Indio Maíz Biological Reserve — Attraction in Rio San Juan

If you plan to go to El Castillo, along the Rio San Juan, and take a tour of the Reserva Indio Maiz, I would Highly recommend going with Juan Ardilla, who is located in El Castillo.

While staying in El Castillo in May 2017, my girlfriend and I were approached by another couple going on a tour with Juan Ardillo to Reserva Indio Maiz. The cost was a flat $150 for up to 4 people, so with us joining the tour the cost was $37.50 per person. As we are backpacking this was a relatively steep cost and almost 3 days worth of lodging/sleep/food, but the other couple said good things about the Juan and his tours. After speaking with Juan we decided to go. Juan took us out the next day on canoes, and we canoed for a couple hours from El Castillo to the Reserva Indio Maiz. We saw howler monkeys, toucans, and many other birds along the way. For a split second we even saw a large Tarpon (grow up to 75kilos) surface/jump out of the water as we passed by. We started the hike from the ranger station into Indio Maiz around 9 or 10. On the hiking part of the tour we saw some iguanas, many birds, multiple poisonous frogs that Juan held for us, insects, turtles, and we were extremely lucky to catch a glimpse of a puma. This was the second puma Juan had seen in the past 5 years, so it was truly a rare occasion. Juan also pointed out interesting and medicinal plants along the trail.

After the hiking tour we canoe'd up a stream to a swimming spot, where Juan started a fire and we BBQ'd marinated pork on a stick, and drank coconut and rum that Juan had brought. We stayed here for about 2 hours enjoying our coconut and rum, and eating amazingly delicious pork with rice in leaves Juan procured along the hiking trail.

After this we took a motorboat further East along the Rio San Juan in hopes of spotting Caiman, Iguanas, and sloths. We probably saw 30 or 40 iguanas during this part of the trip as we slowly boated along small side rivers, and Juan spotted a sloth from a half kilometer away that we were able to boat directly under and observe for 15 minutes. They don't move from trees for a week, so it wasn't going anywhere.

Juan is a great and friendly guide, and we highly recommend taking a tour to Reserva Indio Maiz with him. He also offers longer 4 day overnight canoe trips, and can customize other tours if you'd like. For an entire day of entertainment, we still consider this tour some of the best money spent on our 4 months of travel through Central America. You really get to see a lot more with a guide, and Juan made this an...

Reserva Biológica Indio Maíz #biodiversidad #reservasilvestre #senderismo #trekking #camping #naturalarean

Es una reserva natural de 361,875 hectáreas de Bosque siempre verde bien drenado, bosque siempre aluvial moderadamente drenado, Bosque siempre verde pantanoso (Campnosperma sp y prioria sp), bosque siempre verde pantanoso dominado por palmas (yolillales). Lagunas de agua dulce (con vegetación acuática flotante y sumergida) estuarios, barra con vegetación influencia por agua salobre (con palma Manicaria sp), diferentes ecosistemas ribereños.

Es considerada certeramente como una de las áreas más importantes de Centroamérica debido al valor científico de la alta diversidad de especies vegetales y fauna (tapir, manatí, jaguar, chancho de monte, sahino, etc.) y presencia de restos arqueológicos.

Refugio de vida silvestre Río San Juan: Comprende algunos húmedos o humedales del lago de Nicaragua se caracterizan bosques siempre verdes pantanosos (campnospermas sp y prioria sp).

Bosque siempre verde pantanoso dominado por palmas (yolillales), lagunas de agua dulce (con vegetación acuática flotante y sumergidas) estuarios.

El área de forma similar de la reserva indio maíz tiene una alta diversidad de especies animales y vegetales, es particular la importancia de presencia de grandes mamíferos, peces de agua dulces y salobre, en especial la presencia de poblaciones reproductivas de manatíes. Se suma el valor estético, económico, científico y educativo de la presencia de muchísimas aves acuáticas y el valor de conservación que incluye la a nidación de un gran número de...

The Indio Maíz Biological Reserve is considered one of the best preserved natural reserves in Nicaragua. The area is located in the southeast corner of the country, bordering the San Juan River. The reserve encompasses 3,180 km², and it is home to a wide variety of...