Nicaragua > Sliding down the Cerro Negro volcano

Today I continue my journey to Matagalpa, a town in northern Nicaragua. Since we had collectively decided to head to Matagalpa only in the afternoon, I have the morning free to climb the Cerro Negro volcano. Cerro Negro is a relatively young volcano, having formed in 1850. The 400-meter-high volcano is very active and has erupted several times in recent years.

Nicaragua - Ready for the climb of the Cerro Negra volcano

Like the Telica volcano, Cerro Negro lies along a tectonic boundary, about 35 kilometers outside León. I am driven to the volcano by a small van. The road is poor and narrow, but fortunately not as bad as last night’s route. After about an hour and a half, Franklin, my guide for the day, points out the black volcano. The volcano consists mainly of volcanic rocks and ash, with no vegetation at all. This makes it ideal for sliding down—a favorite tourist activity. At the base of the volcano, I receive a backpack with protective clothing and a board. I put on the backpack and slide the wooden board between the straps on my back, leaving my hands free. The board, however, catches a lot of wind on the slope, so I have to watch out for gusts. Franklin estimates the climb to the summit will take about an hour. I follow him up the slope. The path is easy to walk on. Because the route winds around the mountain, it is nowhere very steep. At the top of the crater rim, I can see the wide crater bowl—a stunning sight. In the center, a smaller, newer crater has formed; Franklin tells me this was the crater that last erupted. The weather is clear today, giving me a view of the surrounding area. I can see the various volcanic peaks, including the Telica volcano from last night. I continue along the sloping crater rim. From below, it must look funny to see a group of tourists walking with boards strapped to their backs.

Nicaragua - Sliding down the Cerro Negro volcano

From the highest point of the volcano, I have a good view of the smaller crater. Franklin brushes away the top layer of stones and lets me feel the ground. It’s scorching hot—this volcano is active beneath my feet. He warns not to stand too long in one spot, or your shoe soles could melt. After taking photos of the volcano and the view from all angles, it’s time for the fun part. I put on my jumpsuit, knee and elbow pads, and dust goggles. I’m ready to sled. Franklin explains how to steer the sled: you can brake with your feet, and to go faster, lift the front of the sled slightly. Franklin walks ahead to take photos. Sitting on my sled at the top, the slope looks steep. I carefully slide over the first few meters. I quickly get the hang of the sled and glide down the volcano. I lift the front for extra speed. The descent kicks up a cloud of dust—a true dust shower flies over me. I arrive neatly at the bottom of the slope. According to Franklin, my speed was around 40 kilometers per hour. At the bottom, I take off my jumpsuit and shake the volcanic ash out of my hair and clothes. The suit helped, but ash is still everywhere—my entire face is black. Even my camera got dusty, probably because I didn’t store it well enough under my clothing.

Nicaragua - Boiling mud pools at Hervideros de San Jacinto

Hopefully, there’s no permanent damage. Over fresh fruit, we chat about this unique experience. Afterwards, I drive back to León in about two hours. Fortunately, there is still a hotel room available for me to shower. I watch the black water wash down the drain. Reasonably clean again, I board the bus to Matagalpa. On the way from León to Matagalpa, I pass the volcanic belt and drive close to the Telica volcano. At Hervideros de San Jacinto, I stop at a volcanic area with boiling mud pools. A few children are immediately ready to guide visitors; they live in the houses near the natural phenomenon. Janine explains that these geothermal springs have existed for many years, but still change shape regularly, so caution is needed even outside the barriers. She points to a large boiling pool; three months ago, there was nothing there. It’s beautiful to see the volcanic gases illuminated by the sunlight. I continue my journey to Matagalpa and arrive around dusk. Matagalpa is Nicaragua’s second-largest city, with 200,000 inhabitants. At the hotel, I am warmly welcomed by the enthusiastic owner, clearly proud of the hotel and its recent renovations. With pride, he shows me the rooms.