Ometepe Itinerary (4 days): Complete Day-by-day Breakdown

Ometepe Itinerary (4 days): Complete Day-by-day Breakdown

An island in Nicaragua’s largest lake made up of two active volcanoes. Sounds like something out of a movie, right? But no, this is real life and it’s right here in Nicaragua.

Ometepe Island is an extraordinary destination resting peacefully within Lake Nicaragua. Framed by the imposing profiles of twin volcanoes, Concepción and Maderas. It offers a unique blend of natural beauty and cultural heritage and belongs alongside Granada, Leon, and San Juan del Sur on any Nicaragua itinerary.

This Ometepe itinerary will guide you through the island’s diverse landscapes, from challenging volcanic hikes and lush nature reserves to encounters with local traditions and archaeological treasures. Whether you’re an adventure seeker, a culture enthusiast, or simply in pursuit of tranquility, Ometepe presents an array of experiences that promise to leave an indelible mark on your journey through Central America.

Ometepe Itinerary in Short

• Day 1: El Pital Chocolate Paradise
• Day 2: San Ramon Waterfall and Ojo de Agua
• Day 3: Kaying the Istian River, Charco Verde and Punta Jesus Maria
• Day 4: Hike a volcano (Maderas or Concepción)

Ometepe Itinerary in Full

How many days do you need in Ometepe?

In my opinion, you can never spend too much time in Ometepe. It’s honestly a place like no other. Plus it’s super cheap!

If you want to do something new every single day, 4 days is the perfect amount of time to spend on Ometepe Island. Although, you can squeeze everything into 3 days if you don’t fancy hiking one of the volcanoes. Alternatively, you can easily extend your stay in Ometepe to a week (or longer) if you want to go slow, relax, and embrace the natural island life.

Thus, 4 days is a happy medium.

4-Day Ometepe Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive and Visit El Pital Chocolate Paradise

Arriving in Ometepe by Ferry

The only way to get to Ometepe is by boat. The most popular ferry service runs from San Jorge near Rivas to Moyogalpa, Ometepe’s main dock. It costs 50 cordobas (just over £1) for foot passengers. This service runs multiple times per day and takes approximately 45 minutes. When the waters are choppy, the journey can take longer (it definitely feels it!).

Alternatively, there is another ferry service running from San Jorge to San Jose del Sur in Ometepe. This runs twice per day.

Once a week, there is also a ferry running directly from Granada to Ometepe island. It departs at 17:00 every Monday, arriving in Puerto de Gracia in the north of Ometepe at 19:00 before running overnight to San Carlos.

Take a bus or taxi to Balgue in the north where I recommend booking your accommodation.

El Pital Chocolate Paradise

Nicaragua is famed for its cocoa and high-quality chocolate and Ometepe is one of the best places to learn about the manufacturing process, connect with nature, and (most importantly) taste the chocolate!

The Pital Chocolate Paradise offers tours of their cacao farm and their chocolate factory. You can discover how it is made by viewing the growth, drying and fermentation processes, as well as learning about the history of cacao from your guide.

Of course, it’s not all educational! We got to taste chocolate and were shown how to taste it (though I’m sure I knew how to do this already).

I would recommend the 2pm tour which gives you time to travel in the morning. Book at least 24 hours in advance.

Times: 10am, 12pm or 2pm
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: 20 USD

From El Pital chocolate paradise you can watch an amazing sunset.

Stay overnight in Balgue. La Urraca Loca is one of the most popular hostels in the area.

Day 2: San Ramon Waterfall and Ojo de Agua

The best way to explore Ometepe is by scooter. Most hostels offer scooter rental or can point you in the direction of a nearby rental company. 24-hour rental for a scooter cost me $18 (650 NIO).

If you are not comfortable renting a scooter, renting an ATV is a great alternative. These 4-wheelers are more stable on gravel roads if you are not used to scooters.

San Ramon Waterfall

Before it gets too warm, head out to the south of the island. From the main road, you can ride a couple of kilometres uphill. The road is steep and may be challenging for scooter newbies.

From the car park, it’s another 45-minute hike to the waterfall. It is uphill almost all of the way, but you will be rewarded with one of the tallest waterfalls I’ve seen, standing at more than 40m. You can cool off in the waterfall before heading back down again.

Ojo de Agua

Ojo de Agua, which translates to the waterhole or ‘eye of water’, is a natural spring nestled in the jungle in the north of the island. The mineral spring has crystal-clear waters sourced from Maderas Volcano.

On a volcanic island, you may expect the water to be warm. However, it is refreshingly cool. the pool has a diving board, slackline and swings to keep guests entertained.

Howler monkeys and spider monkeys occasionally pay a visit too.

If I’m brutally honest, it’s a glorified pool and could be skipped off your Ometepe itinerary in you are tight for time or money. However, this oasis of beauty is a pleasant way to chill out and unwind in the heat of the day. I imagine it’s also very peaceful first thing in the morning before the crowds arrive.

There is a restaurant with cooked meals, snacks, alcohol and soft drinks. They also have toilets, changing rooms, shower facilities and parking which are all well-maintained.

Times: 08:00-17:00
Duration: 1-3 hours
Cost: 10 USD ($5 entry + $5 food voucher)

NOTE: I suggest heading to Ojo de Agua around lunchtime to make the most of the food voucher that comes with the ticket. If you want to beat the crowds, going early is better.

Watch the sunset from one of the beaches on the south coast. Playa Mango, Playa Limon or Monkey Beach.

Stay overnight in Balgue.

Day 3: Kayaking Tour and Charco Verde

Kayak Tour of Rio Istian

Head towards the centre of the island where you can kayak in the Istian River (Rio El Istian). You can go on a kayak tour through the mangroves where you will see a variety of wildlife.

During our tour, we saw lots of birds, turtles, and a caiman!

We booked through El Caiman.

Times: 08:00-17:00
Duration: 2-3 hours
Cost: $25 (but often less)

Charco Verde

Charco Verde, which translates literally to ‘Green Puddle’ is a small, protected nature park in the south of the island. This tranquil lagoon area has a beach, mangroves, walking trails, forests and an abundance of wildlife to explore. As well as a separate butterfly garden and visitor center.

It’s not as impressive as some of the nature you will find elsewhere in Central America, however being able to see snakes, butterflies and howler monkeys in such a short walk is a pleasant way to end the day.

Times: 08:00-17:00
Duration: 1-2 hours
Cost: $5

Punta Jesus Maria

Watch the sun go down from the best sunset spot on the island, Punta Jesus Maria. This black sand beach juts out from the mainland on the southwest side of Ometepe giving you unspoiled views across Lake Nicaragua as the sun goes down. If you face the opposite direction, you can see the volcanoes that make up the island.

Whilst you are on the east side of the island, enjoy dinner in Moyogalpa. As the largest town in Ometepe, it has more going on and more options for places to eat.

Stay overnight in Moyogalpa if you are planning to do Concepcion Volcano. Remain in Balgue if you are planning to do Maderas Volcano.

In Moyogalpa, I recommend The Landing Hostel or Hostel Life is Good.

Day 4: Hike a volcano

Hiking one of the two volcanoes on Ometepe gives you a completely different perspective of the whole island. You have two options: Concepcion or Maderas. Concepcion Volcano is the taller of the two, standing at 1610m. Maderas Volcano is 1394m in height. Maderas has a crater lake in the middle.

Unfortunately, I’ve not completed both hikes so I can’t definitively say there is a better option. Though Maderas is lower, the hike distance is actually longer. The hike through the cloud forest is tough with muddy conditions frequent. On the other hand, the Concepcion summit is steeper. Both hikes take around 8 hours and should be completed with a guide.

Unless you have strong feelings about a particular volcano, I would opt for Maderas Volcano.

Tours for both hikes set off early in the morning, transporting you to the trailhead at the foot of the volcano. You will spend all day trekking up and down the volcano and should return late afternoon depending on the speed of your group.

NOTE: Cloud cover is common at the summit of the volcano. Check the weather forecasts and try to plan for a day with clear weather.

Leaving Ometepe

You can only leave Ometepe Island by ferry. Your best option to leave is from the port of Moyogalpa which heads to San Jorge and costs 50 cordobas. Similarly, ferries from San Jose also go to San Jorge.

The Granada ferry leaving Ometepe is a bit more difficult. It leaves San Carlos at 5pm on Tuesday and arrives in Ometepe around 1am ready for a 2am departure. This should arrive in Granada at 6am on Wednesday.

Ometepe Itinerary Mapped Out

Ometepe Budget

You’re probably wondering how much should you expect to spend during this 4-day itinerary.

As a backpacker, I spent around $150 during my four days in Ometepe. Maybe slightly more with any unaccounted-for costs. The breakdown is approximately as follows, averaging around $37.50/day including:

What to do if you have more time in Ometepe?

Visit the petroglyphs

Visit these ancient rock carvings and offer a glimpse into Ometepe’s historic roots. The carvings were created by the island’s indigenous communities, and provide insights into their customs and stories. They are scattered all across the island, but the most popular are on the slopes of Maderas (Hotel Finca Porvenir and Finca Magdalena). The petroglyphs stand as tangible remnants of Ometepe’s cultural heritage and are proof of tribal inhabitants before the Nahuatl speakers arrived (dating back as far as 4AD).

Hike the other volcano

If hiking one volcano isn’t enough for you, there’s one more for you! Both Concepcion and Maderas have their differences, so you can make up your mind on your favourite by hiking them both.

Before you go

Thank you for reading my 4-day Ometepe itinerary. 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 travelling!