With a population of about 28,000, Somoto was once just a quiet, colonial, border-town, but that changed completely about 4 years ago. In 2003, the discovery of the 75-million-year-old granite peaks and Somoto Canyon put this town on the map. This canyon is where Río Coco, or Central America’s largest river, is born. The town is quiet organised, so it's easy to travel around. At the centre of the town stands the Iglesia Santiago.

Sightseeing
The gorge here is extremely beautiful, and being part of the protected Reserva Natural Tepesomoto-Pataste, make this place even more popular among tourists, although it's about a 3km hike from the entrance that is located 15km north of town. You can get there by taxis, and make sure you bring along a guide. The route is quiet dangerous, so prepare yourself beforehand. Another famous spot around this area is the Hervideros de Macuelazo, which is a set of bubbling mud springs.

Getting there
There are regular buses arriving here from El Espino, Managua, Ocotal and Estelí. The bus station is a short walk from the town centre, on the highway.