Destination
Nicaragua
Destinations
Nicaragua is a little known destination for most of the world's
travelers. This part of our web site was made to help you learn a bit in
advance about what the country has to offer. It is a summary and is not
meant to represent all of the possibilities for the visitor. Your
specific interests could very well bring new destinations to the
forefront. We can suggest these other locales based on your input. This
Nicaragua country information page includes a summary of Nicaragua
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.