Why Go?You’ve officially escaped Central America’s backpacker su-perhighway and arrived in a place where colorful quetzals nest in misty cloud forests, and Nicaragua’s best coffee and tobacco are cultivated with both capitalist zeal and collec-tive spirit. With a little time and commitment you’ll duck into ancient, crumbling cathedrals, get pounded by count-less waterfalls, explore recently discovered canyons, and pay tribute to the pirates, colonists, revolutionaries, artists and poets who were inspired by these fertile mountains and mingled with the humble, open-hearted people who’ve lived here for generations.

On either end of the region are two up-and-coming cities; hardworking Estelí buzzes with students, farmers and ci-gar moguls, while Matagalpa is slightly hipper, and better funded, thanks to nearly a century of successful coffee cul-tivation. All around and in between are granite peaks and lush valleys dotted with dozens of small towns and infinite caffeine-fueled adventures.

When to GoThe northern highlands stunning landscapes are at their best from May to October when the wet season brings out vibrant shades of green and the many waterfalls are at their best. If you plan on hiking, consider visiting from Novem-ber to February when the weather is fairly dry yet mild and the scenery is still lush. This is also the height of the coffee harvest, which gives visitors the chance to not only drink endless cups of the stuff but also pick and sort your own beans. The region’s other cash crop, tobacco, is harvested from March to April and cigar fans are able to follow the leaves from the fields to the rolling tables.

Best Places to Eat¨¨ El Pullaso (p199)

¨¨ La Vita é Bella (p199)

¨¨ El Pescamar (p199)

¨¨ Café-Arte Tipiscayán (p176)

Best Places to Stay¨¨ La Bastilla Ecolodge (p193)

¨¨ La Sombra Ecolodge (p202)

¨¨ Selva Negra (p201)

¨¨ Hotel Café (p190)

Estelí............................ 172Área.Protegida..Miraflor..........................177Área.Protegida.Cerro.Tisey–Estanzuela........179Condega..................... 180Somoto........................ 181ocotal..........................183Jalapa......................... 186Jinotega...................... 188reserva.Natural.Cerro.Datanlí–El.Diablo........192lago.de.Apanás...........193Matagalpa................... 194San.ramón.................200

Northern Highlands

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

no

rthern

hig

hLan

ds Hig

HlA

NDS.Hig

Hlig

HTS

no

rthern

hig

hLan

ds .n

orth

ern h

igh

Lands .

no

rthern

hig

hLan

ds Hig

HlA

NDS.Hig

Hlig

HTS

170

Río

Vie

jo

Sinecapa

pita

El

Achua

Portillo

(Gra

nde)

Madriz

Estelí

León

Nueva Segovia

Jalapa

AguasCalientes

Champigny

ValleCangjas

Los Planes

Wambuca

LasManos

El Paraíso

El Limón

Wiwilí

Quilalí

Murra

La Rica

Las Walices

San Rafaeldel Norte

Asturias

Pantasma

La RosaGarita

El Arenal

Monte

Mancotal

Grande

Sisle

Sébaco

Darío

Chagüitillo

El Chile

San Dionisio

SelvaNegra

San Pedrode Buculmay

SantaClara

CiudadAntigua

Telpaneca

San Fernando

ValleDucuali

PiedraLarge

Condega

Palacaguina

Venecia

Apaji

Dipilto

SantaMaria

Macuelizo

La Virgen

Sonis

San Lucas

El Espino

Las Sabanas

San Joséde Cusmapa

Somoto

Mozonte

Yalaguina

Totogalpa

Ocotal

PuebloNuevo

SantaCruz

La Trinidad

San Roque

La Sirena

Santa Rosadel Perión

El Jicaral

San Isidro

Achuapa

Río Grande

San Juande Limay

El Sauce

La Bacinica

El Regadio

Susucayán

Ciudad

La Concordia

San Sebastiánde Yali

San Juan deRio Coco

El Jícaro(Ciudad

Sandino)

Reserva NaturalTepesomoto−Pataste

Cerro Tisey−Estanzuela

ProtegidaÁrea

Cerro QuiabuLas Brasas

Cordillera

Entre Ríos

86ºW14ºN

86ºW

13ºN

LagoAsturias

CerroMogotón(2106m)

HONDURAS

Salto El Rosario

Cerro El ArenalReserva Natural

Reserva NaturalCerro Apante

Monumento NacionalCañon de Somoto

CordilleraDipilto y

Jalapa

Reserva Natural

29

51

43

51

43

19

3

1

1

15

26

38

38

El Diablo

Lago deApanás

Jinotega

Matagalpa

Reserva NaturalCerro Datanlí−

Área

MiraflorProtegida

Cañonde Somoto

Estelí

Northern Highlands Highlights1.Pick.coffee.beans.beneath.the.towering.cloud.forest.of.Reserva Natural Cerro Datanlí–El Diablo.(p192)2.Scramble,.swim.and.float.through.the.magnificent.Cañon de Somoto (p182)3.Hike.through.the.Área Protegida Miraflor.(p177).to.secluded.swimming.holes

4.visit.the.cigar.factories.of.Estelí (p173)

5.Scramble.up.Cerro.la.Cruz.in.Jinotega.(p189).for.breathtaking.mountain.views

6.get.civilized.and.overcaffeinated.in.Matagalpa (p194)7.rappel.down.spectacular.waterfalls.shrouded.in.old-growth.forest.in.Reserva Natural Macizos de Peñas Blancas (p201)8.Cruise.the.high-altitude.waters.of.Lago de Apanás.(p193).with.local.fishermen

9.Explore.the.cavernous.abandoned.gold.mines.around.San Ramón.(p200)