Nicaragua Full-Day Private Tour: Masaya Volcano & Granada

See an active volcano's lava lake and walk Granada's oldest colonial streets in one day across two countries.

A private full-day tour departing from Guanacaste, Costa Rica, crosses into Nicaragua to visit Masaya Volcano National Park (one of the few places on earth where you can see an active lava lake), the colonial city of Granada, Catarina's panoramic viewpoint, and the Masaya Artisan Market. The operator handles all border paperwork and taxes. Your guide speaks English or Spanish and travels with you the entire 12 hours. Lunch and air-conditioned transportation are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Full-day tour from Costa Rica to Nicaragua

• Depart from hotel in Guanacaste
• Pass through Liberia city without stopping
• Cross Peñas Blancas border
• Visit Lake Nicaragua at Ometepe Island
• Travel to Granada city
• Boat tour to nearby islands
• Visit Catarina lookout and market
• Explore Masaya Volcano National Park
• Shop at Masaya Artisan Market
• Visit Oriental Craft Market
• Return to Costa Rica

The experience

You leave your hotel in Guanacaste in the morning and drive through Liberia toward the Costa Rica–Nicaragua border at Peñas Blancas, about 40 minutes away. The operator has already arranged your exit taxes from Costa Rica and entry permits to Nicaragua, so the border stop takes 15 to 20 minutes. You hand over no paperwork yourself. Once across, the road opens into Rivas department, where Lake Nicaragua (Cocibolca) spreads into view. You stop here to photograph Ometepe Island and its twin volcanoes, and to eat breakfast if you haven't already.

From Rivas, the route climbs toward Granada, roughly an hour away. When you arrive, you board a boat on the lake for a 25-minute wildlife tour among the small islands surrounding the city. You'll see monkeys, spiders, and the layered green of the shoreline. Back on land, you walk through Granada's colonial center: narrow streets lined with pastel buildings, balconies, and the waterfront views that have made this one of the oldest cities in the Americas a draw for centuries. Lunch happens here, included in the tour price.

After eating, you visit Catarina, a small town perched above Laguna de Apoyo, a volcanic crater lake ringed by forest. The lookout gives you one of the country's widest panoramic views: a place built for photographs and for standing still for a moment. Then comes Masaya Volcano National Park, where a short walk brings you to the crater rim. Masaya is one of the few active volcanoes on earth where the lava lake is visible from above. On clear nights it glows. You finish at the Masaya Artisan Market, the largest handicraft market in Central America, where you have time to browse hammocks, ceramics, wood carvings, and textiles made by local artisans before the drive back to Costa Rica begins.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned transportation from your Guanacaste hotel.
• live guide in English or Spanish for the full 12 hours.
• all Costa Rica exit taxes and Nicaragua entry permits.
• lunch in Granada.
• boat tour around the islands near Granada.
• visits to Masaya Volcano National Park, the Catarina viewpoint, and the Masaya Artisan Market.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomeNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Guanacaste Airport Shuttle Cr

Is this one for you?Book this if you're based in Guanacaste and want to cross into Nicaragua for the day. The private vehicle lets your guide adapt stops and pacing to what interests you, and you'll see both an active volcano crater and a colonial city without splitting time between group stops.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What's it like to see the lava inside Masaya Volcano?

Masaya Volcano National Park sits at the rim of an active crater where you can look down into the volcanic cone and, depending on daylight and conditions, observe the glow of the lava lake itself. It's one of the few places in the world where an active lava lake is visible from a public viewpoint, and the surrounding volcanic landscape (the Masaya Lagoon and the crater walls) frames the view.

How much time do I spend crossing the border?

The border stop at Peñas Blancas typically takes 15 to 20 minutes. Your operator has pre-arranged all exit taxes from Costa Rica and entry permits to Nicaragua, so you don't handle paperwork yourself. The delay is usually just the vehicle queue and the authorities' inspection.

Is Granada really as old as the description says?

Granada is one of the oldest European-founded cities in the Americas, established in the 16th century. The colonial architecture (pastel-painted buildings, wooden balconies, narrow streets) survives from that era, and the city sits on the shore of Lake Nicaragua with views across the water to Ometepe Island.

How long is the boat ride around the islands near Granada?

The boat tour lasts about 25 minutes and circles the small islands in the lake surrounding Granada. You'll see wildlife (monkeys and spiders among the vegetation), and can photograph the shoreline and the islands themselves.

Can I buy souvenirs at the Masaya Artisan Market?

Yes. The Masaya Artisan Market is one of the largest handicraft markets in Central America, stocked with hammocks, ceramics, wood carvings, leather goods, and colorful textiles made by local artisans. You have time at the end of the tour to browse and purchase before returning to Costa Rica.