Visiting the Spectacular Peñas Blancas Massif
Nicaragua is a beautiful country with plenty of natural attractions for visitors to explore. Unfortunately a number of its attractions are not that well known. One example of this is the Peñas Blancas Massif, which is a large mountain mass located in the country’s northern departments of Matagalpa and Jinotega.
The Peñas Blancas Massif in Nicaragua is an area that is just brimming with great tourist attractions, as it has been quietly developed so that visitors can make good use of the large waterfalls, stunning rainforest, interesting rural communities and breathtaking vantage points. The Peñas Blancas Massif is one small part of the Isabelia Mountain Range, which naturally divides the Bocay and Coco Rivers from the Tuma River. It covers three different municipalities and the entire area was declared a nature reserve in 1999. The government’s decision to protect the area sprouted mainly from the discovery of the important role that the forests in the region play in the water balance of much of the country. The cliffs have a white coloration due to the calcium that is present in the walls of the rocks and that is why the have been given the name “Peñas Blancas” (White Rocks).
One of the many things that makes the Peñas Blancas Massif in Nicaragua such a great attraction is the absolutely pristine natural environment found here. The massif forms part of the Bosawas Biosphere Reserve, which is Central America’s largest natural reserve. Both cloud forests and rainforests populate the massive, and the diversity of the landscape on the massif provides the perfect habitat for a wide variety of plant and animal species. The temperatures are always refreshing, the weather is often misty or moist and the foliage is always green. This is a truly spectacular part of the country to go hiking in. And if you’re an animal lover, you will delight to see White-headed Capuchin monkeys, Mantled Howler monkeys, spider monkeys, tapirs and pumas. Jaguars and pumas are also known to inhabit the region – as are many other different animals, although very little effort has been put into counting and documenting the various species found here. Bird lovers will also find this to be a haven, with flycatchers, parakeets, solitaires, tanagers, hummingbirds, wrens and warblers making up a small portion of the large list of birds living in the area. There are some reptiles and amphibians here too, though due to lack of research, no one is sure exactly what sort or how many species there are. With breathtaking nature and fascinating culture combined in one great location, the Peñas Blancas Massif should definitely not be missed if you’re visiting Nicaragua!