Nicaragua Escapade

(8 days, 7 nights)

Category: relaxing

This package offers all the best of Nicaragua: 2 antique colonial cities founded almost 500 years ago, their architecture and history; active volcanoes and tropical forests; Lake Nicaragua and the Islands; Juan Venado Natural Reserve; The program alternates sightseeing tours and some soft adventure.

DAY 1. Airport - Managua – Hotel in Managua-

Arrival in Managua, meet and greet by your guide. Transfer to your hotel Intercontinental 4* (no real 5* in Nicaragua), conveniently located next to major restaurants. Night at your hotel.

*DAY 2. Managua – Granada-

After breakfast, we will pick you up in your hotel. We will start the day with a city tour in Managua. The city was destroyed by an earthquake in 1972. The old center was never really rebuilt; after the war, a new business center was slowly built, still in process. You will visit the National Palace, which hosts the most complete museum in town; what remains of the old center; an art gallery, as well as the nicest residential area.
Then, enjoy a delicious lunch in the most authentic typical restaurant in town.
After lunch, we will drive you south to Granada. After one hour, you will arrive in the nicest colonial city in Nicaragua. Accommodation at brand new Hotel La Gran Francia 3*sup located right in the Central Park (junior suite), most luxury hotel; in Granada. Welcome cocktail. Guided tour of the city.
Free evening and night in Granada. Lots of restaurants and bars are available.

Built by the Spanish conquistadors in 1524, Granada is the best place for tourism because of its beauty and colonial architecture, charming hotels and activities to enjoy nearby: Lake Nicaragua and the islands, Mombacho volcano with its natural reserve, Masaya and its folklore... The city is located only 1 hour away from the capital Managua and 70 minutes from the border with Costa Rica.

*DAY 3. Granada- Masaya and the Pueblos – Granada-

We will start the tour in the city of Masaya. You will discover the First National Park created in Nicaragua in 1979 that of the still active Masaya Volcano, as well as its small museum dedicated to the volcano’s history. Then we will visit the finest Handicraft Market where you can enjoy the creativity and variety of Nicaraguan art at bargain prices. Later, enjoy your lunch in Catarina with a magnificent view on the Apoyo lagoon, Mombacho volcano, Granada and Lake Nicaragua. In the late afternoon, we will go to San Juan de Oriente, famous for its ceramic arts. In the evening, enjoy the city of Granada, and the hotel.

*DAY 4. Granada- Mombacho Volcano – Lake Nicaragua and the Islands- Granada-

After breakfast, we will drive to the Mombacho Volcano Natural Reserve. A Jeep or truck ride will take us to the top. We will go through coffee plantations to the cloud forest, which offers exceptional sites to discover its flora and fauna. We will walk around one of the craters and discover amazing views! Then, lunch in a typical restaurant on the shores of the volcano. After lunch, you will go for a Boat Ride and discover Lake Nicaragua and some of its 356 islands. The inhabitants (“Isleños”) live peacefully in simple yet decent conditions and dedicate themselves to fishing and small agriculture.
Back to the hotel, free evening in Granada.

*DAY 5. Granada - Leon-

Breakfast in the hotel and transfer north to Leon, the other main colonial city. Accommodation at hotel El Convento, located in the earth of the city.
After lunch (included), go for a city tour in Leon. Visit the main churches, the Cathedral (hike the tower to get an amazing view of the city and volcanoes), as well as a magnificent Art Gallery with painting from Europe and Central America, distributed in 2 colonial houses.

*DAY 6. Leon- Juan Venado Island and Natural Reserve- Boiling mud at San Jacinto- Esteli-Matagalpa

Alter breakfast, we will pick you up to go visit Isla Juan Venado. This Island located in the north pacific is 22 kms long and hosts lots of birds, and mangroves. The boat ride will take approximately 3 hours. Stop in a beach to swim, a small rancho is waiting for you. Soft drink included.
Then, enjoy a delicious sea food lunch right in front of the water in a restaurant at Las Peñitas beach (see picture enclosed).

In the afternoon, we will drive towards east (50 minutes from Las Peñitas or 25 minutes from Leon) to observe another volcanic phenomena, the boiling mud at San Jacinto, very humble village. Those are geysers coming out from the earth, with a temperature of 300 Degrees Celsius.
Stop at Esteli, interesting and clean town producing world-famous cigars, as well as a lot of leather products: shoes, boots in iguana and more, horse-trappings…
Then, arrive at Matagalpa. Accommodation in hotel Selva Negra, located in the middle of the coffee plantations. Dinner and night.

Note: It is also possible to spend the night in a large “Finca”, La Cumplida: there is a large and well conditioned country house, with simple but yet nicely accommodated rooms and bathrooms, located in the hearth of the property. More than 300 people live permanently here, and up to 1 500 people work during the harvest period (October-March). This is like a self-sufficient community, as they have grocery store, grow bananas, beans, raise cattle etc… And has its own school and church!!

*Day 7: Matagalpa-Managua

After breakfast, take a tour in a 4x4 pick-up the coffee farm “La Cumplida”, with a local guide. You will be really impressed by the visit of the property, we beat you’ve never seen something similar in the past: starting with coffee (1 500 acres), continuing with 2 000 acres of tropical rain forest, and ending 1 000 acres of reforestation; also, the farms has diversified its activities, now producing fern to ornate flowers arrangements and sending an average of 3 containers to Europe every week. Then, enjoy a delicious lunch with the freshest products!

After lunch, drive towards south. In the afternoon, we will make a quick stop at Sebaco. There is the largest coffee processing plant in Nicaragua. Pretty impressive, from one side the trucks unload all the coffee recently collected in the plantations, and in the other side the coffee bags are loaded in different containers according to their final destination…

We take the road again. On the way, you will be able to see people selling the most unexpected items: Tattoos, monkeys, small and big parrots, iguanas, fishes and more…
In the late afternoon, arrive Managua, accommodation in your hotel located close to major restaurants. Free evening in Managua.

Transfer back to the hotel in the late afternoon. Free night in Leon.

*DAY 8. Managua- Managua airport-

Transfer to Managua International airport, to catch your flight back to your country. End of our services.

Package Includes:

Lodging:

• 2 nights in Managua;
• 3 nights in Granada;
• 1 night in Leon;
• 1 night in Matagalpa.
• In total, 7 nights (see our hotels selection).

Meal plan:

• Breakfasts every day (8 in total, if airport transfer time on day 8 allows time for breakfast);
• Lunch on days 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 included. (6 in total). Each meal includes one soft drink or beer per person.

Others:

• All activities mentioned, with all respective entrances.
• All transportation in private vehicles with a/c.
• Multilingual guide every day and his expenses, from the start of activities in the morning up to 6.00. Pm approximately (from day 2 to day 7 evening).
• Airport welcome on day 1.
• Cooler with purified water in the vehicle.
• All taxes for hotels and restaurants.

Does not include:

• All optional activities mentioned
• Discretional tips
• All meals not included in the above list
• Taxes at the airport (entrance and exit)
• Other personal expenses