Central Highlands Overview

The central highlands are a region of rugged mountains accessible by steep, curving, scenic roads. They were the political stronghold of the Contras during the late 1980s, and fighting continued here long after it had died out in the lowlands. Nearly every individual over age 25 has a story to tell about the war’s impact. The fiercely free-thinking highlanders have always been difficult for the government to control, with passionate viewpoints spanning the political spectrum.

Estelí, the largest city in the north, has some compelling reminders of the war and is easily visited en route from Managua to the Honduran border along the Interamerican Hwy. South of Estelí is a turnoff for the beautifully situated town of Matagalpa—gateway to Selva Negra, one of Nicaragua’s most accessible forest preserves. A separate highway running east from Managua toward the Caribbean coast passes near Boaco, a mountainous cowboy town, before reaching Juigalpa, a good place to stop if you’re making the trip all the way to the coast.

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