Nicaragua Volcano Adventure: Cerro Negro, Masaya & Ometepe

Today brings one of the world's great adrenaline thrills. You drive out from Leon across a plain studded with volcanoes to Cerro Negro, the youngest volcano in Central America, a stark black cone of loose cinder. Carrying a reinforced wooden sled, you hike up its steep black flank in around an hour, taking in extraordinary views over the volcanic chain and the plain below, and feeling the warmth of the young earth beneath your feet. At the top, clad in a protective boiler suit and goggles, you sit on your board and hurtle down the loose cinder slope at exhilarating speed, in one of the most unusual adventures on the planet. The adrenaline and sense of achievement are unforgettable. As the day ends, you return to Leon, exhilarated. This evening, celebrate over a well-earned dinner. Rest well.

Today you explore Leon and its dramatic volcanic surroundings. You visit the great Cathedral of Leon, the largest in Central America and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, climbing onto its blazing white rooftop for sweeping views of the volcanic chain, and pausing at the tomb of the beloved poet Ruben Dario beneath its floor. You wander streets vivid with revolutionary murals and learn the moving story of the Sandinista uprising. In the afternoon you might visit Leon Viejo, the UNESCO-listed ruins of the original city, abandoned after a volcanic eruption in the sixteenth century and standing beside the smoking Momotombo volcano and the lake. The history, culture and volcanic drama are captivating. As the day ends, you return through Leon's animated streets. This evening, savour the city's convivial atmosphere. Rest well, for tomorrow you journey to graceful Granada.

Today you journey south to graceful Granada, taking in a cloud-forest volcano along the way. You travel across the volcanic heartland, skirting the capital, to reach the Mombacho volcano rising above Granada, its upper slopes cloaked in lush, misty cloud forest. You ride up its steep flank and hike trails through the enchanted forest, where orchids and bromeliads cling to twisted trees, hummingbirds flit through the mist and steaming fumaroles hint at the fire below, with dramatic views over Granada, Lake Nicaragua and the islets far beneath; the adventurous can zipline through the canopy. In the afternoon you descend to Granada, the jewel of colonial Central America, and settle into your characterful hotel. As the day ends, you stroll the glowing pastel streets. This evening, savour Granada's relaxed atmosphere. Rest well, ready for more volcanic adventure tomorrow.

Today combines a serene lake cruise with the fire of a volcano. In the morning you board a boat to glide among Las Isletas, a beautiful archipelago of 365 tiny tropical islands scattered off Granada, drifting past lush green islets, spotting herons, cormorants and playful monkeys, with the Mombacho volcano rising behind. You explore graceful Granada, walking its central plaza and climbing La Merced church tower for a rooftop panorama. As dusk falls, you drive to Masaya Volcano National Park and reach the rim of the smoking Santiago crater, where an incandescent lake of molten lava glows and churns far below, one of only a handful on Earth, a rare and mesmerising sight. The serenity of the lake and the fire of the volcano make an unforgettable day. Rest well back in Granada.

Today you journey to Ometepe, an hourglass island of twin volcanoes rising from Lake Nicaragua. You drive south to the port of San Jorge, then cross by ferry as the twin volcanoes, the perfect cone of Concepcion and the cloud-wrapped Maderas, loom ever larger from the vast freshwater sea. Reaching the island, you settle into your lodge amid banana and coffee plantations, with the volcanoes towering above. In the afternoon you might swim in the Ojo de Agua, a crystal-clear natural pool fed by volcanic springs, floating in its cool blue water beneath shady trees, or seek out ancient stone petroglyphs carved by pre-Columbian peoples. The sense of stepping into a wilder, older Nicaragua is profound. This evening, dinner at your lodge beneath the stars, the volcanoes silhouetted against the sky. Rest well on magical Ometepe.

Today you take on the volcanoes of Ometepe. You might hike the forested lower slopes of the Maderas volcano, climbing through dense jungle loud with howler monkeys, past waterfalls and giant trees, to a misty crater lagoon, or tackle a demanding section of the perfect cone of Concepcion for staggering views over the lake and the second volcano. Afterwards you cool off in a crystal-clear volcanic spring or on a black-sand lake beach, and perhaps kayak the tranquil Istian channel between the volcanoes, gliding past turtles, caimans and abundant birdlife. The jungle, wildlife and volcanic drama are exhilarating. As the day ends, you watch the sun set behind Concepcion, painting the lake gold. This evening, dinner at your lodge. Rest well, reflecting on the raw volcanic beauty of Ometepe and the adventure you have had.

After a final morning on enchanting Ometepe, perhaps a last swim in a volcanic spring or a walk beneath the twin volcanoes, you take the ferry back across the lake and are transferred to Managua airport for your onward international departure. You leave having experienced the raw volcanic heart of Nicaragua, boarding the black slopes of Cerro Negro, peering into the lava lake of Masaya, ziplining the cloud forest of Mombacho, hiking the twin volcanoes of Ometepe, and exploring colonial Leon and Granada in between. The images stay vivid long after you land, the black cinder of Cerro Negro, the fiery churn of the Masaya crater, the misty cloud forest of Mombacho, and the twin cones of Ometepe rising from the lake. Nicaragua offers raw adventure, natural drama and genuine warmth in abundance, and you depart already dreaming of a return.