Nicaragua Tour: Volcano, Granada & Lake Islands Private Trip

Two countries, four volcanic and colonial stops, one full day from your Costa Rica hotel

A private 12-hour tour from Flamingo, Costa Rica crosses into Nicaragua to visit Masaya Volcano's active crater, the Masaya Craft Market, colonial Granada with its Church of La Merced, and a boat tour through the Islets of Granada on Lake Nicaragua. Your guide handles all border procedures, and the day includes breakfast, lunch, and hotel pickup and return.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Nicaragua from Costa Rica

• Hotel pickup and border crossing
• Breakfast after border crossing
• Visit Masaya Volcano crater viewpoint
• Shop at Masaya Craft Market
• Visit inactive volcano crater
• Tour colonial city of Granada
• Boat tour of Granada Islets
• Return to starting point

The experience

The day starts with hotel pickup and a 30-minute border crossing where your guide manages the passport and visa procedures so you don't have to navigate them alone. After breakfast on the Nicaraguan side, you head to Masaya Volcano, where you can walk freely around the crater of this active volcano and watch it rumble and release gases: one of the few places in the world where you stand this close to a working crater. The views stretch across Granada and Lake Nicaragua from the rim.

Next is the Masaya Craft Market, a sprawling hub of traditional handmade goods where you can browse inexpensive souvenirs and sit down to a typical Nicaraguan lunch. Then comes the second volcano: an inactive crater you can stand right beside, offering a different perspective on the volcanic landscape that shaped this region. The afternoon centers on Granada, an old colonial city where you climb the stairs of the Church of La Merced to reach its roof and photograph the panoramic view of the city, Mombacho volcano, and Lake Nicaragua with its scattered islands below.

The final stop is a boat tour through the Islets of Granada: an archipelago of more than 360 small islands that formed thousands of years ago when Mombacho erupted and ejected rocks into the lake. From the water you can spot monkeys, tropical birds, and local communities, and the islands themselves are covered in tropical vegetation with some holding private homes and restaurants. The boat returns you to Granada before the drive back to Flamingo and your hotel.

What’s included

• Pickup and return to your hotel.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• breakfast and lunch.
• bottled water.
• all activities including the volcano visits, craft market, Granada city tour and boat tour through the islands.
• Costa Rica and Nicaragua taxes.
• live guide in English or Spanish.

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 14 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by Guanacaste Airport Shuttle Cr

Is this one for you?The 12-hour commitment means you leave early and return late, so this works best if your day in the region is flexible and you're staying near Flamingo. If you need to fit other activities into the same day, or if you prefer a shorter outing, a half-day tour would be a better fit.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What happens at the border crossing between Costa Rica and Nicaragua?

Your guide assists with every step of the crossing, which takes approximately 30 minutes, and handles all passport and visa procedures so you can proceed without delays.

Can I actually see the volcano crater up close?

Yes. Masaya Volcano is one of the few active volcanoes in the world where you can observe the crater directly, walk freely around it, and listen to it rumbling and spewing gases. The second volcano on the tour is inactive, but you can stand right next to its crater as well.

What is included in the lunch and breakfast?

Breakfast is served after the border crossing to start the day, and lunch is a typical Nicaraguan meal eaten at the Masaya Craft Market. Both are included in the tour price.

What can I see and do during the boat tour of the Islets of Granada?

The Islets of Granada are an archipelago of more than 360 small islands on Lake Nicaragua. During the boat tour you can watch for monkeys and tropical birds, learn about the history and culture of the region, and see local communities living around the lake and some islands with private homes, hotels or restaurants.