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Several times each year, Cigar Guys Radio Show hosts Gary and Alan will escort groups of cigar enthusiasts on fantastic tours of cigar factories in Nicaragua. During our Cigar Guys Radio Show factory and cultural tours, you will be escorted from the moment you arrive in Nicaragua and throughout the entire trip. Nicaragua is the safest country in Latin America and the people welcoming and friendly. In addition to learning every facet of the cigar manufacturing process - from the planting of the seeds, to the cultivation, harvesting, fermenting and aging of the tobacco, to the finished premium cigar. portunity to roll cigars under the watchful eyes of some of the finest torcedors (rollers) in the cigar factories (see image at left) we visit! These tours are very popular, so reserve your spot as soon as possible, as they tend to fill up quickly!

If you would like to be included on the Nicaragua Cigar and Cultural tour, please complete the form below. The maximum capacity per trip is 15 and this trip should reach capacity within a month of the announcement of the travel dates. Please do not hesitate if you are serious about this fantastic trip! If you have a friend, or friends, interested in this trip, please have them contact us. The trip is open to men and women over 18. A detailed packing list will be sent upon receipt of deposits. If you require assistance obtaining your passport, please advise.  Deadline for discounted trip pricing is September 20, 2015!

 

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There will also be time to visit other historic, cultural and interesting destinations beyond the cigar producing areas, in addition to having ample opportunity for shopping for local, hand-crafted items and other souveniers. Nicaragua is especially known for its leather goods, hammocks and unique cigar related items. They'll be plenty of cigars to sample, including some of the new releases not yet available at your local cigar shops The people of Nicaragua and Dominican Republic are warm and inviting and you'll leave these countries not only with a wealth of new cigar knowledge, but also the opportunities of acquiring new friends as well.  We have, first-hand, experience on the tours and Gary (Doc) is proficient in Spanish, but you need not worry about any language barriers, as all cigar tours are hosted by a bi-lingual guide and employees of the cigar factories. They'll be plenty of cigars to sample along the way.... enjoy!

NIACARUA CIGAR FACTORY AND CULTURAL TOUR - NOVEMBER 5-10, 2015

This fantastic cigar factory and cultural tour, hosted by popular 1502 Cigars brand owner Enrique Sanchez (read about Enrique here) and escorted by Gary and Alan, to Nicaragua will include visits to three well known factories (Plasencia and AJ Fernandez in Esteli and Mombacho in Granada), as well as a stay in one of the oldest cities in the Americas - Granada. In addition to spending time learning the nuances of cigar making, you will also have the opportunity to visit some cultural and historic sites in Nicaragua, as well as a visit to the famous craft market at Masaya, where you can purchase numerous items, ranging from leather goods, to crocodile covered cigar cases, to hammocks and more. A relaxing boat tour of Lake Nicaragua reveals beautiful sites and wildlife is included in the itinerary. You'll get to see a volcano - up close! From Granada, you will be transported to Esteli, the base of operations for most of the cigar manufacturing plantations and factories in Nicaragua where we will have an inside look a the cigar making process.

NICARAGUA TRIP ITINERARY:

 

Day 1: USA to Managua, Nicaragua. Managua to Granada. Overnight Hotel La Gran Francia

 

Day 2: Breakfast at Hotel

         Visit to the Masaya Volcano National Park

         Lunch at Catarina

         Visit to Masaya Craft Market

         Visit to Catarina and San Juan Oriente 

         Dinner La Gran Francia

         Overnight La Gran Francia 

 

Day 3: Breakfast Hotel La Gran Francia

         Visit to Mombacho Cigars, also called Tierra Volcan 

           Lunch in Granada

         Boat Tour of Lake Nicaragua and Visits to the Islands

         Dinner Granada

         Overnight La Gran Francia 

 

Day 4: Transfer to Esteli

           Check in and Lunch Hotel Los Arcos

         Afternoon Factory Tour Plasencia  

         Dinner Los Arcos

         Overnight Los Arcos

 

Day 5: Breakfast Los Arcos

         Morning Factory Tour Plasencia

         Lunch at Los Arcos

         Afternoon Tour AJ Fernandez

         Dinner at Los Arcos

         Overnight Los Arcos

 

Day 6: Breakfast at Los Arcos 

         Transfer to Managua

         Flight Back to USA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hotel La Gran Francia, Granada

Located right off the main square of the historical colonial city of Granada, La Gran Francia is a splendid ancestral building whose existence historians argue dates back to the years immediately following the founding of Granada, in 1524. This architectural jewel was restored during the decade of the 1990's, recovering the majesty and splendor of its heyday and today housing Granada's finest hotel. La Gran Francia Colonial Boutique Hotel offers 21 air-conditioned rooms with all modern comforts and amenities, a pool, two restaurants, a bar, and banquet hall facilities. At La Gran Francia you will be able to enjoy the best of Nicaraguan hospitality and all the comforts of modernity, while surrounded by the rustic elegance of colonial Granada.

 

Fortaleza La Polvora

The five towers of the Fortaleza La Polvora once served as the lookout posts of this Spanish fort, but today visitors make the most of the excellent views for photo opportunities rather than scouting for incoming pirates. The fort was built in the 1740s, and its original purpose was to safeguard the city's supply of gunpowder. Later, the sturdy fort was used as a military barrack and then a jail. Today, the Fortaleza La Polvora (or Fuerte La Polvora) is a museum with a regularly rotating schedule of exhibits. You may not know whether to expect a military display or artwork when you go in, but you can always count on being able to climb the fort's towers to get a great view of the city and the nearby Mombacho Volcano. The Fortaleza La Polvora is in the historic center of Granada, on Calle Real.

 

Tour of the Granada Islands (Islets) Lake Nicaragua              

When the Mombacho Volcano erupted thousands of years ago, it threw huge rocks into Lake Nicaragua. As a result of this violent eruption 365 islands were formed. These islands differ in size between a hundred square meters to over 240 acres. The wildlife, such as monkeys and resident birds make it an ideal place for an entertaining and relaxing boat ride.

 

Masaya Craft Market   

The Mercardo de Artesanias (Craft Market) is located inside what used to be the "mercado viejo" (old market), a 1900's structure that is located near the center of the city and a couple of blocks away from the general population market. This market has been revitalized and set as a tourist spot, where crafts from Masaya and other areas of Nicaragua can be found. The market is divided into sections, with each section serving a different need. Aside from unique Nicaraguan products such as hand woven hammocks, embroidered blouses, wood carvings, crocodile cigar cases, leather accessories and hemp weaving, the market is very diverse. 

Masaya Volcano National Park

The Masaya Volcano National Park comprises an area of 54 km² and includes two volcanoes and five craters. The volcanoes have erupted several times in history, and were feared by both the indigenous people and the Spanish conquerors. The Spanish baptized the active volcano "La Boca del Infierno" or "The Mouth of Hell." They planted a cross, "La Cruz de Bobadilla" (named after Father Francisco Bobadilla), on the crater lip in the 16th century in order to exorcise the Devil. The eruptions have had a dramatic impact on the surroundings. Rocks and volcanic ashes still cover the area surrounding the volcanoes. The nature is rough yet peaceful. Different types of vegetation appeared after the eruptions. The park is also inhabited by many different kinds of animals. The park's wildlife includes coyotes, skunks, raccoons, opossums, deer, iguanas and monkeys. Visitors can peek over the edge at the Masaya Volcano, and look into the impressive crater, which is continuously emitting smoke and sulfur gases. From this central crater it is possible to start hiking to other craters or viewpoints. Be sure to walk a bit up to get a view of the smoking volcano and the fascinating surroundings. There are several trails that lead to other great views, other craters, or to the Tzinaconostoc Cave in which hundreds of bats house. 

 

Granada, Nicaragua

Granada, founded in 1524, is the oldest inhabited city in continental Latin America, and claims to be the most beautiful of Nicaragua's two major cities, the other contender to the title is its liberal, laid-back rival Léon. It has 17th-century adobe houses, crumbling courtyard gardens and elaborate Italianate villas. Granada's wealth and the generation of criollos (people of Spanish descent born in the New World who made it their home) contribute to its conservative character.  The town is beginning to develop facilities for more upmarket travellers too, with the opening of elegant boutique hotels. Granada, with an estimated population of 125,000, is Nicaragua's fourth most populous city. Granada is historically one of Nicaragua's most important cities both economically and politically. It is situated on the northwestern shore of Lake Cocibolca (Lake Nicaragua) and was founded by Francisco Hernández de Córdoba on December 8, 1524. It has a rich colonial heritage, seen in its architecture and layout. Granada is commonly nicknamed the "Gran Sultana del Gran Lago" - the Great Sultan of the Great Lake.

San Juan de Oriente and Catarina

A stroll through the San Juan de Oriente reveals a charming village, one that has built its reputation on the production of decorative pottery. Just about everyone that lives here makes their living in some way from the pottery industry. The skilled artisans who have perfected their techniques have learned and passed on their artistic skills over many generations. Most have their workshops, and in some cases pottery schools, at their homes. Along the entrance to the village there are many cooperative shops selling beautiful hand-made peices of pottery, such as vases, pots, plates, platters and ornamental earthenware in pre-Columbian styles and more modern designs. Exploring the narrow streets you will find people's houses filled with pottery and also some workshops, often located in their backyards, right behind the shop itself. At the workshops you can see people baking the clay or shaping the pottery. The production process is interesting to see and many of the potters will be glad to show you around and some will even offer to let you help make some pottery. Catarina is a town close to Masaya, overlooking the Apoyo Lagoon. Catarina is famous for this magnificent observation point of the lagoon, as well as for its nurseries. The viewpoint of Catarina is one of the highest hills surrounding the Apoyo Lagoon, and the view from there is superb. You can see the whole lagoon as well as Lake Nicaragua behind it. The Mombacho volcano borders the lake and is also prominently present.

Hotel Los Arcos, Esteli

Los Arcos Hotel is located in Esteli's downtown area, near the Central Park and the Cathedral, the perfect setting if one wants to walk along the city. It is a typical colonial building that it has been rehabilitated and enhanced by the students from the of the “Fundación Familias Unidas” Training Centre since the hotel belongs to the above mentioned Foundation. Set with local materials and wall paintings realized by artists of the city, the direction of the hotel promotes and collaborates with the local trade, supports to craftsmen, guides, and local companies. It offers spacious rooms with fully equipped bathrooms, beautiful gardens, courts, and all sorts of charming places to throughout its facilities that give a touch of class and tranquility. The deal is familiar, the first class restaurant and the staff is friendly and helpful. And you will also have the satisfaction of knowing that all profits generated in their stay be invested entirely in social projects.

CIGAR FACTORY TOURS:

 

Mombacho Cigars: 

In 2006, a deal sealed with a friendly handshake was commemorated with a trek to the top of the majestic Volcano Mombacho, outside the colonial city of Granada, Nicaragua. At its peak, a shared cigar between two friends became the first “Mombacho Moment” and inspired the company’s name. What stayed with them from that moment was not just the taste and scent of the cigars but the transcendent experiences they seemed to harness.  Time seemed to stand still whenever a cigar was lit.  Since then, Mombacho Cigars has gone on to help purvey these types of memorable experiences to countless people around the globe.

 

Plasencia:

For decades, the world-renowned Plasencia family has been turning out premium handmades for a veritable who’s who in the cigar industry. While creating top-quality smokes—mostly on contract for more than 30 different brands such as Rocky Patel, Gurkha and Alec Bradley, to name a few—the Plasencia family is widely known for its capable construction from top-quality materials as well as its compelling blends offered to suit just about every type of cigar fan there is. With roughly 6,000 employees working the acres and acres of fields the Plasencias own or contract, as well as in the factories and curing barns they oversee in several countries, the family is one of the largest tobacco growers in the industry. The company’s rich history is in part due to its tenacious survival of several political revolutions in various Caribbean countries, and its stalwart ability to come back even stronger than before. Now Nestor Plasencia Jr. has taken on a bigger role in the family operation by balancing modern methods of farming while maintaining the tried-and-true traditions handed down to him.

 

AJ Fernandez:

Raised in Cuba and steeped in the rich tradition of the Fernandez cigar legacy, AJ Fernandez now produces unparalleled, hand-rolled product in Esteli, Nicaragua. Ensuring superior quality, the day-to-day operations at Tabacalera Fernandez are managed under the watchful eye of AJ himself. Through a fusion of inherited technique and learned patience, Fernandez filler tobaccos are grown from prized seeds which are proprietary only to the Fernandez family. Perhaps the most essential quality of the AJ Fernandez line of cigars is the perspective and motivation of AJ, as well as the history of the Fernandez family. “My Grandfather first started growing tobacco in pre-Castro Cuba in our hometown of San Luis. Mostly, I was taught the importance of patience and time honored methods when working with premium tobacco. I have also been blessed to have been given many of Cuba’s most coveted cigar making secrets. The secret to my cigars is an uncompromising commitment to that tradition. My company is dedicated to the memory of my Grandfather Andres Fernandez and my father Ismael Fernandez."

NICARAGUA TRIP PACKAGE PRICE:

$1,195.00 per person, double occupancy

 

DEPOSIT REQUIRED FOR NICARAGUA TRIP PACKAGE:

  • 50% of trip package price (due within 10 days of booking this trip)

  • Final payment is due 60 days prior to depature

 

INCLUDED IN PACKAGE PRICE:

  • All ground transfers in Nicaragua

  • Hotel stays in Nicaragua (double occupancy)

  • English speaking tour guide

  • Accompanied by Cigar Guys Radio Show Hosts Gary and Alan

  • All meals while on the trip

  • Water, soft drinks and rum during transfers in bus or van

  • Any admission fees to parks

  • Boat tour of Lake Nicaragua

  • Tour of Cigar Factories in Esteli

  • Cigars offered during all ground transfers and at the factories - for personal smoking

 

NOT INCLUDED IN THE NICARAGUA TRIP PACKAGE PRICE:

  • Airfare to Nicaragua

  • Travel documents, such as your passport

  • Items and gifts purchased during your trip

  • Bar tab for alcoholic beverages

  • Cigars and gifts that may be purchased at the factories other than the complimentary cigars

  • Gratuities to guides, hotel personnel and other staff

 

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR THE NICARAGUA TRIP PACKAGE:

  • Valid US Passport with at least 6 months before expiration

  • Trip cancellation insurance advised in case of illness or family/business emergencies

 

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR NICARAGUA TRIP PACKAGE:

  • No innoculations or special medications required

  • It would be prudent to apply sunscreen while engaged in the outdoor related activities

 

 

HOSTED BY ENRIQUE SANCHEZ OF 1502 CIGARS & THE CIGAR GUYS RADIO SHOW HOSTS

HOSTED TRIP - CIGAR FACTORY TOUR IN NICARAGUA

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