Volcano + Island + Ancient civilizations + Jungle + Lake + Coffee + Ometepe. A lot to tackle in a few days right?

Wrong.

Well actually right. But… not too much. Not if I can help it.

So go on, no time to waste. Time to start planning!

(as with literally all my itineraries, I’ve made them based on the amount of time I’ve found the average visitor to spend at a destination. I always recommend spending a bit longer so that you can really get a feel for a place. If you have the time) 🙂

Day 1: Coffee and kayaks.

Wake up and smell the coffee, literally. Head to the northern side of the south island for a coffee tour at the Finca Magdalena. On this tour you’ll learn about how the families of this farm have been producing coffee for generations. Notice I said “families” and not “family”? That’s because they’re a whopping 27 families who together care for and manage the farm, as well as the tours and hostel they supply. The best bit of the coffee tour however is not even the coffee! It’s the fascinating petroglyphs (ancient stone carvings representing different Mayan deities). These intriguing images are spread out all over the farm and it’s super cool and fun to try and figure out what each image symbolises. They’re so many ranging in such size that I even found one the tour guide hadn’t seen before! (call me Indiana Joneseph)

After downing your complimentary free cuppa, head to Merida on the south of the south island for what ended up being my favourite part of Ometepe, Kayaking. This is no usual kayaking, starting by a small lakeside beach, you have to paddle a bit over a kilometre to get to the entrance to the mouth of the Rio Istian, where many companies start (and end) their tour/rental. Trust me when I say; this extra little effort is 110% WORTH IT! The best views of Ometepe as a whole are found in that little stretch of lake, where you’ll be perfectly placed between the two magnificent volcanos without a single obstacle in the way of this epic view! Once you get into the river, it’s like you’re entering a new world. The tree and mangrove filled waterscape is teaming with life. Including birds, monkeys, turtles, fish, and of course what we’re all there to see: Caimans. If I had to describe my two hours in the Rio Istian I’d just hand you the Princess and the Frog movie.

  (If you get an early start and have some extra time today, consider adding a tour of the actual farming area of Finca Magdalena or a chocolate workshop at El Pital Chocolate Paradise between the coffee tour and kayaking)

Day 2: Tackle a Giant

Challenge yourself to the hardest day hikes in the entire Central America by conquering one of the two volcanoes which literally form the entire Ometepe. Volcan Concepcion is the taller of the two and considered (slightly) harder. Reaching 1610 metres at it’s highest point, Concepcion will throw steep dusty paths, powerful winds, and horribly draining volcanic ash which are truly “two steps forward, three steps backward”. If you reach the top though, you’ll have massive bragging rights and a hell of story to tell for your efforts. 

Volcan Maderas is the shorter of the two at “only” 1394 metres but is no easy hike itself. Unlike concepcion where you go through the forest for a bit but are mostly in the open. On Maderas you slog through the jungle to a crater lagoon at the top of the volcano. 

Pick your poison.

Day 3: Recovery Day

After yesterday’s adventure, you may be feeling a bit stiff and a lot sore. So where better to spend the day than at a natural spring?! At Ojo de Agua (literally meaning the eye of water), swing, swim, sunbathe, and sip (a pina colada or coconut water, as long as it’s out of a coconut I approve). 

Once you’ve had your fill of relaxation, make your way to Punta Jesus Maria for a sunset special. At the end of this small beach, you’ll find a sandbar extending into the lake. At times you can walk far out enough that it’ll seem that you’re literally standing in the lake, looking out at the towering volcano (you can only concepcion from here) as the setting sun brings out more dramatic colours than you’d have thought possible. 

Day 4: The wild side:

Back to the adventure we go, as today is the day we go to the south island. Rent a scooter/motorbike, or get a guide to take you around on one (I got a guide for the day for $30, including his motorbike (I had to pay for the gas at the end), besides driving me around the island, he also acted as a general guide for literally everything I did). 

For the most part, the point of cruising through the Southern Island isn’t to go anywhere specific, on the contrary, just ride around looking for any cool secluded looking spots. If there’s one place I’d recommend in particular, it’s the San Ramon Waterfall a few kilometres south of Merida. Mind you, it takes a hike of around 40 minutes each way from the upper parking lot to the falls themselves. I didn’t end up having the time to visit here, but everyone I met who had been really recommended it.

That’s all folks! Be sure to tell me your thoughts in the comments below

Until we meet again *insert saluting emoji

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