ESTELÍ AND THE SEGOVIAS

The ride north from Managua begins by lifting you out of the sultry Pacific lowlands and into the Sébaco Valley, lush with rice and sorghum fields. From there, the highway struggles upward to the city of Estelí (“Diamond of the Segovias”), then continues through mountains and valleys dotted with peaceful rural villages whose strong, hardy inhabitants are proud to call themselves Norteños and who brag loudly about the beauty of their women, landscape, and music. Most get along by subsistence farming and ranching, but tobacco and coffee also carpet these hills, and some communities boast talented artisans in pottery, leather, and stone. The curious and unrushed traveler will not regret breaking away from the Pan-American Highway and going deep into the countryside.

Custom cowboy boots: They’re custom-made from high quality leather, so don’t leave Estelí without a pair for long rides into the wild or just dancing, northern style. (read more)

Salto Estanzuela and the Tisey Reserve: Visit Estelí’s premier swimming hole and eco-lodge, where you can hike, ride horses, or just jump in for a swim. (read more)

Miraflor Nature Reserve: The best place in Nicaragua to get back to nature and spot the elusive quetzal or other exotic wildlife. (read more)

San Juan de Limay: Rumble over the mountain pass and down into the valley to seek out one of the famous soapstone workshops. (read more)

Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción: Ocotal’s church has seen it all, and even withstood the world’s first air-raid bombing in the 1930s. (read more)