Nicaragua travel | Central America - Lonely Planet

Welcome to Nicaragua

An affable all-rounder, Nicaragua embraces travelers with diverse offerings of volcanic landscapes, colonial architecture, sensational beaches, remote, idyllic islands, wave-battered Pacific beaches and pristine forests.

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Highlights in Nicaragua

Experience Nicaragua

Day tours

Cultural & Theme Tours

Nicaragua: Catarina, Masaya Volcano, Granada from Guanacaste

Starting at$172

Day Trips & Excursions

Day Trip to Granada, Masaya and Catarina from Managua

Starting at$100

Tours & Sightseeing

Half-Day Sightseeing Tour of San Juan del Sur

Starting at$55

Day Trips & Excursions

Cerro Negro Volcano Sandboarding Tour from Managua

Starting at$67

Cruises, Sailing & Water Tours

Granada City Tour from Managua with Boat Ride on Lake Nicaragua

Starting at$59

Cultural & Theme Tours

Leon Day Trip from Managua

Starting at$70

Day Trips & Excursions

Private Cerro Negro Volcano Sandboarding Tour

Starting at$75

Day Trips & Excursions

Day Trip to Masaya and Granada from Managua

Starting at$67

Slide 1 of 8

Cultural & Theme Tours
Nicaragua: Catarina, Masaya Volcano, Granada from Guanacaste
Starting at$172
Book Now
Day Trips & Excursions
Day Trip to Granada, Masaya and Catarina from Managua
Starting at$100
Book Now
Tours & Sightseeing
Half-Day Sightseeing Tour of San Juan del Sur
Starting at$55
Book Now
Day Trips & Excursions
Cerro Negro Volcano Sandboarding Tour from Managua
Starting at$67
Book Now
Cruises, Sailing & Water Tours
Granada City Tour from Managua with Boat Ride on Lake Nicaragua
Starting at$59
Book Now
Cultural & Theme Tours
Leon Day Trip from Managua
Starting at$70
Book Now
Day Trips & Excursions
Private Cerro Negro Volcano Sandboarding Tour
Starting at$75
Book Now
Day Trips & Excursions
Day Trip to Masaya and Granada from Managua
Starting at$67
Book Now

Multi-day adventures

Lonely Planet Experience

Central American Journey

Starting at$1,650

Lonely Planet Experience

Guatemala & Beyond

Starting at$1,020

Lonely Planet Experience

Nicaragua & Costa Rica

Starting at$865

Lonely Planet Experience

Amazing Central America

Starting at$2,815

Lonely Planet Experience

Best of Central America

Starting at$4,255

Lonely Planet Experience

Ultimate Central America

Starting at$5,685

Lonely Planet Experience

Central American Adventure

Starting at$3,045

Lonely Planet Experience

Central America Explorer

Starting at$4,475

Slide 1 of 8

Lonely Planet Experience
Central American Journey
Starting at$1,650
Book Now
Lonely Planet Experience
Guatemala & Beyond
Starting at$1,020
Book Now
Lonely Planet Experience
Nicaragua & Costa Rica
Starting at$865
Book Now
Lonely Planet Experience
Amazing Central America
Starting at$2,815
Book Now
Lonely Planet Experience
Best of Central America
Starting at$4,255
Book Now
Lonely Planet Experience
Ultimate Central America
Starting at$5,685
Book Now
Lonely Planet Experience
Central American Adventure
Starting at$3,045
Book Now
Lonely Planet Experience
Central America Explorer
Starting at$4,475
Book Now

Featured videos

Where to travel based on your Harry Potter Hogwarts house

Discover volcano boarding — Adventure travel
Discover volcano boarding

Introducing Nicaragua — Recommended
Introducing Nicaragua

Where to travel based on your Harry Potter Hogwarts house — Art and culture
Where to travel based on your Harry Potter Hogwarts house

Slide 1 of 3

Adventure travel
Discover volcano boarding
Recommended
Introducing Nicaragua
Art and culture
Where to travel based on your Harry Potter Hogwarts house

Recent articles

Nicaragua's most remarkable beaches

A group of surfers holding surf boards walk toward the water as sun creates a golden glow on the water and the sand; Nicaragua best beaches

Travel to Nicaragua: what you need to know

A white plume of smoke escapes from the top a mountain. In front of the mountain is a collection of low-lying shrubs with larger trees framing the sides of the image. Nicaragua travel is still an area of concern for potential visitors.

Central America’s most popular volcano adventures

A man wearing knee and elbow pads, a helmet and goggles surfs down the black gravel slope of Cerro Negro Volcano in Nicaragua

Historic explorer: finding Nicaragua’s roots

Features - Cathedral of Leon, Nicaragua

Gearhead's guide to surfing Nicaragua

Features - Surfers and beach goers gaze at the golden orange sunset

Read more articles

Travel guides

Starting at $24.99

Cover of Lonely Planet Nicaragua Travel Guide - Lonely Planet Online Shop

Nicaragua activities

$172Cultural & Theme Tours

Nicaragua: Catarina, Masaya Volcano, Granada from Guanacaste

Enjoy a sightseeing tour of...

Cultural & Theme Tours

$100Day Trips & Excursions

Day Trip to Granada, Masaya and Catarina from Managua

This complete full-day tour allows you...

Day Trips & Excursions

$55Tours & Sightseeing

Half-Day Sightseeing Tour of San Juan del Sur

This 4-hour San Juan del Sur sightseeing tour is...

Tours & Sightseeing

$67Day Trips & Excursions

Cerro Negro Volcano Sandboarding Tour from Managua

Enjoy a thrilling sandboard adventure down...

Day Trips & Excursions

$59Cruises, Sailing & Water Tours

Granada City Tour from Managua with Boat Ride on Lake Nicaragua

Experience the colonial...

Cruises, Sailing & Water Tours

$70Cultural & Theme Tours

Leon Day Trip from Managua

Visit the colonial city of Leon on this day trip from Managua. Explore two...

Cultural & Theme Tours

See more activities

Nicaragua in detail

Top recommendations

On the ground

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