NICARAGUA NORTH TO SOUTH (13 DAYS / 12 NIGHTS) Package

ITINERARY

Day 1 - Managua
Arrival in Managua’s International airport where you will be met by our driver to transfer you to your hotel.

Day 2 - León
You will be picked up early at your hotel for travel to the colonial city of León, visiting the ruins of León Viejo en route. There will be time to try the local delicacy, quesillo (a soft tortilla wrap filled with the local mozzarella-like cheese, chopped onion and tomato in a cream sauce) and sample a chocolate-flavoured corn drink served in a gourd, before continuing to León where you have a tour of the 'new' city including visits to the impressive cathedral, the Subtiava district, and the Museum of Art Ortiz-Gurdian, a lovely colonial home that doubles as an art museum, or the museum of Ruben Dario the nation’s most famous son who is considered one of the greatest poets in the history of the Spanish language and who is buried in the cathedral.  (B, L)

Day 3 - San Jacinto, Chorotega and Chinandega
Early morning pick up at your hotel for a full day tour learning more about Nicaragua's culture and traditions touring the villages northwest of Leon. First stop are the boiling mud fumaroles in the village of San Jacinto before travelling to the 17th century Menor Basilica in the rustic town of El Viejo. This is where a small statuette of La Virgen del Trono, the nation's venerated patron saint is found and makes this town the center of religious pilgrimages. Afterwards, you’ll continue to Chinandega, which means ‘place surrounded by cane’. This colorful town with an impressive church is located in one of the most fertile valleys in Central America. Visit the Chorotega museum which holds 1,500 Indigenous Pre-Columbian artifacts. During your visit you'll have an opportunity to practice your Spanish with the kids or simply enjoy what they have to offer you, a big smile and a lot of hope for their future.  (B, L)

Day 4 - Juan Venado Nature Reserve
Early morning pick up at your hotel to visit Isla Juan Venado Nature Reserve, a Pacific coastal wetland. After a one hour drive to Las Peñitas beach, you will board your private motor boat for an exciting 2 hours 13 mile boat ride to Juan Venado a barrier island 0.5km wide separating the sea from the shore. Behind this sandbar is an important mangrove and an estuary that is home to an abundance of fauna including; caymans, crocodiles, iguanas, crustaceans and other marine creatures. The sand spit is also a vital nesting site for Olive Ridley sea turtles (from May to November). The Isla Juan Venado Nature Reserve is uninhabited and there will be time for you to feel enveloped in the solitude and the beauty of nature before your journey back to Leon. Afternoon transfer down the Panamerican Highway to your base for two nights near the Laguna de Apoyo and Catarina. (B, L)

Day 5 - Pueblos Blancos craft villages
Today you'll visit the surrounding Los Pueblos Blancos “white villages”, and the Catarina view point overlooking Apoya lagoon. Each village specializes in a special handicraft; from pottery to hammocks, baskets, leather, and woodwork. (B, L)

Day 6 - Granada
Early morning pick up for drive to the beautiful city of Granada and a tour of the city, including a visit to the Cathedral, the Convent of San Francisco, the Casa de los Leones cultural center, and the Museo de Granada, a private museum within a grand home. After lunch there will be some free time to enjoy the city; perhaps take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the streets. In the afternoon, there is a a boat tour through Las Isletas de Granada, to view the spectacular homes on these private islands, observe the varied species of wildlife and enjoy a magnificent sunset on the lake. (B, L)

Day 7 - Granada / Mombacho Volcano Reserve, Coffee tour - Masaya at night
Early morning pick up at your hotel for a walk in the cool, misty cloud forest which enrobes the Mombacho volcano (closed on Mondays). The duration and difficulty of the trail will be up to you. You ascend by vehicle through coffee plantations and cloud forest to reach the visitor center at 3,600’ where it's always windy and cold but on a clear day you can be rewarded with impressive views across the Pacific plain region of Nicaragua. Your local guide will point out the rich the flora (orchids, bromeliads deck the stunted trees), the fauna (including the endemic Mombacho Salamander and Mombacho butterfly, plus colourful frogs, howler and white face monkeys) and inform you of the people who once inhabited the area and the vulcanology. You can choose to follow the easy 30 min El Cafetal Trail, the medium 1hr 30 min El Crater Trail or the strenuous 4hr El Puma trail. The 2,500 acre reserve is managed by the Cocibolca Foundation, a local conservation group that is helping coffee growers develop sustainable agrofrestry methods, working to stop the illegal extraction of orchids and birds for sale and teaching local school children to protect the environment. Pupils from 18 nearby schools assist the foundation by working as volunteer park rangers and local guides, they tend tree nurseries and on each of their visits are given two new seedings to plant. Donations help to supply training, uniforms and equipment. Afterwards, a visit to a Rainforest Alliance certified shade grown coffee plantation to learn about the process of cultivation from planting to picking to processing. There will be some free time in Granada and then at dusk you will be driven up to the crater lip of the smoking Masaya Volcano where Green Parakeets can be seen coming back to the volcano to roost. Once the sun has set you will be supplied with torches to watch the mouth of an ancient on the flank of the volcano now home to three species of bat and await the nocturnal exodus of thousands of them as they emerge on their nightly search for nectar, fruit and insects. Overnight in Granada  (B)

Day 8 - Granada
Day on your own in Granada for independent city sightseeing or relaxing by your hotel's pool. (B)

Day 9 - Ometepe Island
Early this morning you’ll be picked up at your hotel for transfer to San Jorge, near Rivas, to catch the local ferry across Lake Nicaragua to Ometepe Island. On arrival at the port town of Moyogalpa you will be met by a local guide who will take you on a tour of the island visiting Laguna Charco Verde, a mysterious pond of dark green water said to contain an enchanted city, then to the far end of the island for a good view of Maderas volcano and the village of Altagracia where some pre-Columbian Nahuatl Indian basalt idols are found beside the catholic church. (B)

Day 10 - Ometepe Island
Early morning pick up at your hotel for a guided hike to San Ramon Cascade, a 110m waterfall on Maderas Volcano and take a dip in the refreshing waters at the base of the waterfall. Afternoon free to explore on your own or enjoying other optional activities such as; taking a hike through the cloud forest to the volcano's crater and even descend to its crater lake; mangrove kayaking on the lake, or horseback riding. (B)

Day 11 - Ometepe Island
Day on your own to relax and bathe in the warm waters of Lake Nicaragua. (B)

Day 12 - Ometepe / Return to Managua
Morning ferry back to the mainland where our driver will meet you for transfer back to Managua. (B)

Day 13 - Return home
Pick up at your hotel depending on your flight time for transfer back to the airport for your international flight home and the end to an unforgettable vacation adventure (B)

COST:
Total Cost: $3,075.00 per person based on double occupancy and mid range accommodations.
** Please inquire about Peak season rates (Xmas / New Year, Spring Break / Holy Week) and/or upper range accommodations

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

Airport transfers.
12 nights lodging
Two (2) nights: Managua (Los Robles)
Two (2) nights: Leon (El Convento)
Two (2) nights: Lake Apoyo (Apoyo Resort)
Three (3) nights: Granada. (El Patio Del Malinche)
Three (3) nights: Ometepe Island (Villa Paraiso)

Meals as indicated: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner.

Hotel and tour Taxes
All transportation between destinations
All tours as described

Package does not include:

Optional activities or tours.
Gratuities of any kind.
Personal and/or medical expenses.
International airline tickets

Note: Local flights have a luggage limit of 27 pounds per person including the hand baggage. Excess luggage is subject to space availability and will be charged.