Nicaragua Holidays - Volcanos Trekking Expedition

Experience what few travellers have before. This is an adventure for lovers of the earth's irrepressible power and untamed natural beauty. With the expert guidance of a volcanologist working for INETER, the government geological survey (if available at the time of travel), we show you the thorny spine of Nicaragua’s extraordinary volcanoes. Eight volcanoes in eight days. You swim in warm, volcanic crater lakes; explore a dual volcano island connected by a lava flow isthmus; climb in virgin, volcanic cloud forest; examine tropical, volcanic flora and fauna; learn about ancient volcanic cultures; peer into the bottom of one of the worlds most active volcanic craters; walk amongst a breathing magma vein, bubbling, smoking and collapsing the land around you and lounge on a sandy volcanic beach. You go from the fierce little Cerro Negro in the north, to the towering, perfect cone of Concepción in the south, the volcano that exists in all our dreams. Your senses just might erupt.

DAY 1: Managua - Leon
Airport greeting and transfer to the colonial capital of Nicaragua, León funded in 1610. Lodging in the hotel city centre at Hotel Austria. Welcome cocktail at El Sesteo on central park.

DAY 2: Leon - Cerro Negro Volcano - Telica Volcano - Leon
Breakfast and transfer to the north base of the active Telica volcano. We hike across the volcano and ascend to the summit to see inside its breathtaking crater. The descent includes two mini-ascents over ridges of older extinct craters. On the way back, we visit the fumaroles at San Jacinto. This area is actually a magma vein for the Telica Volcano, exposed to the surface through fumarolic vents, that create an otherworldly, smoking, collapsing and bubbling example of earth's inner fury. Return to the lovely red-roofed colonial city of León. Lodging at hotel Austria. (BL).

DAY 3: Leon - Cerro Negro - Rota Volcano -Leon
Breakfast and transfer to the second youngest volcano in the Americas, Cerro Negro whose last eruption occurred in August 1999 and which formed 3 new baby craters. This is a trek through open fields and around the extinct cone-shapped Rota Volcano and onto the lava flows of this jet-black cone. We climb to the summit and go down along the west face of the cone. Return to Leon. Lodging at hotel Austria.(BL)

DAY 5: Leon - Momotombo Volcano - Masaya Volcano - Granada Breakfast and early transfer south past the active Momotombo Volcano and its thermal energy plant to the Masaya Volcano National Park, made up of five craters and a lake. One of the craters, Santiago is very active and you go right to the edge of the crater for the breathtaking view down to the smoking interior. Hiking tour of this moonscape and its uniquely adapted ecosystem, which includes crater dwelling parrots. Transfer to Granada, the oldest city in Nicaragua (1524), a colonial gem. Lodging at hotel Alhambra, located on central park in Granada.(BL)

DAY 6: Granada - Apoyo Crater lake - Granada Breakfast and early transfer to the magnificent deep blue Laguna de Apoyo, Nicaragua’s largest crater lake. Inside the forested crater, on the shore of the lake, is a research station for the Proyecto Ecologico where the scientist documented thus far 135 species of butterflies and over 95 species of birds. Return to Granada and lodging at hotel Alhambra. (BL)

DAY 7: Granada - Mombacho Volcano- Ganada
Breakfast and morning transfer to Mombacho Volcano a protected cloud forest and home to monkeys, butterflies and many of the country’s 600+ species of orchids. Hiking the cloud forest to the summit for the view of Lake Nicaragua, the colonial gem of Granada and the 354 islands of its coast, Las Isletas, which are the product of a massive eruption by Mombacho. Return to Granada and lodging at hotel Alhambra.(BL)

DAY 8: Granada - Ometepe Island - Santo Domingo Beach
Breakfast and transfer to the port of San Jorge for the ferry to the world's biggest freshwater island, Ometepe. Ometepe that was prophesied by Aztec priests as the promised land, is home to many interesting pre-Columbian legends and remains. The people of the island are perhaps the country’s most friendly and there are many small villages and churches. Tour of the island’s unique nature spots, indigenous artefacts and current day culture. Physically, Ometepe is like no other island in the world, for it is made up of two tall volcanoes: Concepción (1,610 metres) and Maderas (1,394 metres), which rise up out of Central America’s largest body of fresh water, Lake Nicaragua (8,264 km2) and are wrapped in thick forest and connected by a lava flow isthmus. Trek around the active Concepción Cone through the village of Altagracia and along the beach. On this isthmus is a long and wide, beige sand beach and a lovely wooden lodge called Villa Paraiso. Lodging beach front at the Hotel Villa Paraiso.(BL)

DAY 9: Maderas Volcano - Santo Domingo Beach
Breakfast and early transfer to the base of the extinct Maderas Volcano. Climbing in this dense, virgin cloud forest until the lagoon-filled summit of this beautiful volcano. The cloud forest here is a national reserve, home to numerous flowers and very healthy butterfly, howler monkey and bird populations. There are also mysterious petroglyphs carved by the island’s pre-Columbian inhabitants. The villagers around the Maderas Volcano represent the one of the best examples of traditional Nicaraguan culture and proud Nicaraguan peasant life. Box lunch on the Volcano. Transfer to Santo Domingo Beach for lodging at the Villa Paraiso.(BL)

DAY 10: Concepcion Volcano - Santo Domingo
Breakfast and transfer to the base of Concepción for an optional climb in this active volcano’s dry tropical forest. This volcano last erupted in 1954 and its hollow cone holds lava at lake level, more than 1,500 meters below its summit. The Concepción Volcano is thought to be the most symmetrical volcano in Central America and at its base are many banana and tobacco plantations. For those who prefer to relax, the big beach in the shadow of the Maderas Volcano at Santo Domingo and Lake Nicaragua’s warm, gentle waves are just the ticket. Transfer to Santo Domingo Beach for lodging at the Villa Paraiso. (BL)

DAY 11: Santo Domingo- Moyogalpa - San Jorge - Managua
Transfer to Moyogalpa for the ferry to the mainland. Dock greeting in San Jorge and transfer to Managua for lodging at the Hotel Europeo. Optional transfer to the open-air dance club, Mirador Tiscapa, which is perched on the rim of the Tiscapa Crater Lake. (BL)

DAY 12: Managua
Breakfast and transfer to airport for your flight home or continuation of your holidays in Nicaragua.(B)

Photo courtesy of Richard Leonardi

Rated: Moderate

Tour Tariff - Private Departures
N° of Participants	2-3	4-5	6+	SGL Supp.
USD	$ 1977	$ 1611	$ 1059	$ 271
EUR	€ 1641	€ 1337	€ 879	€ 225
GBP	£ 1107	£ 902	£ 593	£ 152

(*) Price last updated on 15 March 2006. Current price may vary due to elements out of our control, so please always check by sending us a quotation request .
(**) Discount for larger groups

Included: All transfers and transport, entrance fees, boat ticket, accommodation on a double or triple basis (when 3 passengers) with private bath, specified meals, hotel taxes, bilingual guide, expert guide service

Not included: other meals, drinks, tips

Volcanos Trekking Expedition

"Nicaragua"