masaya volcano tours

Nicaragua » Attractions » Nindirí » Masaya Volcano National Park

Masaya Volcano National Park

Department: Masaya

Municipality: Nindirí (view on map)

Type: Volcanoes

Comments: 28 comments

wrote on Mar 25, 2021 :

I went on a filed trip here we got ice ceram that was the best part dint give a shit about everything else

qwfds wrote on Aug 23, 2020 :

wqfghttrewdwf

wrote on Feb 6, 2018 :

me very good smart

wrote on Dec 7, 2017 :

Maurice wrote on Dec 5, 2017 :

Is this relevant.

julio rios wrote on Oct 25, 2017 :

i never go to the volcano but i can see the photo on line , its beutiful place congratulation for give a lot of imformation. i want to know this place

julianna wrote on Feb 9, 2017 :

i wish ther was more history

Mitchell K Harris wrote on Aug 22, 2016 :

No reservation necessary. If you go at night, expect a hour wait. Amazing at day and at night.

Francis wrote on Jul 27, 2016 :

Still close ?

Lied METCALF wrote on May 28, 2016 :

I have been trying to call since Wednesday to make (recommended) reservations and only get a machine (in Spanish and English). Anybody have any advice?

Charlotte Fournier wrote on May 2, 2016 :

it is beutiful :)

Sarah wrote on Apr 2, 2016 :

Any news if or when the Masaya Volcano National Park will be open soon? thankyou

Siggy in CR wrote on Mar 8, 2016 :

Any news as to when the crater will be accessible again?

Kyla wrote on Feb 12, 2016 :

This is a different adventure in our country, We are so happy because this Natinal Park has been utulized to discover new experiencies! Love my Nicaragua.

wrote on Oct 13, 2015 :

Thanks for the info

Brier wrote on Apr 20, 2015 :

thanks for the info

u.m wrote on Mar 15, 2015 :

want to take my 6yr grandaughter for a natur adventure horse riding ,seeing jungle animals&jungleziplines and little corn islandmild water raftingand volucano surfing thanks for any help

nagisa furukowa wrote on Mar 25, 2014 :

im from clannad

Leah wrote on Oct 6, 2013 :

It's so big and beautiful!!!!

rasta man wrote on Sep 24, 2012 :

I love 1D!!!!

Mollie wrote on Jul 3, 2012 :

Last eruption was 4/30/12. Beautiful! Bat cave fantastic. Guide Joel spoke excellent English. Saws the green parrots too. Dusk tour very good, arrive early to see museum. So glad we came!

wrote on Dec 12, 2011 :

im doing project on this and i think ill do great thanks to this website!!!

Paola wrote on Nov 17, 2011 :

omg i love this volcano its the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

David Podgor wrote on Oct 20, 2011 :

Masaya is beautiful. Here is a video of the park: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avXLlRvc2fs

Carlos Mondragón wrote on Nov 12, 2010 :

I've had two exciting trips to this park. I posted my shots at my blog: http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/cmondragon/13/tpod.html

lily wrote on Mar 18, 2010 :

Excelent experience and really close to Managua. I recomended. Made a blog with pictures http://volcanmasaya.blogspot.com

A visitor wrote on Jun 19, 2006 :

I just went to this volcano today. It was really wonderful and awe-inspiring to hear the rumble of the bubbling lava, and to see all the geological features of the area. It was an easy trip in a taxi from the hotel in Managua. I recommend it strongly to other travelers.

Erwin wrote on Jun 29, 2005 :

When we went to the Masaya Volcano National Park today, the volcano itself was hard to see, due to the rainy weather which caused steam in the hot vulcano, and not much more than white steam could be seen. Nevertheless, we found a guide that was willing to show us one of the 100 caves around the vulcanos. After watching the entrance of a cave called 'the witch', we entered 'the bat', which, obviously, was home for much bats. The tour in the cave took us about an half hour, which could have been more but we were a bit late and the park was already closing, and in that time we saw a lot of bats, and got a good describtion of everything we saw and the whole history of the caves and the vulcano by the guide. Shame he didn't speak English. But maybe other guides in the park do. After the tour we got to hurry a bit cause the park had already closed 10 minutes earlier, so we didn't got that much time (no time) to look around and see the rest of the park, but I liked it.

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Description

The Masaya Volcano National Park is one of the most popular tourism attraction in the Pacific region of Nicaragua. The reason is that you can here get in direct contact with its most active crater and its surrounding, as well as with the special flora and fauna on place. The volcano park offers at night, also, a unique scene which amaze the night visitors: the so call “lava lake” wich could be appreciated from the crater border.

The visit to the Masaya volcano is divided in two moments, with deferents schedule and entrance fee. The first moment is during daytime, and the second one during a brief tour to watch the lava lake. Read below about each visit, and check at the text bottom available tours with online reservation activated.

Daytime Visit

The park open to the public for the daily visit everyday at 9 AM, and until 4:45 PM. Visitors can go to the main gate located in Masaya-Managua road, from where they will be registered and will get the intruction to buy their tickets. It is not necessary to make a reservation. This visit has an entrance fee of C$100 for foreigners visitors and C$30 for Nicaraguans.

From the main gate you will access the internal road that go across the impressive volcano settings (dry forest flora and fauna adapted to a volcanic soil environment). The road goes to the Visitors Center; there a permanent exhibition offers details about the park history, structure and nature, as well as information about other volcanoes on the zone. Near you will also find the Pic-Nic area, with some structure to take a rest, take a snack or a meal or a drink, and appreciate the panorama.

Following the rute you will get to the Plaza de Oviedo, an amazing scenario located just next to the Santiago crater, the most popular on the park and the only one wich is now opened to the public. Here you will be able to park and take a look to the enormous crater (in and around), wich is all the time emitting gases; in the bottom of it you will observe the incandescent lava that come from the depths. In front of the plaza you will look a hill which has on the top the historic Cruz de Bobadilla.

Until recently it was possible to visit other areas of the park, as the Tzinaconostoc Cave, the San Fernando crater, the Cruz de Bobadilla and several trails of different distances. However, those areas remain “clsed until further notice” because of several moments of activity reported at the volcano.

Nighttime Visit

Everyday, since sunset, the nocturnal visit of the Masaya Volcano starts. This visit is also available withaout reservation, from 5 PM to around 8 PM, depending on the visitors flows. You just need to get the road main entrance; if there are peoplo or groups before you, you will need to stand in line, as visitors are alowed to enter and go to the crater in order of arrival. The vehicles are parked one after the other next to the main road. The entrance fee for the night tour is US$10 per person.

When the turn comes, vehicles area allowed to enter, visitors are asked to pay the entrance fee, and then are tell to continue inside for around 5 kilometers until the Plaza de Oviedo. Bellow you can read about tours with transportation included offered by tours operators.

There the spectacle begin: the sky is getting dark or is already dark, allowing you to see thousands of stars. The wind flows free. You heard a sounds like the rumbling of the sea. And, from the edge of the crater, right into the bottom of it, you see an amazing lava lake that move with its incandescent color. The visit to the crater lasts between 10 and 20 minutes (depending on the total number of visitors at the entrance). After that time you will be asked by guides and park ranger to leave the area and go to the main gate.

General information

The Masaya Volcano National Park comprises an area of 54 km² and includes two volcanoes and five craters. The volcanoes have erupted several times in history, and were feared by both the indigenous people and the Spanish conquerors. The Spanish baptized the active volcano "La Boca del Infierno" or "The Mouth of Hell". They planted a cross, "La Cruz de Bobadilla" (named after Father Francisco Bobadilla), on the crater lip in the 16th century in order to exorcise the Devil.

The eruptions have had a dramatic impact on the surroundings. Rocks and volcanic ashes still cover the area surrounding the volcanoes. The nature is rough yet peaceful. Different types of vegetation appeared after the eruptions. The park is also inhabited by many different kinds of animals. The park's wildlife includes coyotes, skunks, raccoons, opossums, deer, iguanas, and monkeys.

There are several trails that lead to the other craters and the Tzinaconostoc Cave in which hundreds of bats house. Those trails distance vary between 1.4 and 5.9 kilometers, but are closed to the public for now.

Getting There

The park is open every day from 9:00AM until 4:45PM for regular visits. It is located on the highway to Masaya (Carretera Masaya), kilometer 23.

The park lies less than half an hour away from Managua, and ten minutes from Masaya. From the entrance of the park it is five kilometers uphill to the Masaya Volcano, located at the center of the park. Visitors can drive uphill themselves or ask a taxi driver to drive to the crater. Hiking uphill is another option, but it takes a while and the road is steep, so a good condition is necessary.

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Masaya volcano Night Tour

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Masaya Volcano Night Tour

Masaya Volcano is temporarily closed for recent activities, more information here . Please don’t book this tour now.

General information

The Masaya Volcano National Park covers an area of 54 km² and includes two volcanoes and five craters. The volcanoes have erupted several times in history and were feared by both the indigenous people and the Spanish conquerors. The Spanish baptized the active volcano “La Boca del Infierno” or “The Mouth of Hell”. They placed a cross, “La Cruz de Bobadilla” (named after Father Francisco Bobadilla), on the crater lip in the 16th century to exorcise the Devil.

The eruptions have had a dramatic impact on the surroundings. Rocks and volcanic ashes still cover the area surrounding the volcanoes. Nature is rough yet peaceful. Different types of vegetation appeared after the eruptions. The park is also inhabited by many different kinds of animals. The park’s wildlife includes coyotes, skunks, raccoons, opossums, deer, iguanas, and monkeys.

Several trails lead to the other craters and the Cave in which hundreds of bats live. Those trails’ distances vary between 1.4 and 5.9 kilometers but are closed to the public for now. You will also find a small museum located in the vicinity of the Masaya Volcano Park that gives you the history of the volcano as well as other relevant information. 

About The Night Tour

On this tour, you will meet one of Nicaragua’s most active volcanoes. At nightfall, you will reach the volcano summit by vehicle. Witness a unique natural event and see a lava lake flowing from the bottom of the crater, forming a river of magma that glows in the dark and illuminates the interior of the volcano. 

The spectacle begins when the sky is getting dark or is already dark, allowing you to see thousands of stars. The wind flows free. You hear a sound like the rumbling of the sea. And, from the edge of the crater, right to the bottom of it, you will see an amazing lava lake that moves with its incandescent color. The visit to the crater lasts between 10 and 20 minutes (depending on the total number of visitors at the entrance). 

Every day, since sunset, the visit of Masaya Volcano Night Tour starts at 4:30 PM , depending on the visitor’s flow. You just need to get to the main entrance road; if there are people or groups before you, you will need to stand in line, as visitors are allowed to enter and go to the crater in order of arrival. 

The total duration of this tour to see the lava lake is approx. 2.5 hours with transportation time , it might take longer if unexpected reasons such as road accidents, weather, or others that are not mentioned above but that affect the itinerary.

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Everything you need to know about visiting Masaya Volcano National Park

A complete guide to the visiting masaya volcano national park on your own or with a tour.a.

(Updated 2024)

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Central America is full of beautiful places, but there’s one area in Nicaragua that you must visit: Masaya Volcano National Park . Situated between the cities of Managua (the capital of Nicaragua) and Granada, Masaya Volcano National Park is home to 2 volcanoes, 5 craters, hiking trails, a museum and La Boca del Infierno – the Santiago Crater lava lake. There are 78 protected areas of Nicaragua and Masaya is Nicaragua’s first and largest national park . Masaya Volcano (Volcán Masaya in Spanish) is a caldera (volcanic crater) located within the area of Masaya and is thought to be around 9000 years old. Masaya Volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in Nicaragua, having erupted at least 19 times, the most recent of these in 2008.

Time needed: 3-5 days.

When to go: April-May or September-January to avoid peak season. Prices will be lower and the weather should still be pleasant.

Weather: Tropical with little seasonal variation in temperature, which ranges between 21-27˚C (70-80˚F). Wet season runs between May to October with a Canícula (dry period) regularly during late July and early August. Dry season runs from November to April.

Languages: Spanish and other indigenous languages.

Currency: Nicaraguan Córdoba

Masaya Volcano National Park 2024 Update

As of April 2024, Masaya Volcano is currently closed to the public. This is due to a landslide which occurred in March that has covered the lava lake with debris, blocking the release of volcanic gases and increasing the potential for volcanic explosions. A similar event happened in 2012 and it is unclear when the park may become safe to enter again. More information can be found in this official alert from the US Embassy in Nicaragua .

Santiago Crater

Of all the volcanoes in Nicaragua, Masaya Volcano is the most famous as it is one of the only places in the world where you can actually see a lava lake . Other locations include Antarctica, Ethiopia, Hawai’i, South Sandwich Islands, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Vanuatu. It’s for this reason that tourists travel from all over the world to witness one of the best things to do in Nicaragua: the lava lake known as the Santiago Crater . The crater continually emits large amounts of sulfur dioxide gas , which wafts over the park and often completely obscures the volcanoes. As you can see from the photo below, the gas looks like huge clouds. Luckily it’s less dense than a cloud so drifts a lot, especially when there is more wind. After sunset, it’s possible to look down into the crater and see lava bubble – a spectacle which Spanish colonisers came to call ‘ The Mouth of Hell ’ .

Masaya Volcano National Park General Information

Due to the constant activity of the Santiago Crater – lava bubbling, boiling and spitting – Masaya volcano technically erupts all the time. But larger eruptions are rare. As you enter the park you’re surrounded by expansive lava fields. These fields of solid lava are from an eruption in 1772 , which was the last eruption to form lava fields in the park. As you drive further into the park, the road leads you through the lava fields from 1670 . These fields were made when the lava lake in Nindiri crater (at that time recorded to be almost 1km wide) overflowed and scorched the surrounding area.

After passing the ticket office (more information on prices below), you’ll arrive at the museum . Take some time to explore the exhibitions, which include informative displays. Here you can learn more about Masaya, as well as the Ring of Fire , a global chain of volcanoes, part of which forms the backbone of Central America.

Your journey by vehicle ends at the car park , which offers impressive views of Lake Masaya. From, here you can join several of the park’s hikes and explore further afield. The car park is also the best spot to watch the lava lake display in the whole national park – more details on that below.

Hiking in Masaya Volcano National Park

The best way to see the National Park is to hike the numerous trails, most of which leave from the car park and lead to miradors (viewpoints).

• Follow the 280 concrete steps to Mirador Cruz de Bobadilla . This high vantage point is marked by a large cross and offers great views of Masaya Volcano and the Santiago Crater, as well as the surrounding volcanoes and lava fields.
• Take the short but steep Masaya Trail to Mirador San Fernando , which gives you a superb vantage point to see the San Fernando Crater.
• From the San Fernando Viewpoint, you’re halfway to the highest point of Masaya Volcano National Park . Follow the path to an elevation of 635m (2083 ft), where you’ll be able to see Lake Managua and Momotombo Volcano.

There are some more challenging hikes, but these require a guide from the national park, a minimum of five people and must be organised and booked with the national park staff at least one day in advance . These include the Coyote and Comalito hiking trails, both of which are 4km long and take around 2 hours each.

The San Juan–San Fernando Circuit was opened in 2021 and explores part of the Santiago, San Fernando and Nindiri craters . At 3.5km , it takes around 1–2 hours to complete.

Due to unpredictable volcanic activity, trails are often closed indefinitely with no notice. The lava tunnels and Tznaconostoc Bat’s Cave Trail , as well as El Comalito (a small, steam-emitting volcanic cone), are intermittently closed.

Where to see lava in Masaya Volcano National Park

There are two wooden platforms from which you can look down into the crater. They can be accessed by steps by the car park and give a good vantage point of the crater. But the best view is actually from another spot. There is a live webcam located in the car park between the two platforms and this is in fact the best place to see the lava. Situate yourself underneath it for the best seat in the house. Apparently, you’re only allowed up to 30 minutes at the Santiago Crater viewing area, to keep crowds from forming. We didn’t see this be enforced but it’s a rule tours adhere to.

It’s also worth noting that the gases which pour from the volcano can obscure the lava lake at times, so your view may depend on the weather and luck. When the lava bubbles, it technically counts as a small eruption.

Pro tip: The lava bubbles, spits and hisses and if you listen carefully you can actually hear it! It sounds like lapping ocean waves in the distance.

How to get to Masaya Volcanoes National Park

There are several ways to get to Masaya and all of them are affordable.

If you’re on a tight budget, you can take a bus to the park entrance, which costs about $1. From Granada or Masaya, take a bus heading for Managua. The journey from Granada takes around 1 hour and from Masaya, 20–30 minutes . The bus will drop you off at the park entrance where you can buy your ticket. From here you’ll need transport to the car park as you’re not allowed to walk along the road anymore. Locals congregate at the entrance for this purpose and will drive you to the volcano in their car for a little fee (~$5 pp).

Alternatively, you could negotiate a taxi journey from town. Be sure to ask for a return fare and for them to either wait for you or return to pick you up. Taking a taxi costs around $20 for a return. We wouldn’t recommend this option as it’s about the same price as a tour and a lot more faff.

Taking a tour is also a very affordable option. Tours typically cost $20-25 and will include a professional guide and your transportation both ways. We’d recommend this option as it’s the best way to see the National Park and learn about what you’re seeing too.

Interactive Masaya Volcano National Park Map

Masaya volcano national park opening times and prices.

The park is open in two slots: 09:00-16:45 and again from 17:00-20:00 . Sunset is usually between 18:00-19:00. If you want to see the lava you should arrive at the beginning of the evening slot. This gives you some time to do a few small hiking trails, see the sunset over the lava fields and then get into position for the lava show.

The Masaya Volcano entrance fee is different for the day and night slots. The daytime slot is C150 (~ $4 ). The night-time slot is $10 for foreign visitors and $5 for locals.

The best tours to Masaya Volcano National Park

One of the best ways to see Masaya National Park is to take a tour. Not only will you learn so much from a knowledgeable local guide, but your transport is included too. There are multiple ways to visit Masaya – you can visit the park during the day or at night and you can also combine your visit with other must-see sites in Nicaragua. Here are a few we’d recommend:

From Managua or Granada:

• Private Night Tour of Masaya Volcano

From Masaya or Managua:

• Masaya Volcano Night Tour

Masaya with Granada City and Lake Nicaragua:

• Granada Colonial City Tour and Masaya Volcano

Masaya with local villages and artisanal markets:

• Full-Day Tour: Masaya Volcano, Art Market and White Villages

How many active volcanoes are there in Nicaragua?

There are 19 active volcanoes in Nicaragua, most of which form a chain inside an area between two faults called the Nicaraguan Depression Graben. Of these volcanoes, Masaya is the most active with 19 recorded eruptions.

Where is Masaya Volcano?

The Masaya volcano is located right beside the visitors car park at Masaya Volcano National Park. The park is approximately 8.5 miles (14 km) west of Granada and 19 miles (31 km) southeast of Managua.

How long is the tour of Volcán Masaya, Nicaragua?

This depends on which tour you book. Some tours last all day and visit other sites near Masaya while others only visit the lava crater. Due to restrictions on the number of tourists within the park, the time you spend at the crater on a night tour is typically 30 minutes to an hour. By contrast, you can spend several hours in the park during the day. Do both if you have the time!

How often does the Masaya volcano erupt?

For the past 3 decades, Volcán Masaya has erupted just under once every 3 years!

Can you visit Masaya National Park from Costa Rica?

Yes! While it’s a long day, it’s totally possible to visit Masaya National Park from Costa Rica. Check out this full-day guided tour which includes your transport, border crossing, Granada, Catarina Volcano, Lake Nicaragua, Monkey Island, Nicaraguan Artisanal Markets and Masaya Volcano.

How much do you tip guides in Nicaragua?

In general you should tip your Nicaraguan tour guide 10%+ of your tour value. If you have a bit extra to spare and the guide provided an excellent service, then 15%-20% would be gratefully accepted. Local currency is always best but American Dollars are also widely used throughout Central America.

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Description

Masaya Volcano at night tour – Shortly before sunset head over to the volcano where you will hopefully get a chance to see the green “Chocoyos” (Parakeets) returning to their nests inside the crater.

The Masaya Volcano National Park, comprises an area of 54 km and includes two volcanoes and five craters. The volcanoes have erupted several times in history, and were feared by both the indigenous people and the Spanish conquerors. The Spanish baptized the active volcano “La Boca Del Infierno or “The Mouth of Hell”. They planted a cross, “La Cruz de Bobadilla” (named after Father Francisco Bobadilla), on the crater lip in the 16 th century in order to exorcise the Devil. The eruptions have had a dramatic impact on the surroundings. Rocks and volcanic ashes still cover the area surrounding the volcanoes. The nature is rough yet peaceful. Different types of vegetation appeared after the eruptions. The park is also inhabited by many different kinds of animals. The park wildlife includes coyotes, skunks, raccoons, opossums, deer, iguanas, and monkeys.

We are going visit the‚ viewpoint for no more than 20 minutes, because the risk of any explosion and the gases of the volcano, which will allow you to look inside the crater mouth, and observe the lava activity from a recent crater formed.

Send us an email, Skype or phone call to find out more about this exciting and unforgettable tour.

Welcome to Nicaragua We organised a night tour to the volcano with Pablo over WhatsApp which was really easy. The price was really competitive compared to others we saw once we arrived in Granada. Our tour guide Gino met us at our hotel and was really friendly and spoke amazing English. We drove to the national park during the drive Gino was really informative and telling us all about the history of Nicaragua and pointing interesting landmarks out. When we got to the national park we walked through with Gino whilst it was still light and he showed us the lava flow from the last eruption and told us about the flora and fauna. He is so knowledgable. Our driver caught up with us when the gates opened and drove to the crater where we had an amazing view and could see the magma bubbling away. You get about 20 minutes at the crater before the park wardens blow the whistle and its time to leave! We then headed back to our hotel in Granada. All in all a great tour, good price, and no waiting around as Gino filled the time with walking and talking more. Can’t recommend enough! Emily S Masaya Volcano Tour

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Masaya National Park

The first and biggest national park of nicaragua.

Only 23 kilometers from the capital, the Masaya Volcano National Park is the first, and largest national park in the country, consisting of a volcanic caldera with two volcanoes and five craters. Its crater “Santiago” has an altitude of 635 meters above sea level, and continuously emits large amounts of sulfur dioxide. The crater also maintains an incandescence inside due to a persistent lava lake, reason why it was object of veneration by the inhabitants of the area before the arrival of the Spanish colonizers, who baptized the active volcano with the name of “The Mouth of Hell”.

The volcano is located at the center of the National Park, and at its feet is the volcanic lagoon bearing the same name. It is one of the seven active volcanoes in the country which crater rim is reachable by vehicle. The park hosts an interesting system of lava tubes where thousands of bats and insects live in harmony with the surrounding nature. Pre-Hispanic artifacts were also found in the caves where presumably Nicaraguan natives carried out important rituals.

The Masaya Volcano National Park is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Pacific, thanks to the fact that it offers the opportunity of direct contact with the area of its crater, as well as with the flora and fauna of the site. The park also offers a Visitor Center with information panels on the country’s geology and different ecosystems. Every night the park offers a spectacle that astonishes its nocturnal visitors: the appreciation of the so-called “lava lake” that can be observed from the very shore of the crater. A cross stands at the top of the hill, next to the crater of the volcano, in the same place where another similar cross was planted in 1528 by the jealous Mercedarian friar Francisco de Bobadilla, in order to exorcise the devil.

Every day the park opens its doors for the daytime visit from 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. It is also possible to take a short night tour, available every day, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, depending on the arrival of visitors to the park.

GEOPOSITION

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Entrance Fee : Residents: C$30 / Foreigners: US$10 Evening Tour (5:00-7:00 PM): US$10.00

Videos on the Volcán Masaya:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q15U6FH9PB4

Contact information

Other websites of information:

https://www.visitanicaragua.com

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Masaya Volcano Night Tour from Granada

• 1 bottle water per traveler
• Driver/guide ( Local English speaker)
• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• Food and drinks
• Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
• Volcano Entrance fee
• If pick up or drop off in Granada city then fee applies $15pp
• Entry/Admission - Masaya Volcano National Park
• We pick you up at your hotel in Managua or the airport ( international and local flights).
• Not wheelchair accessible
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Children must be accompanied by an adult
• We can pick you up or drop you at Managua international airpor for additional $ 23.00 per person( minimum 2 people)
• Most travelers can participate
• This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

Similar experiences

• You'll get picked up See departure details
• 1 Masaya Volcano National Park Stop: 20 minutes - Admission excluded Your adventure starts about 5 or 6pm( you have flexible departure time) when your local tour guide meets you at your hotel in Granada, Managua or Masaya . Then will be driven to the national park where your first stop will be at the visitor center, there you are going to learn about the history of Masaya Volcano and the volcanic belt in Nicaragua as well you´ll be able to lift with your own hands volcanic rocks they have in the museum.   After that your tour guide will take you by car all the way to the top of the volcano where is the parking lot and viewpoint, here they will show you the best spots for you to take the most amazing picture with the orange from lava in the background that you´ll hear runing underground. As the volcano is very active you are allow to stay for 20 minutes.   Finally you´ll head back to your hotel in Granada, Managua or Masaya by car .   Read more
• You'll return to the starting point

• koryd935 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Waterway Experience Great experience and amazing tour guides. Monkey island was my favorite. They are very informative on the islands who owns them and the history behind how the islands where formed by the volcano near by! Read more Written April 9, 2024
• 423jinw 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Wonderful trip We are in a very comfortable AC car. The driver and tour guide are professional. They take us to all the beautiful places. Read more Written February 28, 2024
• staceyjm412 0 contributions 2.0 of 5 bubbles Female solo travelers stay away! I would’ve liked this tour more if they offered group tours bc it made no sense for me to have a huge van all to myself and pay $120. The price is extremely high to not have lunch and all entrance fees included AT LEAST. Get a smaller car so a solo traveler is not overpaying for something that is not her fault. The only reason I booked this tour was bc it went to all the main spots in one day and I was short on time in Granada. Know what I know now, I would skip the boat tour, it was $20 and we saw 2 monkeys. The views of the homes were nice however. Everything else can be done on your own terms either by taxi or night tour to see the masaya volcano which was cool. I was aware of the additional costs from reading reviews and the PDF I was sent via WhatsApp which confirmed the fees I would have to pay. NO WHERE in that did it mention that I would have to pay for the guides lunch as well. When the bill came, I told him I was going to the bathroom first and then coming back to pay MY meal. When I came back, the bill was still on my side of the table and he made no motion to see how much his meal was. If he had been more professional and been great conversation, I would have had no problem paying for his lunch. I’ve done it on previous private tours when the guide is great but I did not like the feeling of being forced especially under the circumstances that I have yet to mention. During the city tour, the guide asked for a selfie which is common bc I know sometimes guides are required to take pictures of guests interacting during activities. I had no problem with the first and second selfie until he kept insisting and it felt like I was on a vacation with my boyfriend taking selfies at every single location. After the second pic, I told him “NO that was enough” and he stopped. He then asked for me to take a picture of him and to send it to him. I was born at night but not last night and I knew this was a way for him to get my number. I took the pic in the moment but never sent it to him. I do speak very good Spanish so I think he may have gotten too comfortable and forgotten that this was a business transaction and that flirting won’t get him anywhere. When he dropped me off, he asked when he would see me again and I said “never” and ran to my hotel across the street. I have a strong personality so nothing he did ever made me feel uncomfortable, I felt more annoyed than anything. The tour company could benefit from getting a smaller car if there is a solo traveler and having all entrance fees, activities, and lunch included in the price. Do not recommend this for a female solo traveler. Read more Written February 24, 2024
• yavuza318 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Cherlisbeth is a great guide This was a well organized, fun private tour. Our guide Cherlisbeth took us around the sights in Granada and the lake. She also took us to a really nice local restaurant we wouldnt find on our own. We managed to catch the sunset ont the volcano too. Read more Written February 1, 2024
• lavincentg2022 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great experience This was an amazing boat ride that allowed us to tour multiple small Islands within 2hrs. The tour guide told us the history behind many of the islands. This is something great to do with a group of people. Read more Written January 30, 2024
• J8979YOjimmys 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great whole day tour experience Brisi Sr was my tour guide for the day. She was very informative, friendly, and bilingual. Highly recommend her and her driver!! If I had to take another tour I would request her Read more Written January 29, 2024
• Grand024 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Greta night tour David is excellent guide ,English is perfect, volcano Masaya is amazing. Great experience at night , will recommend. Very professional guide Read more Written January 24, 2024
• Road432073 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Constant smart contact with whats up The guide was a great translatet and the driver was amazing. They were so comforting that I booked a private again to do a nine hour tour. Then shared them with fellow hotel guests Read more Written January 21, 2024
• SisaOne 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles Discovering the hidden gems of Nicaragua in one day This was a private tour of Lake Nicaragua, Masaya Volcano & Old Town Granada by Show Me Nicaragua. Hansell and female guide picked us 3 from our downtown hotel & we proceeded to Lake Nicaragua. We transferred to a 12 person boat where the boat captain who was also the guide, had us wear life vests. He explained the flora & fauna in the islands & Nicaraguan A-listers who own the islands. He stopped at one island & called out to Michael, later he explained that Michael is a monkey. We paid the boat captain $40 after the 1 hr boat tour. We drove to Granada Old Town to see the Granada Cathedral & later, with Hansell's help we went to a local restaurant & ordered the meat specialty (we paid for the meal with a credit card- it was cheap) & Nicaraguan coffee. Yum! We shared the food & enjoyed discussing Nicaraguan traditions. We then went to a chocolate museum. It would have been enjoyable but the museum guide was impatient & had an attitude. Our next stop was a volcanology museum which explained tectonic plates extensively. Our female guide explained tectonic plates & how they created earthquakes. It reminded me of our Icelandic tour. We missed the marketplace but stopping at the restaurant was worth it because touring a country includes sampling the local food in my book. Masaya Volcano was our last stop. We tourists paid $10 each for admission to the volcano park. There was a road that went all the way to the volcano crater. We took photos & marveled at the so called "Mouth of Hell" covered by a thick blanket of smoke. It was amazing to see the fiery reddish churning lava at the crater against the dark of the night. Finally, it was time to go home. The roads were fine as we passed by the Christmas street lights in the city back to our hotel. I recommend this tour because Hansell & our female guide did a fine job in spite of the language barrier. We did speak some Spanish so that made the experience fun, educational & interesting. Thank you Show Me Nicaragua, Hansell did exactly that for us. Read more Written January 6, 2024
• reneee2014 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Fun time in Managua! Seeing the volcano and monkeys on the lake boat ride was the highlight of the excursion. Our young guides were college students. The young lady was sweet but you could tell she did not like doing these things. The young man was a guide for the first time. The driver was good and we felt safe. We took everyone to lunch before we took off to the volcano. Communication with the student guides was not too bad. They are students in college learning English. Make sure you bring lots of money. $20 a person for the boat ride and $10 for admission to the volcano. Also you will be asked to pay $25 for gas. It was an expensive day, but well worth it. Read more Written November 19, 2023
• Edwina G 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Stay Away from Show Me Nicaragua Tour Company Stay Away, Stay Away from Show Me Nicaragua Tour Company due to Michael, i think he is the Owner was unprofessional. Michael my tours just because i was asking why there are additional charges? Gas for $25 more though i was Solo and already paid for 2 people. Other reviews called him a Scammer. Pls book your Nicaraguan tours somewhere else and NOT Show Me Nicaragua. Super bad company. Read more Written October 30, 2023
• timothywW4067GO 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Show Me Nicaragua Tours is the most unprofessional shakedown scammers in Managua We hired a driver from Show Me Nicaragua Tours for 9 hours to tour some of the cities in Nicaragua. The driver was 20 minutes late for pickup at our hotel. On the drive to Leon, the owner, Michael Peters, called the driver and then tried to charge us $25 extra for going to Leon and threatened to return us to our hotel if we did not pay extra. Michael tried to change the start time from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM and the drivers drive time from 9 hours to 8 hours. He also told the driver we only wanted to go from Granada to Masaya which is 19Km distance and takes about 30 minutes. We never discussed where we wanted to go with Michael. The driver also took us to a kiddie park in Managua and we had to tell him several times that we wanted to go to Leon. At the end of the tour the driver wanted $20 extra in addition to the $25 that we paid him to cover his gas cost as agreed upon in our texts with Michael. Read more Written October 5, 2023
• Alonzo M 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Granada all day tour Highly recommend this tour! Anthony was the best tour guide I’ve ever had. He answered all of our Qs Read more Written August 24, 2023
• JGR001 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles A Nice Day in Granada, the Granada Islets, and Masaya Volcano We took the whole day excursion to the former Nicaraguan capital of Granada, courtesy of Show Me Nicaragua Tours, headed by a former English teacher. Unlike Managua which had been destroyed several times by earthquakes and floods, Granada’s colonial architecture had more or less been preserved. We stopped at the center of the colonial town and checked out the coffee ‘museum’. We also very briefly ducked into a hammock weaving center and almost went inside a tobacco making outfit but our tour guide didn’t know that we had to roll our own cigars then pay for the experience. So we said ‘no’. Then we went to the main square and in front of it the cathedral. We roamed the pedestrianized cobbled streets with the cute colonial houses and the old hotels with their open courtyards, very typical of 19th century villas in Granada. From the town proper, we headed toward the coast of Lake Nicaragua where we took a leisurely boat ride through the supposedly 365 islets dotting the coast and which have become the haven of lake retreat houses for Nicaragua’s rich and famous. We saw monkeys and birds in some of the islets. Finally, our last stop was the Masaya Volcano National Park. It took a long time for our van to get through – we believe they were controlling the traffic at the volcano viewpoint. But that was ok since we were able to do some trekking as well. Finally, dusk fell and the visitors could then see a bit of the lava in the center of the deep crater. And that was it for the day. Unfortunately, we were assigned David, who was supposedly a student of the owner. He didn’t speak English well and had very little knowledge of the history and culture of Nicaragua or Managua so he couldn’t share too much. He drove a big Hyundai van, which was a bit too big for just the two of us. But David tried hard and we give him A for effort. Read more Written July 28, 2023
• Serendipity_bay 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Poor experience with the tour company and waste of money Very poor experience in Managua with this tour company. We were in Nicaragua for 3 days and wanted to make the most of it and we arranged a private tour with them the day before we reached hoping to get a great experience however it was trip of hell. The car had no air conditioning and it was 34* C and we sat roasting for 10 hours. On top of all it was liking taking a taxi as the guide had no information or knowledge of what to show and talk of interest about the places we were visiting let alone Nicaragua. So for 20 hours we sat in the heat going to one of the most beautiful town and knowing nothing. We were also keen to explore another town with this company the next day however since after sharing the feedback with the owner Mike / Peter about our day and getting no response we decided to drop them. I am avid traveller having visited 50 countries this was a very poor experience of Nicaragua and not only just Managua. We burned our money and hands with this tour company. The next day Leon we did with a local private guy who was excellent- reach out if you want this tour planned separately! Read more Written April 16, 2023

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Masaya Volcano Night Tour from Granada provided by Show Me Nicaragua Tours