Long viewed with a cautious eye, Nicaragua has experienced a recent resurgence as the political situation has stabilized and investments and visitors return to this forgotten Central American gem. While opportunities for meaningful community service work abound, the country is also packed full of beautiful beaches, misty cloud forests, colonial cities, huge lakes filled with fresh-water sharks, and a friendly, resilient, and eager-to-please population. Take a chance on this recently remembered country and you won’t be disappointed.
SAMPLE ITINERARIES
MANAGUA
Most all programs will begin and/or end in this sprawling metropolis of 1.4 million people. Admittedly not normally the highlight of the country, it remains the nation’s capital and the nerve center of activity, culture and social life. Nicaragua has produced a wealth of worldrenowned poets who swoon over this city on the shores of Lake Managua and chances are that on your travels to the country you’ll get to visit it at least once.
SAN JUAN DEL SUR
The most popular beach in all of Nicaragua, here you’ll find warm Pacific waters lapping at an impressive stretch of golden sand lined with restaurants, clubs and shops. Whether you come to surf some of the best breaks in Central America or simply take a relaxed stroll along pristine coastline, San Juan del Sur is what you’ve been looking for.
GRANADA
Founded by Francisco Fernández de Córdoba in 1524, this is the oldest city in the New World. As such, the place is steeped in history and has faced the brunt of violent invasions, marauding pirates, massive fires, armies of American mercenaries, and numerous civil wars. Through it all, Granada has emerged as an immensely pleasurable destination whose colonial architecture, brightly colored buildings, impressive cathedrals and cobblestone streets are quick to welcome travelers to its environs and reluctant to see them go.
SELVA NEGRA
This private 850-acre reserve was founded by German coffee farmers who named the area after their native Black Forest when they arrived in the 1880s at the behest of the Nicaraguan government. Today the friendly owners, descendents of the original founders, will happily lead a tour of the organic coffee plantation, the hydroelectric plant, and the small community that has grown up around this impressive establishment that employees over 200 full-time workers. A network of well kept trails wind through the virgin rainforest and provides a
challenging workout to those looking for exercise.
LEÓN
Founded only two months after Granada in 1524, this former national capital boasts equally impressive colonial architecture, fantastic views of surrounding volcanoes and an intense self-confidence. Dotted with huge cathedrals, including the largest in Central America, thriving universities, and large collections of nationally produced art, León is well supported in its claim as the country’s cultural epicenter.
MATAGALPA
Can you smell that? Heading north out of Managua into the central highlands, this mountain town is the center of the country’s quickly growing coffee industry. Besides the caffeinated attractions, Matagalpa is full of bustling markets that receive and support the farmers who descend from their pueblos to sell their goods and run big-city errands. The city also serves as a good base for visiting the cloud forests and nature reserves that abound in the mountains above and offers just a small taste of the beauty that awaits at higher elevations.
JINOTEGA
Known today as the “City of Mists” by locals and the “Eternal City” by the people who first settled the area in AD 596, Jinotega is a jewel of a destination that has yet to experience the detrimental effects of a burgeoning national tourist industry. The climate is refreshingly cool and the sharp granite peaks that stand jagged above the city remind visitors of the remoteness of their location.
While the occasional series of bullet holes speaks to the heavy fighting Jinotega witnessed during the Sandanista Revolution and Contra War in the 1980s, the town has been largely rebuilt and much of the impressive colonial architecture restored.
ESTELÍ
Returning from the mountains to the flatlands of southern Nicaragua one finds the city of Estelí, the principle town between Managua and the Honduran border. Known for its premium cigars and revolutionary spirit, murals of Ché Guevara, memorials to fallen rebels and bars that blast old Sandanista anthems abound around town. Estelí is one of the best destinations from which to learn first hand about Nicaragua’s troubles and subsequent rebirth towards the end of the 20th century.
ISLA DE OMETEPE
The Island of Ometepe is surreal. Shaped like a figure eight with volcanoes in the center of each circle, Ometepe looms in the center of Lake Nicaragua. From the comforts of their ecological retreat, travelers will enjoy one of Central America’s best hikes up the Maderas Volcano with panoramic views and varied terrain, or kayak the cool waters of the lake, the only place on earth to see fresh water sharks!
