Ometepe

In the heart of Lake Nicaragua lies the island of Ometepe, distinctly shaped by two volcanoes; Concepción and Maderas, the former being the active and tallest volcano (rising to 1610m). With a population of 30,000 Ometepe is a self contained island, with rich fertile grounds making it ideal for growing crops. The locals are embracing tourism and this would be our second homestay with a local family near the town of Moyogalpa .

Taking the ferry to Isla de Ometepe

Arriving into Ometepe, with our first glimpse of Concepción Volcano shrouded in cloud.

ACTIVITIES

The number one activity on the island is to hike up to the summit of Concepción Volcano, at 1610m it doesn’t sound so bad in comparison to Acatenango Volcano in Guatemala (3,976m). Everyone in our group, raised their hands when asked if we wanted to do this activity and those who were unsure fell into the group’s positive peer pressure.

Group briefing before the hike.

This was our first volcano hike, and one the most toughest hikes we have ever done in our lives. As we left the trail start point, the path became more invisible and almost vertical in some places. Luckily we had guides and we wouldn’t recommend not having one.

Going through Plantain plantations

The weather changed very quickly as we reached the side of the volcano; rain, mist and wind – we embraced the elements and pushed on.

The Scottish Highlands :-p

When we finally reached the top I felt slightly underwhelmed, the view from the summit was masked in a thick cloud mist and the crater was too deep to see any activity (I have heard the views are spectacular on a clear day). However, there was a great sense of achievement and relief there was no more uphill climb. The group ahead of us were more jovial and celebrated by lighting up their cigars they bought from our previous visit to Masaya Market in Granada.

At the summit of Concepción

We still had to negotiate the descent down to our original starting point, and it would take the same length of time and difficulty as we went uphill. As we hiked down, there were short breaks in the cloud revealing a lush green valley beneath, the views were breathtaking.

Breaks in the cloud reveal the green forest beneath

Our time on Ometepe was short and we were only able to do the Concepción volcano hike, but the island has a wide selection of other activities and natural sights to see. Concepción’s smaller sister, Maderas is an extinct volcano reaching 1394m in elevation. If your time is limited, do Maderas – at the top there is a beautiful crater lake and the opportunity to see wildlife during your hike. The island also has a hot spring, Ojo de Agua to relax those sore leg muscles after conquering the volcanoes. There is kayaking on Lake Nicaragua, as well as nature reserves at Charco Verde and archaeological sites dotted around the island with pre-Colombian artefacts.

PLAYA HERMOSA

Before we arrived in Ometepe, we did a morning stopover at Playa Hermosa, a long beach facing the Pacific Ocean about 23 miles south west of Puerto San Jorge (the mainland ferry port to Ometepe). Our tour leader had reserved a private area for us at the Playa Hermosa Eco Resort, decked with sun loungers and comfy sofas overlooking the beach. The gentle swells of the Pacific in this part of Nicaragua, provided some good beginners surfing.

Beachside cows – you won’t be the only ones relaxing at this beach!

Surfing at Playa Hermosa

WHERE TO STAY & EAT

Moyogalpa, is the main village town where the ferry arrives from the Port of San Jorge (at the mainland). There is a small selection of hotels and budget accommodation available as well a number of eateries and a supermarket. Moyogalpa is a great base for those who want to do Concepción Volcano. Altagracia is the second biggest town and serves the east side of the island as well as Maderas Volcano.

We stayed with a local family at a homestay organised by our tour company, G Adventures. The family were very welcoming and accustomed in receiving guests from all over the world. They had prepared dinner for us and as well an early breakfast before our hike up to the volcano. Our hosts could not speak any English and again Rob stepped in to translate. The village is only a mile from Moyogalpa, and there was a small shop to buy snacks and drinks. At the village centre lies a lakeside community centre where we met the rest of the group and had our final evening dinner there.

The community centre we chilled with the group.

For Ometepe accommodation, check out this list. We use Booking.com to book our hotels wherever we travel, for reliability and guaranteed best rates. Please support our website by reserving your accommodation through our links.

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TIPS

Hiking Concepción Volcano is a very strenuous and dangerous hike and you should not attempt to do this by yourself, a park guide is mandatory for safety reasons and ensure you won’t get lost. The risk of getting injured can be high, especially for inexperienced hikers. The guides are in constant communication with their base should anything go wrong.
You’ll need a good set of legs and be in good general fitness, however there is a lookout point at about 1000m if you do not want to complete the whole trail.
Take care especially on your descent, never run and watch your step on the loose scree and sharp volcanic rock. Use the walking sticks provided by your guide.
The full day hike to Concepción lasts between 8-9 hours, an early start usually at 7am is required.
Bring a thin waterproof jacket incase it rains, and wear a hat if it is a clear sunny day as the volcanoes are quite exposed.
Bring at least 3-4 Litres of water with you and ensure you drink regularly to avoid dehydration. High protein snacks and dried fruit e.g trail mix and nuts are good. You can also order a take away lunch (normally a sandwich) when you book your tour.
We did our hike with UGO (Union Guias de Ometepe) a group of 20 local guides, specially trained to take visitors to the volcanoes of Ometepe (English speaking guides available) we paid $45 for a full day hike to Concepción and this included a sandwich lunch. For more info go to: https://sites.google.com/site/ugoometepe/