Consommation

Vibrant culture & nature in Central America

Puntos de Vida in Nicaragua

This 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.
Visite guidée en anglais.

Dates (16 days)

30.11.2024 - 15.12.2024
From/back to Frankfurt

Number of travellers

10-15 participants

Itinéraire de voyage

Day 1

Flight to Costa Rica

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

Day 2

Arenal : Volcan & Waterfall

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

Day 3

Art & Culture on the Solentiname Archipelago

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***

Day 4

Los Guatuzos nature reserve & artist family on La Vernanda

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***

Day 5

Ometepe island

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

Day 6

Colonial pearl Granada

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

Day 7

Day Trip : Artisan Villages & Volcanoes

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****

Day 8

Walk in the dwarf cloud forest, free time in Granada

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****

Day 9

Managua & Viejo Leon, sugar cane & rum

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