Nicaragua Highlights

Leon and its volcanoes - Matagalpa and the coffee plantations - Colonial Granada-Ometepe Island - San Juan Del Sur - Corn Island and the Caribbean

14 days, 13 nights.

Category: relaxing/moderately strenuous

This package offers all the best of Nicaragua: 2 antique colonial cities founded almost 500 years ago, their architecture and history; Ometepe island, largest volcanic island in a lake in the world; San Juan del Sur at the pacific Ocean; Matagalpa, the mountains and the coffee plantations; Corn Island, paradise located at the Caribbean sea.

Day 1: Managua airport-Managua

Arrival in Managua, transfer to your hotel to spend the first night.

Day 2: Managua-Leon

In the morning, go for a short city tour of Managua. Then drive north towards Leon, one of the oldest colonial cities in Central America. Accommodation in your hotel in the center of the city. After lunch, we’ll visit the city of Leon, its huge cathedral, many old churches. Free evening and night in Leon, very lively city.

Day 3: Leon-Matagalpa

After breakfast, leave Leon, on the road towards east, to mountainous region Matagalpa and its fresh weather, home of famous coffee plantations. On the way stop at San Jacinto and observe the boiling mud and thermal waters. Arrive at Matagalpa. Accommodation in a large coffee farm “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 have their own school and church! Enjoy a delicious lunch with the freshest products! Later, 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. Back to our base, enjoy a drink in front of the chimney! Dinner and night.

Day 4: Matagalpa-Granada

Free morning in the farm. After lunch, drive towards south. In the afternoon, we will 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 re loaded in different containers according to their final destination… In the middle there are more than 12 steps in the process, that you will be able to see and be explained.

We take the road again. In the late afternoon, arrive in Granada, the jewel of Nicaraguan cities. Accommodation in your hotel. Free evening in Granada.
Granada is the oldest colonial city in the Americas, founded by the Spanish in 1524. Touring Granada will transport us back to the colonial times, with its classical and neo-classical buildings, its horse-drawn carriages !
Night at the hotel.

Days 5 and 6: Granada

Free days in Granada and optional tours and activities:

*Boat ride to discover Lake Nicaragua and some of its 365 small islands “Isletas”.

*Excursion to Mombacho volcano, natural reserve with a cloud forest, a very nicely designed trail circles around one of the craters.

*Canopy Tour: Get ready to climb and swing through trees!! This tour offers you an unforgettable experience sliding down from tree to tree through seventeen platforms and bridges very safely built, overlooking the coffee plantations. It takes around 2 hours to experience this unique activity.

*Tour to Masaya markets and the “white towns”, home of famous handicraft manufactured in the country, as well as Catarina, lookout where from you can observe Lake Nicaragua & the Islets, the Mombacho volcano, Granada and Apoyo Lagoon.

*Tour to Masaya National Park and active volcano, where you’ll reach the edge of a still active volcano and visit its small but very interesting museum.

*City tour with all museums and colonial monuments in Granada.

*Visit a small cigar factory.

*Go to Apoyo Lagoon, where a crater lake awaits, with warm, pleasant and safe waters. There is a small private exclusive resort, located in front of the water and including bar and restaurant..

Day 7 : Granada-Ometepe Island

Transfer to Ometepe Island, world largest volcanic island in a lake. Accommodation in your hotel situated on the waterfront. After lunch, you can discover the island or just relax at the beach. Dinner in the hotel.

Day 8 : Ometepe Island

Free day in the island. Optional tours available, like kayaking, bicycling, hiking in the rain forest. Dinner and overnight in your hotel.

Day 9 : Ometepe-San Juan del Sur

After breakfast, leave the hotel and the island. Go to San Juan del Sur, typical fishermen port located at the south west, 15 miles away from the border with Costa Rica. Seafood lunch in front of the water, and in the afternoon, go to a beautiful beach to enjoy swimming in the Pacific Ocean. Free evening in San Juan, night in a hotel in San Juan.

Day 10 : San Juan del Sur-Managua

Free morning in San Juan. Later we’ll drive to Managua (2 hours drive). Lunch at Catarina lookout. Accommodation in your hotel, Managua downtown.

Day 11 : Managua-Caribbean Coast-Little Corn Island

Transfer to the international airport. Take a flight to Corn Island and then a boat ride to reach Little Corn Island, Caribbean Coast’s crown jewel. Accommodation in your hotel located right in front of the water.

Day 11 and 12 : Little Corn Island

Free time at Little Corn Island. Optional activities available: beach, snorkeling and diving. Nights in your hotel..

Day 13 : Little Corn Island-Managua

Fly back to Managua, in the afternoon. Accommodation in your hotel in Managua.

Day 14 : Managua-Managua airport

Transfer to Managua int’l airport to reach your flight back to your country.
End of our Services.

Package Includes:

• 3 nights in Managua
• 1 night in Leon
• 3 nights in Granada
• 2 nights on Ometepe Island
• 1 night in San Juan del Sur
• 1 night in Matagalpa
• 2 nights in Little Corn Island
• In total, 13 hotel nights.
• Daily breakfasts in some places.
• Lunch on days 2, 3, 7 to 10 included. (6 in total).
• Dinner on days 3, 7 and 8 (3 in total). ( Each meal includes one soft drink or beer per person)
• All activities mentioned, with respective entrances.
• All transportation in private vehicles with a/c.
• Round trip flight Managua-Corn Island-Managua
• Transfer Corn Island-Little Corn-Corn Island (boat)
• Ferry San Jorge-Ometepe-San Jorge
• Transfer port-hotel in Ometepe-port
• Multilingual guide for days 1, 2, 3, 4 (up to midday), 9, 10.
• Cooler with purified water in the van.
• All taxes for hotels and restaurants.

Package does not include:

• All optional activities mentioned
Note: In Granada, one or more of the different activities mentioned can be included on request (recommended).
• Discretional tips
• Extra meals
• Taxes at the airport and personal expenses.