Tours - Nicaragua

"indio-maiz" national park

general

Even if you do not go to the national park for a "tour", then a visit to his reserve and the village of “El Castilo” is a highlight. Since there is no motorized traffic you can hear the animals day and night as well as the river rapids. Relaxing in your hammock looking at the swirling river where occasionally herds of cattle are being channeled can also work very relaxing.

NATIONAL PARK RESERVE "Indio-Maiz"

There are about seven organisations that offer tours to the park in the small village of "El Castillo" which is actually too much for the number of tourists (and classrooms) that will make a tour here. Oddly enough, my hostel was not very keen when I said that I wanted to do a tour in the park. My hostelowner wanted to arrange it and asked me for , just in case, if I didn’t want to pay 75 USD to go by myself.

kind of tours:

From my travel guide I understood that there were several tours available for going to the National Park. I asked at the tourist information center and at my own hostel and there I was told that only a day trip was possible (hike trip). If you go to the small travel agency "Mildred" at the harbor, you can make you’re own trip with her help. She speaks English very well and is experienced with tourists and traveling. So you can go to a local community, go horseback riding, kayaking and probably a lot more. Actually, everything that was mentioned in my travelguide was not possible at all here anymore.

price

The price of the tour is 75 USD for 1 - 4 people (divided by the number), for each person extra, 10 USD extra (divided by the number). Please note that the larger your group is, the less explanation you get from the guide and the smaller the chance that you will spot wild animals.

INCLUDING:

Guide, transport and entrance fee money.

GUIDE:

The guide should definitely speak (at least) English (we had Orlando which should be one of the best in the village).

content:

You sail for an hour at the river "San Juan" until you arrive at the ranger house where you register yourself and can stretch your legs. Then you sail a bit further and you start your 3-hour hike through the tropical rainforest. It is not really heavy (in terms of climbing and length) but the heat and the high humidity can be stifling (keep breathing well, take lots of breaks, drink a lot and take it easy on the steep hills). After three hours of walking where the guide stops often enough to explain things from the jungle (and spot animals that you have not noticed yourself) you walk back to the boat. Here you can take a refreshing dive in the peacefull shallow water of the river. Pay attention to the stones. Then you go back to El Castillo. In total about 5 hours trip.

DON'T FORGET:

Take enough water with you (at least a liter), a snack for lunch, swimming gear, long trousers, long-sleeved shirt, something warm when it's fresh and misty on the water in the morning, a cap, sunglasses, insect spray, tip money and your camera ofcourse.