Hiking Telica Volcano Nicaragua: Ultimate Guide
With 26 different volcanoes in Nicaragua, there’s plenty to explore! Telica Volcano is one of the most accessible and beautiful volcanoes in the country making it a great day out for a hike.
Having recently experienced volcano boarding at Cerro Negro Volcano as well as hiked Acatenango in Guatemala, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to hike Telica Volcano as well. But since it’s one of the best things to do near Leon, and allows you to see the smoke and haze coming out from one of Nicaragua’s oldest and most active volcanoes up close, I had to check it out.
This guide to hiking Telica Volcano Nicaragua will tell you everything you need to know to help you plan your visit and enjoy the area’s spectacular scenery. Including how to visit Telica both with and without a tour and what to expect on this awesome day out.
- Hiking Telica Volcano Nicaragua: Ultimate Guide
- About Telica Volcano
- Do you need a guide to hike Telica Volcano Nicaragua?
- Telica Volcano Hike Overview
- Telica Volcano Hiking Route
- What to Expect Hiking Telica Volcano Nicaragua
- What to pack for hiking Telica Volcano Nicaragua
- What else to do in Leon
- Before you go
About Telica Volcano
Telica Volcano, also known as Volcan Telica, is an active stratovolcano belonging to the Pacific Ring of Fire. Standing at a height of 1036m, it’s not one of Nicaragua’s tallest volcanoes, but the crater is one of the largest. Plus its steaming, smoky crater makes it one of the coolest!
Where is Telica Volcano?
The volcano is located approximately 25km north of León in the west of Nicaragua, making it easily accessible for day trips from the city. It is situated alongside the smaller Volcan Santa Clara and within sight of the nearby Cerro Negro in a region full of volcanic activity.
How to get to Telica Volcano from Leon
Whilst geographically Telica is very close to Leon, it takes a surprising amount of time to get to the volcano due to the lack of roads surrounding it.
Shuttles are the easiest way to get to Telica Volcano from Leon. Transport is usually included in Telica Volcano tours. On the first occasion I visited, we jumped in the back of a truck that took a dirt track along the west side of the volcano, through Zarandaj. The journey took approximately 90 minutes.
If you would rather visit independently, you can either hitchhike or take public transport to Telica volcano. From Leon, catch the chicken bus heading towards San Jacinto. The journey shouldn’t take much more than 30 minutes and shouldn’t cost more than $1.
You can take the hiking trail from San Jacinto, where you will need to pay the C70 entry fee (only foreigners pay) and pass through the Hervideros de San Jacinto geothermal area. Alternatively, you can get out earlier in El Jicarito and take the trail (below) from there. Both of these two trails converge after Santa Clara before leading to Telica.
NOTE: Ask the driver to drop you off before reaching San Jacinto at the start of the trail to Telica.
Is hiking Telica safe?
Telica hasn’t erupted since early 2022 and has been stable since then. That being said, I’m not sure you can ever classify climbing an active volcano as ‘completely safe’, particularly one of Nicaragua’s most active!
I recommend checking volcanic activity in the area before you leave (most tours should do this). Even with this precaution in mind, you can’t overlook the risks and unpredictable nature of climbing Telica Volcano. Whilst you’re at it, you should probably check the weather at Telica too!
There are only a handful of barriers around the crater, so avoid getting too close to the edge in case you fall in.
Do you need a guide to hike Telica Volcano Nicaragua?
The short answer is, no – you don’t need a guide to hike Telica Volcano Nicaragua.
Both going on a tour with a guide and also hiking independently have their advantages and disadvantages.
Tours are the more expensive option, costing anything from $45. They usually come with knowledgeable guides, transport, and food. Plus there’s the added bonus of experiencing it with and meeting other travellers.
Meanwhile, hiking Telica independently gives you the freedom to spend as long as you want exploring whilst saving money at the same time!
Telica Volcano Tours
There are plenty of tours available for a visit to Telica Volcano. These can be booked either online, through your hostel or via travel agencies in Leon. You can usually leave bookings as late as the day before which is helpful if you’re backpacking through Nicaragua.
Hiking tours of Telica volcano are relatively expensive, costing around $45 across most tour companies. They will provide everything you need including transport, entrance fee to the park, guide, food, some drinks (you should still bring your own), and occasionally a t-shirt and photos.
Some of the most popular sites are:
I booked through Volcano Day which was well-organised and friendly. My group consisted of around 8 people (in high season).
Tours available include sunrise, sunset, all-day, camping, private, and even combination tours with Cerro Negro. The most popular option is the Sunset Telica Volcano Tour.
Telica Sunrise vs Telica Sunset Hike
I have only hiked Telica for sunset, but here are things you should consider before deciding.
Sunrise at Telica and sunset at Telica tours are generally both the same price ($45) for most tour companies.
The volcano is generally quiet, so by going at sunrise you are only avoiding a handful of people.
That being said, sunrise is a helpful option if you need to get transport in the afternoon. Or if you are even shorter on time, you can combine a day of exploring Telica with volcano boarding at Cerro Negro!
If you want to incorporate Telica at sunset as well as Telica at sunrise, then you can even stay on the campsite on the volcano.
Hiking Telica Volcano Independently
If you are not doing a tour of Telica Volcano, then I highly recommend giving yourself all day for this day trip. The walk from the drop-off point is considerably longer and the chicken buses can be unreliable.
What this may mean is that you’ll be out hiking Telica during the heat of the day, which can be A LOT! Make sure you bring extra water and sun protection if you decide to do this.
Telica Volcano Hike Overview
| Tour | Independently | |
| Walk Type | Out and back (optional overnight) | Out and back (optional overnight) |
| Distance | 3 km | 13.2 km |
| Maximum Elevation | 930m (3051 feet) | 930m (3051 feet) |
| Starting Elevation | 600m ish | 222m (728 feet) |
| Walk Time | 2 hours (+ break at summit) | 4 hours |
| Difficulty | Easy | Moderate |
| Highlights | Sunrise/sunset from Telica, huge smoking crater | Huge smoking crater, geothermal area |
| Park Entrance Fee | Included in tour | 70 Cordoba |
Telica Volcano Hiking Route
There are several routes to hike up Telica starting from various trailheads. All routes lead to the east side of the crater where you can then explore further. All routes follow predominantly rocky terrain. There is limited vegetation on the volcano due to recent eruptions.
Hiking Independently Route:
If you are hiking independently, I recommend this route from El Jicarito. This is one of two routes that go either side of Santa Clara Volcano from the southeast of Telica.
This route starts south of the volcano and ascends via the Telica campsite.
Telica Tour Route:
If you are exploring as part of a tour, then the drop-off point may vary. Some tours go via San Jacinto on the east of the volcano.
Instead, we drove up the west of the volcano and were dropped off at the nearest point just west of the summit. From there, it’s a short southbound hike to the crater from the northwest side. It’s a rocky, zig-zagging path to the summit which takes around 45 minutes. The route was relatively easy to follow, though it was led by our guide.
Once at the summit, you can wander around and explore sunset spots and the bat cave.
The descent follows the same route back down the volcano.
What to Expect Hiking Telica Volcano Nicaragua
I’ll relay my experiences from the sunset tour of Telica.
Getting to Telica Volcano Nicaragua
Most sunset tours of Telica volcano leave Leon at between 14:00-14:30. You will usually be asked to meet at a specific pick-up location (their office).
From there it’s around a 90-minute drive to the trailhead. The first few kilometers as you head north are normal roads. Then you will turn off for a bumpy ride along a (seemingly endless) dirt road.
I’ve been on dirt roads before, but this was particularly bumpy.
Hiking Telica Volcano Nicaragua
From our drop-off point, we hiked up a zig-zagging path toward the summit. It takes around 45 minutes to climb up a steady incline. The terrain is vastly volcanic rocks. You will appear on the east side of the volcano where it’s most easily accessible.
The route doesn’t technically reach the true summit of 1036m, the highest you will reach is around 930m.
It is possible to walk around the edge of the crater, though some tour groups will advise against it. If you do decide that you want to, avoid getting too close to the edge.
You can try to spot lava at the bottom of the crater, but since it’s usually smoky and over 100m deep, it’s not always possible. Check out Masaya Volcano if you want to see lava!
You can often smell the volcanic fumes, but you don’t necessarily need a mask.
Bat Cave
When I first heard there was a ‘bat cave’ at Telica Volcano, my immediate thoughts jumped to Batman and the Batmobile. Alas, they have nothing to do with the bat cave at Telica…
Instead, along the north side of the volcano there is a small opening which you can climb down to enter where hundreds of bats gather. It’s pretty cool, but the volcano is much more impressive.
Dinner
Volcano Day put on a simple dinner of tortillas with fillings. With salsa, tortilla chips, sauces and meat it was tasty after a day in the great outdoors.
Once you’ve eaten and watched the sun go down over the horizon, you will descend the volcano in the dark.
You need to be extra careful of your footing as you will be tired and there are no reference points.
Then begins the bumpy journey home. Most tours return at around 20:30. We were given a beer on our return so we could relax and chat about the experiences of the day!
What to pack for hiking Telica Volcano Nicaragua
What to pack for hiking Telica Volcano depends on whether you are camping overnight or simply visiting for the day. I will cover what you need for the day, but for overnight you just need more clothes, toothbrush/toothpaste and any camping gear not provided by your tour group.
What to wear for hiking Telica
Though Telica Volcano isn’t the most technical or difficult hike, I would recommend that you wear your usual, comfortable hiking clothes. This includes shorts (or hiking trousers if preferred), a sweat-wicking top, walking socks, and hiking shoes. Trainers are fine if you don’t have hiking boots.
Look at the weather forecast in advance and dress accordingly. If it’s sunny, sunglasses and a hat are highly recommended. If it’s cooler, overcast, or even rainy, then wear something to protect you from the elements. It can smell quite sulphury at the top so you may want to bring a mask just in case
If you are there for sunrise or sunset, I highly recommend an extra layer. Nothing crazy, but a jumper or fleece should suffice.
What to pack for hiking Telica
If you are going as part of a tour, there isn’t much else you will need to bring as most tours provide food and equipment. However, you should bring a headtorch to
In addition to the clothes you are wearing, you should also bring:
- Headtorch: To avoid hiking in the dark, I highly recommend a headtorch. While you can use your phone, a head torch is much easier.
- Cash: To pay for entry fees (70 Cordoba if visiting independently).
- Water: Always stay hydrated during your hike. You should bring 500ml/hour of walking.
- Snacks: Gotta keep your energy levels up! Though most tours will provide food.
- Sun cream: There is pretty much no shade on this route, so it can get very hot in the sun.
- Insect repellant: Near the bottom of the volcano there are a fair number of insects. Particularly if they’re attracted to your light.
- Camera: Telica’s stunning views provide endless opportunities for photographs, particularly at sunrise or sunset.
What else to do in Leon
Besides hiking Telica volcano, there are a few other adventures you can do.
- Volcano boarding at Cerro Negro Volcano
- Visit the Cathedral Basilica
- Daytrip to Las Penitas
- Hike El Hoyo Volcano
- Hike San Cristobal Volcano
- Visit Cosiguina Volcano (+ camp overnight)
- Hike Momotombo Volcano
- Visit Laguna de Asososca (El Tigre)
Before you go
Thank you for reading my my guide on hiking Telica Volcano Nicaragua. If guides, itineraries and travel content like this interest you, head over to my blog page to find out more.
If you are new to Matt’s Next Steps, check out the About Me page to find out a bit more about who I am, my travel adventures, and why I wanted to become a travel writer.
Please comment below and let me know your thoughts and experiences, or if there is anything else you want information on.
Happy hiking!
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