Later this year, I’m turning 30.

Want to join me for a long weekend in Nicaragua to celebrate?

Picture yourself finishing a drive up a steep dirt road. The path has been covered with thick trees, but as you round the top of the hill you’ve been climbing - light pours in.

You are in a valley surrounded by the mountains of Nicaragua. As far as you can see, there are fields that stretch out - filled with yellow pineapples.

You’re standing on a corona in the center of it all - a grassy paradise framed with palm trees in the afternoon sun.

This is El Papagayo - and this is where you’ll be staying for a long weekend with friends this September.

About the Weekend:

→ Friday September 27th to Monday September 30th (including travel)

→ In-country Lodging, Food, Transportation costs are taken care of - just cover your own flights and any miscellaneous expenses

→ Stay in lodges on an active pineapple farm owned by a friend

→ Drink rum, smoke cigars, swim in volcanos, enjoy time with friends

→ RSVP needed by the end of June - highly recommend booking flights soon.

Your Stay at El Papagayo:

El Papagayo is an active pineapple farm and ecolodge located in the mountains near Tiquantepé, Nicaragua.

Originally, El Papagayo was built as a retreat center for US-based teams visiting the country. It’s an incredible location with flagstone fire-pits, large bunk-houses, and smaller cabins scattered across the grassy hill at the center of the property.

Several years ago, One Collective team members purchased the farm as an investment opportunity after the previous owners retired out of country. Since that time the goal has been to make it a home-base for development work in nearby community. Because the property was already setup to receive large teams - it makes an ideal place to host gatherings.

I first visited El Papagayo on a trip around 2 years ago, and since coming home, have been dreaming about a way to bring people I love along to experience this incredible location and the country of Nicaragua.

Lodging at El Papagayo is similar to a nicer summer camp in the US. You can expect bunks, outdoor showers, and plenty of space to sit and relax with others.

Meals are included in our stay, and you can expect food similar to what you might find throughout Latin America; chicken, rice and beans, eggs, plantains, and incredible fresh fruit - including pineapple right from the farm.

Of course, we’ll also be enjoying Nicaraguan rum and cigars throughout our trip - which I can tell you from frequent experience are quite nice.

Temperatures will be warm during our stay but so will the company. We’ll be visiting Nicaragua near the end of their rainy season, so you can expect that weather will fluctuate a bit each day.

You can see more pictures and find out more about El Papagayo on their website.

Flight & Travel Specifics:

Booking Flights:

Right now, flights are the cheapest they’ll be all year (About $340). These prices will most likely last for a couple more weeks, but not indefinitely. We highly recommend purchasing tickets before the end of June.

We’ve already worked out the best possible time and airline for flights if you’re planning on joining us. That information (and a link to book those exact flights) is below.

Flight 1: Friday the 27th - 6AM flight from Chicago to Managua (ORD > MGA) with a layover in Texas. Arrives at around noon in Nicaragua.

Flight 2: Monday the 30th - 1PM Flight from Managua to Chicago (MGA > ORD) with a layover (and customs) in Texas. Arrives home before midnight.

Click here for these exact flights pre-selected. If you RSVP “yes” below - this information will be sent to your email.

Required Documents:

You will need a US passport to travel internationally. If you don’t have one already - they take several months to arrive, so you’ll need to get that process started (like tomorrow) if you plan on joining us.

To enter Nicaragua, you will need to purchase a $10 tourism visa. The process is simple and typically a breeze. We’ll communicate specifics on this (including how to purchase) for anyone attending.

In-Country Travel:

Within Nicaragua, we will handle travel details including transportation to and from the airport. We will likely be renting a mini-bus for most of our in-country transportation, or will designate trusted taxi drivers for pickup and drop-off at the airport (which is about 45 minutes from the Pineapple Farm).

RSVP & Next Steps

Because we are coordinating with local partners on-field and finalizing travel details - I’ll need to know if you are planning on joining us by the end of June.

You can use the form below to RSVP to let us know whether you’ll be joining or not. If you RSVP “Yes” - flight booking information from above will also be sent to your email.

If you’re planning on joining us, you can go ahead and book flights as soon as you’ve RSVP’d. We highly recommend booking your trip before the end of June, as ticket prices are at a yearly low right now, and will only increase as the weeks go on.

Thanks again for considering this trip! I am hopeful that our time together is as meaningful as I imagine - and that travel like this represents an opportunity for you to go and experience community in a new place.

"If you've booked your flight and are all set to celebrate with me in Nicaragua, please take a moment to fill out the form below."