The highlands of Matagalpa, home to the best coffee growing areas of the country, Masaya Volcano National Park, Coyotepe Fortress, Kayaking on Lake Nicaragua, Mombacho Cloud Forest canopy zipline tour, San Juan del Sur.
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 Airport upon arrival and transferred to Granada.
Overnight at the Hotel Europa (or similar), daily breakfast included.
This morning you will go for a guided visit of Managua, the capital of the country. Visit the historical Loma de Tiscapa and see the ruins of Somoza’s Palace. Looking north, you will see the volcanoes from the Maribios range, as well of the Managua from “before 1972”. You will also see the new Managua getting slowly built to the south and Masaya.
Then, visit the National Palace and its natural history museum, drive by the old cathedral and central Park, as well as the new Presidential House and some other attractions.
Later, continue to Matagalpa, home to the best coffee growing areas of the country. Then continue to Selva Negra, a lodge located in the highlands of Matagalpa and surrounded by a fresh, permanent cloud forest. Lunch and dinner included today.
Overnight at Hotel Selva Negra (or similar), Bungalows, breakfast included - 2 nights.
Today visit Selva Negra’s farm on a sustainability tour. Selva Negra is a pioneer in sustainable agriculture, the practice of farming in harmony with the relationships between organisms and their environment. Visit the workers' village, barns and farm animals, greenhouses, the cheese house and the laboratory where their own organic weed and pest control are made.
In the afternoon, we take a trip to Matagalpa. You will learn about the culture, economy, history, and way of life of the “Matagalpinos” in a unique tour designed to experience daily life in this important Nicaraguan city.
We visit the “Foreigners’ Cemetery” (a national heritage site); the birthplace of Carlos Fonseca, now a museum of the martyred founder of the Sandinista National Liberation Front; the Coffee Museum; and the city center with its impressive cathedral.
Get in touch with the locals, learn how to change money on the street, and observe the bootblacks of the central park. We finish with a visit to the Guanuca market, symbolic of the economic activity of the Nicaraguan countryside.
After breakfast you will leave the fresh mountains and head back to the Pacific region of the country to Granada, the Jewel of Nicaraguan cities! On the way visit the the imposing Masaya National Park and its lava lake. Take a peek into the crater and enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Later continue to the El Coyotepe, a big fortress on top of one of the most strategic hills, close to Masaya. This fortress was named Fortaleza El Coyotepe, and allowed his troops to easily observe enemies – mainly North American armies who tried to take Masaya – and protect the land.
End with a visit to the White Villages, historical and very colorful towns. Visit Catarina, a small and characteristic village of Nicaragua where people work seedling nurseries, make handcraft and raise horses. From a “mirador” you can have a magnificent view of the Apoyo lagoon, Mombacho volcano, Granada and Lake Nicaragua.
Afterwards, go to San Juan de Oriente, famous for its ceramic arts. Visit a workshop, all items are handmade and the “know how” is transmitted from fathers to sons.
Overnight at Hotel Patio del Malinche (or similar), Standard rooms, breakfast included - 2 nights.
Today visit Granada on a guided city tour. The vibrant and colorful city of Granada is known to be the oldest colonial settlement in the Americas, during the tour admire the neo-Classic colonial style buildings and other places of interest such as churches and a museum.
Part of the tour will take place in horse drawn carriages just like in the old colonial times! Later, we will transfer you to a small dock on Lake Nicaragua to board a boat that will take you to a private island. Upon arrival, start your kayak tour through the water canals of the enchanting “Isletas” (Islets), an archipelago of 365 little islands. Opportunity to see birds and the daily life of the “Isleños”.
After breakfast, you will be picked up at the lobby of your hotel for a transfer to the Pacific Ocean to San Juan del Sur, a small yet colorful fishermen village. On the way, we visit the Mombacho Volcano Natural Reserve, the defining feature of the Granada skyline.
Enjoy a guided hike at “El Crater” trail (1½ hike) and experience the permanent cloud forest. If weather permits, enjoy great views of Lake Nicaragua and the city of Granada. The cloud forest experience is complete with an exciting canopy (zip line) tour. You will go swinging from tree to tree on safely built platforms over the coffee plantations.
Overnight at Hotel Victoriano (or similar), Standard rooms, breakfast included - 2 nights.
Day at leisure in San Juan del Sur. Optional activities such as surfing, boat sailings, hike in a private reserve and more can be organized.
Transfer to the Managua Int'l Airport. Int'l Departure.
