NICARAGUA

Older Women, Cheap Travel is heading to Nicaragua January 5 - January 16, 2016.

Nicaragua? You mean where the Sandinistas are? The war? Yes, that place but the war is over and the Sandinistas are a part of history. Now, Nicaragua is becoming the next hotspot for tourism because of the incredible beauty and friendliness of this Central American country. This is a trip you won't want to miss...the land travel is minimal and the cities and scenery are just marvelous! Nicaragua has everything from charming cities to mountains and volcanoes to jungles and beaches and very friendly people. And nice warm weather for a January trip! What more could we want?

Take a look at where we are going and what we will be seeing!

Day One - Jan 5 - We arrive in Managua, Nicaragua. Most of the flights come in fairly late in the day so you will likely be taking a hotel shuttle straight to the hotel and crashing. I will be arriving on Jan 4, so if there are any issues, I will already be there for you. If you have a flight problem or want to arrive early, you can let me know and we will arrange for your extra day in Managua (this is not included in the price).

Day Two – Jan 6 - After breakfast, we will head to the bus station and catch a short bus ride to the lovely colonial city of Granada. After we tour the city, we will grab a bus to go visit the markets of Masaya and do a night tour of the volcano….so cool! We will see lava and then tunnels of bats!

Day Three – Jan 7 - In the morning, we will head to the town square where we will catch a ride to the jungle where we will stay in a treehouse built into the side of Volcano Mombacho! We can sleep in the treehouse or a hammock in the trees! Can you hear the howler monkeys roar? This is going to be a fabulous experience!

Day Four – Jan 8 - We grab a bus and then a ferry to the stunning Isle of Omotepe, and hourglass-shaped island of volcanoes in the middle of a lake.

Day Five – Jan 9 - We enjoy all that this beautiful island of Omotepe has to offer. We can swim in sparkling water holes, ride horses, kayak, see birds and animals, walk through splendid scenery, see petrographs and many artifacts of the pre-Columbian past of the region, visit a coffee farm…so many choices!

Day Six – Jan 10 - We take the bus to Leon, the intellectual heart of Nicaragua where there is the University of Nicaragua, art everywhere, and wonderful museums including The Museum of the Revolution (about the Sandinistas). The city has a vibrant, youthful air!

Day Seven - Jan 11- We have so many options today! Along with seeing the fabulous city of the new Leon, we can visit the old Leon, the ruins of the ancient Spanish city, board down a volcano (yes, really! We probably won’t but cool, eh?) and visit a local nontouristy beach.

Day Eight – Jan 12 – We will bus to Esteli, a mountainous rainforest where we will stay in an ecolodge or, perhaps, with a local Nicaraguan family.

Day Nine – Jan 13 – A day in Esteli.We can visit a cigar factory and La Ganarcha, a nature reserve and community where we will see Swiss cheese made and learn about numerous livelihoods with local guides taking us through their world. We can do a night tour of the river and caves and see….supposedly elves (!) along with nocturnal animals.

Day Ten – Jan 14 - We bus to the city of Managua. We will arrive by noon, so we have the rest of the day to explore; we can see the palace, the cathedral, the Plaza de la Revolucion….we won’t have a lack of places to see here.

Day Eleven – Jan 15 - Today we will see what we missed yesterday and then, join Nicaraguan families in one of their favorite spots, Puerto Salavdor Allendo, by the water. To wind down, perhaps, a “fancy” meal, a little wine, and reminiscing!

Day Twelve - Jan 16 – We head home.

Note: The above itinerary is subject to change depending on circumstances, time, and opportunities. But, no worries, we are going to have a fabulous time!

Costs: $1000.00 plus airfare from your hometown.