Nicaragua Family Vacation

After a welcome breakfast, depart for the richly forested Mombacho Volcano towering over Granada, traveling along a gravel road with excellent views of the volcano and surrounding environment. Frequently enshrouded by mist, Mombacho Volcano, among Nicaraguas most impressive, rises like a sleeping giant to 4,626 feet. A short hike through verdant tropical forest full of mosses and epiphytic plants brings us to the Mombacho Canopy Adventure for an exhilarating zip line tour through the cloud forest. We return to colonial Granada for a typical lunch at the Doa Conchis restaurant. In the afternoon, we visit the community kitchen of Carita Feliz, a center which provides educational, work and health programs for local children where we help support the program by interacting with the kids and helping prepare the evening meal. Overnight Hotel Plaza Colon or similar. [BLD]

Its a short drive to Asese Port on the banks of Lake Nicaragua where we kayak or take an electric-powered boat through the 365 enchanted islets of Granada. This volcanic archipelago, formed 20,000 years ago when Mombacho Volcano blew most of its cone into the lake, is located just 3km from Granada and is rich in fauna and flora. There is much to see including caiman, turtles, migrating swallows and a variety of exotic birds. We visit the San Pablo Fort, built to protect the city of Granada from pirates during the 18th century. Depending on time and the day of our visit we stop by the local La Esperancita School to play with the children and learn how our visit benefits their community. After a lakeside lunch, we return to Granada to explore the charming cobblestone streets of Granada on horse drawn carriages. We pass through the 18th Century Cathedral and the famous Convent of San Francisco dated 1524, now a museum with brightly painted murals depicting Nicaraguas colorful history. We also visit the vibrant Granada Market where we interact with locals, try exotic fruits and explore for souvenirs. Overnight Hotel Plaza Colon or similar. [BLD]

Venture into rural Nicaragua to the Pueblos Blancos community with their white painted houses and impressive panoramic views over the Apoyo Lagoon. Along the way, stop at San Juan de Oriente to observe local artisans creating beautiful Nicaraguan pottery we have the opportunity to take a turn at the throwing wheel, guided by these skilled local potters. We drive up and then hike into the Masaya Volcano National Park to peer into its stunning and smoldering active Santiago crater. See if you can spot the specially adapted green parrots that live in the crater walls! En-route back to Granada, we stop to shop at the Masaya Market for authentic Nicaraguan handicrafts including hammocks, leather goods, paintings, masks and wood carvings. Overnight Hotel Plaza Colon or similar. [BLD]

Your stay at Morgans Rock includes one activity of your choice per day. Options include guided nature walks (day and night), tours of the hacienda, sunset tour, opportunities to collect eggs or milk a cow while helping prepare a traditional Nicaraguan breakfast on the adjacent farm and assisting with protection and release of baby sea turtle tours (in season). Other activities available at additional cost include surfing lessons, horseback riding, mountain biking, sea kayaking and fishing [BLD]