Mombacho Volcano
Mombacho Volcano
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4.5
1,140 reviews
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heathweb78
San Francisco, CA59 contributions
Aug 2023
An amazing experience.
I got lucky and b/c it was low season and a weekday I got my own guide for the Puma trail. First things first - when you hear you are driven up in a truck to get to the start of the hike you might be inclined to push back and say you want to start your hike from the entrance of the park. Don't do this on your first time unless you plan to do the easier or mid range trail.
The Puma trail is AMAZING. Sadly it was cloudy so I didn't get killer views (often it was just white) but the first half is through the gorgeous green, rain forest area and I was really entranced by the dead forest and thought it was so unique.
I'm in good shape, hike regularly and the steepness of the trail was tiring and strenuous but not impossible. Took about 2.5 hours but it will take longer if you're with a group.
Luis was my certified guide and he was wonderful. So knowledgeable about the flora and fauna and the ecosystem and passionate about conservation.
Really enjoyed my time here and the staff and locals are friendly
I got lucky and b/c it was low season and a weekday I got my own guide for the Puma trail. First things first - when you hear you are driven up in a truck to get to the start of the hike you might be inclined to push back and say you want to start your hike from the entrance of the park. Don't do this on your first time unless you plan to do the easier or mid range trail.
The Puma trail is AMAZING. Sadly it was cloudy so I didn't get killer views (often it was just white) but the first half is through the gorgeous green, rain forest area and I was really entranced by the dead forest and thought it was so unique.
I'm in good shape, hike regularly and the steepness of the trail was tiring and strenuous but not impossible. Took about 2.5 hours but it will take longer if you're with a group.
Luis was my certified guide and he was wonderful. So knowledgeable about the flora and fauna and the ecosystem and passionate about conservation.
Really enjoyed my time here and the staff and locals are friendly
Written 17 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Natalia B
2 contributions
Jul 2023
Our tour began with a car ride up the volcano during which our tour guide Harold "El Tigre" (bilingual tour guide) told us tales of the volcano's local community that kept us intrigued (and laughing!) throughout the entire ride. We parked and took a hike through the woods during which Harold told us all about the volcano's natural ecosystems and took some very cool photos for us. The air was so fresh and energizing and the views were absolutely beautiful. Harold knew just about everything about the place -- you can tell he really loves and values his work. We saw all kinds of plants and animals, a full view of Lake Nicaragua and got to see some of the volcano's steam vents. Harold was attentive to our needs and cared about our safety. He also shared some delicious fruit with us! I tried raw cacao for the first time while Harold taught us how to make our own chocolate out of it and came back home with my own cacao plant. Highly recommend seeing this gem of Nicaragua and joining Harold "El Tigre" for one of his personalized tours.
Written 1 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KendeMalamu
Brussels, Belgium120 contributions
Dec 2022 • Family
We were in the clouds so no view. The Puma trail took us 1hr30 (not 4 hrs), I am 57 and not particularly fit but we decided to get our weekly exercise so we walked relatively fast I guess (and no pauses for the non-existent views); most foreigners do it in 2 hours according to our guide. The forest was beautiful even in the mist. Lots of steps, can be slippery.
I knocked two stars off the experience because these guys have a monopoly and there was not even coffee available at the top (but coke was available). This is a pity because one can wait a while for the truck to go back down. Had an altercation with the grumpy manager who refused to stick to the schedule of the return truck saying that he decides when the truck leaves. He was also not going to let us drive up in our manual Land Rover 4WD - evidently a Toyota fan! Said it would not make it…
Perhaps a bit overrated and a hassle to get there and back (even if you have a 4WD!), we may have been influenced by the weather. Guide said that in March one has a better chance of clear skies. On the afternoon it was clear… but as others have pointed out, in the afternoon maybe there are no guides available…
I knocked two stars off the experience because these guys have a monopoly and there was not even coffee available at the top (but coke was available). This is a pity because one can wait a while for the truck to go back down. Had an altercation with the grumpy manager who refused to stick to the schedule of the return truck saying that he decides when the truck leaves. He was also not going to let us drive up in our manual Land Rover 4WD - evidently a Toyota fan! Said it would not make it…
Perhaps a bit overrated and a hassle to get there and back (even if you have a 4WD!), we may have been influenced by the weather. Guide said that in March one has a better chance of clear skies. On the afternoon it was clear… but as others have pointed out, in the afternoon maybe there are no guides available…
Written 16 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rowan H
Cairns, Australia1,353 contributions
Oct 2022 • Friends
The 1345m Mombacho volcano dominates the Granada skyline. Responsible for the creation of the Islets of Granada after a massive explosion some 20000 years ago, it still steams and smokes although thankfully hasn’t erupted for many decades.
A popular day tour from Granada you can visit the Caldera of this volcano, its cloud forest, take in the surrounding views of granada and undertake one of its three hiking trails.
Logistically you have a couple of options here.
* Most hostels offer an all inclusive tour for 33USD. This includes transport to and from the hostel, the truck up the hill (See later) and a guided tour of the crater.
* You can travel here yourself. We did this. You walk to the ‘Nueva terminal de buses a Rivas’ in granada (look this up in google maps) and get one of the buses going to ‘Nandaime’ (this will be written on the front of the bus). Ask to be dropped of at ‘La Entrada de Mombacho’. It takes about half an hour to get here and it costs 10 cordoba (although we were charged 10, 12 and 13 respectively so they may make up the price a bit). This will drop you off adjacent to the round about where the entry comes off. You can monitor yourself on google maps as the bus drives. From here you can walk the relatively flat 2km or so to the entrance to Reserva Natura Volcan Mombacho or get one of the numerous tuk tuks there. We walked. Once you get to the entrance of the Mombacho volcano you’ve once again got a couple of choices. You can pay the entry fee of 5USD and walk up to the caldera (where the hiking trails start) yourself. This is a truly terrible idea. The walk has virtually no views and has inclinations of up to 45 degrees at a time. It’s truly exhausting and takes a couple of hours. Your second choice would be to pay 22USD and get the truck return. The truck leaves when it gets a certain number of people (7) or otherwise at set times (1030am was quoted). There is also a couple of private tour companies that will take you up for 22USD in their 4WD’s and give you a guide. It is worth noting that the 22USD includes the 5USD entry fee so its only 17USD.
Once at the Caldera you can chose between 3 different hiking trails.
(1) Mombacho crater trail - this 1.9km (88m elevation) trail is free and does a loop of the caldera. You are afforded some lovely views of Granada and the Islets of granada from some set miradors. You don’t need a guide for this.
(2) El Tirgillo Trail - Must be done with a guide at a cost of 17USD. It comes off the Mombacho crater trail and takes you to two additional viewpoints. It takes 2.5 hours to compete.
(3) El Puma Trail - Must be done with a guide at a cost of 17USD. This trail is 4km long and takes four hours to complete. It is the most difficult of the hikes.
The day we visited the weather wasn’t the best and this is often the case at the top of Mombacho which seems to have its own microclimate within the volcano caldera. Unfortunately we did not encounter any sloths or notable wildlife and our views were impacted by cloud. We did the crater trail. The road leading to the top had been damaged by hurricane Julia but they were in the process of repairing it.
I think on a better day the experience could’ve been better.
Overall I thought it was fairly overpriced particularly compared to other attractions in Nicuragua.
I think it’s probably worth doing but pick a day of better weather.
A popular day tour from Granada you can visit the Caldera of this volcano, its cloud forest, take in the surrounding views of granada and undertake one of its three hiking trails.
Logistically you have a couple of options here.
* Most hostels offer an all inclusive tour for 33USD. This includes transport to and from the hostel, the truck up the hill (See later) and a guided tour of the crater.
* You can travel here yourself. We did this. You walk to the ‘Nueva terminal de buses a Rivas’ in granada (look this up in google maps) and get one of the buses going to ‘Nandaime’ (this will be written on the front of the bus). Ask to be dropped of at ‘La Entrada de Mombacho’. It takes about half an hour to get here and it costs 10 cordoba (although we were charged 10, 12 and 13 respectively so they may make up the price a bit). This will drop you off adjacent to the round about where the entry comes off. You can monitor yourself on google maps as the bus drives. From here you can walk the relatively flat 2km or so to the entrance to Reserva Natura Volcan Mombacho or get one of the numerous tuk tuks there. We walked. Once you get to the entrance of the Mombacho volcano you’ve once again got a couple of choices. You can pay the entry fee of 5USD and walk up to the caldera (where the hiking trails start) yourself. This is a truly terrible idea. The walk has virtually no views and has inclinations of up to 45 degrees at a time. It’s truly exhausting and takes a couple of hours. Your second choice would be to pay 22USD and get the truck return. The truck leaves when it gets a certain number of people (7) or otherwise at set times (1030am was quoted). There is also a couple of private tour companies that will take you up for 22USD in their 4WD’s and give you a guide. It is worth noting that the 22USD includes the 5USD entry fee so its only 17USD.
Once at the Caldera you can chose between 3 different hiking trails.
(1) Mombacho crater trail - this 1.9km (88m elevation) trail is free and does a loop of the caldera. You are afforded some lovely views of Granada and the Islets of granada from some set miradors. You don’t need a guide for this.
(2) El Tirgillo Trail - Must be done with a guide at a cost of 17USD. It comes off the Mombacho crater trail and takes you to two additional viewpoints. It takes 2.5 hours to compete.
(3) El Puma Trail - Must be done with a guide at a cost of 17USD. This trail is 4km long and takes four hours to complete. It is the most difficult of the hikes.
The day we visited the weather wasn’t the best and this is often the case at the top of Mombacho which seems to have its own microclimate within the volcano caldera. Unfortunately we did not encounter any sloths or notable wildlife and our views were impacted by cloud. We did the crater trail. The road leading to the top had been damaged by hurricane Julia but they were in the process of repairing it.
I think on a better day the experience could’ve been better.
Overall I thought it was fairly overpriced particularly compared to other attractions in Nicuragua.
I think it’s probably worth doing but pick a day of better weather.
Written 15 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The World is My Oyster
Orlando, FL19,586 contributions
Apr 2022 • Couples
We really enjoyed walking around this dormant volcano. The views of the valley below are just astonishing! The weather is much cooler up there, and we even saw some spider monkeys!
Written 20 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lucythecat123
San Diego, CA55 contributions
Mar 2022
Took the shuttle bus to the top of the Volcano and did the rim trail around the opening. Excellent views of Granada, Granada Islets, Masaya Volcano and Lago Apoyo.
Written 20 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Waleed
Canmore, Canada69 contributions
Mar 2022 • Couples
This is based on Mombacho crater 1, this is a total waste of time and money. For $22 US pp the park drives you up to the volcano to literally get to see the city of Granada, Apoyo lake and Masaya in far horizon. If you want to do all 4 craters a guide is required and an additional $25 US plus per person. This was an event that could be completely avoided without FOMO.
Written 2 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bucketlisttravellers
Sydney, Australia3,783 contributions
Nov 2020
Mombacho Volcano is a distinctive figure which can be seen from almost any part of Granada. Located just 10km outside of Granada Nicaragua, this is an extinct volcano with its own unique habitat and cloud forest. For the best views of Granada and a whole lot more you must do a hike at the top of Mombacho Volcano! We came across plenty of wildlife on our volcano hike, like howler monkeys and the guardabarranco, the national bird of Nicaragua. Best of all we were rewarded with spectacular views of Granada, Lake Nicaragua, Las Isletas, Volcano Masaya and Laguna de Apoyo.
There are 3 hiking trails that you can do at the top of the volcano:
• Crater Trail – This is the easiest of the trails and does not require a guide. It can be done in 1-2 hours, is 1.5km in distance and includes a couple of lookouts with stunning views over Granada and Lake Nicaragua
• El Tigrillo Trail – This trail requires a guide
• El Puma Trail – This is the most demanding of the hikes and requires a guide
There is an entry fee for Mombacho Volcano for entrance to the park and an additional price for the specific trail you want to go on. The cost of entry to Reserva Natural Volcán Mombacho as at November 2020 was $5 USD for foreigners and $4 USD for locals. You also have to pay an additional amount depending on the trail you decide to walk once you have reached the top. We chose the Mombacho Crater Trail. This was a further $2 USD for foreigners and $1 USD for locals, bringing the total entry cost to $7 USD and $5 USD respectively. For the tougher Mombacho Tigrillo trail and Puma trail, you need to walk with a guide and these will cost you more for both the trail and the guide. You also have the option of taking a truck up to the top, however this will set you back $22 USD per person.
There are 3 hiking trails that you can do at the top of the volcano:
• Crater Trail – This is the easiest of the trails and does not require a guide. It can be done in 1-2 hours, is 1.5km in distance and includes a couple of lookouts with stunning views over Granada and Lake Nicaragua
• El Tigrillo Trail – This trail requires a guide
• El Puma Trail – This is the most demanding of the hikes and requires a guide
There is an entry fee for Mombacho Volcano for entrance to the park and an additional price for the specific trail you want to go on. The cost of entry to Reserva Natural Volcán Mombacho as at November 2020 was $5 USD for foreigners and $4 USD for locals. You also have to pay an additional amount depending on the trail you decide to walk once you have reached the top. We chose the Mombacho Crater Trail. This was a further $2 USD for foreigners and $1 USD for locals, bringing the total entry cost to $7 USD and $5 USD respectively. For the tougher Mombacho Tigrillo trail and Puma trail, you need to walk with a guide and these will cost you more for both the trail and the guide. You also have the option of taking a truck up to the top, however this will set you back $22 USD per person.
Written 26 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thomas M
Houthulst, Belgium9 contributions
Mar 2020
This vulcano is nothing special, yet... they ask INSANE prices!!!!
20$ PER PERSON!!! Just for a 15 min ride up and down!! this is insane considering u pay 3$ to drive for 4 hours from one city to another for example...
PLUS the drives up and down are like 4-5 times a day so if u arrive at the wrong time u might have to wait 2 hours or more .... even tho its a 15 min ride they let u wait!!
WAAAIT this isn't all!!
U still have to pay to do the crater walk then.... that only takes 30min!! so more then 20$ for something that takes 30 minutes to walk...
IF u want to do the longer trails, guess what??? U HAVE to take a guide ... = even more money!!! even tho it's so easy to navigate..
I asked If it is possible to take the transport up and walk down for 10$.. no this isnt possible....
He said it is possible to walk up and take transport down for 10$ .. because he knew I wouldnt do that... PLUS u have to pay 5$ to walk up and down!!! so I would have to pay that aswell!!!! that would also have been 15$ insane..
So I just paid and regretted it immediately .. While driving up in an almost empty car we passed so many people walking up this insanely steep roads sweating and dying and they didnt care.. (it takes 2 hours to walk up!)
while going down they saw 2 girls walk down alone and they did pick them up for a free ride.... (while some passengers just paid 10$ for the ride down) pretending to be good while im sure they passed em on the way up.. then a bit further 2 guys walking and didnt stop..
There are so many better options than this insanely expensive rude tourist trap...
Just DON'T DO IT..
20$ PER PERSON!!! Just for a 15 min ride up and down!! this is insane considering u pay 3$ to drive for 4 hours from one city to another for example...
PLUS the drives up and down are like 4-5 times a day so if u arrive at the wrong time u might have to wait 2 hours or more .... even tho its a 15 min ride they let u wait!!
WAAAIT this isn't all!!
U still have to pay to do the crater walk then.... that only takes 30min!! so more then 20$ for something that takes 30 minutes to walk...
IF u want to do the longer trails, guess what??? U HAVE to take a guide ... = even more money!!! even tho it's so easy to navigate..
I asked If it is possible to take the transport up and walk down for 10$.. no this isnt possible....
He said it is possible to walk up and take transport down for 10$ .. because he knew I wouldnt do that... PLUS u have to pay 5$ to walk up and down!!! so I would have to pay that aswell!!!! that would also have been 15$ insane..
So I just paid and regretted it immediately .. While driving up in an almost empty car we passed so many people walking up this insanely steep roads sweating and dying and they didnt care.. (it takes 2 hours to walk up!)
while going down they saw 2 girls walk down alone and they did pick them up for a free ride.... (while some passengers just paid 10$ for the ride down) pretending to be good while im sure they passed em on the way up.. then a bit further 2 guys walking and didnt stop..
There are so many better options than this insanely expensive rude tourist trap...
Just DON'T DO IT..
Written 22 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shula
Frome, UK139 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
I loved this place. To get the opportunity to stick my head over the ridge of a caldera and see the magma churning below.....just amazing.
The museum on the way up was interesting and well worth a visit and if you're into geology the lava fields are exciting. Don't know if the visitor number was the maximum when we were there- I guess so but the was plenty of room for everyone. All part of my Nicaragua high.
The museum on the way up was interesting and well worth a visit and if you're into geology the lava fields are exciting. Don't know if the visitor number was the maximum when we were there- I guess so but the was plenty of room for everyone. All part of my Nicaragua high.
Written 4 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mark P
Holland, MI3 contributions
What is the cost per adult and per child to use the park's own transportation up and down the mountain? I am quite confused by their rates listed on their website. Can anyone explain the costs listed on the website? We are a foreign family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children). Thanks!
National Children walk $2.00
Foreign walk children $4.00
National transport children $4.00
Foreign children transport $10.00
National walk adults $4.00
Nationals transport $8.00
Foreign walk $5.00
Foreign adults with transportation $20.00
Right to Camping
(Visitor brings his tent, the price is per store) $20.00
Access 4×4 $22.00
National Adult Passenger 4×4 $3.00
National Child Passenger 4×4 $2.00
Adult stranger Passenger 4×4 $5.00
Kid stranger Passenger 4×4 $3.00
RachelLVB
Chicago, IL26 contributions
Can this be a self guided hike or are we required to go as part of a tour? We are a family of three with a 7 year old child and prefer to go at our own pace.
Ali D
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada25 contributions
You can definitely do it on your own! a tour guide is only required for the 2 longer hikes. You can do the basic 1-2 hour loop on your own.
En partant de Granada, y a t'il des autobus qui peuvent nous amener au parc du volcan Massaya?
someIndianGuy
Dallas, TX563 contributions
Any bus from Granada to Managua should be able to drop you at the entrance of the park. The main problem is going to be the walk from the entrance to the top of the crater. It is especially a challenge if you want to see the lava in the night since it can be pitch dark, and cars go on the same road.
As a reference I paid $35 for a taxi to go the Masaya volcano, wait there for us to see the lava and bring us back.
Have a good trip.
Mandy G
Brooklyn, NY1 contribution
Hi there! Who did you book the zip-line tour with? We're looking into options, but getting a bit of an internet run-around. Thanks!
minime786
Pinecrest, FL79 contributions
You can contact Cafe Las Flores directly to reserve the zip line tour. It is fabulous. We have visited several times and they are very profesional and safety minded. Highly recommended.
RobPeterboro
Peterborough, UK26 contributions
I'd like to get to the 1345m summit ie the highest one, farthest East, farthest from the access road. Is this possible?
Thanks
Cabra
London, UK244 contributions
Hi,
There is only one crater you can do on your own. The other 2 offered by the park which you must do with a guide are El Tigrillo & Puma. We did EL Tigrillo. The lady we stayed with told us that the Puma one didn't go to the highest point. We stayed with Cynthia in Mombacho Lodge so you could try emailing her or Cafe des Flores or the park to get an answer incase you can hire a private guide to do it, good luck. I admire your stamina and fitness!!!
RobPeterboro
Peterborough, UK26 contributions
We want to hike to the 1344m summit. Which trail is that? Do we have to have a guide? Any info appreciated Thanks
Stephanie D
64 contributions
Just saw this! Honestly I dot know what trail that would be, however I do know you will need a guide. They are sticklers for having guides on that mountain. Happy trails!
Wanabe_traveler
Exeter, UK259 contributions
Is this open on Christmas eve or Christmas day?
Tenaj & Tino
New Orleans, LA646 contributions
i dont know
Tukes T
Derby, UK87 contributions
Hi could you let me know how fit you have to be to a trek aroun Mombacho as one of our group is not very fit, they are okay to walk on the flat but not very good if steep or hilly. Thanks
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Frequently Asked Questions about Mombacho Volcano
- Hotels near Mombacho Volcano:
- (0.61 km) Mombacho Lodge
- (9.49 km) Isleta El Espino Ecolodge
- (10.86 km) Casa Cubana
- (10.59 km) Casa Silas Nicaragua
- (10.85 km) Miss Margrit's Guest House
- Restaurants near Mombacho Volcano:
- (0.20 km) Cafe Las Flores
- (10.58 km) Tostometro Granada Nicaragua
- (11.34 km) Restaurante El Garaje
- (10.71 km) La Frontera
- (11.10 km) Pan De Vida - Granada