Traveling in Nicaragua on a Budget

Budget Travel

Is it possible to travel in Nicaragua on a budget? Learn how much it cost me to backpack in Nicaragua — along with my favorite tips & highlights.

Overview

I think I’m in love. The Central American country of Nicaragua was a big surprise. I quickly got sucked into it’s laid-back pace of life, incredibly friendly people, and low cost of living.

I wasn’t planning on spending much time here. That scenario soon changed once I got to know the place!

Do you want to travel back in time? It’s possible in Nicaragua.

Venture into any of the many small towns to experience rural farming communities where water is collected with buckets, horses are the only way to get around, and even basic electricity can be hard to find.

Living in Nicaragua for a while was a refreshing pause in my journey, and I became captivated by it’s magic.

Nicaragua Travel Costs:

Nicaragua travel budgets can vary greatly. Here is a breakdown of how much money I spent over 4 months of travel there.

• Food & Drink: $1,444 US (groceries, restaurants, water, alcohol)
• Accommodation: $595 US (hostels, hotels, camping fees)
• Transportation: $92 US (buses, taxis, boats)
• Activities: $110 US (entrance fees, rentals, classes, tours, etc.)
• Miscellaneous: $299 US (laundry, sundries, souvenirs, visas, etc.)

TOTAL DAYS = 121

TOTAL SPENT = $2,540 US

DAILY AVERAGE = $21 US

Budget Notes: I stayed almost 2 months at a hostel in Granada called La Casita that charged only $4 a night because it was low-season.

Highlights

– Watching my first cock fight
– Volcano boarding down Cerro Negro
– Building ovens out of poop
– Hitchhiking to visit Alberto
– Chicken buses

Lowlights

– The heat of Leon
– Sleeping on the deck of a cargo boat
– Crashing a motorcycle
– Witnessing how people live at La Chureca
– Chicken buses

Surprises

– How cheap the country is
– How friendly the people are
– Chicken buses!

Stories & Adventures From Nicaragua

Planning to travel to Nicaragua soon? Browse all my blog posts from Nicaragua to get ideas & recommendations for your own adventures!

Read More Stories From Nicaragua Here

Final Thoughts

Nicaragua has a little bit of everything. Beautiful beaches, great surfing, active volcanoes, nature preserves, freshwater lakes, jungle rivers, quaint colonial cities, and a good chunk of the country is not easy to access and off the beaten track (just the way I like it).

Traveling in Nicaragua won’t break the bank either. I know I’ll be back again some day soon.

Additional Examples?

My last trip to Nicaragua was in 2011. Prices have probably changed a bit since then. We don’t all travel the same way either. So to help you get a better picture, here are a few Nicaragua travel budgets from others:

• Nicaragua Travel Costs from Nomadic Matt
• Nicaragua Travel Costs from Cheapest Destinations
• Nicaragua Travel Costs from the Travel Chica
• Nicaragua Travel Costs from Jack & Jill Travel

[su_box title=”Travel Planning Resources” style=”noise” box_color=”#333333″ title_color=”#FFFFFF” radius=”3″ class=”resource-box”]

Packing Guide

Check out my travel gear guide to help you start packing for your trip.

Book Your Flight

Ready to fly? Here’s how I find the cheapest airline flights.

Rent A Car

Discover Cars is a great site for comparing car prices to find a deal.

Cheap Accommodation

Learn how I save money booking hotels & vacation apartments.

Protect Your Trip

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This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Riverside Convenience Store

Swimming across a wide, fast-moving jungle river that’s home to crocodiles & aggressive freshwater sharks was not my idea.

This latest questionable undertaking was suggested by my new friend Jason, a local kid living in the tiny town of El Castillo on the banks of the Rio San Juan.

Suddenly we were floating faster and faster towards the rapids…

I had just embarked on a 3-hour boat trip down the river to check out the 17th-century Spanish fortress of El Castillo.

Our long fiberglass water taxi was packed full of about 30 people, most locals, and everyone’s bags were strapped to the roof of the craft.

Throughout the journey, we stopped at tiny little villages or individual homes to drop off people & supplies. The banks of the river were overgrown with the thick jungle that was home to all manner of monkeys, lizards, and birds.

The Rio San Juan

Bloody Pirate Battles

The Rio San Juan links Lake Nicaragua to the Atlantic Ocean, and El Castillo de La Immaculada Concepción sits on a hill overlooking the historic waterway below.

It’s an imposing structure to see looming over you as the boat rounds a bend in the river. The small colorful town (also called El Castillo) is underneath, protected by the fort.

Some of the most notorious pirates in the world (like Captain Henry Morgan) used to sail upriver from the Atlantic Ocean, into Lake Nicaragua, and on to the rich city of Granada to burn, rape, and plunder. The fort was created to defend against these attacks.

Many epic cannon battles were fought here at El Castillo.

I found a cheap guesthouse in town and was later pleasantly surprised to find there were not many travelers around. It was just me and a group of 5 backpackers from Europe in the whole village.

The heat was intense so we all decided to meet up and go for a swim in the river at the town docks.

El Castillo Fortress

Rio San Juan Adventure

It was here where we met Jason. He was a 17-year-old local boy who was eager to show us around. His proposition? Swim across the wide, fast-moving river to the opposite bank.

I’ll admit I had been thinking about it myself, but I had heard that freshwater sharks and crocodiles also call this river home…

Jason said not to worry. He’s accomplished the feat many times, and was excited for us to join him.

Right below the fort is a section of rapids. To avoid floating into them during the swim, we would have to head upstream first.

This way we’d have enough time and distance to cross before getting dragged into the rocks.

But rather than walk up a road alongside the river, we “boat hopped” upstream. The skinny water-taxis are like 60 feet long. But because they have low profiles, you can grab the sides of them from the water.

So we proceeded to fight the current and swim from one craft up to the next, then swing like monkeys hand-over-hand along the edge of the boats and up the river. After doing this 6 or 7 times it was time for the big crossing.

Marathon River Swim

Ultimately only 2 of us decided to make the journey with Jason (the rest had common sense). Me, and a guy named Lex from Holland.

The first part of the 150 meter swim was not bad. But once we got halfway out, the current kicked in big-time.

Suddenly we were floating faster and faster towards the rapids. All three of us started swimming hard for the opposite bank…

We ended up making it safely across. No shark bites, no crocodile attacks, all arms & legs intact. But it certainly wasn’t easy!

Jason took Lex and I to a farmhouse to rest for a while (it was badly needed). There we marveled at the most gigantic pig I have ever seen.

She was almost as tall as my chest and must have weighed at least 900 pounds!

I was actually kind of scared walking up to that fat porker, she seemed a bit unruly and unpredictable as she snorted & kicked in the mud.

Maybe that’s because she knew what I did to her cousin Wilbur…

Pirate Lookout Tower

Fruity Pirate Booty

Finally after resting a bit, we went hiking barefoot behind the farm looking for Guaba bean trees. Jason climbed them barefoot and threw the giant seed pods down to us for a tasty snack.

After stealthily loading up our pockets with fruit, we retreated back across the fast-moving river to hand out our spoils to the others.

Stealing fruity treasures from the residents of El Castillo, I felt a bit like a river pirate myself.

It’s a good thing the cannons in the fortress don’t work anymore. :)

[su_box title=”Travel Planning Resources for El Castillo, Nicaragua” style=”noise” box_color=”#333333″ title_color=”#FFFFFF” radius=”3″ class=”resource-box”]
Place to Stay: Hospedaje Aurora. $170 Cordobas ($7.50 US)

Packing Guide

Check out my travel gear guide to help you start packing for your trip. Pick up a travel backpack, camera gear, and other useful travel accessories.

Book Your Flight

Book cheap flights on Skyscanner, my favorite airline search engine to find deals. Also read my tips for how I find the cheapest flights.

Rent A Car

Discover Cars is a great site for comparing car prices to find the best deal. They search both local & international rental companies.

Book Accommodation

Booking.com is my favorite hotel search engine. Or rent local apartments on Airbnb ($35 discount!). Read my post for tips on booking cheap hotels.

Protect Your Trip

Don’t forget travel insurance! I’m a big fan of World Nomads for short-term trips. Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. Read more about why you should always carry travel insurance.
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This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Is This How I Turn You On?

Ometepe, Nicaragua

In only 24 hours I managed to get pulled over by cops, crash my motorcycle, spend a night on the beach, and catch over 20 fish in 10 minutes.

Touring around the small villages of Isla de Ometepe with a rented dirtbike turned out to be quite a little adventure.

It all started when I boarded a ferry at San Jorge and headed across Lake Nicaragua to Isla de Ometepe. The island is formed by two different volcanoes, Concepcion & Maderas. It’s the largest volcanic island surrounded by fresh water in the world.

Within the giant cosmopolitan city of Moyogalpa (pop. 2900), I found just the girl I was looking for. She was fast, cheap, and loved to get dirty.

A small 150cc powered off-road hog who I named Bertha.

It was love at first sight!

Ometepe Traffic Jam

A Secret Mistress

Bertha was a cheap date. I could ride her for 24 hours and it would only cost me $25.

Our goal? Encircle the island on a whirlwind honeymoon tour while getting into as much mischief as we could along the way!

The adventure began by zipping South down the paved road from Moyogalpa and then East along the Southern coast. There was seldom any other traffic, except an occasional slow moving tractor or herd of cows blocking the entire road.

Ometepe’s primary source of income is agriculture & livestock, which means we passed farm after farm of plantain banana trees, and not much else.

Oh yeah, I guess the beautiful volcanoes that framed the landscape around us should be mentioned too.

In the afternoon we pulled off the side of the road to Ojos de Agua, a (cold) natural spring in the middle of the forest. Bertha doesn’t know how to swim, so I cooled off in the refreshing crystal-clear water with some other women while she watched jealously.

She knew the magnetic power she held over me though… I’d come back to her eventually.

Officer Manuel Tries to Pull a Fast One!

Trouble With the Law

Back on the road we headed north to the isthmus that divides the two volcanoes, and then East again crossing over to the area around Volcano Maderas. Suddenly, a police officer armed with an automatic rifle walks out into the middle of the street signaling for us to stop.

I have to admit I was a bit nervous.

What did he want? Were we speeding? Had we broken some unknown law?

He asked for our papers. I opened my wallet and handed him my license… but I couldn’t find Bertha’s documents!

Then I remembered I had put them in a separate pocket.

He looked everything over as he walked to the back of the bike…

“¿Dónde está tu placa?” (Where is your license plate?)

DOH!

An Ominous Sign?

Forbidden Love

It seems Bertha and I were engaged in a forbidden relationship. We were traveling together in sin, without proper marriage documents, and that didn’t go over to well in these here parts…

The officer stood in silence looking at my open wallet – I think he wanted a bribe to keep quiet about it!

But then he finally noticed the video camera strapped to my helmet. :)

He smiled for the camera and waved us on.

Enjoying a Romantic Sunset Together

Scandalous Relationships

At the dark sands of Santa Domingo Beach, the pavement disappeared. This is when the real fun began! The road got rough, and we powered up steep hills covered with boulders and plunged headlong into creeks that crossed our path.

Motoring through small towns like Santa Cruz & Merida, we waved to friendly locals who passed by on motorcycles, bikes, horses, and on foot.

At one point Bertha and I stopped to watch a lively soccer game, but unfortunately we didn’t go unnoticed. At least 75 people turned to stare at us.

Scandalous inter-racial (inter-mechanical maybe?) relationships such as ours in the midst of these very religious communities will always attract attention!

Early Morning at Santa Domingo

Camping on the Beach

It was getting late, and I needed to find a place to set up my hammock to spend the night.

We weren’t sure we’d make it to another beach before dark if we continued in the same direction – so we turned around to head back to Playa Santa Domingo, because it looked like an ideal spot to camp.

I had to sleep alone though, because Bertha weighed 300lbs and the hammock would’t support the both of us…

A light rain started falling in the middle of the night (it was the beginning of rainy season after all) and I put up a tarp to keep dry.

Fishing on Lake Nicaragua

Speed Fishing

In the morning we struck out again and reached another beach on the South Eastern corner of the island. I stopped to rest while I watched a woman & some children fishing off the shore with a giant net. It looked like they could use some help.

The woman in charge gave me a big smile, and proceeded to show me what to do. Her and I were going to pull the net in, while the kids swam around unhooking it from snags underwater. This was hard work! Not as easy as I initially thought it would be.

The net was massive, maybe 120 ft (40m) wide and 60 ft (20m) out into the water. But after 10 minutes of straining with all our might, we had pulled in a catch of some 20 or so flopping fish! Screw a fishing rod, I’m using a net from now on. :D

I said goodbye to the family, and continued on with Bertha in order to finish circling the island.

Is He Checkin’ Out My Woman!?

The Big Crash

Around the little village of Punta Gorda, the road gets pretty rough. I had quite a workout maneuvering my mistress up and down steep sections of trail while winding through boulders. She stalled out on me a few times when I didn’t change gears fast enough…

I was now feeling much more confident in my ability to man-handle her though, so when we approached a calmer section of dirt track I opened her up a bit! My adrenaline level was high as we flew down the rocky road, bouncing around at 30 mph.

But then we hit a soft patch of sand.

I hit the breaks (bad idea) while Bertha’s backside slid out from under me. Luckily I jumped clear so she wouldn’t crush my leg as she crashed to the ground!

We were both a little rattled, but unharmed. :)

After crossing more streams, muddy paths, and paved roads again, we ended our honeymoon excursion back in the town of Moyogalpa; wet, dirty, and exhausted.

Sadly our wild 24 hour love-affair had come to an end. It was time to go our separate ways… But we’ll always have the memories. ★

Watch Video: Ometepe Dirtbike Adventure

(Click to watch Ometempe Dirtbike Adventure on Vimeo)

[su_box title=”Travel Planning Resources for Isla Ometepe, Nicaragua” style=”noise” box_color=”#333333″ title_color=”#FFFFFF” radius=”3″ class=”resource-box”]
Company: Hospedaje Central
Cost: $25 US moto rental, $5 US in gas

Packing Guide

Check out my travel gear guide to help you start packing for your trip. Pick up a travel backpack, camera gear, and other useful travel accessories.

Book Your Flight

Book cheap flights on Skyscanner, my favorite airline search engine to find deals. Also read my tips for how I find the cheapest flights.

Rent A Car

Discover Cars is a great site for comparing car prices to find the best deal. They search both local & international rental companies.

Book Accommodation

Booking.com is my favorite hotel search engine. Or rent local apartments on Airbnb ($35 discount!). Read my post for tips on booking cheap hotels.

Protect Your Trip

Don’t forget travel insurance! I’m a big fan of World Nomads for short-term trips. Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. Read more about why you should always carry travel insurance.
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Have you ever had a steamy love-affair?

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Managua Market Meat Lady

Managua, Nicaragua

Technically speaking, I was an illegal alien. I could get deported at any moment. My Central American CA-4 visa had expired.

This visa allows 3 months of combined travel in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua.

For two months I had been a fugitive from the law, hiding out on active volcanoes and befriending crazy hermits in the woods.

I couldn’t stay on the run forever… it was time to turn myself in and face the consequences.

Thus began another trip into the gritty capital city of Managua, Nicaragua.

Vinegar Salsa: Local Specialty

Roberto Huembes Market

After waiting in line for 2 hours at the immigration office, paying the fine, and receiving a visa extension, my friend Alexandra and I decided to visit the Roberto Huembes Market to do some shopping for Nicaraguan food.

A taxi dropped us off outside, and we walked into the corrugated steel-roofed labyrinth of stalls.

Passing clothing merchants, electronics repair men, jewelry makers, and hammock ladies, we found ourselves in the meat section. Giant raw slabs of beef were hung out on display.

Enough steak for 10 people was available for the bargain price of only $30 US!

Jewelry Maker

Babies Everywhere

While shooting photos around the market, I suddenly had babies thrust in front of my lens over and over again. Families that owned vegetable stalls wanted to show off their most prized possessions.

Who was I to put up a fight? Babies are often just as interesting as vinegar salsa!

We stopped and chatted with different vendors, asking them about their products, and their lives.

Giovanni used to live in Miami with family, but then moved back to Managua to run his vegetable stall when he couldn’t find work to support the expensive cost of living there.

How Does My Hair Look?

People Of Managua

After purchasing a few bags of fruit, we attempted to find our way out of the giant maze. Soon I heard someone whistling at us. It’s common for men in Central America to whistle at women, so I just assumed they were acknowledging Alexandra.

We kept walking.

But then I felt a tap on my arm. Turns out there was a hole in my shoulder bag, and a bunch of passion fruit had fallen out to the ground. A local man found it and tried to get our attention, then ran after us to give it back!

Pirated DVD Super Store

Is Managua Dangerous?

In fact all the people I met in Managua were just like this man, ridiculously helpful & friendly. If I had listened to all the warnings for avoiding the city at all costs, I’d have missed out on some great experiences.

Just because a place has a lot of crime, doesn’t mean you should completely skip it. By taking standard precautions, odds are pretty good that nothing bad will happen.

You’ll be awarded with adventures that other travelers miss out on! ★

[su_box title=”Travel Planning Resources for Managua, Nicaragua” style=”noise” box_color=”#333333″ title_color=”#FFFFFF” radius=”3″ class=”resource-box”]

Packing Guide

Check out my travel gear guide to help you start packing for your trip. Pick up a travel backpack, camera gear, and other useful travel accessories.

Book Your Flight

Book cheap flights on Skyscanner, my favorite airline search engine to find deals. Also read my tips for how I find the cheapest flights.

Rent A Car

Discover Cars is a great site for comparing car prices to find the best deal. They search both local & international rental companies.

Book Accommodation

Booking.com is my favorite hotel search engine. Or rent local apartments on Airbnb ($35 discount!). Read my post for tips on booking cheap hotels.

Protect Your Trip

Don’t forget travel insurance! I’m a big fan of World Nomads for short-term trips. Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. Read more about why you should always carry travel insurance.
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This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Sweaty & Dusty Bus Ride

Popoyo, Nicaragua

It started like most Central American adventures do, inside a chicken bus. The tiny Nicaraguan surf town of Popoyo Beach isn’t easy to get to, but those who embark on the journey are greatly rewarded.

The trip began in the city of Granada, where I jumped on an aging American school bus for a 1.5-hour ride to the town of Rivas.

After pushing past a swarm of 20 different taxi drivers at the Rivas bus station (all of them spewing lies to secure my business), I found a man who honestly told me what time the only bus to the town of Las Salinas would leave.

The 2 hour bus ride to Las Salinas was cramped, dusty, and hot.

Luckily I was sitting next to a curious little old lady who chatted with me while we munched on tasty empanadas. Vendors would occasionally hop on board to sell food, belts, flashlights, and even underwear.

Meditating Pink Panther

Meditating Pink Panther?

Once close to Las Salinas, I kept my eyes peeled for the mysterious meditating Pink Panther sign that marked the entrance to the shortcut for Popoyo Beach. When I saw it off on the left side of the road, I stood up to bang on the roof of the bus with my fist.

Locals use the Nica whistle to tell the driver to stop, unfortunately, I’m not that talented. :(

I opened the emergency exit in the rear and hopped off with my backpack. The bus sped away in a cloud of dust as I began walking down the dirt road into the sun.

The Pink Panther shortcut passes along a salt marsh, where many families make a living boiling the marsh water to produce mountains of salt. There is so much salt in this area that the ground is covered with a fine layer of it, almost like frost.

Nicaraguan Police

Shots Fired!

Finally the road ended at Rio Salinas de Nahualapa. This river empties out into the Pacific Ocean. Some local fishermen pointed me in the direction of a small (sketchy) plank bridge that crossed a tributary of the river.

On the far side of the bridge, there is a path that leads through mangrove trees to the shallowest part. This is where I needed to cross to reach Popoyo beach.

While preparing to wade across the river, I suddenly heard gunshots right behind me.

Who was shooting at me? Had I taken a wrong turn? Am I trespassing on private property?

Turns out it was just the local police playing with their AK-47 assault rifle, shooting at who-knows-what. Two of them rounded the corner and happily proceeded to tell me where the best place to cross the water was. Nicaragua’s finest! :D

Crossing the Nahualapa River

Time to Get Wet

The Salinas de Nahualapa river rises and falls as the ocean tides rise & fall. So if you show up at low tide, it’s actually pretty easy to wade through water up to your knees.

But as the high tide comes in, this mighty river can shoot up as deep as your head, and the currents are pretty strong.

Luckily I timed it right, and today it only went up to my waist.

So I threw my backpack up over my head and waded through to reach the tiny surf town of Popoyo.

It’s a REALLY small town, just one main dirt road along the beach. There are a few cheap hotels, a few basic restaurants, and a surf hostel.

All the beachfront property has been bought up, but most are just empty lots wrapped in barbed wire.

Local Surfing Popoyo Beach

Epic Days of Surfing

One day I joined a fun group of fellow surfers and ventured into Las Salinas to purchase a live pig (and watch it get slaughtered) for grilling on the beach.

Cooked whole by a professional Argentine chef on a grill we made out of bricks & rebar, it was easily the best pork I have ever eaten!

There is only one convenience store in the whole town, and it’s not very convenient. Depending on who’s working, you may just get handed a calculator to figure out for yourself how much you owe… But a fruit & vegetable truck also comes by once a day and sells products to people on the street.

I ended up renting a 7’2″ board and spent four blissful & quiet days in Popoyo surfing 4-6 foot (uncrowded) waves every morning and afternoon with new friends.

Often the most memorable journeys can be found on the road less traveled. ★

What Do You Think?
Are you a surfer? Have you ever been surfing in Nicaragua?

[su_box title=”Travel Planning Resources for Las Salinas, Nicaragua” style=”noise” box_color=”#333333″ title_color=”#FFFFFF” radius=”3″ class=”resource-box”]
Acommodations: La Bocana del Surf ($7 US) Private Room
Good Food: Cheap fritanga next door

Packing Guide

Check out my travel gear guide to help you start packing for your trip. Pick up a travel backpack, camera gear, and other useful travel accessories.

Book Your Flight

Book cheap flights on Skyscanner, my favorite airline search engine to find deals. Also read my tips for how I find the cheapest flights.

Rent A Car

Discover Cars is a great site for comparing car prices to find the best deal. They search both local & international rental companies.

Book Accommodation

Booking.com is my favorite hotel search engine. Or rent local apartments on Airbnb ($35 discount!). Read my post for tips on booking cheap hotels.

Protect Your Trip

Don’t forget travel insurance! I’m a big fan of World Nomads for short-term trips. Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. Read more about why you should always carry travel insurance.
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This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Frank Heads to the Dentist for a Root Canal

Granada, Nicaragua

Granada is a very colorful city in the heart of Nicaragua. Here are some entertaining photos of the people that call its streets home.

This is what happens when I stay in one place too long. I’m forced to amuse myself by standing on street corners waiting for local citizens to walk by wearing clothes that complement the colorful buildings behind them.

Spending countless hours just watching daily life unfold in front of you can be a fascinating & enriching experience. It turns out that this little city happens to be a great place for this particular activity!

Who are these people? Where are they going? What will they do when they get there?

I decided it would be fun to make up some ridiculous answers to my own questions.

Paris Flirts with the Paparazzi while Walking to the Club

Bertha Runs to Confess her Sins at Church

Wanda & Phyllis are Late for Tea and Cookies

[captionwidth=”900″] Jeffery is Off to Join the Military[/caption]

Max Doesn’t Want to Miss American Idol

Ernie Desperately Needs a Bathroom

Which of the above shots is your favorite & why? Let me know in the comments!

[su_box title=”Travel Planning Resources” style=”noise” box_color=”#333333″ title_color=”#FFFFFF” radius=”3″ class=”resource-box”]

Packing Guide

Check out my travel gear guide to help you start packing for your trip. Pick up a travel backpack, camera gear, and other useful travel accessories.

Book Your Flight

Book cheap flights on Skyscanner, my favorite airline search engine to find deals. Also read my tips for how I find the cheapest flights.

Rent A Car

Discover Cars is a great site for comparing car prices to find the best deal. They search both local & international rental companies.

Book Accommodation

Booking.com is my favorite hotel search engine. Or rent local apartments on Airbnb ($35 discount!). Read my post for tips on booking cheap hotels.

Protect Your Trip

Don’t forget travel insurance! I’m a big fan of World Nomads for short-term trips. Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. Read more about why you should always carry travel insurance.
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This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Smoking Crater of Volcano Masaya

Breathing giant clouds of sulfur gas at 4 am is not pleasant. Doing so after a long hike up the side of a volcano is even worse.

We quietly snuck past our armed guard and out into the night. The plan? To Climb Nicaragua’s Volcano Masaya, and take a look at the lava bubbling down below.

But sometimes interesting photographs call for extreme measures. I wasn’t about to miss my chance for a photo of glowing lava with a particularly long & terrible history.

Hiking Masaya Volcano

It all started with a TweetUp (meeting of Twitter users) for dinner and drinks. SuperXicana, BreakawayBackpacker, VagabondQuest and I started to plot what we should do together the following day.

Obviously it needed to be unique, as we’re all travel bloggers who crave interesting experiences.

Climbing the nearby Volcano Masaya was suggested, as none of us had done it yet. But that wasn’t unique enough… we needed something more. How about sneaking into the national park & spending a night on the volcano itself?

Perfect!

Danger: Do Not Enter

We Have a Problem

After getting ready we jump on an incredibly packed mini-bus bound for the town of Masaya. The plan is to hop off at the entrance to the park, pay the entry fee, hike 3 miles up the road that leads directly to the crater, then run off and hide until the rangers close everything down for the night.

We would then re-emerge to spend the evening stargazing on the top of an active volcano!

Unfortunately, our plan wasn’t foolproof. When we finally arrived at the park entrance, they were about to close down. The rangers wouldn’t let us in because they’d have to kick us out before we even made it to the top.

Luckily there was another option. Spend $10 on a guided night tour.

As you may know by now, I’m not a fan of big tours. Guides rush everything because they just want to get paid & go home. I never have enough time to set up and take good photos.

You often have to put up with obnoxious, complaining, or rude people in the group. Most of all, rarely is a guided tour actually needed. I’m pretty confident in my abilities to follow a trail, and if I want to learn the backstory of a place, I can look it up online or read a book.

Bats in the Lava Tubes

Masaya Night Tour

This tour turned out to be ok though. We got to climb into ancient lava-tubes that were filled with bats, and learned about the human sacrifices that happened in them 500 years ago.

In typical cave-tour fashion, we turned off all our lights to revel in the complete darkness.

Did I mention the other reason I don’t like tours is that they’re all so predictable?

Anyway, as usual, I didn’t have time to set up for good night photos. It became a running joke that I was always the last one in the group to show up when the guide stopped to talk about something. But I was prepared to grin & bear it because we had ulterior motives in mind…

Cross Protects Against Demons

Sleeping Under the Stars

Unfortunately it was becoming clear that we wouldn’t be able to just slip away from the group without them noticing. Our guide knew us by name. Getting discouraged, we tried to bribe him into letting us stay up there.

He said he could care less if we did, but he was responsible for making sure we left the park. There were papers that needed to be stamped saying we made it out. He didn’t want to lose his job. Completely understandable.

So we decided to go over his head.

At the ranger station, we pleaded with the supervisor to let us spend the night. With much coaxing & convincing, he reluctantly said yes. But he wanted us to pay. After a bit more negotiating, SuperXicana miraculously managed to talk him into letting us stay for free. Success!

Except we had to sleep at a campsite at the base of the volcano, not on the top. Oh, and the campsite was guarded by a man with a shotgun.

Crap.

Red Volcanic Rocks

The Mouth Of Hell

The Great Escape

While we took turns passing a bottle of rum around the fire, another plan was formed. We’d sleep for a couple hours, then wake up at 3am to hike the volcano in the dark.

It’s not hard to wake up at 3am when you’re sleeping on the rocky ground without pads or tents. Predictably, none of us got much sleep.

At the appointed time, and while maintaining a flashlight blackout, everyone stumbled around in the dark getting ready as quietly as they could. We then stealthily snuck past our armed guard and out into the night. Freedom at last!

Once on the road, it took about an hour to make it to the top. I was finally able to set up my camera and get a photo of the glowing lava at the bottom of the Masaya Volcano. We also had free reign to explore the area on our own.

Stargazing with new travel friends on the edge of an active crater until sunrise and having the entire volcano to ourselves definitely made the whole trip worth while. :)

[su_box title=”Travel Planning Resources for Masaya, Nicaragua” style=”noise” box_color=”#333333″ title_color=”#FFFFFF” radius=”3″ class=”resource-box”]
Company: Masaya National Park
Cost: $220 Cordobas ($10 US) Night Tour
Difficulty: Moderate

Packing Guide

Check out my travel gear guide to help you start packing for your trip. Pick up a travel backpack, camera gear, and other useful travel accessories.

Book Your Flight

Book cheap flights on Skyscanner, my favorite airline search engine to find deals. Also read my tips for how I find the cheapest flights.

Rent A Car

Discover Cars is a great site for comparing car prices to find the best deal. They search both local & international rental companies.

Book Accommodation

Booking.com is my favorite hotel search engine. Or rent local apartments on Airbnb ($35 discount!). Read my post for tips on booking cheap hotels.

Protect Your Trip

Don’t forget travel insurance! I’m a big fan of World Nomads for short-term trips. Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. Read more about why you should always carry travel insurance.
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This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Toxic Fumes at La Chureca Landfill Near Lake Managua

Managua, Nicaragua

La Chureca is the largest garbage dump in Central America. It’s located on the outskirts of Managua, the capital city of Nicaragua and covers over 4 square miles (7 sq. km). One thousand people live & work on the “City of Trash” every day.

Getting here was not easy, and traipsing through burning, rotting garbage wasn’t exactly a picnic either. But the hardest part of all was bearing witness to the way of life these people have to live.

They are called Churequeros. Their homes are made of trash. They scavenge through the garbage for food. Every day they search for scraps of plastic, cans, and glass to sell for recycling. This is how they make a living.

There is an elementary school located on the dump with 6 classrooms. But once kids have graduated, they don’t have many options. Most start working long hours in the landfill every day with the rest of the family. The people who live at La Chureca live a tough life, but still they are friendly and proud.

The following images are my attempt to share what goes on here. It’s not pretty, but it’s real.

Men Searching for Scraps of Glass & Plastic to Sell for Recycling

Vultures, Cows, and Wild Horses Pick Through Garbage with People

Dead Animals, Bio-Waste, and Rotting Food are Constant Health Hazards

Families Live on the Dump in Homes made of Trash

Woman Sweeps Garbage from Her Dirt-Floor Home

Local Boy Waits for Class to Start at School

Pond Filled with Trash & Green Sludge

11 Year Old José Breathes in Toxic Fumes While Scavenging

Garbage is Burned All Day, Dangerous Chemicals & Heavy Metals Included

Churequero Man Starts his Long Day of Working on the Landfill

La Chureca Kids have a Bleak Future and a Hard Life

[su_box title=”Travel Planning Resources for Nicaragua” style=”noise” box_color=”#333333″ title_color=”#FFFFFF” radius=”3″ class=”resource-box”]
Location: Managua, Nicaragua [Map]

Packing Guide

Check out my travel gear guide to help you start packing for your trip. Pick up a travel backpack, camera gear, and other useful travel accessories.

Book Your Flight

Book cheap flights on Skyscanner, my favorite airline search engine to find deals. Also read my tips for how I find the cheapest flights.

Rent A Car

Discover Cars is a great site for comparing car prices to find the best deal. They search both local & international rental companies.

Book Accommodation

Booking.com is my favorite hotel search engine. Or rent local apartments on Airbnb ($35 discount!). Read my post for tips on booking cheap hotels.

Protect Your Trip

Don’t forget travel insurance! I’m a big fan of World Nomads for short-term trips. Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. Read more about why you should always carry travel insurance.
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Did you know people live this way? Ever heard of La Chureca? Share with us in the comments below!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Hitchhiking Rural Nicaragua

Esteli, Nicaragua

Alberto the hermit has been carving beautiful images into a cliff for over 30 years. He lives out in the Tisey Estanzuela Natural Reserve outside the town of Esteli.

Without a car, hitchhiking up there was a great way for me to visit. I jumped into a taxi to get to the outskirts of Esteli, a town known for cigar making. From there a rough dirt road winded up into the hills of the reserve.

Tisey is a 23,000 acre protected area in the North of the country.

After walking for only 15 minutes my first ride of the day pulled up. Jorge was piloting a small beat-up hatchback along the rough road. He knew Alberto, but wasn’t going that far up into the wilderness. So he gave me a lift up to where his house was located about 2 miles further.

My good luck slowed down a bit after that ride though, because I didn’t find another one for about 2 hours.

It’s not that people weren’t picking me up — it’s because no one driving by at all! I was walking alone in the hills of Nicaragua, and it was actually quite pleasant.

Father Time?

Motorcycle Rescue

I finally passed a sign that told me I was officially in the Tisey Reserve, and the landscape was beautiful. Rolling hills of green forest that go on for as far as the eye can see.

Roaming cattle and stray horses walked along the road beside me, passing small homes & farms with children playing outside.

Suddenly I heard the engine of something in the distance. Finally!

I waited for a bit, then thrust out my thumb just as a small motorcycle rounded the corner.

Philippe was a young farmer also on his way home, and he agreed to take me the rest of the way to Alberto on the back of his bike even though it was past where he lived. We flew up the rocky road occasionally crossing small streams.

When we arrived, I tried to give him some money for taking me further than he’d planned, but he refused it.

Simple Tools of an Artist

Alberto The Hermit

I was soon walking down into the valley that led to where Alberto lives. After about 20 minutes, I spied a small shack on a side path. Alberto came down to greet me as I walked towards his home in the woods.

What a character he is!

The proud owner of a magnificent snow-white afro, leathery sun-tanned skin, and weathered lines etched into his face. He looked like Father Time himself!

Alberto was clearly very excited for a visitor as he anxiously motioned for me to follow him. We wandered down clean-cut & manicured trails for a bit, passing large boulders that he’d carved into.

Most of them displayed beautiful images of churches and animals.

Alberto Gutierrez the Hermit

Living Off The Land

The trail started to climb uphill, and we passed trees growing bananas, oranges, mangoes, and coffee. Alberto also grows pineapple out here. He eats what the land provides for him.

Next he showed me the tools he uses to carve with.

They consist of two sharpened pieces of rebar, a metal blade, and a stone hammer.

While these simple tools were pretty intriguing, I wasn’t prepared for how impressed I would be later when we finally made it to the main attraction…

Giant Elephant Carving

Sculptures On A Cliff

Alberto’s carvings were incredible. The cliff wall stretched some 300 feet, completely covered with his work. His subjects included all kinds of animals: birds, rabbits, deer, life-size anaconda snakes, 4 foot tall elephants, and large jaguars.

But there were also maps of Nicaragua, cathedrals, Chistopher Columbus’s ships, and even the Twin Towers of New York City.

He had carved out a whole shrine complete with images of Christ and surrounded with all sorts of flowers and greenery. Many of his images were in color. He uses red, blue, yellow, and white pigments.

He’d also built wooden benches along the route, so visitors can sit down to take in the expansive view overlooking the valley below.

Colorful Murals Everywhere

Real Work Of Art

Alberto talked non-stop the whole time. I only understood bits & pieces. But even though I had no idea what he was saying, it was fun to listen.

We stopped to rest frequently, and he offered me a cigarette. I normally don’t smoke them, but how could I refuse this wildman of the woods? I pulled out my own small bottle of whiskey, and we drank & smoked while he rambled on for an hour. It was great!

I learned that Alberto is 79 years old, and has been living out here working on his cliff carvings for 33 years.

He’s an interesting, colorful, and eccentric character with a wonderful artistic gift. A real piece of Nicaraguan history. Who knows how much longer he’ll be around.

I feel privileged to have been able to meet him in person. ★

[su_box title=”Travel Planning Resources for Esteli, Nicaragua” style=”noise” box_color=”#333333″ title_color=”#FFFFFF” radius=”3″ class=”resource-box”]
Cost: $0.50 US (taxi ride)
Accommodation: Hospedaje Luna

Packing Guide

Check out my travel gear guide to help you start packing for your trip. Pick up a travel backpack, camera gear, and other useful travel accessories.

Book Your Flight

Book cheap flights on Skyscanner, my favorite airline search engine to find deals. Also read my tips for how I find the cheapest flights.

Rent A Car

Discover Cars is a great site for comparing car prices to find the best deal. They search both local & international rental companies.

Book Accommodation

Booking.com is my favorite hotel search engine. Or rent local apartments on Airbnb ($35 discount!). Read my post for tips on booking cheap hotels.

Protect Your Trip

Don’t forget travel insurance! I’m a big fan of World Nomads for short-term trips. Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. Read more about why you should always carry travel insurance.
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What do you think about Alberto’s hermit lifestyle?

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Tobacco Fermentation Room

Some of the finest handmade cigars in the world are made in Central America. Many cigar makers fled Cuba during the revolution and re-started their businesses here. The little town of Esteli Nicaragua is now home to many of them.

The intense smell in there will make your eyes bleed.

While I’m no Cigar Afficianado, I do enjoy a relaxing smoke once in a while. Lazily rolling the tasty tobacco vapor around in my pallet, then slowly blowing it back out again is quite an enjoyable experience.

So I decided to visit the Tabacalera Santiago cigar factory, owned by Francisco Santiago F. Perez (a Cuban), to watch the whole process from start to finish.

Tobacco Gangsta’s

Tobacco Fermentation Stinks

After I ignorantly pay a taxi to drive me just 4 blocks down the road :???: we arrive at the factory gates. Turns out you get a free tour guide to show you around, provided you buy a few cigars at the end. Sounds good to me!

First we visit the room where they make the cedar boxes that store the final products. It’s just 3 or 4 guys standing around a single band-saw. Not too impressive.

Next, it’s time to check out the fermentation shed. This is where the Nicaraguan tobacco leaves (grown with Cuban seeds) are stored in a heat & humidity controlled room for about a year, undergoing chemical changes. This is how the aroma and taste of the leaf develops.

The fermentation room is not for pussies. The intense smell in there will make your eyes bleed. It’s not an enticing, fine-cigar type aroma, but more like a “I just dumped a bottle of ammonia on your face” kinda thing.

Spending 15 minutes in the shed was tough enough, I have no idea how local workers spend every day in there!

Women Sort & Strip Tobacco Leaves

Women Do the Stripping

Once the tobacco has fermented for 1 year, it is washed & left to dry on racks. After the drying process, the leaves are ready to be sorted again. Some leaves will be used as wrappers, some as binders, others as filler.

Filler is stuff in the middle of the cigar, binders hold the filler together, and the wrapper is the fancy outer layer.

When we entered the next building, I was surprised to find it full of strippers!

You could tell they were pros…

A team of women was hard at work, stripping out the main-vein from the tobacco leaves. This is done so the filler tobacco will burn continuously inside the cigar.

Placing Cigars in the Mold

Shaping the Cigar

The stripped & sorted tobacco leaves then make their way to the professional rollers. These men and women are real artists, it takes at least a year of training to become proficient.

Each roller has their own work table with a metal rolling surface, crescent-shaped knife called a chaveta, and a container of vegetable-based glue.

They start by gathering filler leaves and rolling them up in a loose cigar shape, with a binder leaf holding the bundle together. This is then placed in a wooden mold, which will get pressed to help form the proper cigar shape & density.

Hand Rolling the Wrapper

Wrapping Up a Bundle of Joy

The cigars are now ready to be wrapped with, you guessed it, the wrapper! After cutting away any loose tobacco with the chaveta, the roller carefully lays out the fancy, darker colored tobacco leaves, and cuts them to size.

A little vegetable paste is applied, then as fast as you can blink, the skilled worker rolls the wrapper around the cigar. Finally, a small piece of wrapper-leaf is cut into a little circle, then glued to the tip to finish the package.

Ready for Packaging

Time to Smoke!

With the cigar completed, it’s off to get labeled and packaged. Another group of women are responsible for quality control, making sure the cigars are matched up according to color and size.

This factory makes cigars for many different brands, from all over the world. So they label & package them according to who the client is that day, box em’ up, and ship em’ off. The factory can produce over 30,000 cigars a day!

The Tabacalera Santiago Factory’s most promenant customer is Rocky Patel.

But I ended up buying a different brand for myself, called Nica Libre, which is also produced at the factory. This was on the recommendation of my tour guide. Quite a bargain at $1 a cigar! (Nica Libre cigars cost $7 each in the States).

Later that night I had a nice peaceful smoke on a bench in the central park of Esteli, watching local kids breakdancing and families out walking about.

I enjoy the Nica Libre blend around the office as an everyday go-to cigar since its rich, smooth, flavorful, well constructed and maintains an enjoyable aroma. You’ll experience toasty nuances of earth and cedar with sweet notes in the finish and some natural flavors of espresso and coffee. The finish is hearty and memorable while the draw is effortless.

[su_box title=”Travel Planning Resources for Esteli, Nicaragua” style=”noise” box_color=”#333333″ title_color=”#FFFFFF” radius=”3″ class=”resource-box”]
Company: Tabacalera Santiago Cigar Factory (formerly Nicasa Cigar Factory)
Total Cost: FREE! (with purchase of cigars)

Packing Guide

Check out my travel gear guide to help you start packing for your trip. Pick up a travel backpack, camera gear, and other useful travel accessories.

Book Your Flight

Book cheap flights on Skyscanner, my favorite airline search engine to find deals. Also read my tips for how I find the cheapest flights.

Rent A Car

Discover Cars is a great site for comparing car prices to find the best deal. They search both local & international rental companies.

Book Accommodation

Booking.com is my favorite hotel search engine. Or rent local apartments on Airbnb ($35 discount!). Read my post for tips on booking cheap hotels.

Protect Your Trip

Don’t forget travel insurance! I’m a big fan of World Nomads for short-term trips. Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. Read more about why you should always carry travel insurance.
[/su_box]

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.