day 1 : San Lorenzo (Honduras) - Somotillo 79 km day 2 : bus to Managua - Managua - Masaya 44 km day 3 : Masaya - Granada 18 km (boat trip to Isla Omotepe) day 4 : Cycling on the Island 55 km day 5 : climbing Volcano Conception (boat trip to San Carlos) day 6 : (boat trip San Carlos - Los Chiles (Costa Rica))

2. Specific Country Information

Nicaragua is a beautiful country with plenty of volcanos and friendly people. The part we biked was quiet flat and the roads were good. Food and accomodation to stay are cheap.

You will have to pay a fee in dollars to enter (+/- 15$) and leave (2 $) Nicaragua. We did not have dollars, we changed them on the border but it turns out more expensive. You need to registrate your bike when entering Nicaragua. They give you a document for which you do not have to pay. With this document, they say, entering Costa Rica would be easier but on the border in Costa Rica in Los Chiles they did not said a thing or made a problem about entering Costa Rica by bike.

We did not have any problems with dogs in Nicaragua.

They do not charge you for your bike on the boattrips on the lake of Nicaragua (which were amazing). Putting the bikes on the roof of the bus is also free but the busdriver likes to have a tip. On the river boattrip from San Carlos (Nicaragua) to Los Chiles (Costa Rica) they do charge you for you bike, try to negociate beforehand. We wanted to bike from San Carlos to Los Chiles but they said we could not do it because there is no border control, so you have to take this overpriced riverboattrip, which is very nice.

3. Route Information

From the Honduran border to the first village Somotillo is only 5 km. In Somotillo we stayed in Hotel Nelson. A very nice lady who loves to drink Finlandia Wodka runs the place.

A big part of the road to Managua is dirt, all of the bridges destroyed by the Hurricane Mitch are now reconstructed. You pass one or two beautifull volcanos. From Managua we started cycling again to Masaya and went visiting the volcano and National Park which where very impressing. You can cycle to the crater, in the way back you can take a good speed on the downhill.

From Granada the boattrip to Isla de Omotepe is great. It takes 4 or 5 hours. You have beautiful views and the atmosphere on the boat is great. On the Island we stayed in the Hotel Don Kencho, a friendly nice family hotel. We cycled around the volcano and meanwhile visited some lagoons and Charco Verde. These places are wonderful. Climbing the volcano Conception is possible without a guide. Finding the path towards the top is easy, just ask the owner of the Hotel Don Kencho which way you have to go. Most of the time the top of the volcano lays in the clouds at dusk. But in the afternoon when you are supposed to arrive on the top, the clouds mostly disappear and you will have amazing views. You will remark the changing of the natural vegetation while climbing Conception, in the jungle vegetation you can spot monkeys and other beautiful animals. Watch out on the top of the volcano, the ground is not solid because of volcano activity.

The boattrip to San Carlos takes a little longer (8 or 9 hours). In San Carlos you have to take the riverboat to Costa Rica as explained in 'Specific Country Information'.