This must be no man’s land. On the other side of the hill is Honduras. Even a lot of Nicaraguans are scared to come in this border zone, because of the gangs trying to smuggle their drugs across. But here I am, with my personal guide, on my way to one of the natural wonders of at least the country, if not the world.
It’s quite incredible, but Somoto canyon remained undiscovered for centuries. The Nicaraguans didn’t realize they were sitting on a potential tourist goldmine. Yes it was beautiful, but was it really so special?
Visiting photographers
Hard to earn money
Last dry part
Walls of rock
Oasis of peace
Border with Honduras
Sleeping in no man’s land
You wonder how it would be to stay here overnight. At 7pm it already becomes dark in these region, and the border apparently closes at night. Sleeping in no man’s land…. that would be quite something. But instead the last bus takes me back to Somoto village, back into the normal inhabited world, as if I hadn’t visitied one of the most beautiful places in Nicaragua on the same afternoon.
Good to know
- Several tourist agencies in Esteli offer tours to Somoto canyon. Tree Huggers is one of the most well-known
- There are either day-long tours (with an early wake-up call), where the walk starts deeper into the valley. The normal tour is a bit shorter but covers all the highlights
– You have to take the chicken bus to (and from) Somoto yourself. From there, Mr Henry (or another tour company) will pick you up - Life vest and a water-proof backpack are provided by the tour guides. You can also get a pair of solid shoes, so your own pair of shoes stays dry
- Usually a meal at the end of the walk is included
- You don’t actually cross the border with Honduras, so no need to take your passport
- Some blogs say you can do this trip on your own. It is almost impossible though. You at least need a waterproof backpack, and need to know exactly where to go. Apart from that, a tour costs around 25$ and is a way to stimulate the local economy