Somoto – Selva Negra
9/1/09 – 9/3/09
After crossing the Nicaraguan border, we found it later than we had hoped and getting dark. We decided to spend the night in the Panamericano Hotel near the central square in the closest town of Somoto. The hotel has secure parking, friendly staff and decent, clean rooms for $10 a person. The only restaurant in Somoto seems to be El Almendro, across from the Hotel Colonial, but luckily it is a good one! There are also a few hot dog and pizza stands near the park.
The following morning we headed up to Matagalpa and Selva Negra. The tranquil setting of the Selva Negra hotel and property was just what we needed after our hectic border crossings.
We took a 5 km loop around the marked trails in the virgin forest behind the hotel. It was so nice to be able to hike on our own!! The sometimes steep, muddy paths were just challenging enough and we were rewarded with valley views, intense vegetation and the constant chatter of birds and howler monkeys.
The restaurant on the lake at Selva Negra is fabulous, mostly due to the fresh produce, meat, cheeses and coffee that are all raised on the property. The cheeses, which are also for sale, are especially outstanding. The owner, Eddy Kuhl, is an excellent source of information on the farm, the surrounding area and Nicaragua in general. Selva Negra is currently an excellent rustic getaway, although Eddy’s daughter is soon to take over the management and it may just become a premier eco-chic jungle resort. Visit soon to experience this wonderful cloud forest while it is relatively cheap and undiscovered!
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