Your Perfect Nicaragua Travel Itinerary
Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or taking your first steps into the world of travel, this Nicaragua travel itinerary is your all-in-one guide to the trip of a lifetime! We provide options for 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks of travel through beautiful Nicaragua. Don’t stress, we take care of the best things to do in each location, how to get to there, where to stay, and much more!
While this itinerary goes through Nicaragua’s highlights, feel free to customize this in whatever way you’d like! Check out our post on the best things to do in Nicaragua to see what piques your interest. From massive volcanoes to the Caribbean sea, Nicaragua truly has it all. We immediately fell in love with Nicaragua, and we’re sure you will too. Let’s get into the perfect Nicaragua Travel Itinerary!
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Nicaragua Travel Itinerary: How to Get Around
Chicken Buses (old American school buses) are the cheapest way to get around Nicaragua. Knowing some basic Spanish will help you navigate these much easier. You can also take private and shared shuttles and taxis if you prioritize comfort over cost.
Though renting a car isn’t necessary for this route, we recommend renting a car with 4 wheel drive for week 3, when you’ll travel around the Nicaraguan Highlands. The public transportation up there is not super frequent and it’ll save you lots of time to have your own car. However, it’s important to note that police have been known to ticket foreigners for minor (or non-legitimate) reasons, so keep that in mind and don’t speed!
Week 1: Granada and Ometepe
Days 1-4: Enjoying Granada
Granada is many travelers’ favorite places in Nicaragua, and for good reason! This charming colonial town is filled with colorful buildings, cobblestone streets and various pieces of Spanish architecture. It’s proximity to beautiful nature, like the Granada Islets, various volcanoes, crater lakes, and cloud forests makes this a great home base for nature-lovers. Party at Selina Hostel or at the Jungle Rave, dine on the beautiful “La Calzada” street, and check out Granada’s many churches!
Check out our post on the best things to do in Granada!
Where to Stay in Granada
When we were in Granada, we stayed at Museito de Carlos and cannot recommend it enough!! Carlos is phenomenal – truly the nicest man – and the free breakfasts were amazing.
A note on staying in Granada: the city can get quite hot, so we definitely recommend staying in a place with AC if you’re the type that won’t be able to sleep in the heat.
Granada Accommodations
How to Get to Granada from Managua
The cheapest way to get from Managua to Granada is to take a public bus; these leave frequently from the UCA terminal and cost 37 Cordobas (1 USD), but they may charge you extra for luggage.
The easiest methods (but of course more expensive) are to either rent a car at the Managua airport or book a private transfer to Granada. No matter which method you choose, this journey should take around an hour.
Days 5-7: Discover Ometepe
Ometepe is a beautiful island on Lake Nicaragua formed by two huge volcanoes, Volcán Concepción and Volcán Maderas. Challenge yourself with 8-hour summit hikes, cool off in the Ojo de Agua natural spring, or just relax at the many beaches. Ometepe has a large variety of cuisines, delicious coffee, and an amazing chocolate factory, hostel, restaurant, and bar, called El Pital. One of the best things to do in Nicaragua is simply exploring Ometepe by bike or moped and taking in the views. This is a destination that you should NOT skip on your Nicaragua travel itinerary!
Read about 9 Wonderful Things to Do on Ometepe
Where to Stay on Ometepe
The island of Ometepe is fairly large, so we definitely recommend getting a motorbike or ATV to explore. That being said, if you get your bike in the port town of Moyogalpa, and rent it for the entire duration of your stay, it doesn’t really matter where you stay. However, if you plan on taking the bus to your accommodations, you’ll want to be somewhere where it is easy to get a bike. We recommend staying in Balgüe; it’s a little town with bike rental services and a few good restaurants. When we stayed on Ometepe, we stayed at El Bamboo Cabins (in Balgüe) and it was absolutely wonderful.
Ometepe Accommodations
How to Get to Ometepe from Granada
If you rent a car, you can actually bring your car across on the ferry if you call ahead. However, we don’t recommend doing this. If you want a quick, easy trip, we recommend just taking a taxi or a private shuttle to San Jorge, the port town. From there, take the ferry to Ometepe for 50 cordoba or ~$1 USD. This takes about an hour.
For the budget option, take a bus from the Nueva Terminal de Buses a Rivas which costs 70-100 cordobas (~$2-$2.50) and takes 1.5 hours. From Rivas, you can take the minibus which costs 30 Cordoba and takes 30 minutes that goes to San Jorge, the port town. This drives slowly on 3a Avenue Noroeste which is next to the bus station, picking up passengers on the way. It leaves every hour or so. From San Jorge, you can take the ferry to Ometepe for 50 cordoba or ~$1 USD. This takes about an hour.
Check out the ferry schedules from San Jorge to Ometepe (and back)
Week 2: San Juan del Sur and León
Days 8-11: Surf it up on the Pacific Coast
San Juan del Sur is the most popular surfing destination in Nicaragua. Adventure lovers of all skills indulge in surfing here, whether it be a quick surf lesson, daily board rentals, or going all in on a week-long surf camp. San Juan del Sur has a stunning viewpoint, great cuisine, and a vibrant nightlife scene. However, if you want to get away to a more secluded location, head up the coast a bit to somewhere like Playa Maderas. The San Juan del Sur area is the perfect beach destination for your Nicaragua travel itinerary!
Where to Stay in San Juan del Sur
San Juan del Sur Accommodations
How to Get to San Juan del Sur from Ometepe
If you will need to catch the bus from your accommodations on Ometepe to get to the port, you can check the bus schedule (and it never hurts to double check the times with your host!). From the port, take the ferry to San Jorge (ferry schedules are here). This takes an hour and costs 50 cordobas ($1.25).
From San Jorge, take the mini bus to Rivas. This comes every hour or so, takes 30 minutes, and costs 30 cordobas. You can also take a “colectivo” (which is just taxi with strangers) for $1-2 a person. From Rivas, buses to San Juan del Sur cost 50 cordobas ($1.25) and leave frequently. If you’re heading onwards to Playa Maderas or another beach town up the coast from San Juan, check out the bus schedules and book a ride at Casa Oro Hostel.
Days 12-14: Embrace León’s Culture
This city has so much to offer, and you’ll have plenty of time to explore it over the next couple of days! Make sure to participate in the famous Volcano boarding, where you “board” (sled) down the side of an active volcano! León is rich in history, so in addition to taking a walking tour, we recommend touring the Revolution Museum, climbing the biggest cathedral in Central America, visiting the Museum of Legends and Traditions, and marveling at the art in the Ortiz Gurdián Foundation Art Center. If you want to escape the heat of León, head to Las Peñitas, and if you’re lucky, you can do a turtle release!
Read about the best things to do in León!
Where to Stay in León
León is a fairly small and walkable city, and it’s very easy to find accommodations close to the center of the city. Accommodations are also fairly cheap in León; the city is filled with cheap hostels and a couple higher end options. Wherever you stay in León, I cannot recommend enough that you get a place with air conditioning. León is HOT and sleeping without AC would certainly be a challenge.
León Accommodations
How to Get to León from San Juan del Sur
Take the bus from San Juan del Sur to Rivas, which costs 50 cordobas ($1.25). From Rivas, take the bus that leaves every 30 minutes heading to Managua and costs 100 cordobas or $2.50. This will arrive at Mercado Roberto Huembes, so you’ll need to take a 15 minute taxi ride to the UCA, (pronounced oo-ka). From here you can take a mini bus to León, which costs 100 cordobas or $2.50 and takes 2 hours.
Week 3: The Nicaraguan Highlands
Days 15-16: Estelí and Somoto Day Trip
Estelí is the gateway to the Nicaraguan highlands, and while it’s not a major tourist destination, it is a great way to observe every day life in Nicaragua. Estelí is the cigar capital of Central America, with the entire north of the city being occupied by tobacco farms and cigar factories. There is also various murals, which you can do tours of and learn about the historical significance of these revolutionary art pieces. Unleash your adventurous spirit and visit Somoto Canyon, where you can hike, swim, wade, and cliff jump through the beautiful canyon. Make sure to eat at Castillos Buffet in Estelí!
Read about wonderful things to do in Estelí and the best day trip to Somoto Canyon
Where to Stay in Estelí
There aren’t too many accommodation options in Estelí as it’s a rather small town, but there are certainly options for all budget types! We recommend staying in or close to town if you plan on doing day trips because that will make transportation much easier.
Estelí Accommodations
How to Get to Estelí from León
The buses from León to Estelí leave every 1-2 hours from the Terminal de Buses. These can be big vans or chicken buses. Unfortunately this route isn’t very popular so shared shuttles aren’t available. If you don’t want to take the chicken bus or van, you will likely have to pay for a taxi.
How to Get to Somoto Canyon from Estelí
The bus to Somoto from Estelí costs 46 Cordobas (about 1 USD), and takes 2 hours. You can check the schedules here. You can take this bus at 5:15 am, 6:15 am, 7:15 am, 8:45 am, 9:30 am, 10:30 am, 11:45 am, 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:45 pm, 4:15 pm, and 5:15 pm. Your tour operator might pick you up from the station (ours did), and drive you 25 minutes to the canyon. If your tour guides don’t pick you up, you can take the bus to El Espino and get off at Somoto Canyon Tours.
Days 17-18: Be Enchanted by Miraflor Cloud Forest
Miraflor Cloud Forest is a beautiful, rainy paradise complemented by vast farmlands or “fincas”. Here you can go on an educational jungle walk, tour the reserve on horseback, learn about agriculture, see and taste a coffee farm, go hiking, birdwatching and more! This is a nice place to relax, unwind, and escape the Nicaraguan heat! Miraflor is skipped on the average traveler’s Nicaragua travel itinerary, but you won’t regret experiencing this beautiful cloud forest!
Check out our guide to Miraflor Cloud Forest!
Where to Stay in Miraflor
We stayed at Finca Lindos Ojos and highly recommend staying there. The cabins were lovely, and it was easy to book horseback riding and walking tours through them. The owner was very knowledgeable and showed us around the forest herself and taught us about the different plants and animals. This finca doesn’t have a restaurant, but there is a basic kitchen and you can buy some vegetables and cheese from them. But if you’re not into cooking, you can visit the nearby fincas that both have restaurants!
If you don’t have an interest in horseback riding, Finca Fuente de Vida and Finca Neblina del Bosque are other great options. We ate at Finca Fuente de Vida twice – the family that runs it is super nice, they have amazing food, and they have a number of tours available. We unfortunately didn’t make it to Finca Neblina del Bosque, but we walked past it and it looked like a stunning property.
Miraflor Accommodations
How to Get to Miraflor from Estelí
While we recommend renting a car for the northern highlands portion of this itinerary, you can also take the public bus. The bus leaves from Cotran North Station at 2:15, and passes most of the farm stays. This is called the Camino Real Bus and costs 45c or ~$1.
The other option is to take bus heading from Estelí to Yali, which pass through La Rampla. From here, you can have your host pick you up, hitchhike, or walk around 30 minutes to your accommodations. These buses leave Cotran North in Estelí at 6:15 AM, 12 PM, and 3:45 PM. The name of these buses is “Centeno” and it costs 45 Cordobas (about $1). Make sure to confirm with the bus driver that the bus passes through Miraflor on its way to Yali, because some of them don’t.
Days 19-21: Explore Nicaragua’s Coffee Region
In my opinion, Nicaragua has the absolute best coffee in Central America, with El Salvador as a close second. Touring the Nicaraguan highlands’ coffee farms is the best way to experience the Nicaraguan coffee culture. Selva Negra, Matagalpa, and Jinotega are the most popular places for coffee farms where you can see the entire process from bean to brew. The tours here are commonly done as all-inclusive multi-day tours, such as this one, but you can also tour them on your own. Your Nicaragua travel itinerary would not be complete without tasting the delicious coffee!
Where to Stay in Nicaragua’s Coffee Region
Selva Negra Ecolodge is a great place to stay and do the various activities, which not only includes coffee tours but also birdwatching, agritourism, hiking and more!
How to Get to Nicaragua’s Coffee Region from Miraflor
If you aren’t going as part of a tour, we recommend doing this part of the trip by renting a car here.
However if you want to do this by bus, you can take the 7:15 AM, 11:30 AM, or 4:15 PM bus from La Rampla to Estelí. Buses to Matagalpa leave every 30 minutes from Cotran Sur in Estelí and take around 2 hours. If you’re going to Jinotega or Selva Negra, you can take the bus all the way to Jinotega or get off in Selva Negra. These buses also leave every 30 minutes.
Week 4: The Corn Islands: A Tropical Oasis
Days 22-24: Discover Big Corn
Big Corn isn’t as popular as Little Corn, but it definitely deserves a stop in your Nicaragua travel itinerary! Here you’ll find absolutely stunning beaches that look like something out of a movie – and you won’t see a single soul on them. There are also more popular beaches, called Picnic and Arenas, but these are by no means crowded. For a unique experience head out to Bitcoin Island Bar, which is a floating tiki hut just off the cost of Picnic and Arenas beaches. Walking, scootering, or biking the island is also extremely fun, and at the end of the day, head up to Mount Pleasant Hill to watch the gorgeous sunset!
Read about the best things to do on the Corn Islands!
Where to Stay on Big Corn
We stayed at Sunset B&B for our first two nights on Big Corn, and we highly recommend staying there. The rooms are nice and have AC, and the breakfasts are AMAZING. It’s also walking distance from both the airport and the ferry port!
Big Corn Accommodations
How to Get to to Big Corn from Nicaragua’s Coffee Region
From Matagalpa, take the bus to Managua, which leaves every hour. There is an express bus that takes 2 hours and a regular bus that takes 3 hours. Make sure to ask the driver to drop you off at the airport! From Managua, you’ll fly to Big Corn. There are tons of things to know before doing this journey so make sure to check out our post on How to Get to the Corn Islands.
Days 25-28: Dive and Snorkel Little Corn
Little Corn is known for its great diving and snorkeling sights where you can get lost in the underwater world. If you haven’t scuba dived before, you can get your open water certification in three days, while also going on 4-5 amazing dives. If you aren’t comfortable with scuba diving, definitely make time to snorkel the reef! For some beach relaxation time, Otto Beach is a beautiful and quiet beach on the secluded part of the island. For the more adventurous souls, you can try out wing or kitesurfing here!
Where to Stay on Little Corn
We stayed at both Christina’s Guest House and Los Delfines and had great experiences at both! However, it’s important to note that the weather is quite hot on the Corn Islands, so having AC may be a necessity for some people. Definitely check that before booking anything – Christina’s Guest House does not have AC but Los Delfines does.
Little Corn Accommodations
How to Get to to Little Corn from Big Corn
The panga (the little boat) from Big Corn to Little Corn only leaves twice a day at 10:00 am and 4:30 pm. This will cost 10 USD if the weather is good as they can do the journey in the panga. If the seas are choppy, they’ll get a bigger and slower boat that costs 20 USD. The ride takes around 30 minutes in the panga and an hour in the big boat.
Best Time to Visit Nicaragua
The best time to visit Nicaragua is during the country’s dry season from November to May. This time of year is ideal for warm weather, perfect for exploring cities, volcanoes, and beaches! November through January tend to be a bit cooler than February through May, so if you’re sensitive to hot weather you may want to plan for those months. However, it’s always going to be hot in Nicaragua (especially in the cities), no matter when you visit!
How to Get To Nicaragua
Most travelers fly into Managua, and then take a bus or shuttle to their next destination. There’s really no websites where you can check bus schedules and buy tickets, but there are always frequent buses running to popular destinations.
You can also cross the border via boat from El Salvador, which is how we entered the country (you can read about our experience by clicking the link below). The border crossing from Costa Rica is fairly simple as many buses (which you can book here) will take you over the border between the main cities. Make sure you read up on Nicaragua’s Entry Requirements before visiting!
Read about taking the boat from El Salvador to Nicaragua
Keep Exploring Nicaragua….
- The Absolute Best Places to go in Nicaragua
- The 20 Best Things to do in Nicaragua
- Wonderful Things to do in Ometepe
- Amazing Things to do in Granada
- Best Things to do on the Corn Islands: A Complete Travel Guide
- Somoto Canyon Day Trip: Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting
- Miraflor Cloud Forest: Nicaragua’s Emerald Jewel
- The Best Things to do in Estelí, Nicaragua
- The Best Things to do in Stunning León
- El Salvador to Nicaragua by Boat: Your Ultimate Guide
- How to Get to the Corn Islands
- How to Get From Nicaragua to Costa Rica by Bus
Our Favorite Travel Resources
Accommodations: We use Booking.com for hotels and HostelWorld for hostels. We also use VRBO or TrustedHousesitters for longer stays.
Flights: We recommend using Skyscanner to find the cheapest and best flights.
Ground Transport: We use 12Go and Omio for buses and private transfers, and rentalcars.com and Discover Cars for rental cars.
Activities: GetYourGuide and Viator are the best websites for booking organized tours.
International Medical Insurance: We highly recommend SafetyWing for Digital Nomads and HeyMondo for those not traveling full-time, or who frequently engage in higher-risk adventure activities.
eSIM: We recommend Airalo or Holafly for getting data internationally.
Check out our Travel Resources Page for more of our favorite travel-related products and services!
