3-week round trip Nicaragua with rental car

Day 2 | Managua – Guacimo Lodge

(approx. 270 km | 4.5-hour drive)
Your rental car will be delivered to your hotel in the morning. Once you have your rental car, you’ll drive to your next destination. You’ll leave Managua and drive to San Carlos in south-eastern Nicaragua. Once you arrive in San Carlos, you’ll leave your rental car behind and continue by boat to your accommodation, the Guacimo Lodge. This lodge is situated on the banks of the San Juan River, in the Indio Maíz reserve, surrounded by jungle. Here you’ll find simple yet comfortable bungalows, situated on the banks of the San Juan River, offering a unique experience with stunning views of the tropical forest from your private terrace. The area is accessible only by water and is an undiscovered paradise for nature lovers, as you can easily observe a wide variety of flora and fauna. The reserve is home to numerous animal species, including deer, wild boar, pumas, sloths, jaguars, monkeys, frogs, caimans and turtles.
Accommodation: Guacimo Lodge | full board including organised activities

Day 6 | Matagalpa

This day is free, so you can explore the areas around Matagalpa and Jinotega at your leisure. Why not visit Finca Esperanza Verde (Green Hope Farm), a coffee plantation where coffee is grown using organic methods? Here you’ll learn all about growing coffee in an environmentally friendly way, and the staff will be happy to tell you about the hundreds of species of birds, butterflies, mammals, trees and orchids that live here. The coffee plantation has won several awards, including for its ecological practices and the high quality of its coffee.
Accommodation: Hotel Montebrisa | bed and breakfast

Day 11 | Granada

You can spend the day exploring the city at your leisure. Granada, the colonial jewel of Central America, was founded in 1524 by Hernández de Córdoba and is the oldest colonial city on the Latin American mainland. For a long time, it was the most important city in Nicaragua, and the city boasts a wealth of architecture from the colonial and neoclassical periods. There is also plenty to do in the surrounding area, including volcanoes, beaches, national parks and the natural beauty of Las Isletas de Granada.
Accommodation: Hotel Plaza Colón | bed and breakfast

Day 12 | Granada – Las Isletas – Jicaro Lodge

Today you’ll be taken to Las Isletas, situated just a few minutes’ boat ride from Granada. Eruptions of the Mombacho volcano have created more than 300 small islands in Lake Granada. You’ll be staying on one of the islands, at the Jicaro Island Lodge. This ecolodge is situated on Jicaro Island, a private island accessible only to guests of the ecolodge. You’ll stay in your own casita, situated on the edge of the lake. There are only nine casitas, so you’ll never find yourself amongst large crowds on the island. A true haven of tranquillity! During construction, mature trees and the island’s natural contours were preserved. As the casitas are raised above the ground to avoid disrupting the island, they feel as though they are part of the island itself. The buildings and furniture are made from wood sourced from trees felled by Hurricane Felix (2007). The restaurant uses local produce and supports projects that sustainably produce food for the restaurant and the local community.
Accommodation: Jicaro Island Lodge | full board

Day 14 | Las Isletas – Granada – San Jorge – Ometepe

In the morning, you’ll take the boat back to Granada (approx. 10-minute crossing). You will then be taken by transfer to the port of Granada, where you will board a transfer to San Jorge (approx. 1.5-hour drive). From San Jorge, you will take the ferry to the village of Moyogalpa and then a transfer to Balgüe on the island of Ometepe. The island lies in one of the world’s largest freshwater lakes, Lake Nicaragua. Isla de Ometepe, once the promised land of the Aztec explorers, consists of two imposing volcanic cones rising from the western part of Lake Nicaragua. These volcanoes offer a stunning view as you arrive by boat. Ometepe has been inhabited for thousands of years thanks to its fertile volcanic soil, and evidence of its past can be found at archaeological sites scattered across the island. Most travellers come here for the sandy beaches, the clear water, the diverse wildlife and the stunning landscape, with countless forests, waterfalls and springs in the centre of the island. Ometepe is beautiful, unique and one of Nicaragua’s lesser-known highlights. You’ll be staying in a relaxed and authentic Nicaraguan hacienda situated right on the lake, near Santo Domingo Beach. From here, you’ll have a magnificent view of the lake and the Concepción volcano.
Accommodation: Finca San Juan de la Isla | bed and breakfast

Days 15 and 16 | Ometepe

During these days, you can explore the island at your own pace. The island was formed by two volcanoes. Concepción, at 1,610 metres, is the higher of the two. It has a dry tropical climate and the soil is rather poor, so it is very hot and dry if you wish to climb it. The other volcano is Maderas, covered in humid tropical rainforest. If you wish to climb this volcano, you are likely to hear and see howler monkeys.
Various activities are on offer from your hacienda, which you can take part in (for a fee); examples include hikes in nature reserves or up the volcanoes, mountain biking, horse riding and so on. Of course, you can also opt for a quiet day at the beach.
Accommodation: Finca San Juan de la Isla | bed and breakfast

Day 17 | Ometepe – San Juan del Sur

Today you’ll travel back to the mainland by ferry, where you’ll then be taken by transfer to your next accommodation in the quiet fishing village of San Juan del Sur. You’ll be staying here at Morgan’s Rock. The property was established in 2004 when a French couple decided to buy a 1,600-hectare estate south of San Juan del Sur, despite the fact that virtually no one had any confidence in Nicaragua as a tourist destination. Projects were launched on the estate to protect and revitalise the natural environment by reforesting areas of agricultural land. A total of 15 local guest cottages have been built. Here, you can experience ultimate relaxation, peace of mind and an authentic local atmosphere. The sustainably built bungalows are set in the jungle, not far from the hacienda’s private beach. For a fee, you can take part in various activities, such as an early-morning yoga session, walking towards one of the most beautiful views in the area, or admiring the fiery sunset over the Pacific Ocean with a delicious glass of wine. Do also read the‘ ’ blog about Morgan’s Rock, written by our colleague Johan.
Accommodation: Morgan’s Rock Hacienda & Ecolodge | bed and breakfast

Day 20 | San Juan del Sur – Managua – Amsterdam

Unfortunately, your unique journey through Nicaragua has come to an end. You will be collected from your hotel and taken to Managua airport, where you will board your intercontinental flight to Amsterdam. You will arrive there the following day.

Day 21 | Amsterdam

You will arrive in Amsterdam today.