3 Weeks In Nicaragua – The Ultimate Itinerary

Are you wondering how to make the most of your 3 weeks in Nicaragua?

If you spend 3 weeks in Nicaragua you will experience incredible nature, lots of wildlife, great beaches, colonial towns, a new culture and some really inspiring people.

We know Nicaragua can often be overlooked by a lot of people when it comes to planning their next trip. So I wanted to put together an epic Itinerary to show you what this fantastic country has to offer.

We spent 4 weeks in Nicaragua and had such a great time there. We felt safe, it was easy to get around and everything was really affordable, especially compared to its neighbouring countries.

With this 3 week Nicaragua Itinerary, you can expect a detailed day-by-day run-through of where to go and how to get there, the best things to do in each area, where you could stay and recommendations of the best places to eat.

And because I want to make sure you really get the most from this post I will also include a 2 week and a 4 week Itinerary too.

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Alternatively, we had a friend come to join us for 10 days and that felt like a great amount of time, Many of the places you will want to visit are along the west coast of the country all fairly close together. So if 10 days is all you have to spare, perfect!

However, I would say that 3 weeks in Nicaragua is the sweet spot. To give you the ideal amount of time to enjoy the country without rushing.

To get excited for your trip you can also check out these fun facts about Nicaragua.

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For this itinerary, we will start and end in the Capital City of Managua, as this is where the main international airport of the country is. So this is where you will want to book your return flights.

We like to use a flight comparison site such as SkyScanner to compare flight prices on different days and easily be able to see the best airline, times and prices for us on one screen.

✈️ Search for your flights to Nicaragua Here!

If you are new to travel you can also check out our guide on using sites like SkyScanner to find great deals.

Once you land in Managua you will want to make your way to our first destination; the city of Leon. There are a couple of different ways you can do this.

Shared Tourist Shuttle – This is a small minibus that will fill up with tourists and take you all to Leon and drop you each at your hostels or hotels. The company GekkoTrails offers a great service at 1 pm each day and it is $35 per person.

A Private Transfer – This option is better if you are arriving late at night or at a super unsociable hour. Arranging a transfer in advance is a lot safer and less risky than trying to get a taxi at the airport. This private transfer service is roughly $55 per person to go from the airport to Leon.

Public Transport – Public transport is known to be quite dodgy in Managua, so I would only recommend this option if you are a confident traveller.

If you do decide to give it a go, you will need to take a taxi from the airport to the UCA Bus terminal in Managua, which is around a 25-minute drive. From there you can jump in a small Collectivo/ Minibus to Leon.

This will be the cheapest option and should be no more than around $7 per person. However, this option will also take the longest.

While we loved it in Leon, I can safely say you do not need 2 weeks there. For this Itinerary, I have opted for 3 days as this should be the ideal amount of time.

Leon is well known for its powerful street art, depicting the struggles the people have had to endure over the years. Making it a great place to start your trip and learn more about the history of Nicaragua. It is also home to the largest Cathedral in all of Central America.

Here are some ideas for how you can fill your 3 days in Leon, depending on what interests you most;

You can also check out my super detailed post on how to spend 2 days in Leon for more details.

🏠 Hostel La Tortuga Booluda – A great budget hostel right near the city centre, offering tours and shuttles from the front desk.

🏠 Al Sole Guesthouse – A super peaceful and relaxing guesthouse a little outside of the centre with a great pool and yummy breakfast.

🍽 Coco Calala Vegan Restaurant – Also rated the top restaurant in Leon!

🍽 Pan & Paz – Lovely French bakery and cafe.

We discovered the Surfing Turtle Lodge through word of mouth and had to go check it out for ourselves. It’s a remote Hostel with an enormous private beach, no one else around for miles, a volleyball court, surfboards to rent and its own Turtle hatchery.

Sounds pretty awesome right?

Well If you are up for the adventure, it’s time to go to the beach for the night.

Step 2 – Take the bus all the way to the beach, eventually the bus will stop to turn around in the road and go back, this is where you need to get off.

Step 3 – Continue to walk along the road, up the hill and to the left until you reach Chepe’s Bar.

Step 4 – From here it will depend on the tide. If the tide is in you will need to take a boat across the river. There will be boats waiting here. When we got there the tide was out so we could walk across the sand to the other side.

Step 5 – On the other side of the river, there is a small hut. You can’t miss it because it is the only one. Head for this then follow the dirt track for about a 20-minute walk through the trees. Eventually, you will come across the entrance to the Surfing Turtle Lodge on your left. It is the only place you will come across so you can’t miss it.

The waves are best for surfing in the mornings or are also popular at sunset here. There is a game of volleyball every day around 5 pm. If it is the right season for baby turtles then you may also get the chance to see them being released too.

Just remember when visiting anywhere where wildlife is involved it is important to do your research and make sure it is all ethical. In this case, we did the research for you and can say this hatchery is one of the good ones.

We had such a great time here, I am sure you will enjoy it too. They have their own bar and restaurant on site too. Also, prepare yourself for the best Sunset you will have ever seen. I know it’s a bold claim but I’m standing by it.

I strongly advise leaving the surfing turtle lodge in the afternoon on day 6 and spending the night in Leon. This is due to the transport time for Granada being pretty early in the morning.

Granada is a larger city than Leon and has a completely different feel to it. We found it to be livelier and much more geared towards tourists. It has the same Colonial architecture, just a bit more colourful.

However, there is so much more to do in and around the city than just exploring volcanoes. So check out my list below and see what appeals most to you;

• Take a sunset tour to see the lava in Masaya Volcano.
• Spend a day Hiking up into the cloud forest on Mombacho Volcano.
• Take a boat trip out onto Lake Nicaragua, to explore the islands.
• Join a free walking tour of the city to learn more about its history.
• Party at the Treehouse Hostel, one of Central America’s biggest parties.
• Visit Monkey Island by Boat.
• Climb up the tower of the Iglesia Nuestra Señora de Las Mercedes to get a great view over the City.
• Visit the chocolate museum.

🏠 Selina Granada – This is where we stayed and it is ideally located right on the main square. Has great soundproof rooms, a pool and lots of social spaces. It was one of our favourite hostels in all of Central America.

🏠 Oasis Hostel – Another incredibly popular hostel in Granada with a great pool and really reasonably priced tours. We used them for a few of our activities.

🍽 Pita Pita – This was the BEST Middle Eastern food I have ever had, in Nicaragua of all places.

Ometepe Island is located on Lake Nicaragua and is the biggest Island in the country. It was formed by the two large volcanoes that now dominate the island’s landscape. Over recent years this island has become a popular place for both locals and tourists to explore.

By Chicken Bus – To get the bus from Granada you will need to head to this bus stop. Take the bus that has Rivas displayed on it. The journey should take around an hour and cost no more than $1. The buses will stop in Rivas, there you will need to take a taxi down to San Jorge.

By Taxi – We opted to take a taxi the whole way for $35, as this would be the fastest and most hassle-free way to get there. It was pricey but shared between 3 of us, it wasn’t too bad.

Taking the Ferry – In San Jorge, head straight to the ferry terminal. Any taxi driver will know exactly where to drop you off. We were made to pay a port fee of around $1 each to be able to access the ferry. I am still unsure whether this was legit or not but we had no way of knowing so we went along with it anyway.

Once inside the gates to the ferry, you can purchase your tickets for around $2.50 each. You need to keep hold of your ticket as someone on the ferry will collect them and make you pay again if you have lost it.

The ferry ride itself is rough and very crowded. It takes around 45 minutes to reach the island.

🏠 Hospedaje Soma Ometepe Hotel – Ideally located just on the edge of Moyogalpa, this hotel has awesome reviews and a pool too! You’ll be glad for the pool after a long hot day of exploring the island.

🏠 Hostal Casa Mauro – This is where we stayed and it is basic but great for a couple of nights. The owners were lovely, they picked us up from the ferry and arranged some scooters for us super fast.

🍽 El Pital Chocolate Paradise – Not only do they have the most amazing vegan brownies but they also do EPIC burgers and they are right on the edge of the lake.

🍽 Kaikaia – A really nicely decorated vegan restaurant with healthy meals and yummy shakes.

San Juan Del Sur is one of the most popular beach towns in Nicaragua. We were a little sceptical at first, as we had heard mixed things about it. However, once we got there we were pleasantly surprised.

The town is small but lively with plenty of bars and restaurants and local shops. The beach is large and clean and there are lots of local tour shops offering different fun things to do.

If you enjoy great beaches, enjoying nature, surfing and partying then this will be just the place for you. We enjoyed our time here after lots of volcano hikes and larger cities it was nice to have some time by the sea.

Here are some of the top things to do in the area;

• Join in the party on the Sunday Funday bar crawl.
• Do some surfing on one of the neighbouring small beaches.
• Hike up to the Cristo de La Misericordia Statue above the cove for some great views.
• Take a walk to Playa Nacascolo for a quieter beach day.
• Take part in a Yoga class or 2.
• Go on an ATV or Quadbike tour.
• Go on a day trip to Playa la Flor nature reserve for a chance to spot some sea turtles laying eggs.

🏠 The Space – This is where we stayed outside of town and it was pretty special. The rooms were great, the onsite restaurant served really good food and the whole atmosphere was spot on! They also have free shuttles to and from the town if you don’t fancy the walk.

We did walk it a couple of times and we spotted monkeys in the trees, so worth it if you have the time.

🏠 Tapihouse San Juan Del Sur – Located in the town, this hotel has fantastic reviews, the all-important aircon and includes breakfast in the price.

🍽 Simon Says – A great vegetarian restaurant with a lovely garden feel to it. They do the best breakfasts here!

🍽 The Beach House Nicaragua – This restaurant/ bar is right on the beach so you get a great view with your meal. They did an awesome vegan Ramen here.

You can use SkyScanner again to book your flights to the Corn Islands.

With them being so far off of the usual tourist route on the West Coast, very few travellers make their way to these amazing islands. Making them still relatively undeveloped and a perfect slice of paradise.

• Do some scuba diving with one of the 2 dive shops on the Island.
• Hire a bike and cycle around the island, this only takes a couple of hours.
• Hike up to the highest point on the island, Mount Pleasant Hill.
• Go snorkelling at Long Beach or Silver Beach.
• Enjoy sunbathing and swimming at Arenas Beach and Picnic Beach.

🏠 Ocean View – Enjoy an entire apartment with a terrace looking out over the sea.

🏠 La Princesa de la Isla – This beautifully decorated beachfront hotel has a lovely garden overlooking its own private beach.

🍽 Darinia Kitchen – This place is all about local and organic ingredients and using what the island has to offer to make delicious healthy meals. They have a lot of seafood but also lots of vegan and vegetarian options too.

🍽 Pizzeria Italia – Not necessarily what you would expect to eat on a hot tropical island but this Italian restaurant is well-loved among visitors to the island.

An hour or so before your flight is scheduled, jump into a taxi to the airport. Taxis to anywhere on the island are $1 per person.

Once you land in Managua, grab a taxi straight to where you are staying for the night before your flight home tomorrow. Alternatively, you can book a late-night flight instead of spending a night in Managua.

I would personally stay a night, just because airlines are not always reliable and if for any reason your flight back from the island is delayed, you won’t miss your flight home.

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The main difference with this Itinerary is that I wouldn’t go to the Corn Islands if you only have 2 weeks or less. It is expensive and takes a lot of time that I believe would be better spent in the places I have mentioned below.

• Day 1 – Land in Managua and Travel to Leon
• Day 2 & 3 – Leon
• Day 4 & 5 – Surfing Turtle Lodge
• Day 6, 7 & 8 – Granada 
• Day 9 & 10 – Ometepe Island
• Day 11, 12 & 13 – San Juan Del Sur
• Day 14 – Head to Managua and fly home

All of the logistics and details for this are the same as the 3 week itinerary.

In this version, I have added a stop in Esteli before Leon and added more time to also explore Little Corn Island too. As well as an extra day in Leon and Granada. If you have more time in these cities, you have the option to do more volcano hikes or even, overnight camping trips.

• Day 1 – Land in Managua and Travel to Esteli
• Day 2 & 3 – Esteli
• Day 4, 5, 6 & 7 – Leon
• Day 8 & 9 – Surfing Turtle Lodge
• Day 10, 11, 12 & 13 – Granada 
• Day 14, 15 & 16 – Ometepe Island
• Day 17, 18 & 19 – San Juan Del Sur
• Day 20 – Travel to Managua and fly to Corn Islands
• Day 21, 22 & 23 – Big Corn Island
• Day 24, 25 & 26 – Little corn island
• Day 27 – Boat back to Big Corn and fly back to Managua
• Day 28 – Fly home

If you plan to visit Costa Rica as well then check out my 3 week itinerary.

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Here are some examples of costs that you can expect to pay in Nicaragua;

• A night in a budget private room – $10
• A night in a mid-range room – $45
• Return flight to the Corn Islands – $165
• A shuttle bus ride from Leon to Granada – $19-$25
• A 30-minute local chicken bus ride – $0.50
• A 30-minute Taxi ride – $20 – $30
• A meal in a Western restaurant – $10
• A meal at a local restaurant or street food stand – $5
• A beer in a bar – $1.25
• Volcano Boarding activity – $35
• Mangrove boat trip – $25
• Full-day Volcano hike tour – $35
• ATM fees – $4
• Sim Card & data plan – $20

If you are planning your trip on a tight budget, you might find this guide useful.

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I would avoid packing anything white, as Nicaragua is pretty dry and dusty from all the volcanos.

You can also check out my full packing list for Central America to see what we took with us.

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That being said there are still risks you need to be aware of. The local buses can be a hotspot for petty theft and pickpocketing. Occasionally robberies do happen in touristy areas by opportunists but this is common in most of Central America.

It is especially important to be vigilant and sensible when travelling to Nicaragua. Don’t carry your valuables on you and don’t walk around alone at night. We didn’t meet anyone who had, had any trouble so as long as you are careful you should be fine.

Before you travel it is always a good idea to check your government’s travel advice for any updates.

However, if you’re a nature enthusiast, the rainy season from May to October is a great time to experience beautiful green landscapes, fewer crowds, and the opportunity to observe the country’s incredible biodiversity.

As a tropical country, Nicaragua does have mosquitoes, especially in areas with higher humidity and are closer to water. Mosquitoes are most prevalent during the rainy season, from May to October. We stayed in a really bad hostel in San Juan del Sur with no windows and our room was full of Mosquitos all night. That was not fun!

It is always best to try and prevent mosquito bites by using insect repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants, and staying in accommodations with screens or air conditioning (and windows of course).

Additionally, it is always wise to speak to your GP or a travel doctor if you plan to travel abroad to countries with risks of different diseases.

They are also very different in a few ways. For example, Costa Rica is by far more expensive to visit. Whereas, Nicaragua can sometimes feel a little less safe than Costa Rica.

I wrote a really comprehensive comparison of the two countries if you want to explore the similarities and differences even further.

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This is why Nicaragua should be at the top of your travel bucket list.

3 weeks in Nicaragua is the ideal amount of time to be able to do all of these things and more! We loved this wild and raw country for its diversity and sheer determination to rise back up from whatever the universe throws at it.

As you can tell it left a strong impression on us and I am pretty certain you will know exactly how we feel once you’ve visited too.