Mercado Carlos Roberto Huembes is one of Managua's largest traditional public markets, a sprawling commercial hub where vendors sell everything from clothing and tools to handcrafted goods and regional foods. Located in the Nicaraguan capital, the market serves both everyday locals and travelers stocking up before heading into the country's more remote regions. Visitors navigating its stalls encounter a sensory cross-section of Nicaraguan daily life — textiles, hardware, street food, and artisan crafts packed into a lively, open-air setting. Gates stopped here in Season 16 of Expedition Unknown before embarking on a river expedition to Nicaragua's isolated Caribbean coast in search of Cornelius Vanderbilt's lost steamship, the Orus. As he put it on camera, "Here you can find just about anything you might possibly want to wear, shoot, or play" — making it a practical first stop before venturing into territory with, as he noted, "almost no infrastructure."
Mercado Huembes established as one of Managua's major traditional markets, believed to have grown organically as the city expanded following the 1972 earthquake that devastated much of the capital's commercial center
Gates visits the market during filming of Expedition Unknown S16E06 "Vanderbilt's Lost Steamship," purchasing expedition supplies and sampling pinol de iguana before departing for Nicaragua's Mosquito Coast
No academic experts appeared on camera during Gates' visit to Mercado Huembes — this segment functioned as a cultural interlude and logistical waypoint rather than an archaeological investigation. The market itself represents a living institution of Nicaraguan commercial culture, and Gates engaged with it as a curious traveler rather than an analyst, letting the sights, vendors, and food speak for themselves.
Mercado Huembes is widely regarded as one of Managua's most important traditional markets, believed to have grown in significance after the catastrophic 1972 earthquake, which displaced much of the capital's commercial activity and reshaped the city's layout. Markets like Huembes became anchors for everyday economic life in a city that had to essentially rebuild from the ground up. The market's diversity of goods — spanning food, clothing, tools, and crafts — reflects Nicaragua's broader agricultural and artisan traditions.
Pinol de iguana, the dish Gates tried on camera, is a genuine Nicaraguan regional specialty. Pinol itself — a drink or stew base made from ground toasted maize — is a staple of Central American cuisine with deep pre-Columbian roots. The iguana preparation, particularly using female iguanas with eggs, is considered a delicacy in parts of Nicaragua and other Central American countries, though it exists within ongoing conservation debates about iguana populations in the region. Gates' willingness to try it on camera is consistent with his approach of engaging authentically with local food traditions.
The Huembes stop in S16E06 was a brief but characteristically Gates moment: grounding the expedition in the human and logistical reality of traveling to a remote region before the deeper historical mystery — the fate of Vanderbilt's steamship Orus — took center stage. It didn't generate archaeological findings, but it offered a candid window into the prep work that precedes every expedition.
Gates described pinol de iguana on camera as 'a maize-based stew made with a female iguana and her eggs' — a dish with roots in pre-Columbian Central American cuisine.
Gates purchased a hammock, a machete, and hats at Huembes to prepare for a river expedition into Nicaragua's Mosquito Coast, a region he described as having 'almost no infrastructure.'
After leaving the market, Gates chartered a private plane and flew 187 miles across the entire width of Nicaragua to reach the remote Caribbean coast — there was no regular air service heading that direction.
The market's name honors Carlos Roberto Huembes, a figure from Nicaragua's Sandinista revolutionary history, reflecting how many of Managua's public spaces carry names tied to 20th-century Nicaraguan political memory.
Mercado Carlos Roberto Huembes is generally accessible to the public and is considered one of Managua's busiest traditional markets. Visitors should expect a dense, crowded environment with narrow stalls — standard precautions for any large urban market apply, including keeping an eye on personal belongings. Check current local travel advisories before visiting, as conditions in Managua can change.
Managua, Nicaragua — the market is located within the city itself.
Nicaragua's dry season, generally running from November through April, tends to be more comfortable for exploring outdoor and semi-open markets. Mornings are typically the busiest and most lively time at Huembes.
Ecuador Cloud Forests
Like Mercado Huembes, the Ecuador Cloud Forests episode required Gates to gather local knowledge and supplies before venturing into remote, challenging terrain — a similar logistical and cultural preparation phase.
Inca Trail
The Inca Trail expedition similarly involved Gates navigating Latin American geography and local culture as a gateway to a larger historical mystery, mirroring the Vanderbilt steamship episode's structure.
Coastal Louisiana
Coastal Louisiana, like Nicaragua's Mosquito Coast, represents the kind of remote, wetland-edged frontier environment that Gates stages out of urban centers before heading into the field.