Nicaragua Full-Day Tour from Costa Rica

The day was Incredible!! Worth every penny! I can’t say enough good things about this day trip. I was traveling alone & felt complete safe. Crossing the boarder was made simple with a guide with us the whole time. Every place we stopped at was perfect. Looking down into an active volcano was exhilarating! Walking around Granada was beautiful. We paid $10 for a horse drawn carriage ride that was icing on the cake. The beautiful church, the chocolate tasting, the lunch, souvenir shopping, Everything was well planned & our guides went above & beyond to make the day memorable. I highly recommend this day trip. It’s well worth it!

It was our first time visiting tamarindo and we got to see Nicaragua too! Very cool trip. Worth the money and an all-day adventure.

I absolutely loved this trip and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a real adventure and the opportunity to experience a little bit of Nicaragua in a day. One thing I would definitely recommend is wearing comfortable walking shoes. There is a fair amount of walking throughout the day, including at the Costa Rica–Nicaragua border. You leave the vehicle and walk through the border crossing and immigration areas, and it is a fairly long walk between the Costa Rican and Nicaraguan sides. It is completely manageable, but something worth knowing ahead of time, especially if you have mobility concerns. Breakfast and lunch were both provided on our tour and were very good. I also recommend bringing US cash in smaller bills — especially $5s and $10s, and some $1s if you have them. They are much easier for small purchases and tipping, and you don’t have to worry as much about getting change for larger bills. Masaya Volcano National Park was another highlight for me. Getting to visit an active volcano and stand looking into the incredible Santiago crater was something I absolutely loved. The volcanic landscape, the gases rising from the crater and simply knowing that you are standing at the edge of an active volcano make it a pretty unforgettable experience. It was definitely one of those moments when you stop and think, Wow, I’m actually here doing this! Granada was one of the highlights for me. Founded in 1524, it is a fascinating old city filled with history and character. I loved walking through the streets and seeing the old churches, colourful colonial architecture and beautiful courtyards hidden behind the fronts of the homes. Some areas are beautifully preserved while others feel weathered and worn, and for me that was part of what made Granada so interesting. It doesn’t feel like a polished tourist attraction — it feels like a real, living city with centuries of stories behind it. The entire day felt like an adventure, from crossing an international border on foot to seeing a completely different country, culture and way of life. It was interesting, eye-opening and memorable. If you’re staying in Costa Rica and have the opportunity to take this Nicaragua day trip, do it. I’m very glad I did.

Long day but lovely day. The weather was also super gloomy, but no one can account for that. On a brighter day, I’m sure the country is beautiful. Otherwise, what a wonderful opportunity to see another country. I think the pace was fine, and the stops were simple. There was really no need to spend extra time in these locations as there really is just one thing for you to see in each location, really, except the final boat tour.

Incredible experience and flowness to the entire day. I purchased my ticket directly with Natives Way outside our hotel in Tamarindo. From the start of communication with the sales rep things about the trip were very clear: my questions and emails were thorough. The morning of our trip, our driver Jorge was punctual and he was very clear about what to expect and what our morning drive with him looked like. We arrived at the border and were introduced with our border guide Jorge who also was very clear about the steps with crossing the border and who we were to expect once we crossed Peñas Blancas border. Once we crossed we were met with Elmer, our Nicaraguan guide. Again, very clear about the next steps and what our day looked like. Everything was very clear and we got exactly what we paid for which was an extremely reasonable rate for all of what we got. In Nicaragua, Elmer was an amazing guide who talked about the country and culture. Our favorite part was the active volcano although it was a horrible smell, it was one for the books. Communication amongst the team was very evident and we felt safe at all times. Everyone knew our CR drivers and guides in Nicaragua which as just a nice added touch, they knew exactly what to do. The entire itinerary was great for a one day trip. We got back a little later than planned but each moment spent in Nicaragua was worth it. However, we were in bed by 11pm -- and that was a huge plus.