Travel Nicaragua & El Salvador:
cultural immersion and Mayan heritage

Welcome to Nicaragua!

Your driver will meet you at Managua international airport and take you to your hotel in Managua.

Departure from Managua for Gran Sultana, Granada, one of Central America’s most important colonial cities. Founded in 1524, it is the oldest city on the American continent and is still today a true colonial jewel!

Let yourself be lulled by the history and folklore of the area as you stroll through its colorful cobblestone streets.

Note: 1h drive approx.

Lunch at leisure: For lunch, we suggest you enjoy a « vigoron » (typical Nicaraguan dish) in the central square under the shade of the trees.

Guided tour of Granada with your English-speaking guide.

« La Gran Sultana » is a colonial jewel that we suggest you discover on foot. You’ll start this guided tour at the Church of San Francisco, the oldest in town. The tour ends with the Church of Xalteva, the Cathedral and the Central Park.

Self-guided El Crater hike on the Mombacho volcano.

Discover the wetlands of Volcan Mombacho, overlooking Granada.

It is made up of four volcanic craters, with the highest peak reaching 1,345 meters.

Meet us at the entrance to Volcan Mombacho and take a 4×4 truck to the easily accessible hiking trails through the only rainforest on Central America’s Pacific coast.

Let’s go for a hike in the heart of this atypical ecosystem!

Nearly 150 species of orchid, 50 types of mammal and 120 species of butterfly have been recorded here.

You’ll also visit a museum depicting the volcano’s major telluric events.

Note: 1h30 marked hike; moderate difficulty.

Self-guided hike.

Discover the secrets of traditional chocolate-making.

You’ll meet in a community on the slopes of the Mombacho volcano. Donald, the community leader, will welcome you into his home.

You’ll learn about and witness all the stages of cocoa processing, from the cocoa bean to the chocolate.

Duration: 1 hour workshop.

Lunch in the community included.

Discover Las Isletas

This morning will be devoted to discovering the Las Isletas archipelago, a group of islands off the coast of Granada.

You’ll set off by boat to sail between these islets, where today’s Nicaraguans have established their vacation homes.

There are almost 400 basaltic islands, and you’re sure to enjoy excellent views of the proud Mombacho volcano, as well as numerous animal sightings.

Note: duration approx. 2 hours.

Afternoon free to enjoy the Laguna de Apoyo, an ancient volcanic crater now filled with fresh water.

This is a lake formed in the submerged volcanic crater of the now-extinct Volcán de Apoyo, whose floor is 200 metres deep – the lowest point in all of Central America!

The volcano is largely considered dormant, and a thick green forest has developed on its flanks over the years. It’s here that you can take a nature hike and observe toucans, hummingbirds, blue jays, howler and white-faced monkeys and exotic butterflies.

Enjoy a swim, a kayak outing, or simply a nap in a hammock on the edge of this relaxing setting.

Free discovery of Masaya

We recommend a stopover in Masaya to discover this small town with its famous craft market. Continuing eastwards, you’ll pass through the pleasant central Julio Cesar Park and come across many producers of Nicaraguan hammocks, which are then sold all over the country.

Then, a few streets further on, you can stroll along the belvedere bordering the Masaya lagoon, with a view of the volcano of the same name.

Tip: see the Masaya volcano by night!

(July 2025: closed for over two years due to landslides, the crater has just reopened to the public)

With its 54km² and 20km of wilderness trails, Masaya Volcano National Park is a place that will give you another view of what’s going on beneath the earth’s crust. With its five craters, Masaya, called « Popogatepe » by the indigenous Nahuált, is the most accessible active volcano in the world.

The experience consists in discovering it at dusk to enjoy the sunset, the lava lake and the observation of the local fauna: parrots and bats among others. You’ll drive up to the crater to enjoy the view.

Departing from Granada, you will make your way to the port of San Jorge. Board the ferry to the island ofOmetepe.

Suggestion: short hike along the Charco Verde lagoon.

Welcome to the Charco Verde Natural Park, at the foot of the majestic Concepción volcano. We recommend a hike along the emerald Charco Verde lagoon. This route offers impressive views of the island’s two emblematic volcanoes: Concepción and Maderas. You can observe howler monkeys and a wide variety of tropical birds.

1-hour hike – 2.6 km – easy.

Kayaking on the Rio Istian.

Your guide will take you kayaking on the Rio Istian, a special ecosystem located between the island’s two volcanoes. You’ll start your boat trip on Nicaragua’s largest lake to observe the various properties that litter the shoreline.

You’ll then climb into your kayak to approach the isthmus and enter a small stream of water with lush vegetation. In this mangrove, you’ll be able to admire many birds, caimans and monkeys.

On the way back, you’ll be surrounded by two majestic volcanoes and enjoy a panoramic view of the lake.

Duration: 3 hours.

Cooking classes, culture & sharing

Get cooking! Today you’ll take part in the preparation of a typical Nicaraguan recipe: your host will pass you the apron to teach you the secrets of the country’s flavors. It’s a recipe you can repeat at home without moderation!

Duration: 1h30 approx

You leave Ometepe early in the morning for the small port of San Jorge, near Rivas.

From there, you’ll head for the capital of the northwest, Leon.

Guided tour of León (half-day) with an English-speaking guide.

Former capital of Nicaragua until 1851, León is a must-see city in the north of the country. Seductive for its colonial style, fascinating for its rich historical and religious past, we invite you to discover this city with a tour of its main sights accompanied by your guide.

You’ll start the tour in the Sutiaba district, then visit the museum of Ruben Dario, the mythical child of Nicaraguan literature. Next, you’ll take time to discover the imposing cathedral on the Parc Central, and admire the panoramic view from its roof. Finally, the tour ends with a visit to the revolutionary murals.

Isla Juan Venado Nature Reserve

This morning, you meet your local guide in the small village of Las Peñitas.

Antonio will introduce you to the lush nature reserve of Isla Juan Venado. By panga, a typical Nicaraguan motorboat, we’ll explore the mangroves in search of turtles, caimans, raccoons, iguanas… Located opposite Las Peñitas beach, this island is also home to many species of birds.

You can finish the tour with a swim in the Pacific waters, a stroll on the beach or a sip of fresh fruit juice on a terrace with your feet in the sand!

Note: duration approx. 3 hours.

Free afternoon on the beach

Enjoy an afternoon on the beach at Las Peñitas for a swim, a drink or a surfboard rental.

Hike to Cerro Negro volcano.

This morning, your driver will pick you up from your hotel in a 4×4 vehicle and drive you to the famous Cerro Negro volcano.

Born 150 years ago, Cerro Negro is the most active volcano in Nicaragua, having last erupted in 1999. At an altitude of 725m, it lives up to its name « Black Mountain » and has a lunar appearance. Its surface is covered with black volcanic rock all the way to the summit. Fumaroles and sulphur fumes add to the scenery. You’ll reach the summit from where you can observe the crater, then descend either by foot or on a toboggan, sitting on your sandboard.

Thrills and spills guaranteed! Return to your hotel in the early afternoon.

Note: Moderate hike, approx. 1h30 walking time

From León, private transport north to Potosí – Chinandega.

Note: 120 kms – 2h30 drive approx.

After completing your migration formalities, from the city of Potosí you’ll board a lancha boat to cross the Gulf of Fonseca from island to island, as far as La Union in El Salvador. The Gulf is an immense, totally unspoilt seascape between El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras.

Note: 2h00 crossing time approx

Welcome to El Salvador

Transfer from the La Unión border to the town of Suchitoto. A charming colonial town renowned for its cobbled streets and peaceful lakeside atmosphere.

Discover the town of Suchitoto, a small, totally preserved colonial village. Peaceful atmosphere, baroque churches, cobbled streets, pastel-colored houses and rich handicrafts shape the identity of this place

In the early afternoon, we head down to Lake Suchitlan for a boat trip to discover Bird Island (1-hour tour).

End of the day at leisure in this charming colonial town.

Mayan sites in El Salvador

Visit to the site of Cihuatán, considered one of El Salvador’s major archaeological sites.

Then on to Joya de Ceren in central-western El Salvador. The archaeological site is nicknamed the Pompeii of America. The eruption of the Loma Caldera volcano in 535 A.D. covered the town in a 5-metre layer of ash. This burial preserved unique traces of Mayan daily life. No bodies were found at the site, indicating a happier ending than at Pompeii.

Weather permitting, you can make a stop en route at Santa Ana to admire the city’s cathedral.

Transfer to Concepción de Ataco and check into your hotel…

Continuation of the Flower Route to the village of Salcoatitan

This was the birthplace of the country’s first coffee plantations in the mid-19th century.

Also famous for its gastronomy: pina coladas and sweetbread quesadillas, and its crafts: mosaic murals, art galleries and traditionally coloured fabrics.

Take part in the gastronomic festivals held every Sunday

En route to the pre-Columbian village of Juaya, best known for its nurseries, coffee crops, gastronomy, Santa Lucia church with a black Christ, and natural sites in the middle of the jungle.

Gastronomic festival every weekend.

On to Ahuachapán, a small colonial town ideal for learning about local traditions over a cup of coffee. Visit the town’s pedestrian zones, colorful facades, monuments and churches..

Return to Ataco

Departure from Ataco and transfer to San Salvador. See you soon!