YPT Tours to Nicaragua

Our Nicaragua tours promises an unforgettable experience, mixing breathtaking scenery, fascinating history, and vibrant culture. Here, you’ll discovered a land of History, from the pre-Columbian times to the country’s recent history marked by revolution and social change. You’ll learn about the Sandinista movement and explore museums that showcase the country’s unique political journey.

Nicaragua is also a nature lover’s paradise, with the most active volcanoes and the largest rainforest in Central America. You’ll also have the chance to relax on pristine beaches along Nicaragua’s Pacific and Caribbean coasts.

Group Tours to Nicaragua

We are currently working on offering tours to Nicaragua and other central american countries in summer 2025. Check this page and our social media accounts regularly to get all the news.

Independent Tours to Nicaragua

Young Pioneer Tours has close connections to a network of local partners and guides. As such we can arrange independent and bespoke travel packages to Nicaragua, no matter what you’re looking for, from budget tours to more luxurious ones, focusing on the essentials or going in depth, with hiking, volcano excursions, political and historical tours, archaeological expeditions or beach retreats.

Prices depend on the number of people and what level of accommodation you desire, but YPT can arrange everything you need for perfect independent Nicaragua tours.

Below is an example Nicaragua itinerary. This can be extended to other countries, such as Belize, Guatemala, Honduras or El Salvador, or combined with other activities to create independent Nicaragua tours. 

Example of a Nicaragua Itinerary (9 days)

Day 1 – Managua

• Arrival at your leisure in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua. The airport is well connected to the United States and other capital cities in Central America.
• Transfer to our hotel in Managua.
• We can also transfer to Granada, where you will visit the San Francisco convent, once a US Marines base and nowadays an indigenous art museum. We will walk around the colonial streets of Granada, following the steps of William Walker who failed to attempt to annex Nicaragua to the United States.
• We’ll head out for dinner and drinks. There are two main beers in Nicaragua, Toña and Victoria, you can try both and decide which one is best. 
• Overnight in Managua.

Day 2 – Managua – Masaya

• After breakfast in our hotel, we’ll start the walking tour of Managua to visit the Loma de Tiscapa park where there are good views of the city. We’ll check the remaining classical buildings that survived the 1972 earthquake. You’ll learn about its turbulent history and the left-wing Sandinista movement, finishing at the city’s attractive lakefront.
• We’ll drive to the town of Masaya, where we will have a local lunch. We’ll visit Apoyo Lagoon, a beautiful volcanic lake with views to the Mombacho Volcano, Lake Nicaragua, and the islets of Granada.
• Masaya artisan market located inside a 1900s structure, used as an ordinary market. You will be able to check some local handmade products such as traditional clothes, sweets and handmade crafts.
• At sunset, you will visit the active Masaya Volcano, where you will have the opportunity to see the bubbling lava coming out of the Santiago crater. 
• We’ll drive back to Masaya for dinner and drinks.
• Overnight in Masaya.

Day 3 – Masaya – Cerro Negro – León

• After breakfast in our hotel, we will head to the city of León.
• We’ll stop in the volcano Cerro Negro, another active volcano. We’ll do a 1 hour hike to the top, where we’ll have amazing views. Our local guide will explain to us about the geology of this site.
• For adrenaline lovers, you can board down the mountain, either standing or sitting. It’s the fastest and funniest way to descend!
• We’ll continue our drive to León. We’ll have lunch and then free time to wander around the colonial streets in León, relax in the hotel or have a beer in a rooftop bar.
• Dinner and drinks. 
• Overnight in León.

Day 4 – León

• We’ll begin our morning by exploring the political, intellectual and artistic capital of Nicaragua. This three-centuries old city has charming colonial architecture and numerous churches. 
• León is also known for being a university city. During the Somoza dictatorship, from 1936 to 1979, this city held student protests and was home to the hardest battles in the insurrection during the Nicaraguan revolution (1961 to 1979). We will be able to learn all about it with a historic Sandinista combatant.
• In the afternoon, there’s an optional activity for an extra fee. You’ll be transferred to the Pacific coast, to Peñitas bay and take a motor boat to Juan Venado island, where there’s a wetland famous for its turtle and bird nesting. Your guide will find the best way to cut through the inlet to the Pacific Ocean, where you can walk or swim.
• We’ll reunite in León to go for dinner and drinks
• Overnight in León

Day 5 – León – Jinotega

• Breakfast and transfer further north into the mountains, towards Jinotega.
• We’ll visit the former base of rebel General Augusto Sandino, leader of the Nicaraguan revolution.
• We’ll have lunch at Jinotega, known as the city of mist due its climate, and walk around its beautiful and quiet streets. 
• Visit the black pottery workshops, and finish with a cup of coffee, produced in the area.
• Dinner and drinks.
• Overnight in Jinotega. 

Day 6 – Somoto

• After Breakfast, we’ll drive to Somoto near the Honduras border.
• We will do a couple stops. First, in San Rafael del Norte to visit to the Sandino Museum, the tomb of Sandino’s wife and the town’s parish church with the bizarre “Daniel Ortega fresco”, the current president of Nicaragua
• Then, we’ll stop in Condega which proudly displays a Somoza-era warplane shot down by Sandinista rebels, now a hill-top monument. 
• We’ll arrive in the quiet village of Somoto which is the birthplace of Nicaragua’s most famous revolutionary folk singers, the Mejia Godoy brothers. It is also home to the most delicious corn rosquillas in Nicaragua, a traditional biscuit that goes great with fresh brewed Nicaragua coffee
• Dinner and drinks.
• Overnight in Somoto. 

Day 7 – Somoto – Ocotal

• After breakfas,t you will be transferred to Somoto Canyon. You will be rappelling down to the base of the canyon, followed by a hike along the river bank that leads you to a warm river where you can swim and relax.
• We’ll have lunch in Somoto.
• We’ll drive to Ocotal, check in our hotel to take a shower and rest a bit before going out for dinner.
• Overnight in Ocotal.

Day 8 – Ocotal

• After breakfast, visit Ocotal’s central park, inspired by an English garden. Then, we’ll visit the Ocotal cultural centre that was once a US Marine base and the place where Sandino first confronted US troops. The result would change his strategy and influence how modern guerrilla warfare is fought.
• Then we leave Ocotal to explore the ancient colonial settlement of Ciudad Antigua. Another hotspot during the contra war, the little village has ancient residents who once knew General Sandino and others who blame their current state of poverty on British pirates that attacked the village more than 300 years ago.
• We’ll have lunch in the colonial village of Mozonte. 
• After that we’ll visit Las Pilitas, a natural reserve in Mozonte, where we can find three waterfalls.
• Return to Ocotal for dinner and drinks
• Overnight in Ocotal

Day 9 – Ocotal

• After breakfast, the tour concludes. Transfer back to Managua, YPT can assist with arranging post-tour accommodation or advice for flights.

Bespoke Nicaragua Tours 

As part of our travel packages within Central and Latin America, we can offer bespoke and independent Nicaragua tours. These can be done as full Nicaragua tours or be combined with other countries. 

For more information on the following programs, simply get in touch. 

Granada and Ometepe

The beautiful colonial town of Granada offers pretty architecture and fascinating Sandinist history. The trip to the city can be completed with nature experiences like a boat trip to Las Isletas (The Islets) a group of 365 small islands in Lake Nicaragua. Continuing south, the Ometepe Island in lake Nicaragua offers the possibility of climbing volcanoes, swimming in waterfalls and lagoons, learning about the ancient history of Nicaragua and enjoying the fauna and flora of the island.

Corn Islands

The Corn Islands are two little islands in the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua. Big Corn Island and Small Corn Island were named in English due the British influence in this part of Nicaragua. They offer white sand beaches and turquoise waters and are really unknown to the majority of tourists. They are worth visiting for relaxing and disconnecting in this very unique and untouched area of the Caribbean.

Political tours

Are you interested in Sandisnism and the Sandinista revolution? Then look no further and join in one of our political tours, where you will meet with active FSLN members and visit key locations of the revolutionary process all over the country.

Hiking and Volcanoes

The Pacific coast of Nicaragua is home to many volcanoes, with some of them being active, like Masaya Volcano near Managua or Telica near León, both with amazing views to the lava. Cerro negro is known for the possibility to descend its black hillside using snowboarding boards. Another one is Mombacho, a great nature reserve that offers treks for different of different hiking levels

Central American overland tours

Starting in Managua, cross south to Costa Rica, known for its rich nature, by boat to El Salvador, with its complex political past and present, or overland to Honduras, a very overlooked country. Wherever you want to go, we advise and arrange everything for you to make the most of your trip to Central america.

Filming in Nicaragua

Through our media arm Pioneer Media we can make arrangements for productions, journalists, or others to film within Nicaragua from big budget to guerrilla productions. We can also arrange meetings in country, as well as correct visas for journalist wishing to do projects within Nicaragua.

Frequently asked questions about travel to Nicaragua

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