Do not forget
• Comfortable shoes
• Light clothing
• Sunscreen
Difficulty Level:
2
Secluded in the middle of Lake Nicaragua, “One Day in Ometepe” is a unique and memorable trip to an island full of natural experiences and fascinating culture. Starting early in the morning we will reach the small dock of San Jorge, where we take the ferry to navigate through the fresh waters of Lake Nicaragua. If weather allows while crossing the lake, amazing vistas on Ometepe Island, lately designated UNESCO Biosphere, Mombacho volcano and Zapatera Island are enjoyed. Our first destination to reach in the island is the town of Moyogalpa where our local transportation will be waiting for us to begin our unforgettable journey; departing from here and passing through different rural villages like Esquipulas, Los Angeles and San Jose del Sur we will reach the natural reserve of Charco Verde. An hour light trek through this reserve will lead us to explore tropical wonders including birds, mammals, reptiles, plants, breathtaking landscapes and the famous “Charco Verde”, a natural little lake within the reserve surrounded by lush vegetation.
Afterwards we will drive to the former indigenous town of “Altagracia”; here we will visit its museum possessing a significant collection of pre-Columbian artifacts, containing funeral urns, pots, plates, idols, petroglyphs, and other meaningful findings. Recently Altagracia’s main plaza was gracefully renovated holding especially a fountain with a small replica of the island. In addition Altagracia houses two churches dedicated to San Diego de Alcala, whose main celebration takes place in the month of November. Ancient volcanic carved stones with animal and human features can be observed in the yard of the church. Then we will continue our trip to “Playa Santo Domingo” where we will enjoy our delicious lunch in one of the restaurants by the shores of Lake Nicaragua, here you can also have a chance for a refreshing swim.
After a succulent meal our exciting journey continues to the base of Maderas Volcano, an impressive cloud forest mountain located in the southwest of Ometepe. Here we will explore one of the farms of the area where several interesting petroglyphs are found, a strong evidence of Middle American cultures that developed in this part of the world. At the same time we will be able to learn about the different type of tropical fruit trees. If weather permits, great views to Maderas and Concepcion volcano are enjoyed from here. After here we will drive back to Moyogalpa to take the ferry back home.
Rates are depending on the number of participants, the departure place of the tour, participation of children, travel season or special request. Final pricing will be extended from our sales representative after you fill up the form below:
I loved our trip! Julio and Giovanni were both great, and my only complaint was that the trip was not longer. Oh, and it would be nice if your clients knew in advance how much to tip people such as bellboys, drivers, restaurant people, guides, etc. Even just a range would be good! Julio was nice enough to help us with most everyone except for himself :-)
Also, I think I might have restructured it a little bit too, i.e. seen some of the managua stuff the day we arrived, since we arrived fairly early in the afternoon, and there wasn't that much to do in or around our hotel. And I think I would have skipped spending the night in Leon, because the La Perla, while it looked nice, was where we had the most problems. Our door lock wouldn't work properly, our window wouldn't lock, and no one there spoke that much English. And it's just not as nice of a city as Granada is!
I liked La Omaja on Ometepe, although I was a little worried about it after talking to you. I didn't see the inside of Villa Paraiso, so I have nothing to compare it to, but the food was great (best breakfast of the trip!), and it was nice and quiet, and not full of people like Villa Paraiso.
Julio took great care of us, which is important to me, because while I can tough it out a bit, my wife needs more care, so he was very good for us. He always made sure we were okay, helped us to order at restaurants, was excellent at spotting wildlife, and was just generally fun to be with.
I liked Morgan's Rock and was glad that we ended the trip there. We had a lot of fun there, and it was nice to just relax, and I'm so grateful to you for getting us the second night on such short notice! The one little adventure we had was this: We arrived at the hotel, opened our suitcases up, and then went to dinner. While at dinner I thought that we should keep our suitcases closed, just in case any bugs crawled in, so when we got back to the room, we shut our suitcases, and zipped them up. In the morning, I went to get my clothes out of the suitcase, so I opened it up, and there was a big scorpion sitting in my suitcase! I was able to get it out with chopsticks that I always carry, and then killed it with my shoe. Thankfully we discovered him there and not when we arrived home! The only other thing I would say about Morgan's Rock is that service is slow, and things move at a different pace, so people should just relax and take things as they come.
Anyway, thank you so much for all of the hardwork that you put into our trip, all the planning, answering all of the questions, etc. I really appreciated it, and my wife, who is more the sit on a beach at a nice resort kind of person, loved the trip, which says a lot! I have already recommended your company to friends, so if you ever need a recommendation or anything, feel free to use my name!
Julio and my driver Yamal were Super Terrific!!!!! I met their wives one night and we went out for dinner. Then, we went out dancing. They kept me entertained and laughing.
The best way to experience the Nicaraguan culture. One of the wives gave me embroidery napkins and a CD of a singer named Paquita La del Barrio. Funny, very funny. Every time I play the CD, it gives me back memories of my Nicaraguan trip.
Ometepe could become one of the new 7 natural wonders of the world.: Destination: Ometepe Island
Date: May 08 2009
One of the most natural precious jewels of Nicaragua is Ometepe, a volcanic island formed by two imposing volcanoes located on the second largest freshwater lake in Latin America. Today Ometepe, a native Nahuatl word, which stands for “Two Hills” is competing along with others islands of the world to become one of the new 7 natural wonders of the planet. This tough competition is being carried through the website of “The New7Wonders Foundation & Campaign” established in 2001 by the Swiss-born Canadian filmmaker, author and adventurer Bernard Weber to contribute to the protection of the world’s human-built and natural heritage and to foster respect for the cultural diversity on our planet.
The impressive volcanic island of Ometepe was added to the list of world biosphere reserves network of UNESCO. The island was nominated unanimously during the twenty second session of the Council for International Coordination of Man and the Biosphere Program (MAB-UNESCO). This program was established in 1977 to promote an interdisciplinary approach to research, training and communications in ecosystem conservation and rational use of natural resources. Biosphere reserves are protected areas that are meant to demonstrate a balanced relationship between man and nature.
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