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Matagalpa

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Mountainous area with beautiful forests, superb views, and interesting coffee plantations.

Population: approx. 485,000 people
Location: northern region, just north of the center of Nicaragua
Attractions: mountain hiking, birds and wildlife, coffee farms, waterfalls, museums

The department of Matagalpa is located in the northern region of the country. This mountainous area offers superb scenery and the forested slopes of the many hills and mountains provide great possibilities for hiking and other nature-related activities. Matagalpa is also famous for its coffee production and it is an excellent place to learn more about how coffee is grown, harvested, and processed.

Matagalpa: a friendly mountain city

Matagalpa is built on a hilly terrain that is surrounded by mountains. The city itself is located at an elevation of around 700 meters and the climate is significantly different from the hot, tropical climate at the Pacific lowlands. Although it can also get quite hot during the dry season, Matagalpa generally enjoys lower temperatures than cities like Managua or León, and it also rains more in this region. The vegetation is consequently also different, and the area is generally very green.

With around 110,000 residents Matagalpa is a fairly large city in Nicaragua, and there are plenty hotels and restaurants in different price ranges. Although many interesting activities can be found outside the urban area, there are also several attractions within the city limits. Several small parks – often set in front of a church or cathedral – are a great place to hang out just like the Matagalpinos (inhabitants of Matagalpa) like to do, enjoying the tranquil setting and some typical Nicaraguan food, sold by street vendors around the parks. The Central Park and the Darío Park are the two most interesting sites.

Being Nicaragua’s coffee-capital, a visit to the coffee museum in Matagalpa is definitely a must. Although it is a small museum, it does offer some interesting information about the coffee production. There are photos and old tools on display, and other objects including pre-Columbian ceramics and old pictures of Matagalpa are also exhibited. More about the coffee museum can be found in our Activity Guide. There is also a museum of the founder of the Sandinista movement, Carlos Fonseca, who was born in Matagalpa.

The city is surrounded by green mountains and one of the most prominent peaks is the Cerro Buena Vista, reaching a height of 1,442 meters above sea level. The mountain chain is called Apente, and it is a protected natural reserve. The lush vegetation makes it a great place for hiking. One particular peak, called the Apente Hill (Cerro Apente) has well-prepared trails that lead to the top, and along the way visitors can see small mammals, butterflies, and other animals, as well as water streams and even waterfalls. A viewpoint is located at the summit, providing a superb view of the city of Matagalpa and its surroundings. More about hiking activities at the Apante Hill can be found in our Activity Guide.

The Coffee Route

Recently, the tourism sector has started to promote the coffee-route in the department of Matagalpa. This project focuses at promoting coffee farm visits, which allows tourists to learn more about the complete process that brings the coffee bean from the plantation to the final customer. The different stages in this process include growing, harvesting, defruiting, drying, roasting, and grinding, and at many coffee farms most of these steps can be observed first-hand.

Coffee is best grown in the shade and at higher elevations. Most of the coffee farms are therefore located at a height of 700-1200 meters where the temperature ranges between 16°C and 20°C. These farms – called fincas in Spanish – are often situated on forested mountain slopes and in addition to visits to the farm itself they also offer hikes through the forest. Furthermore, several coffee farms have some sort of lodging available, varying from a room in a farmer's house or a simple cabin to comfortable mountain chalets. The forests surrounding the estates are often inhabited by many birds like toucans, woodpeckers, trogons, and hundreds of other species. Lizards, frogs, squirrels, agouties, and many other spectacular animals can also be found in these forests, making a stay at a coffee farm a great option for people interesting in nature.

More and more producers in the zone are adopting organic production methods. Collection of rainwater for irrigation, creating compost for natural fertilization, and the absence of pesticides all help to create organic coffee. Some farms even have their own solar panels to supply energy. Owners of these organic coffee farms offer tours to learn more about their special production processes.

Most of the coffee estates are located north or northeast of Matagalpa, somewhere between 10 to 40 kilometers from the city. Some of the farms that form part of the Coffee Route include Finca Esperanza Verde, Selva Negra, Shamballáh, La Leonesa, San Antonio, El Matasano, and Las Delicias. To learn more about the coffee production, the period between November and February is the best time to visit the region. Exploring the natural beauty of the area can be done year-round.

A special route is set up in the area of San Ramón. Five small coffee cooperatives are involved in this route, called 'the right coffee route' (ruta justa de café). These cooperatives are all member of the Union of Agricultural Cooperatives (UCA San Ramón/CECOCAFEN), who sell organic and specialty coffee on the fair trade market around the world. These cooperatives are located in four rural communities, and rural community-based tourism possibilities are available in all four communities: La Pita, La Corona, La Reina, and El Roblar.

El Arenal Natural Reserve

It is not without a reason that the majority of the coffee farms are surrounded by beautiful nature: most of them are situated around the El Arenal Natural Reserve. This area is located north of Matagalpa, next to the road to Jinotega, and it encompasses a surface of 575 hectares, featuring beautiful forested mountains and diverse wildlife.

El Arenal is not a strictly enclosed, fenced reserve. Instead, it is a large area that the government designated as natural reserve, still permitting small settlements and farmers to stay in the region. However, by protecting the forest the government ensured that beautiful, centennial trees were not cut down and the area’s rich biodiversity was kept intact.

The reserve has no general hiking trails and there is no ‘main entrance’. In order to access the El Arenal Natural Reserve, visitors can go to one of the farms or hotels that are situated on the edge or within the area of the reserve. From here, trails lead to the beautiful forests where spectacular flora and fauna can be observed. The views are also superb in this mountainous region.

Most of the hotels and farms that are located along the road between Matagalpa and Jinotega (Carretera Matagalpa-Jinotega) offer access to El Arenal.

San Ramón: tapestry, scenery, mines, and nature

The rural municipality of San Ramón is located east of Matagalpa, reachable over an unpaved road by bus or car. A variety of activities can be undertaken in this area.

An indigenous community in El Chile is specialized in producing tapestries (a form of textile art). Weavers create colorful patterns using their loom, which are used to create bags, wallets, and other objects. Handicrafts can be bought directly from the weavers. Leather handicrafts are also produced in this same community.

The natural setting of the municipality is superb. Rolling hills covered by dense forest provide a great habitat for animals and plants, and it is a great area for hiking. For instance, close to the aforementioned community of El Chile there is a high hill called Cerro El Chile that can be climbed to enjoy the superb view from the top. Furthermore, an award-winning organic coffee farm is located about 18 kilometers from San Ramón (Finca Esperanza Verde), also providing a great place for hikes, bird watching, horseback riding, and other activities.

Waterfalls can be found throughout the department, and also in this area there is a beautiful river that cascades down the rocks. The Wabule waterfall can be reached after hiking about 15 minutes from the main road. It’s a great place to swim as well, and the cold water ensures a refreshing experience.

An even more adventurous trip brings visitors to the old gold mines of San Ramón. Once the source of this precious metal, nowadays these dark, underground mine tunnels are unused and home to large bat colonies. Wading through the water of these tunnels to explore the mines is surely a unique adventure, suitable only for the more daring travelers!

Sébaco and Chagüitillo: agriculture, archeology, and history

Sébaco has always been an important producer of vegetables and other crops that are exported to other parts of the country. The city is located in a valley with the same name, about 30 kilometers west of Matagalpa. It is situated along the Pan-American Highway, easily reachable from Managua on the way to Matagalpa.

The city of Sébaco has a friendly central park. Right next to the highway there is a colorful market where carrots, onions, yucca, cabbage, and other agricultural products are sold. The name of the city comes from the Náhuatl language, meaning ‘Snake Woman’. This refers to a figure form one of the many ancient myths that are told in the surroundings of this old city.

The small community of Chagüitillo is also located along the road to Matagalpa, only 4 kilometers from Sébaco. Despite its small size it has a well set up museum that provides information about one of the most interesting yet fairly uninvestigated aspects of this area: the archeological traces left by indigenous groups that lived here centuries ago. The Pre-Columbian Museum of Chagüitillo has a collection of artifacts and petroglyphs, along with information about the indigenous groups that have created these objects.

Ciudad Darío: birthplace of Rubén Darío

The famous Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío was born in a village known – at that time – as Metapa. This village has been renamed to Ciudad Darío, honoring the beloved poet, four years after his death. The small town has a couple attractions, with a visit to the natal house of Rubén Darío being the most important one.

This house is located close to the center of the village, and it was the house of a sister of the mother of Rubén Darío. His mother was traveling when she was pregnant, and the fact that the birth took place in this town was merely a coincidence. Nevertheless it has made the inhabitants proud conservers of the natal house, which was declared national museum in 1943, and it still preserves its original style. More about visiting Rubén Darío’s natal house can be found in our Activity Guide.

A rocky terrain located right behind the village of Ciudad Darío forms the setting for a collection of rock paintings, created by people from the community. This area can be found behind the stadium, but the infrastructure consists of small trails used by people from the town passing through the area, and there are no signs whatsoever, so be sure to ask around. At the same side of Ciudad Darío, in front of the stadium, there is a center where handicapped children create and sell wooden artisans.

Getting there and getting around

The department of Matagalpa is generally easily accessible, although the more rural attractions lack good infrastructure. The Pan American Highway that runs to the Honduran border will pass by Ciudad Darío before reaching Sébaco. To enter Ciudad Darío, take a left where a sign points to the town. Further heading north lays Sébaco, 100 kilometers from Managua. In car, Sébaco can be reached in 1½ hours from Managua. Here, the highway branches east to Matagalpa. At this point, the road turns from a great, spotless highway to a bumpy secondary road. Big holes significantly slow down travelers, and the last 30 kilometers to Matagalpa easily take 45 minutes or more. Nevertheless the road is also passable in a low-clearance vehicle, and the bad road conditions are compensated by superb views that can be enjoyed while ascending to Matagalpa. This journey can also be undertaken by bus, as there are several buses that leave daily from Managua.

San Ramón can be reached by a paved road. Higher clearance vehicles are useful, especially in the raining season when the road conditions deteriorate. After San Ramón, the paved road turns into a gravel road. Buses also connect San Ramón and Matagalpa. The El Arenal Natural Reserve is found north of Matagalpa, and the hotels and farms in this area can be reached by taking the highway that leads to Jinotega, north of Matagalpa. This highway is paved but in poor condition. Large holes make high-clearance vehicles useful, although not necessary. Again, views are spectacular. Buses also connect these two cities.

Within the city of Matagalpa there are taxies for local transportation. The city has sidewalks and parks that make it a pleasant place to stroll around, but the sloped streets can easily be tiring. When driving an own car, make sure to be aware of the many one-way streets.

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