Nicaragua Full Day Tour From Costa Rica

Unsafe!!!! The van driver from the Costa Rica portion fell asleep on the return drive and swerved off the road. Fortunately, my son and I were watching him because he was driving erratically (weaving, slowing down for no reason…) and started yelling when he went off the road. A few minutes later, were met by another driver who was taking us back to our lodging while the other driver continued with some of the members of the tour group. We told the new driver what happened and that the first driver should not be driving, especially for another hour. He said there was nothing he could do other than call him. My adult son, who is pretty relaxed about everything, said that there was no way he would have stayed in the van with that driver for another 5 minutes let alone an hour. I just hope that the group made it back safely. These drivers should not be driving at 9pm at night when their first pick up was at 4:30am.

What an amazing day trip to Granada, Nicaragua from Costa Rica! The entire experience was well organized from start to finish. Crossing immigration was smooth, and the comfortable van made the long journey enjoyable. The boat ride on the huge lake was beautiful and relaxing, and visiting an active volcano was definitely a highlight of the trip. The scenery throughout the day was incredible. A special thank you to our driver, Alejandro Esquivel, who got us safely to every destination, and to our guides, Miguel and Shelly, who were friendly, knowledgeable, and made the experience even more enjoyable. Their passion and professionalism really stood out. I highly recommend this tour to anyone looking to experience the beauty and culture of Nicaragua in a single day!

This was one of the best tours I have gone on with Viator. The food was amazing and the different guides were fantastic. We were a little nervous coming back through the Costa Rica border by ourselves, but Miguel walked us right through it no problem. The country is beautiful. I would highly recommend it.

The day was Incredible!! Worth every penny! I can’t say enough good things about this day trip. I was traveling alone & felt complete safe. Crossing the boarder was made simple with a guide with us the whole time. Every place we stopped at was perfect. Looking down into an active volcano was exhilarating! Walking around Granada was beautiful. We paid $10 for a horse drawn carriage ride that was icing on the cake. The beautiful church, the chocolate tasting, the lunch, souvenir shopping, Everything was well planned & our guides went above & beyond to make the day memorable. I highly recommend this day trip. It’s well worth it!

It was our first time visiting tamarindo and we got to see Nicaragua too! Very cool trip. Worth the money and an all-day adventure.

I absolutely loved this trip and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a real adventure and the opportunity to experience a little bit of Nicaragua in a day. One thing I would definitely recommend is wearing comfortable walking shoes. There is a fair amount of walking throughout the day, including at the Costa Rica–Nicaragua border. You leave the vehicle and walk through the border crossing and immigration areas, and it is a fairly long walk between the Costa Rican and Nicaraguan sides. It is completely manageable, but something worth knowing ahead of time, especially if you have mobility concerns. Breakfast and lunch were both provided on our tour and were very good. I also recommend bringing US cash in smaller bills — especially $5s and $10s, and some $1s if you have them. They are much easier for small purchases and tipping, and you don’t have to worry as much about getting change for larger bills. Masaya Volcano National Park was another highlight for me. Getting to visit an active volcano and stand looking into the incredible Santiago crater was something I absolutely loved. The volcanic landscape, the gases rising from the crater and simply knowing that you are standing at the edge of an active volcano make it a pretty unforgettable experience. It was definitely one of those moments when you stop and think, Wow, I’m actually here doing this! Granada was one of the highlights for me. Founded in 1524, it is a fascinating old city filled with history and character. I loved walking through the streets and seeing the old churches, colourful colonial architecture and beautiful courtyards hidden behind the fronts of the homes. Some areas are beautifully preserved while others feel weathered and worn, and for me that was part of what made Granada so interesting. It doesn’t feel like a polished tourist attraction — it feels like a real, living city with centuries of stories behind it. The entire day felt like an adventure, from crossing an international border on foot to seeing a completely different country, culture and way of life. It was interesting, eye-opening and memorable. If you’re staying in Costa Rica and have the opportunity to take this Nicaragua day trip, do it. I’m very glad I did.

Long day but lovely day. The weather was also super gloomy, but no one can account for that. On a brighter day, I’m sure the country is beautiful. Otherwise, what a wonderful opportunity to see another country. I think the pace was fine, and the stops were simple. There was really no need to spend extra time in these locations as there really is just one thing for you to see in each location, really, except the final boat tour.

Incredible experience and flowness to the entire day. I purchased my ticket directly with Natives Way outside our hotel in Tamarindo. From the start of communication with the sales rep things about the trip were very clear: my questions and emails were thorough. The morning of our trip, our driver Jorge was punctual and he was very clear about what to expect and what our morning drive with him looked like. We arrived at the border and were introduced with our border guide Jorge who also was very clear about the steps with crossing the border and who we were to expect once we crossed Peñas Blancas border. Once we crossed we were met with Elmer, our Nicaraguan guide. Again, very clear about the next steps and what our day looked like. Everything was very clear and we got exactly what we paid for which was an extremely reasonable rate for all of what we got. In Nicaragua, Elmer was an amazing guide who talked about the country and culture. Our favorite part was the active volcano although it was a horrible smell, it was one for the books. Communication amongst the team was very evident and we felt safe at all times. Everyone knew our CR drivers and guides in Nicaragua which as just a nice added touch, they knew exactly what to do. The entire itinerary was great for a one day trip. We got back a little later than planned but each moment spent in Nicaragua was worth it. However, we were in bed by 11pm -- and that was a huge plus.

Transport was awful. Chinese bus probably byed from Chinese kindergarten second hand. Extremely tight seats, very bad suspension for bumpy roads working ac time to time. Extremely uncomfortable journey.We travel more 10 hrs round trip. Overall destination is amazing Unfortunately that's my experience

Great tour. It was a really long day and to ensure a shorter day they could have removed the lake tour, as we did not return until 10pm to Tamarindo. The tour guide was so knowledgeable and ensured we had a wonderful time on the trip

Claudio the guide very friendly and helpful and funny. Guided us through the trip and provided us with excellent services.

The Nicaragua tour was a great experience! Everything was well organized, and we had the opportunity to see beautiful places, learn about the local culture, and enjoy some unforgettable moments. The tour was enjoyable from start to finish, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a memorable trip to Nicaragua.

We visited Nicaragua on the full day tour from Costa Rica. Yes it is a long and early day but so worth it! We went so many places I can barely keep up. Lots of chances to see sites and shop. We started with a delish breakfast by a Lake before heading to the Colonials where there was a huge Volcanic lake surrounded by a local marketplace. We then went to the Masaya Active Volcano Crater before going to Granada and having another delish meal and then a boat ride out to monkey island and seeing Lucy and the many homes built on the 365 islands. Claude and Etienne were great host and driver who took care of all our needs and were very patient. There are so many good things I can say but the truth is, you have to go to experience it.

If you have time, DO THIS! It was a long day but a great opportunity to add a country to our list and see a different culture. Nicaragua is truly beautiful! Tour guides were amazing and excellent hosts! Claudio was kind and knowledgable.

This experience was great! If you are looking for a taste of Nicaragua, this is perfect. It is a long day but they really show you quite a bit of the country. Crossing the border if quite a walk, you have to go through three to four sections where they check your passport. Other than that, I would highly suggest this tour.

Very interesting tour, I loved seeing the active Masaya Volcano, the overlook across the lakes and valleys and the old city of Granada. The restaurant they took us to was incredibly beautiful with a lush garden courtyard and excellent food. The street vendors were a little pushy in the town square. The chocolate at the cacao shop was incredible. Some of us also opted to go on a horse buggy ride and that was something new for me. The boat tour was WET as it was raining the day we went so we did not end up stopping on any island or feeding the monkeys. Our tour guide, Peter (Pedro) was incredible and a wonderful guy. He made us laugh and kept us entertained and informed the entire ride to Nicaragua (which is a long one!) we played music in the van and had a part the whole time, it was great. :)

First and foremost, I want to just say how beautiful both Costa Rica and Nicaragua are. I will definitely be going back to both countries at another point in time. That being said, I was very disappointed with this tour for a number of reasons. My tour date was set for July 7th. I reached out on June 15th to double check that my friend and I did not need a Visa to enter Nicaragua and to make sure that I would be able to bring a small personal use camera, as Nicaragua has strict laws when it comes to photography. I received no response and reached out again on June 27th and finally received a response. We were told that we would receive a hotel pick up time the day before the tour. I reached out at 4:45pm the day before to see what the pickup time would be as it stated that it could be as early as 4am and we had not heard from anyone. I was told that we would receive a pickup time later in the day. We did not receive a pickup time until after 7pm that we would be getting picked up at 5am. Upon receiving the pickup time, I reached out to see if we would be getting picked up in front of the hotel or if we would have to walk down to the gate at the front of the property. We didn’t receive an answer until we got picked up. Throughout the tour, there was a severe lack of communication. From having to wait well over an hour at a meeting point for another group to arrive, to the whole immigration process. Also, the fact that there was a different tour guide for each leg of the tour was a little ridiculous, because of course everyone expects a tip. Half the group ended up getting split up at one point and nobody knew what was going on. A truly horrible experience and I would highly recommend that anyone looking to do a day trip to Nicaragua choose another company.

Good experience and a crazy long day! You don’t get to stay and see everything for probably as long as you would like, but it is a great intro into Nicaragua!

This trip is a LOT in one day. The overall feeling is being rushed. The driver and guide did an excellent job of keeping us on time with the agenda, but overall, this trip just has too much in it for one day. I recommend an overnight trip and trying to space it out a bit. The driver was safe and the trip guide was informative and friendly. I would not recommend this trip overall, the boat ride to monkey island was an absolute ripoff. When you get to the market and lookout, you only had about 20 mins to walk around; but seeing as you just spent four hours on a bus to get across the border, it’s essentially a bathroom break (that you have to pay to use the bathroom) with souvenir shops trying to sell you trinkets while you’re in line. Lunch was okay, honestly the best part was breakfast because the day hasn’t been jampacked yet and you aren’t overwhelmed. Save your money and book an overnight trip, or consider a less-packed itinerary. The guide and driver were excellent, but this trip is just too busy for you to enjoy Nicaragua.

This tour was more than worth the money! So much was packed into the day and it was an amazing way to see Nicaragua if you’re short on time. The tour guides were so helpful and kept spirits high during this very long day. Would highly recommend this tour

If you are in Costa Rica and have an extra day, I would definitely recommend this tour. There is a lot of driving time and the speed limit in Nicaragua is slow but that's really my only complaint. The volcano is cool, but Granada was my favorite part. I could have spent more time walking around the city but I understand that time was limited. The breakfast place also could have been better but I'm nit picking. Our tour guide and drivers were great and Nicaragua is so much more affordable than Costa Rica. This tour was the highlight of my Costa Rica trip, honestly.

This experience was definitely worth it! They accidentally gave me the wrong wake up time, but they waited for me and did not leave. They were very sweet and accommodating, and there was so much to see in Nicaragua! I would highly recommend crossing off another country from your bucket list.

This tour was 100% worth it. It’s a very long day, yes but you see and do a lot. Claudio + Jorge made the trip seamless. Going through customs can be tricky but they both walk you through it. If you’re thinking about doing it, do it.

A must do attraction Family friendly activity Would recommend it Great for all ages Excellent tour guide … Claudio and team

This was a good experience and I’m glad I went and was able to experience Nicaragua! Everything went well and all the guides were very nice. It’s just A LOT of time in the van and a long day. All the sights were cool but we were always on a time crunch because of the amount of driving we needed to do. The inside of the volcano was especially a unique experience. Also, we had no problem getting through immigration both ways. It was relatively quick. The longest wait was maybe 15 minutes in line going into Nicaragua. They tell you everything to say and stay there with you the entire time.

Miguel was a great tour guide. He made sure we were informed, made us laugh, and kept us safe as we enjoyed the beautiful country of Nicaragua!

They didn’t check all passports when I booked a month ago and they didn’t tell me one of us needed a visa. The van broke down and they wasted time picking up one of the tour guides friends because she needed to go to the border.

Nicaragua should only be seen with a tour IMHO. It’s one of those countries with lots of poverty and crime. You can feel eyes watching you because they think you’re rich, which we weren’t. So be careful or choose elsewhere.

Experience a full day of Nicaraguan immersion! No regrets! Friendly, experienced and knowledgeable guide from Nicaragua shared the history, fun facts and highlights of his beautiful country. The staff assisted us every step of the way through immigration / customs. We saw so much and experienced chocolate and cigar making, Nicaraguian food, a city tour via a horse drawn carriage (extra), visited a national park where we got amazing pics of a volcano up close...a riverboat ride around some small Nicaraguian islands...and extras all along the way. One of the highlights was sharing all of this with the new friends we met on our tour. Truly an unforgettable experience.

This is a must-do tour if you're in Tamarindo. I did this tour back in 2016 and wanted to do it again! I couldn't believe I ran into Eduardo, my tour guide from 10 years ago, as well! Oh, what a joy it was to see him again. Last but not least, Paul was such an awesome driver and so helpful. He's well-spoken in English and was such a pleasure. Our tour guide this trip was also outstanding! He was very knowledgeable about the history of Nicaragua. I wish I could remember his name. He had the prettiest black head of hair! I do remember that. Lol. Great job to everyone. I will continue to spread the word about this excursion! 😊

Truly impressed with how well this tour is operated. There are a lot of logistics that go in to it on both sides of the boarder and it went quite smooth. Our tour guides were phenomenal and this excursion was a highlight to our trip. I will say make sure you bring cash! I did not bring enough and needed to find and atm as many vendors don’t take card. Make sure to bring money for tips. We especially enjoyed our carriage ride through the city of Granada. The people of Nicaragua were very friendly and there is a sense of authenticity felt there that many places lack, I would love to return one day.

The tour to Nicaragua was an excellent experience overall and well worth the long day of travel from Costa Rica. Breakfast and lunch were both very good, and the drivers safely transported us to, from, and throughout Nicaragua, which was greatly appreciated. The beach photo opportunity was definitely worth the stop, and the inexpensive carriage ride was a great option compared to walking in the heat. The visit to the chocolate factory was interesting, although the demonstration focused more on rolling the chocolate rather than explaining how the products were actually made. They also had chocolate, sangria, tea, and body lotion available for purchase, though the prices seemed somewhat higher than expected. The volcano visit was a highlight of the tour and very impressive to see in person, although the stay was understandably limited due to the gases emitted from the volcano. Waking up early to clear Customs in Nicaragua was absolutely worth it because it allowed more time to enjoy the tour activities. Unfortunately, we arrived too late to visit the Nicaragua Duty Free shop at the border. The Craft Market offered a wide variety of items, but the ATM machine was not working, although U.S. dollars were accepted for purchases. If you see something you like, it is best to buy it immediately since you may not find it again elsewhere during the trip. The boat ride to Monkey Island was enjoyable, although it was a little disappointing to only see two monkeys. Returning to Costa Rica was quick and efficient. Overall, despite being a long day, the tour was enjoyable, well organized, and reasonably priced for everything that was included.

The tour was great and exciting. A little long in the car but it was worth it. Every stop was very informative about the country of Nicaragua.

Pleasantly surprising! Originally couldn't find where to park for our meeting place and our driver got out and helped us find a place and didn't leave without us <3 Was very educational throughout the trip answering all sorts of questions we had both prompted and unprompted. Helped us through the whole border crossing process and communicated well what our next activities would be and how long we had. Also had two surprise stops along the way with a tour of a cigar and chocolate shop. I would reccomend bringing extra cash with you because everywhere we went in Nicaragua was basically cash only and they prompted us to ride the horse carts around down which is about $10 a person, and definitely worth it.

I had a lot of fun. The drivers and host were great. They gave us a really good tour of Nicaragua, told us a lot of history. The volcano, boat tour, scenery was beautiful.

Our Nicaragua day tour from Tamarindo was one of the highlights of our Central America trip. The experience was seamless, well-organized, and full of unforgettable stops. Paul and Claudio took excellent care of us throughout the day, making the long journey comfortable, informative, and enjoyable. We especially appreciated the smooth assistance during immigration both entering and leaving Nicaragua. Everything was handled efficiently, and we felt safe and well taken care of every step of the way with Paul and Claudio guiding us throughout the process. Highlights included the stunning views from Mirador de Catarina overlooking Apoyo Lagoon and seeing the active crater at Masaya Volcano up close. In Granada, we explored the historic streets on a traditional horse-drawn carriage ride and enjoyed a quick chocolate tour where we learned about the chocolate-making process and sampled fresh local chocolate. We also ended the day with a relaxing boat ride on Lake Nicaragua, including views of Monkey Island. It was a long but very rewarding day, combining volcanoes, culture, history, chocolate, and nature into one unforgettable experience. Huge thanks again to Paul and Claudio for making the trip so memorable.

If you’re thinking about doing this trip — do it! I wasn’t sure if it would work with my schedule, but I’m so glad I made it happen. It ended up being one of the highlights of my trip. A huge shout-out to Paul, our driver, who picked me up from the hotel and guided the group all the way across the border. He was incredibly friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. Crossing the border during a holiday weekend (May 1st) could have easily taken 4+ hours, but thanks to Paul’s expertise, we made it through in under 1.5 hours. Truly a trip-saver! Once in Nicaragua, we were in great hands with Claudio and our driver Chino. Claudio was engaging, funny, and shared so much helpful information and history throughout the day. I loved all the stops — especially breakfast (one of my favorite meals of the trip!) and a great lunch later on. Also, Granada's colorful scenery and the boat ride were also highlights. While we didn’t see many monkeys, being out on the water and taking in the views was still beautiful. Claudio and Paul made sure we made it back to the border safely, which I really appreciated. Overall, I felt completely safe the entire time and would highly recommend!

Our tour guide, Chino, Claudio, Paul were amazing. They went above and beyond to accommodate the guests, also the experience was amazing. It was worth the long trip, from the volcano to the beautiful views to the nice boat ride! 5 ⭐️

Tour was wonderful! Our guide Paul on the Costa Rican side was amazing. Even with the busyness of the May Day holiday, he was able to get us thru the border quickly and hand us off the the counterpart guide on the Nicaraguan side. Was a packed day and well worth your time if your in Costa Rica. I would highly recommend trying to take the option to stay a night or 2 in Granada. I really want to go back now and spend some time in this beautiful colonial city.

Our driver was incredibly friendly and helped us smoothly cross the border from Costa Rica to Nicaragua. David, our tour guide, was there to greet us on the Nicaraguan side and made our trip truly enjoyable. He was a wealth of knowledge about Nicaragua’s rich history and a pleasure to be with. He took us to a restaurant where we had a wonderful breakfast. Then, we drove for two hours, soaking in all the country had to offer, but we didn’t stop. Once we arrived in Granada, we took a horse-drawn buggy ride. It was a bit of a letdown because we weren’t informed that we’d need to pay for this service, which cost $13 each in US dollars plus a tip when we finished. Also, the driver didn’t take us to the Masaya crafts market or the Cathedral de Granada. I was really looking forward to climbing the stairs to enjoy the panoramic view. Otherwise, the rest of the trip was fantastic. We saw the active Masaya volcano and the water crater. We had lunch at a really nice restaurant, and the food was delicious. We also did chocolate tasting and visited the Islets, which were beautiful and we got to see the monkeys. This was a full day with a lot of driving, so be prepared to be out all day. We were picked up at 4:30 am and didn’t get back until 9:30 pm. I highly recommend this tour.

5/5!!! What an awesome way and easy way to get across the border to see another new different country even though they sit right next to each other. Our guides were so knowledgeable and friendly, we had a wonderful day!

Animal Cruelty – Please Help the Monkeys! My day trip to Nicaragua was ruined by seeing two monkeys trapped on a tiny island with barely any trees. This is a prison, not a sanctuary—these animals have no chance to escape or live naturally. The neglect of the operator is disturbing, and their response is even more troubling: trying to justify the situation by saying the monkeys have been trapped there for a while, as if that makes it acceptable. Blaming tourists for being happy to see desperate monkeys in captivity—just because they haven’t seen these animals before—is simply wrong. How can this be real? Everyone who observes and accepts animals kept in captivity—especially in such a small area—contributes to their suffering. This is animal cruelty, and it must stop. I urge the tour operators and anyone reading this: please help these monkeys! Contact a local animal organization or anyone with a boat to set them free where they belong. The rest of the tour was well organized, but I cannot recommend any trip that allows wild animals to suffer in these conditions. Animal welfare must always come first.

Nice quick visit with short stops of main attractions in Nicaragua. Friendly, serviceminded staff. It made me want to see more of the country.

It’s a long day, but the roads aren’t bumpy and the guide was great. It was a wonderful opportunity to visit a new country. The scenery was beautiful and the food was excellent! I’d definitely recommend going on this tour.

Two things to note for our trip: we only had 20 minutes at a smaller market and we couldn’t see the craters due to the volcanic activity (understandably). My negative parts of the review have to pertain to the tour guide and driver. While in the van, we heard them making rude and inappropriate comments about women in the van in Spanish. About half of us were fluent in Spanish, so we were able to pick up on it. Also, halfway through, our tour guide had limited interactions with us and stayed separated from our group. Overall though, the scenery, culture, and excursions were amazing! I really enjoyed the different places to eat, being able to get through TSA with ease, and the amount of things we got to see in just a day.

Very well planned and great tour guides. First time in Nicaragua and because of our positive experience we'll definitely return.

great tour .. loved the costa rican people on the tour and Nicaragua is a great country .. the Nicaraguan guy was a bit much into himself ..

This was a nice All day trip and I do mean All day but it was worth it you get a two for one country trip and the food amazing traditional Nicaragua food and there home town the real volcano is a truely phenomenal it's a sight to see local shops and everything..... only bad thing was the pick up situation it was a bit messy and the guide was amazing

Our family of 4 including a 10 and 12 year old made the trek to Nicaragua! What an adventure. It is a long day but we had a wonderful time and learned so much. Pedro, our guide, was super knowledgeable and made the trip an incredible experience. We all agreed we were happy we chose this excursion!