Activities & Excursions

Laguna de Apoyo
A quick and easy day trip from Garanda, this is a crystal clear, gorgeous lake in the crater on top of a extinct volcano. You can go stay at a resort for a day for only $7 dollars where there are hammocks, reclining chairs, tubes, kayaks, couches, and a barge. This is a great place to go to get away from the busier life in Granada to relax and be in the pure and unpolluted nature. Many of the resorts around the lake will make you lunch and dinner, and for only a few extra dollars you can spend the night in their dorm rooms.

Mambacho Volcano
This volcano, situated within the Volcan Mombacho Natural Park, is 1400 meters high. It's been extinct for many years now, and it is totally covered with vegetation. Its about 10 minutes away from downtown Granada. You can reach the top either by going on a long, steep hike (about 3 hours uphill) or by getting a ride in one of the Parks 4x4 off road vehicles. Another option is riding a horse to the top. Once at the top of the volcano you can walk all the way around the cater and see the plants and wildlife. For a little extra money you can also take a canopy tour down the volcano.

Masaya Volcano and Bat Cave Spelunking
One great tour that Casa Xalteva offers is a sunset/night trip to el Volcan Mayasa. It is best to arrive right as the sun is setting behind the continuously smoking volcano, and the views are incredible. Once the sun sets you do a can a short hike that leads to a large bat cave. You get to go exploring through the cave and into a large underground chamber. You can see all the bats nearby and other wildlife.

The Lake and Isletas
A fun option right in Granada is are the tours of the islands. There are numerous companies that will take a boat tour around the hundreds of isletas in the Lake Nicaragua.

Lake Nicaragua is the tenth largest freshwater lake in the world, and the second largest of Latin America. It is connected to the Caribbean Sea through the San Juan River, and it therefore proved of great strategic value as it enabled conquerors as well as pirates to access Nicaragua’s mainland once they had access to this vast lake. These islands are locally called ‘Las Isletas’ and they are formed by a group of 365 islets of volcanic origin. You can also enjoy the beauty of the islands by renting a kayak. There is even a possibility to enter some of the islets, because several of them feature a hotel or restaurant. Water sports can also be practiced in the lake.

Isla Ometepe
The Isla (Island) Ometepe lies about an hour boat ride in the middle of the large lake of Nicaragua. It is currently a candidate for one of the 8th Wonders of the World. The Island has two enormous volcanoes that attract all kinds of adventurers and tourists. One of the volcanoes, Concepcion is still active, emitting little bursts of lava and smoke. The other volcano has been dormant for a wild and is covered in rich wildlife. Both the volcanoes are good hikes, about 6-7 hours roundtrip for the shortest hike, but once you get to the top, you know it is well worth the exercise. The hikes are beautiful as you go on a small, thin path through the dense jungle-like forest. If the hiking is not your thing, there are many other activites on the Island. Many people enjoy the amazing bird watching on the rural island. There are also many island and Laguna tours that anyone can go on with a private guide. There are many nice hotels that are very cheap (about $5 a night for a private room) located right on the water’s edge with nice beaches.