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Nueva Segovia

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Mountainous department with a variety of unexplored, adventurous attractions.

Population: approx. 211,000 people
Location: northern region of Nicaragua, bordering Honduras, Madriz, and Jinotega
Attractions: nature, mountains, forests, hot springs, coffee farms, waterfalls, artisanal production, scenery

The mountainous, northern department of Nueva Segovia is not frequently visited by national or international tourists. The area, however, has a variety of interesting attractions to offer, including hot springs, forested mountains, large coffee farms, accessible waterfalls, and artisanal production of several types of handicrafts.

Among the main characteristics of this productive region are the cooler climate, the small settlements with adobe and tile-roofed houses, and the pine forests that cover the mountains. Together with Madriz and Estelí, Nueva Segovia forms part of a larger area known as Las Segovias.

This region was inhabited by indigenous tribes about who relatively little is known as few studies have been undertaken. Pre-Columbian artifacts and suspected settlement areas have been located, but complete excavations are not yet conducted. The discovery of pre-historical bones makes Nueva Segovia also an area of palaeontologic interest, but unfortunately none of the bones that were found have been studied or conserved.

During colonial times Nueva Segovia was an area with small Spanish settlements, but it also housed one of the oldest important cities of the region. Furthermore, the department provided the setting for military actions of General Sandino and his army, who were fighting to defend Nicaraguan sovereignty in the 1920s.

Ocotal: principal city with an ecological center

The mid-size city of Ocotal (34,000 inhabitants) is known for its lively atmosphere during daytime and calmness at night. There are various hotels and hostels, as well as restaurants, eateries, bars and small discotheques. The most attractive aspect of the city is found in its center where simple but ample colonial houses can be found.

Ocotal’s city center stands out due to its interesting and well-maintained ecological park that was recently constructed. A large variety of local plants and trees give the center a friendly, natural ambiance. Scientific and common names of the park’s flora are indicated as well, and there are pathways and benches that make the central park a great place to stroll and relax. A small, central pavilion provides a stage for public events.

A cultural center, called the Casa de Cultura de Ocotal, can be found at the eastern side of the park. The building also has an interesting historical background, functioning first as an important center during colonial times, then as prison of the U.S. troops who were battling Sandino, and nowadays it operates as a cultural site that also houses the municipal library. Easily unnoted but nevertheless quite interesting is the small cannon in front of the Casa de Cultura, next to the park, which was possibly used during colonial times.

The ample parish church of Ocotal, built in the 19th century, is situated at the other side of the park.

Located only five kilometers from the urban center of Ocotal, Finca Las Señoritas provides a beautiful natural zone with impressive rock formations, stunning rivers, and a great variety of animal life. Although there is little tourist infrastructure available, there are some hiking possibilities and visits can already be organized.

The city of Ocotal is located 222 kilometers from Managua, close to the border checkpoint of Las Manos. The city can be reached by following the Pan-American Highway until Yalagüina. Take a right here (signage is present), and continue the road until reaching Ocotal. The whole road from Managua until Ocotal is in excellent condition. Buses leave from the Mayoreo Market in Managua.

Macuelizo and Santa María: hot springs and petroglyphs

The westernmost edge of the department of Nueva Segovia consists of the mountainous municipalities of Macuelizo and Santa María. The municipal capitals are small, tranquil towns that carry the same names.

Hot water springs, located seven kilometers before reaching the town of Macuelizo, provide an interesting attraction along the road. Due to certain geological circumstances a stretch of over one kilometer in length of the Macuelizo River is naturally heated. This small water stream meanders through private farmland and lacks any signage or tourist infrastructure. Bathing is not possible, but observing the heated, steaming water and enjoying the natural surroundings can be done with the help of a local guide.

The village of Santa María is situated northeast of Macuelizo, further down the unpaved mountain road. Its picturesque center is composed of small, white houses with adobe walls and tiled roofs. In the Las Trojas community, some five kilometers from Santa María, the so-called Cueva del Duende (Dwarf Cave) offers an interesting visit. This little-explored site includes large rocks that form a small cave which houses indigenous paintings.

A future attraction in this municipality is found in a rural, off-road area very close to the Honduran border. This site, known as Casas Viejas (Old Houses), once most likely formed the setting for an indigenous village. So far no excavations let alone studies have been conducted, but the hillocks appear to be covering the remains of this village and other objects used by the indigenous people. Along the way to this site from Santa María there is an interesting, ancient house in a tiny, rural settlement, which was probably built by Spanish settlers or mestizos a long time ago.

Throughout this region there are also small artisanal lime mines that can be seen from the road. Also visible when driving through this region are the stunning views on the forested mountains, covered with pine or oak forests. Still being a very rural area, visitors can expect to see a variety of birds and other animals in the forest or crossing the roads when exploring the area.

Macuelizo can be reached by taking a paved road from Ocotal in western direction, which should be followed for some 20 kilometers. Another 31 kilometers down the road lays Santa María, but this road is unpaved and especially in the rainy season a high-clearance vehicle is a necessity. Buses that go to these municipalities depart from the bus terminal in Ocotal.

Dipilto: coffee, faith, and handicrafts

The town of Dipilto is located between the highway and the Dipilto River, 12 kilometers north of Ocotal, very close to the Las Manos border checkpoint. This small town is surrounded by mountains and it is the capital of the municipality with the same name, known for the production of high-quality coffee.

A point of interest within the village is the sanctuary of the Virgin of Guadalupe, which is a place that is frequented by Catholic pilgrims from throughout Nicaragua and also from Honduras. Visitors come to this site to ask or thank for miracles. Water in the river next to the sanctuary is often taken home as blessed water.

Further north, still continuing the main road, there is a small settlement called Dipilto Viejo, where a cooperative of women called Manos Mágicas elaborates hand-crafted pine needle objects. The crafts include both decorative and practical items, including baskets and other objects. These pine needle crafts can be purchased in a store located along the central street of the village.

Tourism is still at its infancy in this area, but the first possibilities for rural tourism are being created by the coffee haciendas that are setting up the infrastructure to receive visitors. Among these coffee farms are Finca Los Cipreses and Finca San Isidro.

To reach Dipilto from Ocotal, take the highway in the direction of the Las Manos border checkpoint. This road is in perfect condition. Buses depart from the terminal in Ocotal.

Mozonte: indigenous town with hard-working artisans

Mozonte is a small town with an indigenous character (the local population has conserved – if not recovered – its indigenous social-political structure) that offers a variety of attractions for visitors. Most important is the locally and even internationally renowned production of ceramic crafts of high quality that come in a variety of shapes and colors.

In this town the artisanal production of these crafts has nowadays become so interesting that many local families are dedicated to the production and sale of these objects. The colors, designs, and size of the artisanal crafts are so diverse that anybody with an interest for ornamental ceramics will be charmed by the ample collection of products.

The often home-based production can also be observed on-site, and the objects can be bought directly from the artisans. At the western side of the town (along the road, right before entering the actual town, departing from Ocotal) there is a ceramic workshop and store called Casa de la Cerámica, where visitors can observe the efforts of the artisans, who work and sell their products together.

Another interesting site in Mozonte is the Loma Santa (Holy Hill), located at the easternmost point of the town, where an abandoned church called Medalla Milagrosa is situated. Stairs easily lead to the top of the hill, and from here visitors can enjoy a superb, panoramic view of the town of Mozonte, the valley, and the mountainous region surrounding it.

Two other interesting attractions include the office of the indigenous community (Oficina de la Comunidad Indígena), where an ancient, royal property title from the Spanish crown granted to the indigenous population is put on display. At the lime mine, also located at the western side of the town, visitors can observe the production of this white alkaline substance.

Mozonte can be easily reached by taking the highway that heads to the east from Ocotal. The town is situated along the road, only four kilometers from Ocotal. Buses to Mozonte also leave from the bus terminal in Ocotal.

San Fernando and Ciudad Antigua: history and tranquility

Two small, friendly towns are located in the center of the department of Nueva Segovia, east from Ocotal and Mozonte. These villages are San Fernando and Ciudad Antigua, and the latter was an important center in colonial times, which still carries great historical value.

Ciudad Antigua was a prosperous city in colonial times that was in control of the whole Las Segovias region. However, the commercial prosperity of the city attracted attention from pirates and Miskitos, and Ciudad Antigua was attacked and plundered several times. When another regional capital was built (Ocotal), Ciudad Antigua lost its importance.

The center of this small town is composed of a central park surrounded by simple, colonial houses made from adobe walls and roofed with tiles. An impressive church is positioned in front of the park. Most of the ancient nave of this 17th century building is still conserved, and large, ancient adobe blocks and wooden structures can still be observed.

Right next to the church there is a small building where a tiny and rather abandoned but nevertheless very interesting museum can be found. At this place, called Museo de Ciudad Antigua, visitors can see ancient objects that were used in the church and during religious ceremonies (including books, photos, priest costumes, benches, and chairs), as well as maps, pots, and an image of the colonial coat of arms of the city, among other objects.

San Fernando can be reached by continuing the road between Ocotal and Jalapa (San Fernando is located along the main road). Ciudad Antigua can be reached by taking a right just before San Fernando (coming from Ocotal) and then heading down a gravel road for five kilometers. Buses depart to these towns from the terminal in Ocotal.

El Jícaro and Murra: history and an outstanding waterfall

Not connected with the principal roads the east-central region of Nueva Segovia is a little harder to reach but nevertheless worth a visit. The tranquil villages of El Jícaro and Murra are both mountain towns that were set up due to previous mining activities in this area.

Continuing the road to Jalapa, El Jícaro is reached by leaving this principal road at Santa Clara and then heading north. This mid-size town has relatively little attractions within the urban limits. A couple attractions are located in the vicinity of El Jícaro including the Germán Pomares hot springs, which unfortunately lack decent infrastructure, and the San Albino mine, which is interesting not for being a mine, but for being the site where General Sandino started his fighting in the 1920s.

Following the road in eastern direction, the small town of Murra can be reached by taking a relatively well maintained gravel road. The rural town of Murra is set in a valley, surrounded by high mountains. A spectacular attraction is located in the municipality of Murra, close to the community of El Rosario. The so-called Salto de El Rosario (also referred to as the Salto de la Selva Morena) is one of Nicaragua’s most impressive yet relatively unknown waterfalls. The waterfall is wider than most if not all of Nicaragua’s falls, and it is located in a stunning natural environment up in a mountainous area on a forested, private farm.

El Rosario and Murra are situated at two different corners of the same municipality (also called Murra). The gravel road that connects the two towns is in bad shape but spectacular views along the road in this mountainous area will provide some compensation.

Buses to El Jícaro and Murra leave from Ocotal, and there are large trucks that take passengers connecting Murra and El Rosario.

Jalapa: cascades, hot springs, and agricultural productivity

Jalapa is a small mountain city with a cool climate. It is the capital city of a large municipality that carries the same name, and a variety of attractions including forested hills with coffee production, hot springs, water ponds, and several cascades and waterfalls can be found in this municipality.

Friendly houses of adobe, roofed with tiles, provide Jalapa a friendly image. An interesting aspect of the urban center is the fact that several public and private buildings feature a variety of murals on the walls. There are several comfortable hotels as well as restaurants, bars, and two lively discotheques.

An interesting hill, called Cerro de Jesús – located west of Jalapa – provides an excellent site for coffee production which is successfully done while the top of the mountain still preserves a beautiful pine forest. The coffee plantations can be visited to learn more about the coffee production and trails that lead to an on-site waterfall and a nice viewpoint can also be explored by visitors. Not far from this hill there is an interesting cascade named Salto del Escambray, located in a private farm which is open to visitors.

The rural community of Teotecacinte, located very close to the Honduran border, houses a water pond that is known for its medicinal qualities attributed to materials that boil up from the soil. This pond, known as La Vuelta del Pedo, can be visited but it unfortunately lacks any infrastructure and is situated on the property of a local farmer family.

Another characteristic of the Jalapa region is the high productivity. Tobacco plantations can also be visited, and there are artisan workshops where pine needle crafts are being produced (in the community of Champiñí).

Jalapa can be reached from Ocotal via a recently paved road that is in great condition. There are buses to Jalapa departing from Ocotal and even directly from Managua.

Quilalí and Wiwilí de Nueva Segovia: beautiful scenery at remote villages

The small villages of Quilalí and Wiwilí de Nueva Segovia are surrounded by mountainous areas characterized by agricultural production, and currently there are few accessible attractions in this zone.

Both villages have small urban centers and are set around forested mountains and agricultural fields. The roads to these towns are unpaved and turn into bad shape during the rainy season. During that time of the year a high-clearance vehicle is necessary.

The superb views that can be observed from the road towards Quilalí make a trip throughout this zone unforgettable; misty mountains in the background and the scenic valley of Quilalí down below, with rays of morning sunlight passing through the clouds.

Buses to the two towns depart from both Jalapa and Ocotal. Quilalí can be reached in own car by taking the gravel road east from San Juan del Río Coco (in the department of Madriz), or by heading southeast from the town of Santa Clara, located along the Ocotal-Jalapa road.

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