Northern Highlands - Nicaragua - page 393

Dipilto is divided into two communities, Dipilto Nuevo and Dipilto Viejo, a further
3km along the highway toward the Honduran border. The alcadía and access to the santu-
ario is from Dipilto Nuevo. Take any bus bound for the Las Manos border crossing and
ask the driver to let you out in Dipilto Nuevo ($0.45, 30 minutes). Buses run south to
Ocotal and beyond every half-hour or so until around 5pm.
MOUNTAIN HIKES
To explore more of the mountains of Nueva Segovia, download the free ebook of self-guided
hikes at Hiking Nicaragua ( www.hikingnicaragua.org ) - a nonprofit tourism initiative.
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Ocotal to Jalapa
North of Ocotal a sinuous 65km (mostly) brick road branches into the Segovian pine
forests and leads to beautiful Jalapa. From ceramic factories to ancient cities with Captain
Morgan ties, there's a lot to see here. It helps to have your own vehicle, though Ocotal
buses serve most of these locations several times daily. Remember, when it rains, dirt spur
roads get messy, so if you're planning deep off-road adventures make sure to rent a 4WD.
The town of Mozonte , just 5km from Ocotal, is located on the site of a pre-Hispanic
Chorotega community and still retains strong indigenous roots. It is home to ceramics col-
lective Colectivo de Artesanías de Mozonte ( 8858-8704; Carretera Jalapa, entrada Mozonte;
8:30am-4:30pm Mon-Sat, 9am-4pm Sun) , where you can watch artisans work a variety of
ceramic materials and techniques in a hacienda that abuts a small vineyard surrounded by
mountains. It's a fascinating spectacle and you can buy your vases, candleholders, wind-
chimes and wall ornaments here on the cheap.
Looming above town is Hermita de la Virgen de Guadalupe , a rock-top shrine to divine
femininity with spectacular views. And take a stroll up the forested hill overlooking town
to Capilla Los Pozos , where locals gather in the afternoon to play music. Along the way,
keep an eye out for the golden warbler, an endangered bird species that migrates between
here and Texas.
There's a well-signed turnoff to Ciudad Antigua down a very good 4.5km dirt road to a
cute old Spanish town famous for an ambitious Brit. Founded in 1536 and under almost
constant attack from local indigenous groups for the next century, it was sacked in 1654