Maderas Volcano Hike

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With a height of 1,394 mts (4,573 ft), Maderas is the smaller of the two volcanoes which make up  Ometepe, Unlike Concepción, the other volcano on the island, Maderas has not been active in historical times. Its crater contains a crater lake.

The slopes of Maderas are one of two places on the Pacific side of Nicaragua where cloud forest grows. Cloud forests are characterized by a rich plant and animal life, made possible by the high levels of humidity in the climate. 

The hike to the top of the crater can be difficult, with steep inclines that get muddy most of

the year including dry season. The trail changes from dry forest to humid forest to cloud forest. It's a majestic mountain that is an incredible and unforgettable experience.

 

Hiking straight from our lodge take anywhere from 6-10 hours round trip.

A guide is required per Nicaraguan law, and is just smart in general plus it helps out the local economy and you have a great experience.

Guides cost $30-35 total, (1-4 people)

We can provide to go lunches and make breakfast to have you on your journey by 8am

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                   San Ramon Waterfall

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From Finca Mystica you can hike to the impressive 90 meter dropping waterfall of San Ramon.  This is a moderate 3-5 hour hike from our hotel.  Good sneakers or hiking shoes are highly recommended for this hike.  The last kilometer can be a bit rocky, but when you reach the waterfall you will be happy to feel the cool mist blowing from the falls, or take a dip if you would like.  If you are not up for the full hike, many of our guest enjoy riding horses from our place up to the last kilometer, from there you hike the rest of the way. It takes about 3-4 hours on horses roundtrip from our lodge. $3 entrance fee

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Horseback riding

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We offer some great horseback riding expeditions from our lodge with a very friendly and fun guide who has very good horses good for all levels from beginners to experts.

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1) Waterfall trip....head from our lodge and go up the trail, the last part of the journey you have to hike when it gets to steep ( around 20 minutes ), then you are there to take a dip and cool off or just enjoy the scenery. This trip costs $30 a person ( entrance fee is included ). Roughly 3 and a half hrs.

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2) Head for the hills....You will go around the trails from our place checking out different viewpoints, petroglyphs, coffee fields and more . $10 per hour, per person, minimum 2 hours.

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3) Trip around  Maderas volcano or other destinations.....prices vary.

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Shoes, hat, water, shades, comfortable pants, sunscreen are recommended.

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Kayak Tours

  

Rio Istián, located in between the two volcanos is filled with wildlife, and the constant backdrop of the two volcanoes makeup the dramatic scenery. As you paddle down the river, you may see caiman alligators, iguanas, bats ,different species of monkeys, and a lot of birds (close to 50 different species have been counted so far). It's an amazing tour for nature lovers.

There are a few options for kayaking.  You can walk to Caballito's del Mar (about 35 minutes through town) , take a taxi from our place and back for $6 roundtrip or have a boat taxi pick you up at the bottom of our road for $24 round trip ( this option brings you and your kayak to the mouth of the river ) total. The more people to share the boat taxi the better!  It's also easy to take a local bus and back from the bottom of our road.  If you are just looking to kayak around the lake or to some nearby islands, we rent kayaks for $5 per hour.

The tour costs from $15 to $20 per person depending on how many people. This includes a bilingual, kayak and life jacket and. Bring about 2 liters of water, hat, sunscreen, shades, repellant, bag to keep your camera dry and a snack. 

It's about a 3 hours in total and is best to go in the morning for animals or the evening for sunset. During the end of dry season, the lake can be really low making the trip a little different but still doable. We can help organize depending on where you would like to start from. it's easy to take the local bus there and back or you can walk or bike.

If you are just looking to kayak around the lake or to some nearby islands, we rent kayaks for $5 per hour at the bottom of our road. 

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Conception Volcano Hike

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Concepción is an active stratovolcano that is 1,610 m (5,280 ft) tall and rests on a 1 km (3,300ft) thick base of Quaternary lacustrine mudstones. It is considered a "pristine" volcano because there has been no influence of other volcanoes on its growth. The growth of the volcano comes in phases based on weaknesses of the crust that the volcano rests on. As it grows from additional magma flow, the volcano grows in mass and exerts pressure on the crust. This causes shifts which in turn cause more volcanic growth. This affects the magma chamber which begins the cycle again with growth because of magmatic flow.

Since 1883, Concepción has erupted at least 25 times; its last eruption was on 9 March 2010.Concepción's eruptions are characterized by frequent, moderate-sized explosions.

 

We can provide a guide with advanced notice and pack a breakfast and lunch the night before if

you would like. The trip is around $40 for the group. You can take the 1st bus in the morning with the guide and you hit the trail early. Just because it's the bigger of the two islands doesn't make it harder. It's actually less hiking time than Maderas. Be prepared with the same recommendations as all the other hikes. You should be back by 5 pm or earlier. It's an amazing trek.

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Ojo de Agua ( natural Swimming pool )

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Ojo De Agua is a refreshing swimming hole with crystal clear water that is said to have healing properties. It's located between both volcanoes on the islands isthmus about a half hour away from Finca Mystica. Two pools ( one over 40mts long / 2 mts deep) are fed from a constant flowing natural underground spring in the upper pool. The grounds are lush and shady making it a great place to hang out and relax. They have a slackline, rope swing, lounge chairs, palapas, small playground, changing rooms and a hiking trail with some nice viewpoints, Cost of entry is about US$5. There's an on-site restaurant serving food and drinks, try the coco loco :)

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Zipline tour/ Butterfly Pavilion

 at Charco Verde

 

For those looking for an adrenaline kick, this is the tour for you. Zipping through treetops in the jungle is amazing. There is some great views of the lake and farther away mountain ranges, plus Conception Volcano looking down at you. You get to do experience other surprises as well, not just zip lining....like a free fall and super swing. The staff is very fun, friendly and professional. It's very secure as well as you are connected to two different cables. 

 

They open at 8:30 and close around 4:30. It's best to set up a time an hour or two before you want to go. The trip lasts about two hours depending on how many people you have ( up to 15 people).The cost is $25 per person and is kid friendly

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Boat Tours for Fishing or Joyriding

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If you would like to try your hand at fishing on one of the largest lakes in the world, we can set you up with our neighbors who has a boat and fishing gear, you can also use a net the way the locals fish. Their is close to 50 different species of fish in the lake Colcibolca. If you are not so into fishing you can just cruise around to different islands and take in the scenery from a different perspective.....It's breathtaking ! We can provide a cooler full of drinks and food if you would like.

Prices vary and it's best to plan ahead of time.​​

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El Ciebo Museum

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The museum has two specific sections in two separate buildings; one is the Nicaraguan Numismatics, and another about pre-Hispanic archaeology of the area.

The archaeology exhibition area has six exhibition halls over 200 square meters, a two-story exhibition, the only one equipped with air conditioning to preserve the archaeological exhibits. The museum was founded in 2007 by Moises David Ghitis Rivera, a Nicaraguan philanthropist, on his agricultural and cattle farm on the island of Ometepe. It is the only private pre-Hispanic museum in the island of Ometepe, with a collection of more than 1500 archaeological pieces, which are on permanent display.

Entrance is $10 per person and you have access to visit both sections.

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            Petroglyph / Native Plant Tours

 

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Right from our lodge, you can embark on a journey with our local friend and guide who can teach you about local plants and traditional uses, walk through a forest and spot white faced monkeys, check out some very massive old growth trees , have impressive views and check out some ancient petroglyphs that are over 3,000 years old and try to decipher what they are meant to tell.

Tour costs $20 (1-5 people ) Spanish speaking but can add on a translator as well. 2-3 hours

You can also see petroglyphs close by on a self guided walk, $3 per person

There are other places around the island as well.

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Mountain Biking the Island or

Renting A Motorcycle, Scooter, or Quad

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​Mountain Biking is a great way to see the island at a slower pace, plus it's a good workout. You can cycle around Maderas volcano to explore parts off the beaten path and take in the sights. If you are feeling really adventurous, you can do the island's whole figure eight. Anywhere is great to go on a bike. Water, shoes, shades , sunscreen and a bandana are recommended for your journey

Bicycle rentals are 
$2.5 per hour or $12 per day at reception. We have 4 in total

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You can also rent a motorized vehicle to cruise around at a faster pace and explore more.

To rent, its best to have some experiencebut you have to learn somewhere. You will definitely need a regular driver's license, passport and money for a security deposit. It's also good to have shoes, shades, and a bandana (for dust)

Motorcycles are best for going more places, scooters are fine but many of the roads are to rough and you have less access to certain places. Quads are great and can hold two people.

We can have a company drop the rental off in the morning and you usually bring it back around sunset. You can also rent for multiple days. We can also have someone wait with the rental at the dock in Moyogalpa when you arrive. Just let us know ahead of time.

Helmets are provided with all rentals. Gas is not included, you have to return it with the same amount or pay the difference to the company.

Scooters are $25

Motorcycles $25

Quads are $60 -$70

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Local Cultural Events

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The island hosts many festive events throughout the year. On weekends, there is usually a local rodeo going on somewhere, plus local parades, school marching bands, weekend farmer's markets, football matches ( Saturdays ) and always a baseball game going on on Sundays. Plus much more

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Plus much more...the island is your oyster