1 day
Full Day
About this activity
The main attraction of this tour is the impressive Nicaragua Lake, a fresh water lake over 8,600 km2 in size. The lake was often referred to as the Sweet Sea by the Spanish visitors of centuries passed. This lake is the second largest in Latin America, and the only place in the world where fresh water sharks are found. There are also many islands, including Solentiname, Ometepe and Zapatera, 400 islets, and 2 volcanoes. At 6am we will depart, heading towards Los Chiles, Costa Ricas northern border town. Once we make it through the border control, our Nicaraguan transportation will be awaiting us, ready to take us on a scenic ride to San Carlos, Nicaragua, crossing the Santa Fe Bridge above the San Juan River. This river serves as the natural border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Once in San Carlos, we will enjoy a historic journey through the city streets, La Fortaleza, El Mirador and Malecon. Next, we will take a speedboat to travel to the Solentiname Archipelago which consists of 36 islands full of natural, cultural, archeological, and historic riches, which have been declared a Nicaraguan National Monument. We will visit two of them, Zapote and Zapotillo, known as The Bird Islands, where you can observe countless species of birds like cormorants, herons, pelicans, roseate spoonbills, ospreys, among others. Afterwards, we will visit the San Fernando Island for a delicious traditional Nicaraguan lunch, with fresh fish from the lake as a main dish if you choose. After lunch, we will take a short boat ride to the island of Mancarron, the most popular and biggest island of the Archipelago. Here, we will walk through the town, visiting important attractions like the Archeological Museum with unique pieces found on the islands, the traditional country church The Refuge, which is renowned for its history, and has served as inspiration for many, like writer Gabriel Garca Marquez, songwriter Carlos Mejia Godoy, and poet Ernesto Cardenal. We will visit some of the local workshops to observe the artists in their creation of woodwork, unique paintings, and more. Finally, it will be time to head back to Costa Rica.
Features
Tourism
80% Cultural
65%
Collections This experience is part of these collections