Puntos de Vida in Nicaragua
Vibrant culture & nature in Central AmericaThis trip shows you the diversity and beauty of Nicaragua: the original Solentiname archipelago and the island of Ometepe in the great Lake Nicaragua, the colonial pearls of Granada and León, the lush green highlands with their coffee and cocoa plantations, the Caribbean coast and the impressive Volcanoes of Central America. You will immerse yourself in the abundant diversity of the fauna and flora of the cloud and rainforest, peer into the bubbling maw of a volcano, learn about the traditions of the Arte Naif artists and indigenous potters and taste one of the most famous liqueurs on earth. You will visit a coffee plantation in the highlands, a cocoa finca in the east of the country and enjoy fresh seafood on a sandy beach lined with mangroves. The many ‘Puntos de Vida’ where you can meet the locals and get to know their culture are also an enriching experience. At the beginning and end of the trip you will spend the night in Costa Rica.
This trip is partly off the tourist routes, so you will partly stay in more rustic/simple accommodation. However, all of the accommodations are clean, the rooms have private bathrooms, and the hospitable atmosphere makes up for the missing stars.
Travel itinerary
- Departure (Lufthansa) from Frankfurt to San Jose at 1:15 p.m. (arrival at 7:00 p.m.)
- Transfer to the hotel.
- Overnight stay at the Hotel Buena Vista**** in Alajuela
- Drive to Arenal Volcano National Park
- Hike through tropical cloud forest (panoramic views of the volcano along the way)
- Overnight stay at the Hotel Arenal Observatory Logde*** in the Arenal Volcano National Park
- Drive to the border and cross the border into Nicaragua.
- Continue to San Carlos
- Boat trip to the Solentiname archipelago
- Walk to the painters’ colony and the balsa wood artists (Punto de Vida)
- Painting workshop
- Dinner and overnight at the Hotel Mancarrón-Solentiname***
- Boat trip on the jungle river Rio Papaturro
- Hike through the rainforest.
- Boat tour to Venada Island
- Visit to an artist family (Punto de Vida)
- Dinner and overnight at the Hotel Mancarrón-Solentiname***
- Boat trip to Ometepe Island
- Bus ride to Charco Verde Lagoon
- Hike and visit to the museum (Punto de Vida)
- Overnight stay at the Finca Hotel San Juan de la Isla*** on Ometepe
- Boat trip to Granada
- Ride by horse-drawn carriage (Punto de Vida) to the hotel
- Walking tour of the old town of Granada
- Overnight stay at the colonial hotel Plaza Colon**** in Granada
- Visit to the handicraft villages ‘Pueblos Blancos’
- Visit to an indigenous pottery school (Punto de Vida) in San Juan de Oriente
- Walk through the craft market in Masaya
- Opportunity for refreshment in the lagoon
- Evening drive to Santiago Crater (bubbling lava)
- Overnight stay in the colonial hotel Plaza Colon****
- Ride in a rustic vehicle to the pre-peak of Mombacho
- Walk through the Dwarf Cloud Forest (Punto de Vida) with panoramic views of Lake Nicaragua
- Afternoon free time in Granada
- Overnight stay in the colonial hotel Plaza Colon****
- Drive to Managua, tour of the old town
- In Viejo León, visit to the ruins (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- In Chichigalpa, visit a sugar mill and the Flor de Caña rum distillery, tour including tasting
- Overnight stay at the colonial hotel El Convento***(*) in León
- Walk through the old town of Leon
- Visit to the cathedral (UNESCO World Heritage)
- Panoramic view from the cathedral tower
- Visit to the Ruben Dario Museum
- Walk on the Pacific beach “Las Penitas”
- Overnight stay in the colonial hotel El Convento***(*)
- Drive to the coffee finca (Punto de Vida)
- Detailed tour and insights into gourmet coffee production, including tasting
- Overnight stay at the Ecolodge Selva Negra*** in Selva Negra
- Drive to Juigalpa
- Visit to the museum (basalt statues)
- In the afternoon arrival at the Finca ‘El Cacao’
- Guided tour of the finca, insights into cocoa cultivation
- Overnight stay in the rustic guest house of Finca El Cacao**
- Trip to the mangrove-lined sandy beaches of the Caribbean coast
- Boat trip to the Pearl Keys
- Lunch (fresh seafood) on the beach.
- Free time
- Overnight stay in the rustic guest house of Finca El Cacao**
- Drive to San Carlos, lunch break in the fishing town.
- Continue to the border, crossing the border into Costa Rica
- Drive to La Fortuna
- Overnight stay at the Hotel Volcano Lodge***(*) in La Fortuna
- Free time
- Check out at 12pm
- Transfer to San Jose airport
- Departure at 8:50 p.m. (Lufthansa)
- Landing in Frankfurt at 3 p.m
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Lunchbox / Picnic
- Tasting
- Night
Prices (per person)
Minimum number of participants: 10, maximum number of participants: 15.
Included services:
Not included are: Lufthansa seat reservations, additional excursions, meals not mentioned, drinks, individual travel insurance, tips, local tourism tax, personal expenses.
Authentic and sustainable
- Small group (10-15 travelers)
- CO2 compensation for flights and country-based services (4,821 t per passenger) via Atmosfair
- Overnight stays in Nicaragua in family-run and owner-run hotels
- « Puntos de Vida » On this tour we always invite you to linger at so-called “Puntos de Vida” (“places of life”). These are places where people authentically live and preserve their traditions and culture. In these places, the living culture of Nicaragua can be experienced in an outstanding way for visitors. The “Punto de Vida” are shaped by locals who, for years and from generation to generation, have taken care to protect their culture, their traditions, their language, their cuisine, their music, their dances, their roots and the protection of their natural resources because in doing so they preserve their Nicaraguan identity. You will see that these encounters will be enriching moments of your trip and will bring you closer to the people and their culture. You will meet interesting people almost everywhere and the smiles of the hospitable Nicaraguans will always greet you warmly.
Important information
To enter Costa Rica and Nicaragua, Luxembourgers and Germans need a passport that is valid for at least six months at the time of entry. The passport must be in good condition and have at least two blank pages left. All Covid-19-related restrictions have currently been lifted. We would like to point out that this can change depending on the pandemic situation (as of February 2024).
This trip is partly off the beaten track, so you will sometimes stay in more rustic/simple accommodation. However, all are clean, the rooms have private bathrooms and the hospitable atmosphere makes up for the missing stars. Almost all accommodations offer WiFi, although network coverage is not always perfect. Please note that many hotels and lodges only offer non-smoking rooms. If some of the accommodations we have booked are unforeseen to be unavailable, we will book a (preferably) equivalent alternative.
For air travel, our sales prices are generally based on special and tour operator tariffs of the airline(s) selected for the relevant trip. Therefore, the space available is limited; additional charges may apply for bookings made three months before the start of the trip.
With the travel documents you will receive further information about the trip and the destination country.
No insurance is included in the travel price. We strongly recommend taking out travel cancellation insurance that includes Covid-19 as well as appropriate travel health insurance that includes treatment (including quarantine) for Covid-19.
This trip is not suitable for guests with mobility issues. If necessary, please tell us the type of mobility restriction you have before booking and clarify with us whether we can meet your individual needs.
Planet B is a brand of Bollig Tours s.à r.l.. Bollig Tours is therefore named as the organizer in our general travel conditions.
Related document(s)
Need more information?
121, route de Luxembourg
L-6562 Echternach
