congos, reptiles, amphibians such as the green frog (Agalychnis
callidryas) and abundant rancher bird (Procnias tricarunculata).
Moropotente tables with prairie forests, viewpoints with a diversity of
orchids, bromeliads, birds, mammals and felines. Viewpoints. Gallery
forests that are born in the various ravines, orchid gardens and oak
groves.
On September 7, 1999, the Nicaraguan Government declared Miraflor a nature reserve. Ministerial Resolution No. 017-99 was published in the Official Gazette of the Republic on November 24 of the same year. The resolution introduced the new reserve as part of the National System of Protected Areas (SINAP).