A Two-Week Itinerary To Nicaragua

This Central American nation is increasingly popular with travelers, and there is a lot of ground to cover. So where should you be going, and what should you be doing?

Stick to the Pacific side if you’ve got limited time

If you’ve only got two weeks in the country, you’ll need to choose wisely. Nicaragua is the biggest country in Central America and destinations on the Caribbean coast, such as the Corn Islands, are only accessible by plane. With that in mind, this itinerary focuses on the western side of the country.

Most people skip out of Managua on arrival and head to Granada, a charming colonial city on Lake Nicaragua. Spend a day or two exploring the streets, and another on a day trip to the active Masaya Volcano, before taking the ferry to the enchanting island of Ometepe.

Exploring Ometepe is a highlight

Here you can hike one of the two volcanoes, hike to the San Ramon Waterfall, or relax in natural springs. Enjoy the incredible views over the huge lake and while away the evenings with friendly locals before heading back to the mainland and the party town of San Juan del Sur. Dance the night away with the backpacker crowd and catch some waves at the nearby surfing beaches.

From here, take a bus up to Leon. Visit the great museums and soak up the atmosphere in a liberal city that became a focal point for the Sandinista Revolution. Book a day trip to go sand boarding down the nearby volcano called Cerro Negro and you’ll have a unique adventure hurtling down black sands.

Use Esteli as a base to explore the countryside

For the last leg of your trip, head to the northern city of Esteli. From here you can visit the amazing Somoto Canyon, or hike around the Miraflores Nature Reserve.

It’s an amazing place to spend your last couple of days in the country, and just a short hop from the international airport at Managua or the border with Honduras.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.