Other Destinations
Nicaragua Destinations
In addition to the Destinations we mentioned in our most popular packages, there are plenty of other places to visit while you travel in Nicaragua. Places such as the many nature parks and reserves, the San Juan River, Nicaragua's stunning volcanoes, Nicaraguan beaches, colonial cities and artisan villages.
Nicaragua Nature Reserves, Parks and Wildlife Refuges
Nicaragua has 78 nature reserves that cover more than 21,000 km2; the following list is a very brief summary of some of the parks which have enough infrastructure and nearby lodging to permit access to Nicaragua's spectacular nature without wilderness camping.
Indio-Maíz Biological Reserve - Central America's largest expanse of lowland rain forest reserve, called by UCLA biologists the finest rain forest nature reserve in Central America. The park in southeastern Nicaragua and is home to immense richness and biodiversity including many endangered species like jaguars and giant anteaters. Indio-Maíz is home to more than 400 species of birds, four species of wild cats and more than 200 species of reptiles. Lodging is limited to basic hotels along the San Juan River and the very comfortable and attractive Rio Indio Lodge at the end of the Rio San Juan.
Los Guatuzos Wildlife Refuge - a precious wetland, gallery forest and tropical wet forest wildlife park located on the southern shores of Lake Nicaragua and the western shores of the San Juan River. Most impressive in the reserve is the super rich bird life, but monkeys, sloth, caiman, iguanas and agouti are also common. Los Guatuzos is accessed in boat and most wildlife viewing is done via its small rivers and canals. Lodging is on the remote Solentiname Archipelago in Lake Nicaragua with two hotels available, both rustic, but feature private baths, home-cooked food and sterling locations.
La Flor Wildlife Refuge - this coastal sea turtle nesting site is visited by more than 30,000 olive ridley turtles annually making it one of the most important Pacific Ocean sea turtle nesting sites in the Americas. Turtle nesting season is August to December with peak months in October and November. Besides being a lovely Pacific Coast Beach, La Flor also protects tropical dry forest and mangroves. La Flor Wildlife Refuge is located on the southern Pacific seaboard along a earthen highway south of San Juan del Sur. Access is on a day trip from an attractive hotel in San Juan del Sur with use of 4x4 or by hiking from neighboring beach Playa El Coco and the rental homes and apartments there.
Mombacho Cloud Forest Reserve - situated on top of the sleeping Mombacho Volcano, this lovely reserve has some of the most beautiful cloud forest flora seen anywhere in Latin America with numerous flowers, bromeliads and orchids amongst its 800+ species of plant life. The volcanoes slopes are home to more than 500 howler monkeys and some of the longer trails can help locate them in the trees. The park has the cleanest, best maintained trails in Nicaragua and if cloud cover permits stunning views of Granada, Lake Nicaragua and the Las Isletas Archipelago. Mombacho is easily visited from the fine hotels of colonial Granada 20 minutes by paved highway to the park entrance and then 30 minutes in the nature park truck to the summit.
Chocoyero Nature Reserve - this tiny reserve set in a narrow canyon is rich in wildlife, in particular the scandalous chocoyo (varieties of Pacific green parakeet) which nests along the canyon's cliffs next to a tiny cascade. There are more than 800 chocoyos, as well as toucans, deer, howler monkey and agouti. The park's tropical dry forest also hosts many hummingbirds and diverse flora. Chocoyero is located only 29 km from downtown Managua and best accessed via the wide selection of hotels there via a mixture of paved highway and a long winding dirt road that skirts pineapple and coffee farms.
Montibelli Nature Reserve - is a private, family owned nature park in greater Managua and the Pacific basin's best forest reserve for bird watching. The tropical dry forest of Montibelli is full of diverse flora and home to numerous mot-mots, trogons, manikins, hummingbirds and other species. There is also an impressive array of butterflies in the forest and a place to experience the pleasure of the personalized hospitality of the reserve's kind owners. Access is from Managua and its hotels and via the same paved highway used to visit Chocoyero, though the earthen road that leads to Montibelli is shorter and better maintained than the road to Chocoyero.
Isla Juan Venado Nature Reserve - is part of the national park system and an important coastal wetlands reserve. The barrier island of Juan Venado is 22 km long and a half km wide. The ocean side is a nesting site for sea turtles while the protected side estuary is home to many water fowl, iguana, crocodile and caiman, as well ecologically important mangroves. The reserve can be explored in motorboat or kayak. Access is via the fine hotels of León just 30 minutes away via paved highway.
Selva Negra Cloud Forest Reserve - is a private reserve in the northern province of Matagalpa. The forest is part of an organic shade coffee operation and hotel project owned by third generation Nicaraguans of German origin. The forest is great for hiking, though wildlife tends to be difficult to spot. Howler monkeys are usually nearby, as well as several species of birds not found south of this mountain range. The coffee hacienda is 100% ecologically sustainable and part of the attraction for its perfect marriage of idealism and practicality. Both currents of thought keep 1/3 of this big property forest reserve and lead to the recycling of everything down to the soapy dishwater. Lodging is cabins located at the edge of Selva Negra's forest reserve overlooking one of the property's 8 ponds. Selva Negra is located 2 hours and 20 minutes north of Managua.
El Jaguar Cloud Forest Reserve - a private forest reserve that combines with an organic shade coffee farm. This forest located at 1,300 meters above sea-level his home to prehistoric ferns, giant oaks of up to 50 meters high, strangler figs, bromeliads, orchids and more than 150 species of birds. The climate is exceedingly fresh for the tropics and the farm's local brew of coffee is superb. Access to the El Jaguar farm/reserve is over very rough dirt mountain roads in the far northern province of Jinotega, Nicaragua. Lodging is in rustic cabins surrounded by spectacular views and bird life and the hospitality of the owners is first class. The El Jaguar reserve is located 1 hour north of Jinotega, which is 3 hours north of Managua.
Nicaragua Volcanoes
All of Central America is blessed with beautiful volcanic cones, mountains of testament to our earth's immense power and its living, breathing interior. Nicaragua's volcanic chain is one of the most impressive on the isthmus due to beauty of the cones and the fact that all of the more than 50 cones (7 active which are active) rise off of a flat coastal plain that lies just above sea level. This gives the Nicaraguan volcanoes a starkly dramatic profile and makes them accessible to climbers, hikers and walkers.
Cosiguina Volcano - is in the province of Chinandega and located at the very northwestern-most point of Nicaragua and its stunning volcanic range. At 800 meters above sea level, the 3-5 hike up to its crater lip provides an unforgettable view of the Golf of Fonseca and its islands, not to mention the pristine crater lake sleeping inside Cosiguina's steep interior walls. The forest reserve that wraps the cone is home to Scarlet Macaws and other species that are rare finds on Nicaragua's Pacific slope. The volcano can be accessed from the efficient business hotels of Chinandega located 3 hours northwest of Managua or from a rustic lodge on its flanks located 2 hours from Chinandega.
San Cristóbal Volcano - is an active volcano located in the province of Chinandega and Nicaragua's highest at 1,745 meters above sea level. San Cristóbal is located outside the city of Chinandega and has been in constant eruption since 2001. One of the most symmetrical and handsome of the Maribios Volcano Range, San Cristóbal is a difficult climb that should be reserved for hikers in very good condition, though 4x4 access to the adjacent Casitas Volcano means that lesser athletes can also reach the summit. It is best accessed from the city of Chinandega.
Telica Volcano - is in the province of León and located in the north-central part of the Maribios Volcano Range. At 1,061 meters above sea level Telica Volcano is easily recognizable for its bald eroding west face and lightly smoking crater. Telica is active with its last significant eruption occurring in 1999. There is a long but rewarding hike around its east face to the summit that affords a breathtaking view of the vertical interior walls of its crater. The hike can take 3-5 hours if retuning to the place of departure or can continue to the village of San Jacinto next to the Santa Clara Volcano. The complete hike takes 6-8 hours and involves separate three ascents. Access is from the fine hotels of León 30 minutes away or a simple home lodge in the village of San Jacinto.
Cerro Negro Volcano - is in the province of León and located in the middle of the impressive Maribios Volcano Range. At just 450 meters, little and very active Cerro Negro deceives those who underestimate it ferocity. One of the newest volcanoes to burst forth in the Americas, Cerro Negro is a huge pile of black sand and gravel, wrapped in dried lava and rocks that it spit out of its center in 11 harsh eruptions in the 20th century. The last of which in 1999 opened up 3 baby craters at its base. The climb of Cerro Negro is on its north face and can be done in one hour. The descent of Cerro Negro can be done by a form of foot-sliding and dancing down its sandy and steep west face. The cone can be accessed via the good hotel selection of León reached by a 50 minute driver on a long earthen country road.
Momotombo Volcano - is in the province of León and located at the southern tip of the Maribios Volcano Range. At 1,300 meters above sea level it is one of Nicaragua's most beautiful volcanoes with a symmetrical cone that towers over the shores of Lake Managua. The volcano has been an inspiration to both national and international poets over the centuries and sports a geothermal plant at its base. The climb is a long one, normally taking two days with camping just below the end of the tree line. The smoking cone is active, but it has not seen a big lava flow since 1905. Access to the base of the volcano is from either León or Managua, both with fine hotel options 11/2 hours away.
Masaya Volcano - is in the province of Masaya and could be the most accessible active volcano in the world. A paved road runs to the summit of the smoking Santiago crater, just 29 km from the center of new Managua. The park's maximum elevation is 635 meters above sea level measured from the extinct cone of San Fernando where views of the lake valley are priceless. The ancient caldera houses more than 7 volcanic cones and a crater lake, all of which are protected by the Masaya Volcano National Park. The park's landscape is a Martian or moonscape and its most famous residents are the crater dwelling parakeets which live in the toxic inner walls of the active Santiago crater. Santiago's last eruption was in April of 2001.
Apoyo Volcano - shared by the provinces of Masaya and Granada. This dormant cone last erupted about 20,000 years ago and has been filling with clear, Mediterranean blue water ever since. Laguna de Apoyo or Apoyo Crater Lake is the biggest of Nicaragua's spectacular 14 lake filled craters and has good lodging along its shores, as well as access from good hotels in Managua (1 hour) and Granada (30 minutes). The interior of the crater is a nature reserve and home to more than 145 species of birds, howler and white face monkeys and rare species of fish.
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