The Land of the Volcanoes
Itinerary
Day 1 – Glory days of Granada
The oldest city in the New World, Granada is striking with its colourful colonial buildings and diverse culture. Upon arrival, you’ll be transferred directly to your hotel in Granada, a journey of about an hour. You’ll stay in a comfortable colonial-style hotel with its own swimming pool.
Day 2 – City walk
After breakfast, you’ll be picked up by your English-speaking guide for a walk through the city. Together you’ll discover the best spots in Granada. In the central square, there’s often live music in the evening, especially on Friday night when the terraces are full and the atmosphere is exuberant. The University of Granada has a large population, and many exchange students from around the world come here to study Spanish. It gives the city a young, eclectic vibe, and there are often cultural festivals, exhibitions and workshops. During the walk, you’ll get the chance to look out over Granada, Lake Nicaragua, the Apoyo lagoon and a multitude of distant volcanoes.
Day 3 & 4 – Discover Ometepe Island
Next, you’ll travel by private transfer to the port in San Jorge, which takes about 2 hours to drive. Here you’ll hop on the ferry over to Ometepe Island, which usually takes an hour. You’ll be met on the other side and transferred to your hotel, which can take between 30-40 minutes.
Ometepe Island lies in the second-largest freshwater lake in Latin America. There’s nothing planned for you during your stay so you can decide how to spend your time. Relax on the beach, try some hiking up one of the volcanoes, or jump on a bike and discover the island. You’ll stay in the centre of Ometepe between the two volcanoes. From your hammock, you can enjoy the sounds of wind, water and birds.
Day 5 – Wake up and smell the coffee!
On your last day, you’ll take a taxi to the port and head back to the mainland by ferry. We’ll arrange a private transfer to Matagalpa in northern Nicaragua, which takes about 4.5 hours. If there is one thing that Nicaragua is renowned for, it has to be coffee. What you might not know is that there is a large indigenous Indian community in the region, resulting in a variety of interesting handicrafts and lively music. You’ll stay in a mountain-view hotel in the Cerro Arenal Nature Reserve, so you can enjoy the sound of the forest alongside your morning coffee.
Day 6 – Matagalpa coffee tour
Today is all about coffee, so why not grab a cup at breakfast this morning? It’s almost certainly from the region. After a leisurely breakfast, you’ll head out to the coffee plantations to begin this Nicaragua coffee tour. You’ll learn about the whole coffee-making process from bean to cup and your guide will explain everything, from harvesting, washing and drying, to the roasting and grinding of the beans.
Day 7 – At home with the Nicos
Next, you’ll journey with an English-speaking guide to a small community in the San Ramon region, about 1 hour from Matagalpa. The local people in San Ramon have set up a successful community project where local families open their homes to tourists. You’ll immerse yourself in the culture of a local family by staying in their home and trying your hand at some home-cooked Nicaraguan food. In this small village, you’re unlikely to meet many other tourists. It might also be the perfect time to brush up on a little Spanish!
Day 8 – The colonial charm of Léon
Today you’ll be picked up and transferred by private car to Leon, a journey of about 3.5 hours. Leon has a rich colonial history with 12 cathedrals and churches. When you arrive in Leon, you’ll travel straight to your accommodation in the middle of downtown. The hotel is a converted monastery and museum housing religious statues and paintings. This evening you could take a walk to the central square, where you can stroll along the market stalls and watch the local musicians and old folk who gather to play cards.
Day 9 – Cultural heritage tour
After breakfast, you’ll be collected from your hotel, ready for a unique tour learning to create traditional Nicaraguan art. Watch a local artist demonstrate the age-old techniques of creating a variety of typical Nicaraguan handicrafts; then try them out yourself. You may not be an expert after your first try, but at least you’ll have some original homemade souvenirs to take back to friends and family back home.
You’ll be dropped off back at your hotel at around lunch time, giving you the rest of the day free to explore the city. In the centre of Leon alone, you’ll find 12 colonial cathedrals and churches with beautiful sculptures and vaults. The city has an intellectual atmosphere, and you can really soak up the history.
Day 10 – Surf’s up in San Juan
From Leon, you’ll travel by private car south to San Juan del Sur. Your journey time today should take between 3 to 4 hours. Although you won’t find powdery white sand on Nicaragua’s Pacific Coast, you will discover clapboard houses, chilled-out restaurants and fantastic sunsets. You’ll stay in a charming boutique hotel, lovingly converted from a historic wooden home. Breakfast is served on the large outdoor porch amongst tropical gardens. There’s a good-sized pool on the property, and the beach is only a few steps from the hotel.
Day 11 – Surfing lesson
Today you’ll enjoy the waters near San Juan del Sur on a surfboard. You’ll be picked up from your hotel and taken to one of the quieter beaches. You might find it takes some time if you’ve never done this before, but soon enough, you should be standing on your board. Sure, you’ll be a little wobbly, but it’s an exhilarating experience. At the end of the day, you’ll be taken back to your hotel.
Day 12 – Free time in San Juan del Sur
Today is completely free for you to do as you please. The beaches to the north of town are great for swimming and diving and it’s easy to book a diving excursion on the spot if you want. Alternatively, if you feel like you’ve had enough of the water world you could take a hike up to the Christ of Mercy Statue. This iconic statue of Christ overlooks the town and at 25m is one of the tallest in the world.
Day 13 & 14 – The mighty volcano
After your time on the beach, you’ll travel by private car to Managua, just 2.5 hours away. Managua may not be the prettiest of cities, but it’s worth stopping a while to appreciate the fading colonial buildings and take in the impressive sight of Masaya Volcano. Along the way, try to catch a glimpse of the green Parakeets and bats before peering into the crater mouth.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. The following day, we’ll arrange a private transfer to take you to the airport, ready for your international flight home.
Accommodation
For this itinerary we offer the following options
Upgrade to our In Style accommodation
For this itinerary trip we have an alternative options available for your accommodation in certain places. Our In Style version includes accommodation which is bit more special or unique but still with lots of local flavour! If you would like to upgrade your accommodation select our In Style option below.
