Ticuantepe in Nicaragua, Travel Destinations
Ticuantepe is only fifteen kilometers away from Managua, the capital city of Nicaragua, and is one of its many municipalities. Ticuantepe has thirteen small communities under it and combined they make up one of the poorest populations in and around the capital city. The name Ticuantepe comes from the Nahuatl language and is taken from two words. The first, 'Ticuane', means fierce or tiger and 'Tepeh' means hill. So if you combine the two you get "Hill of the Fierce".
It is thought that the first people to settle into the Valley of Ticuantepe were an indigenous group called the “Niquiranos”. These native people were known for their hunting, agriculture and collecting of water. They arrived in Ticuantepe in the 1820s while trying to find a better area to inhabit. The area they had previously inhabited had been threatened by volcanic eruptions and gases from a nearby volcano.
Today Ticuantepe is the largest supplier of pineapples to the whole of Nicaragua and the local land and environment is perfect for the growth of these delicious fruits. The Ticuantepe municipality is split up into two sections: the urban zone and the rural zone. The Urban zone contains 37% of the population – just over nine thousand people – and the rural zone is made up of 63% of all inhabitants, which amounts to about twenty-five thousand people.
The municipality of Ticuantepe has a lot to offer to visitors and, although it is not one of the many more popular tourism destinations in the country, it is still worth a visit. In Central America Ticuantepe has the largest aquifer found underground. You will also find the La Reserva El Chocoyero, which is home to 455 acres of rainforests that up until now has been fairly protected from mans’ destructive hands.
Within this beautifully lush rainforest you will find two stunning waterfalls that are 3,300 feet high and have a rocky backdrop which makes for excellent nesting areas – the perfect place for the local chocoyero inhabitants. The Chocoyero are small bright green parrots that have a bit of red on the head near the beak with white rings around the eyes. There is so much more that can be seen within the El Chocoyero rainforest and at Ticuantepe, so it is wise to take the time to explore it thoroughly.
