NICARAGUA MULTISPORT (8 Days/7 Nights)
Managua, Leon, Granada, Ometepe, Maderas Volcano.
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This active adventure in Nicaragua begins with a scenic bike ride to the ruins of Old Leon at the foot of Momotombo Volcano. Then visit the majestic churches of the colonial city of Leon. In Granada you will kayak among Lake Nicaragua's tiny volcanic islands and see the city in the traditional manner – by horse-drawn carriage. Finally to Ometepe Island, where you will climb Maderas, one of the island's two nearly perfect cone-shaped volcanoes, and see the mysterious rock carvings made by the island's ancient inhabitants.

Meal codes: (B) = Breakfast, (L) = Lunch, (D) = Dinner.

Day 1: Arrive Managua (No meals.)
A Nicaragua Expeditions’ guide and driver will pick you up outside the baggage claim and immigration area at the international airport and take you to your hotel. Your guide will give a short orientation about the activities and destinations you will visit. Overnight at Hotel Los Robles

Day 2: Managua / Leon (B,L,D)
After an early breakfast, gear up for the 6-mile bike ride from Old Leon to Leon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ride will take you past Lake Managua and El Ollo (nearby mountain with a perfectly round crater blown out of it). Van support will be available. At the foot of the Momotombo Volcano, Old Leon was established in 1523 by Spanish Conquistador Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba. You will walk with your guide through the ruins of the settlement, beginning with La Merced Church. This is the site of Hernandez de Cordoba’s original tomb, which lies next to that of his murderer and archrival Pedrarias Davila. Old Leon was abandoned in 1610 due to frequent earthquakes, lack of labor and an economic downturn. Continue to Leon in van (about two hours). Overnight at Hotel El Convento.

Day 3: Leon / Granada (B,L,D)
This morning we will climb the steep steps of the tower of the Leon Cathedral, the city’s largest church (and the largest in Central America), founded in 1747 and containing masterpiece religious art. If you are lucky during your visit, the three-ton bell dedicated to 19th century Nicaraguan poet Ruben Dario (whose tomb is also in the church), may be rung by hand. Leon has 13 churches, some of them connected by underground tunnels. These tunnels were used as escape routes in case of pirate attack. Although no longer accessible, the blocked entryways can be seen in the Cathedral’s crypts. In the afternoon, you will visit the market town of Masaya and the “white towns” of Katarina and San Juan del Oriente, the heart and soul of Nicaraguan arts and crafts. Continue to Granada, where you’ll arrive in the evening (45 mins.). Overnight at Hotel La Gran Francia.

Day 4: Granada (B,L)
Morning guided kayak tour on Lake Nicaragua among the Isletas, 365 small islands where many of Granada’s wealthy families maintain weekend homes. Look for caiman, turtles, migrating swallows, Ringed Kingfisher, Neotropic Cormorant and other species. Return to Granada to continue your exploration of the area on bike and in horse drawn carriage. Granada is at once both the oldest city on the continent and the most developed tourist destination in Nicaragua. Founded in 1524, it has been the stronghold of Nicaragua's landed aristocracy and, after independence from Spain in 1821, the country’s conservative center. Because of its wealth, Granada was repeatedly attacked by French and English pirates in the 1600s. You will visit several sites, including the San Francisco Convent, where an archeological museum is housed, the railway station (no longer working) and La Polvorera Fort, built in 1748 to store the city’s gunpowder. The fort later served as Somoza’s political prison. Overnight at Hotel La Gran Francia.

Day 5: Granada / Ometepe Island (B,L,D)
Early morning departure with your guide for the drive (two hours) to the ferry in San Jorge, then to Ometepe Island (one hour in boat). In 1867 Mark Twain described Ometepe this way: “Out of the midst of the beautiful Lake Nicaragua spring two magnificent pyramids, clad in the softest and richest green, all flecked with shadow and sunshine, whose summits pierce the billowy clouds.'' You're likely to find the description fitting as your ferry approaches the island. Today you will explore with your guide on bike a place that takes you back in time, where the means of transport for most people is by foot, horseback or bicycle, and the rivers are still the laundromats. See petroglyphs carved in Volcanic Rock by the Nahual Nicarao Indians around 1700 years ago and Charco Verde, a scenic lagoon. Overnight at Hotel Villa Paraiso.

Day 6: Ometepe Island / Maderas Volcano (B,L,D)
Today you will take in the views of Ometepe Island from atop Maderas Volcano. The climb starts at Finca Magdalena at nearly sea level and goes up 4,573 ft. (1,394 m), passing cultivated farmland, tropical forest and an occasional petroglyph. Some four hours later, you will reach a plateau not far from the crater rim where you may rest and take time to appreciate the views of the Concepcion Volcano, Maderas’ twin to the North, and the island below. The return hike takes approximately three hours. Overnight at Hotel Villa Paraiso.

Day 7: Ometepe / Granada (B,L,D)
This morning you will take a short hike to a group of mysterious rock carvings and petroglyphs near Finca Magdalena. The images depict serpents, scorpions, mermaids and swirls and were reportedly made by the Nahuatl people centuries ago. Afterward catch your ferry back to the mainland - and the 21st Century. Drive to Granada (two hours). Overnight and dinner at Hotel La Gran Francia.

Day 8: Departure (No meals.)
Drive to the Managua Airport, arriving at least 2-3 hours before the departure of your flight back home.

*Childrens' Pricing
When sharing a room with two adults, children 0 to 5 years old, receive a 50% discount and from 6-10 years, a 25% discount applies. Children older than 10 years pay adult rates.

TOUR INCLUDES
-Accommodations as featured in the itinerary in standard rooms with private bathroom and including local taxes (except at Morgan’s Rock).
-Meals as indicated in the itinerary, including one drink during meal (soft drink, juice or beer). Lunch package instead of formal lunch on Days 2 and 6. Same meals for tour guide at lunch and dinner.
-All land transportation in modern vehicles with a/c and 4 x 4 when necessary. Transfers include fresh water and soft drinks.
-The services of a qualified, English-speaking guide from Day 1 to Day 8. All activities and tours as specified in the itinerary including additional specialized guide. Biking tour includes support van.
-All entrance fees during the trip as per itinerary.

NOT INCLUDED
Costs of obtaining passports, visas or tourist cards (US$5.00 per person). Excess baggage fees; personal expenses such as room service, beverages and laundry; gratuities to tour escorts, guides or drivers; personal communications charges; international airfare and airport departure taxes (US$32 per person); tax increases or new taxes charged for services that were not taxed at the time the booking was made; excess mileage carried out at the request of the client; sightseeing or meals not specified in the itinerary; personal trip cancellation insurance coverage (recommended).