The Canyon de Somoto is the big tourist draw.
The canyon is 200m deep, with sheer 100m cliffs falling straight to the water. At some points, it is only a few meters wide. The canyon is dramatic and beautiful with rock formations and wildlife.
The canyon can be explored with a guide or alone. In either case, make sure to bring sandals with you, as the stones on the bottom of the river can hurt your feet. Be aware that at the height of the rainy season September/October, the trip may be impossible due to the current.
Exploring the Canyon Without a Guide
Typically, guidebooks describe the process for getting to the bottom of the canyon. Taking the bus to the border El Espino from Somoto, tell the driver you want to go to the Canyon and keep a lookout for a sign. You will be dropped off at the top of a road. After a short walk down a dirt road, you will come to a gatehouse where you will be asked to pay a fee. Continue down the road for about 10 minutes until you reach the river. Cross the river and continue down the road. Follow the road upriver until you reach a place with some boats parked. This is the bottom of the canyon.
Once you reach the boats, look for someone to pay to take you upriver a ways. You will be taken as far as the boat goes, at which point you will come to a place with some inner tubes. You can swim as far upsteam as possible from this point, exploring the bottom portion of the canyon. Be careful, especially if you don't have any lifejackets. Certain portions of the canyon are deep, and distances can be far for people not used to swimming. Be aware that you will be swimming most of the way; walking on the side of the river is rarely an option. As you get further upstream in the canyon, the obstacles you have to climb will get more and more difficult. After you've had your fill, turn around and go back to the bottom.
Exploring the Canyon With a Guide
Hiring a guide will give you a somewhat different experience of the canyon. Although certain guides could simply accompany you on a trip similar to the one described above, others will take you on a more thorough trip. This trip involves using another entrance to the park further upstream, then going downstream through the entire length of the canyon.
It is not advisable to attempt this trip alone. It is difficult to find the top of the river where the trip starts, and the guide must sit on an inner tube keeping your possessions out of the water.
Before buying any guide's services, make sure of all of the following:
1 Your trip will be through the entire canyon instead of starting at the bottom 2 Life jackets are included 3 An inner tube will be provided to keep your possessions dry
Transportation To and From the Canyon
The canyon can be reached by taxi or by chicken bus. The chicken bus costs 6c $.30 each way, and the taxi is perhaps 2-3 times as much. Normally, transportation is not included with the fee for a guide; in fact, you need to pay for your guide's transportation as well.
