Climb the Cerro Negro Volcano (with optional sandboarding) and visit the Juan Venado Wildlife Reserve. On the transfer to Granada you will make stops at the Montibelli Wildlife Reserve and Masaya Volcano National Park.
In Granada you will tour the city and surrounding rurals areas on bicycle then kayak around the 'Isletas' of Lake Nicaragua. Explore the cloudforest of the Mombacho Reserve then continue south to San Jorge for the ferry to Ometepe Island, an island in Lake Nicaragua composed of two volcanoes.
Over the northern half of Ometepe looms the Concepción, a majestic and perfectly cone-shaped active volcano, while the southern half is dominated by the extinct volcano Maderas which is swathed in a cloud forest and has a mist-shrouded lagoon in its crater.
After an overnight stay and tour of the island you will return to the mainland and transfer to the town of San Juan del Sur on the Pacific coast. This former tiny fishing village has become a beach and surfing destination with wide selection of hotels, activities and nightlife.
Activities include surfing, horseback riding, canopy tour, or just relaxing at one of the beautiful beaches north and south of town.
If you arrive Managua by early-afternoon it is possible to continue directly to Leon on Day 1.
From San Juan del Sur you may consider an optional trip extension south to Costa Rica.
Lost World Adventures itineraries can be tailor-made according to your plans and preferences: budget, hotel selections, travel dates, optional excursions, length of trip, etc.
You will be met at the Managua Int'l Airport upon arrival and transferred to your hotel. Overnight Camino Real Hotel, breakfast included. The Camino Real Hotel, Convention Center and Casino is conveniently located near the Managua International Airport.
Hotel amenities and facilities include Casablanca restaurant, swimming pool, tennis court, lobby bar, restaurant, fitness center and Spa, Business Center, free Wi-Fi Internet access, casino. Guest rooms have Two Queen Size Beds or one King bed with, cable tv, high speed internet connection, room service.
You will be met at your hotel and tranferred to Leon. On the way stop in a village to try the famous “Quesillo” (white cheese served in a tortilla, with onion and sour cream) and a “tiste” (juice made of corn). See the way tortillas are made in the kitchen!
Cerro Negro Volcano was born in 1850, it is one of the most active volcanoes in Nicaragua. Cerro Negro “Black Mount” is the most recent of a group of four very young cinder cones in the central Maribios. Last big eruption was August 1998. Hiking to the top takes less than an hour; a rough trail has been made across the rocks and volcanic ashes. Temperature can be very hot as there is no vegetation at all, ranging between 30 and 48 degrees, Celsius.
The overwhelming view from the active crater will be the reward. From the top, you can observe the crater of Telica, another active volcano, as well as the Pacific Ocean, 20 miles away.
Optional activity: “Sandboarding” - the new exciting sport which allows visitors to descend the black sands of Cerro Negro strapped onto a board. You will receive a short technical training from your experienced bilingual guide. Put on the protective equipment provided for your safe descent and get ready for the ride of your life!
It is possible to do a short test run inside the crater, before heading to the steeper outer rim for the real descent. After some final orientations you will board all the way down to the base of Cerro Negro. Some experience with (snow) boarding is recommended but not mandatory.
Overnight Hotel El Convento, daily breakfast included - 2 nights. The Hotel El Convento is located in the heart of the city of León, Nicaragua, on the site of the former San Francisco Convent. Its colonial buildings and lush gardens offer a unique atmosphere which will make your stay a very pleasant experience. The hotel offers comfortable guest rooms, a cafeteria and a gourmet restaurant.
The hotel has 31 executive rooms, each with two queen size beds, and one suite with one king size bed and a lounge area. All rooms are equipped with air-conditioning, private bathrooms with bath and hot water, cable TV, telephone, Wi-fi Internet access, refrigerator, hairdryer, safe deposit box.
Go with an expert guide to the coastal estuary wildlife refuge of Juan Venado. Here you will navigate the brackish waters of the reserve in a motorboat to observe numerous wading birds like the Roseate Spoonbill. You will also be able to observe iguanas, crocodiles and other wildlife that inhabitant this mangrove forest and barrier island After your tour you will return to your hotel in Leon.
This morning, you will be met at your hotel and transferred to La Concha, Montibelli Wildlife Reserve. This is a private reserve that measures more than 160 hectares. Lunch is included.
The reserve lies on Managua’s sierra and its altitude ranges from 360 to 720 meters above sea level. Most of the area is covered with tropical dry forest, and many different types of animals and plants inhabit the reserve. Along with your local guide you will visit two fincas (ranches).
First, visit “Finca El Jicaro”, a property dedicated to the harvest of rice, avocado and pineapples, as well as raising cattle. You will observe how “cuajadas”, a variety of local cheese and tortillas, are made. Then visit “Finca El Eden” and see all the fruits that are grown here such as lemons, oranges, coconuts among others.
This property also has a forest of precious wood. Lunch “campestre”-style will be served in the property.
Afterward, continue to Masaya National Park. Masaya is Nicaragua’s first national park, created in 1979, one of the country’s most interesting and beautiful natural phenomena. It comprises an area of 54 km2 with more than 20 km of scenic roads and trails, leading to and around the one impressive volcano and five formidable craters; one of them currently displays gaseous activity and most recently a lava lake was originated and it is visible inside the main crater of the volcano. Take a peek into the crater and enjoy a truly nature marvelous!
Afterward, you will continue to Granada.
Overnight Hotel Plaza Colon, daily breakfast included - 2 nights. The Hotel Plaza Colon is located right in front of Parque Colón, known as Parque Central in the historical city of Granada. Hotel facilities include 27 luxury guest rooms, swimming pool, concierge desk, business center, free Internet access, coffee shop.
Room categories include Superior (1 King/Queen or 2 Queen beds), Balcony (1 King/Queen or 2 Queen beds), Suite with Balcony.
You will be met at your hotel after breakfast and set off by bicycle through Granada for Lake Nicaragua. Granada is the oldest colonial city in the Americas, founded by the Spanish in 1524. Touring Granada will transport you back to the colonial times: classical and neo-classical buildings, horse-drawn carriages.
Ride along rural paths to the Asese peninsula. Afterward, set off for a kayak tour. See the most beautiful islands in Lake Nicaragua and their rich flora and fauna, discover some of the 356 islands “Isletas”.
You will observe the local fauna (monkeys, migrating and non-migrating birds) as well as a lush vegetation and flora, and the isletas’s inhabitants named the “Isleños”, the community of about 2000 live in simple yet decent conditions from fishing, small agriculture and now tourism. Return to Granada in bikes, and free time to relax and explore the city.
You will be met at your hotel and transferred to Mombacho Natural Cloudforest Reserve. The Mombacho Volcano, at 1400 meters, is now extinct and covered by lush vegetation. This has created a rich ecosystem with 50 species of mammals, 174 species of birds, 30 of reptiles and 750 species of flora.
A powerful truck will drive you to the top of the extinct volcano, through coffee plantations to the cloud forest, which offers exceptional sites to discover its flora and fauna. Once at the volcano top you will hike the 'Crater Trail' around one of the volcanoes’ 3 craters (around 1h30m hike).
Along the way there are several lookouts that boast stunning views (weather permitting) to the crater and its lush vegetation, the city of Granada, the smoking Masaya volcano, Lake Nicaragua and the Islands. Howler monkeys can frequently be observed or heard.
Afterward, continue by car to San Jorge. From San Jorge depart on the one-hour ferry to Ometepe Island. You will be met by a local driver upon arrival and transferred to your lodge.
Overnight Hotel San Juan De La Isla, breakfast included. Comfort, privacy, great lake and volcano views, authentic Nicaraguan hacienda style, a long sandy beach.
Ometepe Island Tour
A visit to the main sites of Ometepe Island in company of your local bilingual guide. First visit the Green Puddles lagoon in Charco Verde’s Reserve. Hike through the forest and enjoy the nature and you can also observe the main land which is visible on the horizon from this side of the island.
The lagoon provides a shelter place for many birds as well. Later, if desired, stop to visit the “El Ceibo” museum, probably one of the best archaeological museums of Nicaragua. It will give you a great sense of the history of the island from ancient times to recent times. Later, you will go for a short walk in the middle of a tropical forest, listening to birds singing and monkeys chattering before enjoying lunch.
This afternoon you will be transferred to the Ometepe docks and board the ferry to the mainland. Transfer by private vehicle to San Juan del Sur, a small and typical fishing village located on a bay overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Overnight Pelican Eyes Resort & Spa, breakfast included - 2 nights. Pelican Eyes Resort & Spa is located on a hillside overlooking the bay in the charming fishing village of San Juan del Sur, on the stunning Pacific Coast of Nicaragua. Pelican Eyes Resort & Spa is divided in two phases connected by a system of brick stairways and a town road.
It has 50 homes and hotel rooms with both ocean and garden views: 2 bedroom Villas with one or two bathrooms that are the perfect size for families of 4 to 6 people, 1 bedroom/2 bath townhouses, efficiency studios ideal for honeymooners and standard hotel rooms in combinations of 2 queen beds or 1 king bed.
Resort facilities include three infinity pools, two restaurants offering Nicaraguan and international cuisine, a 41-foot sailboat with capacity for up to 20 people, spa services at Tranquila Day Spa. Hotel staff can arrange for local excursions and activities such as surfing lesson, horseback riding, zip lining, appointments for Tranquila Day Spa, booking sailboat trips.
Day at leisure.
You will be met at your hotel and transferred to Managua.
Overnight Camino Real Hotel, breakfast included.
Transfer to the Int'l Airport.
| Price from | $2,164.00 per person, based on double occupancy |
|---|---|
| Days | 10 |
| Nights | 9 |
| Includes: | Based on double occupancy for 2 travelers, reduced prices for parties of 3 or more. |
