Nicaragua tour, the Heart of Nicaragua
| country: | Nicaragua |
| departures: | 2010: 16 Jan |
| price: | From US $1995 (9 days) excluding flights. Minimum age 8 years |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Nicaragua tour. Your adventure begins in a country full of incredible natural beauty, volcanoes, beaches, cloud forests and spectacular Spanish colonial cities.
We will walk, hike, ride horseback and use local transportation; generally doing as the locals do. There's a lot to see and do, but we’ll go slowly, tread lightly, and really experience this special place. This Nicaragua tour takes you from the bustling streets of the capital city of Managua to the highlands–offering a countryside respite where you will engage with the local people and culture, on a level not attainable by following the guidebooks– to the cheerful colonial city of Granada and the majestic sweet waters of Lake Nicaragua.
We will walk, hike, ride horseback and use local transportation; generally doing as the locals do. There's a lot to see and do, but we’ll go slowly, tread lightly, and really experience this special place. This Nicaragua tour takes you from the bustling streets of the capital city of Managua to the highlands–offering a countryside respite where you will engage with the local people and culture, on a level not attainable by following the guidebooks– to the cheerful colonial city of Granada and the majestic sweet waters of Lake Nicaragua.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Managua: Arrive in the capital city, night out, dinner with group |
| Day 2: | Managua: Morning city tour with a knowledgeable local guide, spend the afternoon at Chocoyero Nature Reserve, home to a great number of boisterous green parakeets. |
| Day 3: | Masaya (City of Flowers): Meander through the old and new markets, visit Volcán Masaya National Park, peer into an active volcano for a glimpse of the lava’s glow. |
| Day 4: | Masaya Highlands: Horseback riding (or hiking) in San Juan de La Concepcion with windswept views of the volcanic ridge, learn about organic food and farming at an eco-hotel, visit a local community where women weave baskets, purses, and other décor out of recycled newspaper. |
| Day 5: | Los Pueblos Blancos: Masatepe, Niquinohomo, San Juan de Oriente, Catarina – visit the arts district for a personal pottery demonstration, stroll along a quiet road to a woodworking community in the hills where it’s “all in the family”, learn more about Nicaragua’s hero, Sandino, in Niquinohomo. |
| Day 6: | Granada: City tour including the impressive pre-Columbian and modern arts collection at Convento San Francisco, we’ll do our best to show you the Granada beneath the flourishing ex-pat community, sailboat ride around Las Isletas. |
| Day 7: | Granada: Hike around the rim of Volcán Mombacho, a cloud forest home to colorful orchids and bromeliads, curious wildlife, fascinating insects, and over 160 species of birds. |
| Day 8: | Laguna de Apoyo: Kayak, swim, or hike up the crater’s wall for a spectacular view of the laguna and beyond, with a possible chance encounter with a troop of Howler Monkeys. |
| Day 9: | Depart: Depart early, after a peaceful night’s sleep at the Laguna de Apoyo, to the airport for the end of your Nicaragua tour. |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places. how this holiday makes a difference
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Community
On this Nicaragua tour, we do as the locals do. We take a bus. We take a taxi. We walk. We ride horses. We shop in the local markets for fresh fruits and vegetables. We sleep in clean, locally-owned accommodations. La Mariposa, our choice in La Concepción, has an adult literacy program, they support a local folkloric dance troupe, and they provide teaching materials and clothes for some of the poorest children at a local school. In some instances we arrange homestays. We patronize locally-owned restaurants. We hire local guides to offer the Nicaraguan perspective, such as our young guide living in Managua who will share his knowledge of his hometown and the environment that surrounds it. By introducing our guests to artisans like the ceramic potters and the small woodworking community in Masaya, we open a door to understanding the lives on both sides. Purchases, as well as word of mouth, go a long way in improving the quality of life for these passionate, hard-working Nicaraguans. We will be contributing, annually, a percentage of our profits to a community-based, locally-run organization working towards a better future for all Nicaraguans. This annual commitment will allow us to develop long-term relationships in Nicaragua and engage our travellers on a personal level by visiting works in progress. Environment We ask all participants on our Nicaragua tour to bring their own reusable water bottles in order to reduce our in-country waste – plastic waste is an enormous problem in Nicaragua. We have a zero litter policy. Some of the hotels we patronize, like La Mariposa, our choice in La Concepción, use solar power and make an effort to conserve water by minimizing housekeeping services and recycle grey water. La Mariposa also utilized locally sourced materials for construction. They grow their own food and participate in reforestation of the area. We include visits to national parks. There are more than 70 nature reserves, parks and wildlife sanctuaries. Nicaragua is recognizing the importance of their national parks (not only in terms of tourism but also as a natural resource that needs protection) as are the many young university students who are studying ecology and other natural sciences in order to work as guides to help inform visitors about and protect their homeland. In addition, our office recycles anything that can be recycled in our city. We minimize printed material making the most of communication through the Internet. All light fixtures use CFL bulbs. We heat and cool our space with an air source heat pump. We live within walking distance of our office. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |