Birding in Nicaragua Volcanoes

If you are interested in Birding in Nicaragua Volcanoes, come and join us at Kaiyote Tours!

We love Nicaragua, we have spent more time in Nicaragua than any other country and we have been traveling to this wonderful place since 2005.  It is our home away from home, so why not travel with us! 

Nicaragua has more volcanoes than any other country in Central America and many of them are active geological sites.  At the base of the volcanoes that we will be visiting you will find lush, tropical forests full of birds and wildlife.  On this tour we will also be visiting the historic city of Granada and the artesian city of Masaya, both which are steeped in tradition.  This is a great tour to experience both the natural and cultural worlds of Nicaragua. 

Highlights: 

1. Listening to the sounds of Turquoise-browed Motmots as you float in the crystal-clear waters of Laguna Apoyo. 
2. Sitting on a park bench in the central square of Granada, eating ice cream and watching the world go by. 
3. Walking the shores of Ometepe

Printable Bird List
(This is a checklist of the birds that we have seen in Nicaragua)

• Travel Dates: Tours by request, anytime of year is good
• Group Size:  2 - 6 Travelers plus guides
• Trip Length: 10 days
• Rates: Rate per person = $3,450 ($800 charge for single occupancy)
• Rates include: Domestic transfers, lodging, breakfast, lunch, dinner, scheduled group tours, park entrance fees and basic travel insurance.
• Not included: International airfare, customs & immigration fees and visas, alcohol, trip cancellation insurance.
• Adventure level:  Moderate, please check the “Welcome” page for definition

Special offer:  Included with your trip (one per room) is a copy of the field guide “Birds of Nicaragua” second edition by Lilliana Chavarria-Duriaux, et al.  You will receive this when you reserve your trip so you will have time to study and know the beautiful birds of Nicaragua. 

Map of the travel route here:  Nicaragua Map (this map will enlarge when clicked on, opens a new page)

If you would like to see recent photos click here:  Newsletter Archives (opens a new page)

More photos can be found here:  Photo Gallery (opens new page)

Basic Itinerary

Day 1:  Managua 
Arrival in Managua; flights usually arrive in the evening at the Managua Augusto Cesar Sandino International Airport (MGA), so we will head directly to the Las Mercedes Hotel for a relaxing evening among the pools and gardens. 

Day 2:  Managua
There are two great birding areas just outside of Managua that we will visit today:   Chocoyero - El Brujo Natural Reserve and Montibelli Natural Reserve.  These reserves offer great birding and walking and both centers have wonderful porches to sit and wait for the birds to come to you, if you choose.  

Day 3:  Laguna Apoyo 
Laguna Apoyo is a volcano crater that has filled up with water and now is a crystal-clear lake.  Nicaragua’s state bird, the Turquoise-browed Motmot is abundant here.  We will be staying at the San Simian Eco-lodge.

Day 4:  Laguna Apoyo 
Atop the Apoyo crater is the small artesian village of Catarina.  From Catarina there are spectacular views of Laguna de Apoyo, Granada, the Mombacho volcano and Lake Nicaragua.  In many of the restaurants you can relax, buy souvenirs and listen to marimba music. There will be birding tours every day.

Day 5:  Laguna Apoyo 
There are nice hiking trails here and plenty of activities at the crater. This can be a day to bird, relax, swim or go exploring in the rainforest.  In the afternoon we will visit the colonial city of Granada, which was founded in 1524. 

Day 6:  Isla de Ometepe
A private shuttle and a boat will get us to Isla de Ometepe, which is an island created by two volcanoes.  One Volcano is active and one is dormant. We will be near the base of Volcano Concepcion, which is constantly billowing steam.  We will be staying at the Hotel Charco Verde which is right on the lake and next to the Charco Verde Nature Reserve and a perfect place to see some amazing sunsets and a lot of birds.

Day 7:  Isla de Ometepe 
Today we will take a walk over to the Charco Verde Nature Preserve.  There are great trails here for spotting birds, monkeys and iguanas. There is also a nice beach for a swim. At the restaurant, numerous White-throated Magpie Jays are there to say hello.

Day 8:  Isla de Ometepe 
There is a lot of exploring to do on Isla Ometepe.  There are great trails that lead to secluded beaches for swimming and relaxing.  There is a great restaurant here for food, drinks and socializing. We will be taking an island tour to view the wildlife and birds around the base of the volcanoes. 

Day 9:  Managua 
On this day we travel back to Las Mercedes and on the way back we will stop in the city of Masaya for shopping at the artesian craft market.  In Managua, across from the hotel at the airport is excellent shopping as well. 

Day 10: Fly Home 
Flights usually leave in the morning, so getting to the airport and getting home is our only activity for the day.

Please note:  The lodging described in this itinerary is always our first choice based on availability.  Details of this trip are a little vague as it is VERY flexible. Destinations throughout the trip are based on the desires, ability, and goals of the group.