Volcano Tours
Concepción
At 1610m, Concepcion is the second highest volcano in Nicaragua. Hiking requires a strenuous trek straight up the rocky slopes to the steaming crater at the summit. This is an all-day tour and requires very good fitness to get to the top. With loose rocks and undercut crater cliffs, there are many potential dangers and a guide is legally required to climb.
Maderas
At 1394m plus descent into the crater lake, Maderas volcano is arguably equally as strenuous as Concepcion. As most of the trek is through cloud forest, there are fewer views than on Concepcion, and often muddy, slippery trails. The plants and birds are amazing along the way. The delicate crater lake is generally too cold and boggy for swimming, so save that for when you get to the beaches below!
Typical prices
The typical high-season price for a full-day tour is $30, plus $15 per additional person up to 6 people per guide. Transportation and entrance fees are separate. A premium may be charged for special requests such as expert birding guides, or tours that require special preparation. Discounts may be possible for pre-arranged large groups or for low season (mid April-June and September-mid November). Volcano tours are full-day tours; if you are looking for something easier or shorter, consider a local tour or viewpoint. Contact us online or visit Centro PUMA for a direct quote.
A note about prices:
Prices can vary depending on season, availability of guides, and the specialty and training of the guide. Our goal is to be upfront with prices and offer the best value possible. Beware of guides undercutting prices, however! Some unscrupulous guides may charge less, but they may not have any training or certification, and they may purposely sneak around private entrances to illegally avoid fees, putting you in danger and undercutting guides who are trained to keep you safe. Also, some hotels and tour info centers charge a high commission, so the guides may be paid less than you pay. Our prices directly sustain our guide cooperative and our community projects at Centro PUMA, which is cost shared by donations, so your payment goes to the guides and their projects. Remember, you are helping these guides and their community! You should not be cheated into overpaying, but we hope you support sustainable salaries. Guides must spend their off-tour time marketing their tours, preparing for, and physically recovering from strenuous activity, and spend their off-season time seeking alternative employment, so they earn significantly less per day than you are paying. Thank you for your understanding!