Author: Mel

Living aboard a sailboat, blogging about the places we visit and the adventures we have. Love hiking, cycling, scuba, animals and adventure.

Hiking Maderas Volcano on Ometepe Islands

We did a long hike yesterday up one of the two iconic Ometepe Volcanoes: Maderas. I am very tired and sore and damaged after hiking Maderas Volcano on Ometepe.

Facts about maderas volcano

  • Maderas Volcano is 1394 meters at the peak, making it the shorter of the two volcanoes on Ometepe Island
  • At the top is a cloud forest
  • There is a crater lagoon on the summit of the volcano
  • There is abundant animal life, including monkeys
  • And I quote “The Maderas hike is an ardous endeavour on a steep defile dug into the rock and excavated by water. The humidity transforms the trail into a muddy, slippery path and sometimes you have to really climb instead of walk”

about the hike

Our hike took 9 hours, we were a little slow going. We saw lots of monkeys, lots of mud(!), and great views including the crater lagoon. We did it but oh boy sore muscles (and a swollen ankle) are the aftermath! And we still have mud stuck to our feet and a lot of cuts and bruises!

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Things to Do in Granada: Gringo Street and More

Granada is a beautiful colonial city, and the most popular tourist city in Nicaragua. It’s easy to tour because most of the sights are within a few blocks of the central park: hotels, restaurants, shops and tourist attractions all together. Here are my recommendations of things to do in Granada, including “Gringo Street”.

Must Do: Climb to the Top of Iglesia Merced

For the best views in the city, pay $1 to climb the circular staircase up a few flights (it’s not that high) to the top of Iglesia Merced. The exterior of the church is very pretty, but it’s the chance to peer behind the gated facades of all the buildings for a slight glimpse into the courtyards beyond. It’s a popular tourist spot, but the climb is quick even if it’s busy when you go.

Iglesia Merced Things to do in Granada Nicaragua
Iglesia Merced
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A Visit to Mombacho Volcano

Yesterday we went for a visit to Mombacho Volcano, a close drive from Granada and a beautiful protected Nicaraguan park.

Tour of Mombacho Volcano

We booked a tour for $35 through Tierra Tours. After a little research, $35 seemed standard unless you book through our hotel which charges $50. We went with the standard price 🙂

The Tierra Tours van picked us up from our hotel at around 9:30am and we were off. There was already a man from Belgium in the car, and then we picked up a couple from Toronto (actual Toronto, not people from hours away telling people they live in Toronto) and we headed for my first volcano of the trip!

About Mombacho Volcano

Mombacho is a “dormant” or sleeping volcano. It hasn’t erupted since the 1500s but it is definitely alive. We saw steam coming from the earth and smelled sulfur more than once, especially near the crater. It is closely monitored for activity.

Less than a 30 minute drive from downtown Granada, Mombacho rises to 1344 meters. Even though Lyna mentioned she would have liked to, we did not climb the entire way to the top. That wasn’t given to me as an option. The van driver stopped part of the way up, took us to a coffee farm to sample local coffee, and then we drove up to the parks office and the trailheads.

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