Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Land
The formation of the Central American Isthmus began about 60 million years ago, connect-
ing the two massive American continents for the first time three million years ago. Marking
the volcanic crush of the Cocos and Caribbean tectonic plates, the Maribios Volcanic Chain
is one of the most volcanic places in the world.
There are 40 major volcanic formations, including 28 volcanoes and eight crater lakes,
among them Reserva Natural Laguna de Apoyo, with hotels and private homes, Laguna
Tiscapa in downtown Managua, and Laguna Asososca, with no development at all.
The region's appeal to early colonists increased as they realized that the soil was further
enriched by this striking geological feature. Earthquakes and volcanoes are a part of life
along the borders of the Caribbean and Cocos plates, and you'll find very few authentic co-
lonial buildings that haven't been touched up since the 1500s.
Nicaragua's highest mountains, however, are metamorphic, not volcanic. Running down
the center of Nicaragua like an opening zipper, they rise to their greatest heights as a gran-
ite chain contiguous with the Rocky Mountains and the Andes. They go by several names,
including Cordillera Dariense (after Rubén Darío). Topped with cool cloud forests above
1200m, these refreshing regions are home to some of the best national parks and protected
areas. Two of the most accessible reserves up north are Área Protegida Miraflor, close to
Estelí, and Reserva Natural Cerro Apante, a hike from Matagalpa. Or go deeper, to Reserva
Natural Macizos de Peñas Blancas, actually part of Bosawás, the largest protected swathe
of rainforest north of the Amazon. It's 730,000 hectares of humid tropical and subtropical
forest, also accessible by the largest river in Central America, the Río Coco (560km).
Nicaragua also has the two largest lakes in Central America, Lago de Managua (1064 sq
km) and Lago de Nicaragua (8264 sq km), with more than 500 islands, some protected, as
well as wonderful wetlands, like Refugio de Vida Silvestre los Guatuzos.
The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor was established in 2008 to protect 106 critically en-
dangered species. It stretches from Panama to Mexico.
The Atlantic coast is worlds apart, geologically as well as culturally, from the drier, more
developed Pacific side. A vast eroding plain of rolling hills and ancient volcanic plugs,
here's where around 90% of the country's rainfall ends up. This is the region with the wild-
est protected reserves and worst access - with very few exceptions, it's difficult and relat-
