Easy Nicaragua

Simple, economic and popular itinerary combining private transfer to visit the main highlights, Managua, Leon, Ometepe island and Granada with five nights relaxation on a Pacific coast beach

Customer rating 100%

'Easy Nicaragua'

What makes this trip special?

Capital life

Managua

No different to many capitals, Managua is a bustling, fast growing city. The history and culture is fascinating though, making it well worth a visit.

Nicaragua's First Capital

León Viejo

Initially the first capital in Nicaragua, Leon Viejo was smothered in ash in 1610 when the Momotombo Volcano errupted. Today excavations are still underway, unveiling homes, churches and the country's first mint.

Volcanoes rising from a Lake

Ometepe Island

Ometepe's dramatic outline of twin volcanoes emerging from the waters of Lake Nicaragua instantly mark it as a special place to stay.

Nostalgia, Romance and Cultural Heritage

Granada

The beautiful city of Granada is a wonderful place to wander through the brightly painted streets, visit historical landmarks and take a ride on the city's taxis, horse drawn carriages.

Life's a beach

Pacific Beaches

Nicaragua is blessed with plenty of good weather, miles of palm-backed sandy shores and some great options for beach time. Choose from a variety of beautiful beaches and island retreats.

Itinerary map for Nicaragua 'Easy Nicaragua' holiday

Day-by-day itinerary for 'Easy Nicaragua'

DAY 1

Arrive Managua

You are met on arrival at the airpot and driven to a characterful, comfortable hotel in the capital.

DAY 2

via Leon Viejo to Leon

This morning you will be taken to visit to Leon Vijeo, Nicaragua’s first capital. It was founded by the Spanish in 1524 on the site of an indigenous village in a rich, fertile valley at the end of Lake Managua, just across the water from looming Momotombo and Momotombito volcanoes. In 1610 the entire city was evacuated to its current location. Six months later the volcano erupted and León Viejo was covered with ash and lava. It took until 1967 to find the ruins of the original city. The site is a UNESCO world heritage site and excavations are underway. Already the foundations of homes, the country’s first mint, a church, a convent, a brothel, and the cathedral where the conquistador Cordoba is buried have been uncovered. 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 tiste a chocolate-flavoured corn drink served in a gourd, before continuing to León where you stay for 2 nights.

DAY 3

City tour of Leon

Morning private city tour of Leon including a climb to the rooftop of Central America's largest cathedral, recently added to UNESCO´s list of World Heritage, and enjoy the amazing views over the city and surrounding Maribios Volcanic Chain.Visit as well the San Francisco Convent and the beautifully carved Casa de los Leones; the Sutiaba (indigenous neighborhood), the Ruben Dario Museum, Museum of Myths and Legends, and the Central square & murals. Afternoon free in Leon for independent sightseeing or relaxing in the formal garden of the hotel's cloister.

DAY 4

to Ometepe Island

06.00h, this morning you will be transferred to San Jorge, near Rivas (approx 3.5hrs). You will then board the 10.30h ferry to Moyogalpa on Ometepe Island. Ometepe is the biggest island in the world on a fresh water lake. You will be met on arrival at approx 11.30h, at Moyogalapa port and transferred to your small lakeshore lodge situated on a 'beach' between the two volcanoes by a Spanish speaking driver. Stay for 3 nights.

DAY 5

tour of Ometepe

Today you will taken on a shared tour of the island. Including visits to Laguna Charco Verde a mysterious pond of dark green water said to contain an enchanted city, then travelling to the far end of the island for a good view of Maderas volcano and the village of Altagracia where some basalt idols and petroglyphs are found beside the catholic church.

DAY 6

Free day on Ometepe island

Relaxing on the lake shore.

DAY 7

to Granada, City tour

a.m. transfer back to the dock to take the late morning ferry off the island. You'll be met off the boat transferred to the historic city of Granada, your base for three nights. Afternoon city tour of Granada.

DAY 8

dusk visit to Las Isletas

Much of the day free to explore Granada independently 15.00h you will be collected and taken on a private boat tour of Las Isletas, a freshwater archipelago of 354 rocky islands in Lake Nicaragua. Here at dusk you can watch the waterbirds come to roost, and admire some of the wealthy citizens homes on these private islands. (Think Henley in Nicaragua).

DAY 9

Mombacho Volcano & Coffee tour

Start today with a shared morning hike on the slopes of the nearby Mombacho volcano. This is a medium walk of 1hr 30 mins along the crater trail before you then look around a coffee farm. Your local guide will tell you about the flora, the fauna, the people who once inhabited the area and the vulcanology. There are cloud forests on the upper slopes where the coffee farms are located, and you will have a tour through the local processes. Afternoon free

DAY 10

Transfer to Pacific coast beach

After a leisurely start you will be transferred from Granada to the Pacific coast for five nights of relaxation on one of Nicaragua's best beaches. Punta Teonoste Beach Lodge is situated on aremote part of the coast where turtles come to nest from July - Dec and surfers come to catch the breaks. The journey to get here through the remote rural countryside is a facinating insight into rural life and requires some off-road driving and fording of streams. After such a journey the lodge is an astonishing surprise. This is a 16 bungalow retreat has very stylish, spacious public areas straight out of the pages of a glossy magazine photo shoot then by contrast smaller more rustically eco constructed double storey cabins with alfresco private bathrooms. These have private verandahs with hammocks, a living room then a four-poster bed upstairs in the thatched eaves of the steeply pitched tradtional construction loft bedrooms. (We know other styles of property on this coast if this does not appeal).

DAY 11

relaxing at the beach

Free to relax on the beach or by the hotel's pool.

DAY 12

chill out

Free to relax on the beach or by the hotel's pool.

DAY 13

Free to relax on the beach or by the hotel's pool.

DAY 14

Free to relax on the beach or by the hotel's pool.

DAY 15

Transfer to Managua airport, depart Nicaragua

a.m. you will be transferred directly to Managua airport (2h5m - 3hrs drive) for your chosen international flight.

Route map for Nicaragua 'Easy Nicaragua' holiday

Guide prices for 'Easy Nicaragua'

options	based on	all year	low season	mid season	high season	peak season	other season
Guide price	2 people sharing	£call

Prices are per person and include:

all travel in Nicaragua
all accommodation
meals as indicated B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner
all excursions as described

Prices do not include:

international flights
airport and departure taxes
travel insurance
items of a personal nature such as drinks, tips, laundry, etc

Customer reviews for 'Easy Nicaragua'

Recent reviews are shown here from holidays based on this initial design. In each case the itinerary may have been modified (a little or a lot) to suit the individual traveller.

Average customer rating 100%

In Nicaragua the guides and drivers faultless- a joy to be with. Both countries fascinating. Nicaragua exceeded our expectations. Honduras reminded me of Venezuela before Chavez. In Nicaragua the vehicles were clean and well maintained, in Honduras tatty!

Best parts: All brilliant. Full of variety of what we like - great hotels and guides.

Seasonal information for 'Easy Nicaragua'

Select your month of travel:

Along this route in January

Day	Location	Max °C	Monthly rainfall

Typical weather for January

Max °C figures are the average daily maximum temperatures for the month. Rainfall is the average precipitation for the month.

Hotels for 'Easy Nicaragua'

Select your preferred accommodation option

Day 1

Los Robles

Managua

A small hotel located in a quiet residential area in central Managua not far from the shops and nightlife.

Los Robles has a colonial style and beautiful antique pieces, and a fountain surrounded by a tropical garden that you can see from every room.

All rooms are provided with air conditioning, cable TV, direct dialing telephone, private bathroom with hot water, and a small inside garden.

Hotel entrance

Days 2 - 3

El Convento

Leon

Average rating 4.5 (6 ratings)

A lovely hotel created from a convent founded in 1639, very conveniently situated in the heart of Leon in walking distance of the Central Plaza offering 31 guest rooms and 1 suite. Rooms are spacious with two queen beds. Their décor is austere and their thick walls give an authentic cloistered feel. The rooms all open off a long broad polished tiled corridor decorated with artifacts with a religious theme. By contrast the public areas are very elegant with lots of beautiful antique furniture from the Spanish colonial era and art on the walls. There is a beautiful, formal central courtyard garden with fountain and palm trees and a fine restaurant and a patio café.

The hotel is classified as a museum hotel due to the antique furnishings and artifacts throughout the property, along with its close association with the nearby museums.

Days 5 - 6

Finca San Juan de la Isla

Ometepe's lake shore

This is a small, isolated beachfront lodge set on a working 160 acre dairy and tropical fruit farm.

It has four rooms and two independent bungalows. The farm is surrounded by forest and advantageously situated on the lake shore of Lake Nicaragua with views of the rugged active Concepcion volcano and the misty, cloudforest wrapped Maderas volcano.

There are hammocks and rocking chairs for relaxation. Private bathrooms, hot water, a/c and wifi. Several cabins have private balconies with a view of the lake. Walking or horseback riding on the long sandy beach, kayaking or mountain biking and nature hikes are all possible locally.

The lodge is 45mins drive from Moyogalpa, with the final 5km down a long dusty drive. There is a restaurant on site with a limited food menu.

Days 7 - 9

El Patio del Malinche

downtown Granada

Average rating 5.0 (1 ratings)

Set behind the sun-baked adobe bricks of an historic house in the city centre, this is a characterful, 15 room, mid-range, B&B hotel set around two patios. The first patio is the owners home, the second one around which the rooms are located on two floors has a garden and swimming pool. All rooms have a/c ceiling fan, private bathroom with hot water, cable TV, WIFI and safety deposit box.

Days 10 - 14

Punta Teonoste

near El Astillero

An astonishing surprise after a long, partly off-road, enchanting drive through rural Nicaragua which involves fording shallow rivers to arrive at this beautiful wild stretch of the "Pacific Riviera". (Approx 1.5hr from Rivas)

This 16 bungalow lodge has rather a split personality. The public areas could be used for a high end glossy mag photo shoot. They are stylish in a modern African way, generously spacious, set under a very impressive high thatched roof which is open sided and offers views to the pool and ocean beyond.

By contrast the 16 two storey thatched guest bungalows are more rustic eco. They each have a shaded patio with hammock, an inside living room with pastered walls, an alfresco bathroom (cold water) downstairs. Upstairs under the steeply pitched thatched eaves is a four-poster bed with mosquito net.

The upstairs space is not plastered and therefore psychologically not suited to the bug phobic who should opt for a two-bedroom bungalow which has one conventional bedroom downstairs in addition to a thatched loft bedroom.

The coastal breezes and traditional construction technique means that ceiling fans suffice (no a/c).

Note: very isolated so no where else to eat. Meals are expensive but good. Surf lessons, yoga classes, massages available locally. Turtle nursery project on site as from July to December female turtles come ashore here mostly during fuller moons to lay their eggs.