Escape to the jungle in this spacious, off-grid Homestead House on the slopes of the Maderas volcano on Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua. Relax in the comfort of hammocks, wifi, en-suite indoor/outdoor shower, organic greens garden, large porch, and incredible panoramic volcano & lake views. Walk just 10 minutes to the Maderas volcano trail entrance, or 15 minutes to the center of the town of Balgüe! Perfect nature getaway for nature loving and adventurous couples, solo travelers, and friends alike. The Homestead House is part of Selvista Guesthouses, a "barefoot luxury" collection of jungle guesthouses on Isla de Ometepe. The island is a lush and tropically forested UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the middle of Lake Nicaragua, the largest lake in Central America. The entire space is solar-powered and hand-built using local materials, for a unique lodging experience with direct access to the "jungle" of the surrounding tropical forest and organic permaculture farm. Perfect for nature lovers and travelers seeking tranquility and outdoor adventure. The house features: full-size bed with mosquito net, laptop-friendly desk with chairs, large book selection, large wall fans (for day use), small bed fan (for night use), natural water filter, hammock chairs, large hammock, large private porch, and incredible panoramic views of the Concepción volcano and Lake Cocibolca. The space includes an en suite bathroom with modern flush toilet and beautiful, open air shower. Your stay also includes: secure wifi, daily housekeeping, farm-fresh breakfast, free parking (4x4 vehicle or equivalent required), full access to the open-air kitchen, full access to in-season farm fruits and organic greens garden, and a free 40-min tour of the farm property. *** LOOKING FOR A DIFFERENT SPACE? *** Check out this slightly smaller suite for two on the same property: - "Comfortable Suite w/Forest Views - Jungle House" Or these three larger (all identical) listings, also on the same property: - "Luxury Suite w/Volcano View - Jungle House" - "Luxury Treehouse w/Volcano View - Jackfruit House" - "Luxury Treehouse w/Volcano View - Mango House" Guests have exclusive access to the main house (bedroom) and shower/bathroom areas, and full access to my jungle/farm property and the open-air kitchen where breakfast is served. You are welcome to prepare your own meals in the open-air kitchen. Breakfast is included with your stay and offered from 7:30-9:00am. Guests are served organic island coffee, herbal and fruit tea from the garden, and a plate of various farm-fresh breakfast foods prepared by a friendly local breakfast cook. Guests are invited to take a FREE tour with the local site manager of the 1-hectare (2.5-acre) guesthouse property, which includes farm animals, tropical fruits, salad gardens, and examples of sustainability and self-sufficiency in the jungle. I am always available for guests via Airbnb message, and I am occasionally on site when I'm not working on landscape design projects in other parts of the world. The co-host lives on-site and is contactable here or via wahtsapp in English or Spanish. Ask us for ideas or assistance. My entire property is run by a friendly team of Spanish-speaking employees between 8 am-5 pm. There is a farm-fresh breakfast available every morning. The plant nursery, garden, fruit forests, and farm animals are cared for by several friendly farm employees. Our in-house written information and website (theselvistaexperience) cover many useful and important details to help you make the most of your time on Ometepe. Using the wifi here you can organize many activities directly with English-speaking providers while also supporting local guides and small businesses. (See this listing's Airbnb Guidebook below.) You can purchase drinks and snacks at the "honesty bar" fridge in the open-air kitchen all hours, even when there is no staff around. We are uniquely located in a quiet, reserved 'jungle' setting which is conveniently only 15 minutes from the center of town. Wake to howler monkeys calling out their territory boundaries and exotic birds flying overhead. We are located just outside of Balgüe, a local community on the Maderas side of Isla Ometepe. Ometepe is a UNESCO biosphere reserve, made of twin volcanoes- one dormant and one active- in the middle of the largest lake in Central America. The perfect spot to appreciate the 'land of lakes and volcanoes' that is Nicaragua! We are 10 minutes on foot to the Finca Magdalena, a historical sight boasting many petroglyphs and the oldest Hacienda and Cooperative on the island. It produces organic coffee among other local treats and contains the trail-head for the lagoon summit. Balgüe is a lively community, hosting some of the best restaurant options on the island. Maderas volcano is known as a hot-spot for permaculture and eco-tourism, which helps us feel like less of a drop in the ocean with our philosophy and missions to produce chemical-free food and less waste. Our 1-hectare (2.5-acre) Selvista property features a range of guesthouses with a central open-air kitchen. It is located inside a 9-hectare (22.5-acre) educational organic farm called Project Bona Fide. The entire site has been completely reforested over the past 15 years. You can find many trails, tropical fruits, plants, trees, butterflies, birds, and monkeys throughout the property. The organic greens garden above the kitchen often features spinach, lettuce, oregano, basil, rosemary, amaranth, arugula, and hot peppers. The property at large includes chickens and ducks (enclosed area), pigs (enclosed area), coconuts, bananas, mango, jackfruit, breadfruit, starfruit, canistel, and many other exotic species to learn about and explore. From the house, you can embark ON FOOT to: - Tour my 2.5-acre farm property - Tour the 22.5-acre Project Bona Fide property (2-3 hours) - Walk 10 minutes to Finca Magdalena to visit the coffee harvesting area, old hacienda, hostel/restaurant, and entrance for hiking trails - Walk 15 minutes to the heart of the town of Balgüe to visit local restaurants & bars, shop for basic groceries, or catch a public bus to Ojo de Agua and other parts of the island - Walk 20 minutes to Café Campestre, Dona Isabella or any of the other local restaurants - Go trail running through the shaded cloud forest of the Maderas volcano - Hike a short trail on the lower slopes of the Maderas volcano to see 10,000-year-old ancient petroglyphs (1.5 hrs) - Hike partway up the extinct Maderas volcano to the "mirador" lookout point (3-4 hrs) - Hike all the way up Maderas to the lagoon crater (8 hrs; certified guide required) - Treat yourself to a holistic massage, right in your house in the tranquility of the jungle! Local restaurants and small grocery stores in the town of Balgüe are a 15-25 minute walk from the property. Be sure to bring a flashlight or headlamp, as it gets dark around 6pm throughout the year! We can help to organize private taxis on and off island for set prices. Please contact us shortly before your stay to organise that. The port to the door in a comfortable 4x4 vehicle is $30 and Managua airport to the port town of San Jorge is $65 for example. We work closely with a local, reliable and fair rental company, that can deliver and collect ATVs, motorbikes and scooters to/from the property. See the Rentals On Ometepe page on theselvistaexperience website. Bicycles are commonly rented for around $5 per day in the town. There are many good restaurants and sights within walking distance of the guesthouse. Private parking is available, free, for all guests. 4x4 transport is the best way to access all areas on the island. Scooters and lower vehicles can make it all the way around the island's main roads. If you want to bring a vehicle across from the mainland with you have a look at the page Ferry Ometepe on the site theselvistaexperience for detailed and important information. The farm is home to 3 friendly and well-behaved dogs: Vago, Osa, and Navi. They provide company and security 24/7. They are always around the property but do not enter inside the house (though you can invite them in). They sleep a lot and like to be petted (optional). ----- The entire property is a lush tropical forest, abundant with plant and animal life. Guests may often encounter small, shy jungle animals around the property, including birds, butterflies, bees, monkeys, frogs, toads, spiders, and small bats. Sometimes these creatures like to take shelter inside too. In keeping with our vision, we try to use natural remedies to eliminate them, which we are happy to share with you upon your arrival. NONE of these species are aggressive, toxic to humans, or otherwise dangerous. There is only one venomous animal on the whole island, the coral snake, which is timid and rarely ever seen. These creatures are found all over the island and make Ometepe a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve that is full of natural beauty and diversity. Please note that this house has been designed with permaculture principles in mind, as remains open to the outside for ventilation in the tropics. This does lead to more (unobtrusive and non-agressive) creatures visiting from the jungle outside. This is part of it's charm for us! If you do not feel the same, please browse some of our luxury (as opposed to rustic) apartments which are more enclosed.