Nicaragua Full-Day Tour from Costa Rica
About this activity
Highlights
- Explore Granada's historic architecture
- Cruise on Lake Nicaragua's Islets
- Visit Masaya Volcano National Park
- Discover local artisan markets
- Experience Nicaraguan culture firsthand
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Round-trip transportation from Costa Rica to Nicaragua
- Guided tour of Granada's historic sites
- Visit to Masaya Volcano National Park
- Meals and beverages
Itinerary
Pass by: 4:00 am
Pass by: 4:30 am
Pass by: 4:20 am
Pass by: 4:30 am
You will picked up from your hotel promptly and taken to the border where your guide will help you in every step of the crossing, which takes about 30 minutes. The guide will make the process easy for you and will take care of all of the passport paperwork and visas. From here we will travel to eat a hearty breakfast to start off the day.
Pass by: 4:50 am
Pass by: 4:30 am
Pass by: 5:30 am - Secrets Papagayo, Villas Sol, Occidental Papagayo, Mangroove
Pass by: 5:20 am
Pass by: 6:00 am
Here you will enjoy an incredible view over the dormant volcano crater, Granada, and Lake Nicaragua. You will be allowed to walk around freely for a while before getting back in the bus and heading to the next stop.
Do some shopping for inexpensive souvenirs and experience the Nicaraguan life style before sitting down for a typical Nicaraguan lunch.
An active volcano where you will have the opportunity to stand right next to its crater and hear it rumbling and spewing of gases. An incredible, rare sight.
An old Colonial town near Lake Nicaragua. Stop at La Merced Church, considered one of the most beautiful buildings of Granada. It is flanked by a large tower that houses the church bells. You will ascend the stairs and reach the roof of the church. From here, you’ll have a panoramic city view of Granada, Mombacho Volcano, and Nicaragua Lake with the islets. This is the perfect place to take pictures of the beautiful city and the surroundings.
Your last stop is a one hour boat ride in Lake Nicaragua viewing the Nicarguan Islets around sunset. Your guide will stop by Monkey Island consisting only of monkeys that will come out and take food from your guide on the boat! You will then head back to Costa Rica, stopping on the way to pick up some snacks for the ride home.
Meeting point
Start Location
Unknown location
Important information
Know before you book
- Check the latest travel advisories and border crossing requirements between Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
- Be prepared for a full-day excursion with early departure and late return times.
- Confirm the availability of the tour on your preferred date, as schedules may vary.
Know before you go
- Ensure you have a valid passport for border crossing.
- Wear comfortable clothing and footwear suitable for walking and potential rain.
- Bring a hat, sunscreen, and insect repellent for outdoor activities.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Stroller Accessible
Good to know
- Passport name, number, expiry and country is required at time of booking for all participants. Please bring your passport on the day of your tour
- Entry to Nicaragua: Send photo of passport to info@nativesway.com or WhatsApp
- Your departure Ticket that proof of flight out of Costa Rica
- If your hotel is not listed, contact us for quoting
- It is prohibited to enter the country of Nicaragua with the following items: all kinds of Drones, all kinds of Binoculars, including those for Night vision, and any object considered for professional, journalistic, and similar audiovisual reproduction.
Traveler reviews
Amazing experience!
Pleasantly surprising! Originally couldn't find where to park for our meeting place and our driver got out and helped us find a place and didn't leave without us <3 Was very educational throughout the trip answering all sorts of questions we had both prompted and unprompted. Helped us through the whole border crossing process and communicated well what our next activities would be and how long we had. Also had two surprise stops along the way with a tour of a cigar and chocolate shop. I would reccomend bringing extra cash with you because everywhere we went in Nicaragua was basically cash only and they prompted us to ride the horse carts around down which is about $10 a person, and definitely worth it.
Amazing
I had a lot of fun. The drivers and host were great. They gave us a really good tour of Nicaragua, told us a lot of history. The volcano, boat tour, scenery was beautiful.
Memorable Nicaragua Experience
Our Nicaragua day tour from Tamarindo was one of the highlights of our Central America trip. The experience was seamless, well-organized, and full of unforgettable stops. Paul and Claudio took excellent care of us throughout the day, making the long journey comfortable, informative, and enjoyable. We especially appreciated the smooth assistance during immigration both entering and leaving Nicaragua. Everything was handled efficiently, and we felt safe and well taken care of every step of the way with Paul and Claudio guiding us throughout the process. Highlights included the stunning views from Mirador de Catarina overlooking Apoyo Lagoon and seeing the active crater at Masaya Volcano up close. In Granada, we explored the historic streets on a traditional horse-drawn carriage ride and enjoyed a quick chocolate tour where we learned about the chocolate-making process and sampled fresh local chocolate. We also ended the day with a relaxing boat ride on Lake Nicaragua, including views of Monkey Island. It was a long but very rewarding day, combining volcanoes, culture, history, chocolate, and nature into one unforgettable experience. Huge thanks again to Paul and Claudio for making the trip so memorable.
Loved this trip!
If you’re thinking about doing this trip — do it! I wasn’t sure if it would work with my schedule, but I’m so glad I made it happen. It ended up being one of the highlights of my trip. A huge shout-out to Paul, our driver, who picked me up from the hotel and guided the group all the way across the border. He was incredibly friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. Crossing the border during a holiday weekend (May 1st) could have easily taken 4+ hours, but thanks to Paul’s expertise, we made it through in under 1.5 hours. Truly a trip-saver! Once in Nicaragua, we were in great hands with Claudio and our driver Chino. Claudio was engaging, funny, and shared so much helpful information and history throughout the day. I loved all the stops — especially breakfast (one of my favorite meals of the trip!) and a great lunch later on. Also, Granada's colorful scenery and the boat ride were also highlights. While we didn’t see many monkeys, being out on the water and taking in the views was still beautiful. Claudio and Paul made sure we made it back to the border safely, which I really appreciated. Overall, I felt completely safe the entire time and would highly recommend!
Our tour guide, Chino,...
Our tour guide, Chino, Claudio, Paul were amazing. They went above and beyond to accommodate the guests, also the experience was amazing. It was worth the long trip, from the volcano to the beautiful views to the nice boat ride! 5 ⭐️