3 Day - Volcan Cosiguina

QUICK FACTS

Average backpack weight: 12-14kg

Maximum Elevation: 600m

Total Trek Distance: 18 km

Minimum Age Requirement: 17+ for our public calendar trek. For inquiries regarding families and private treks, please contact us. 

SUMMARY

Hike the volcano with a view of three countries! Volcán Cosigüina was once the tallest volcano in Central America until it was decimated by a powerful eruption in 1835. Ashes from the eruption fell as far as Mexico and Jamaica and it was heard as far away as Rivas.

After meeting for an early, but hearty breakfast in the QT office at 6 am, we leave León for 4-5 hour bus ride to the western most point of Nicaragua where a peninsula created by volcán Cosigüina stretches out into the Golfo Fonseca. Around 10 am we begin hiking through farmland and tropical jungle, and we reach the crater’s edge four hours later with plenty of time to set up camp and explore the crater’s edge. With a diameter of more than 2 km and a massive electric blue lake at its bottom, the crater is a wonder to behold. The summit also offers awesome views of Nicaragua, Honduras, and El Salvador, not to mention the Golfo de Fonseca and the Pacific Ocean.

The following morning, we pack our gear and eat a good breakfast to fuel for the remainder of the hike. After climbing a fantastical tree and descending through lush jungle, we reach a town called Potosi where we can swim in a natural spring and jump into the Golfo de Fonseca before eating lunch in a local comedor. Verdant and teeming with wildlife, the area is one of the last places on the Pacific Coast where the Scarlet Macaw can be found in the wild. We then board a local bus for an hour and journey to the top of the Estero Padre Ramos where we join a local guide and boat captain for a two hour estuary and mangrove tour through the nature reserve. 

Finishing the tour at the idyllic beach Jiquilillo, we walk down the shore to reach our final destination, a great hostel called Rancho Tranquilo where we enjoy cool drinks and a shower. How long you spend at the beach? It’s up to you!

DEPARTURE LOCATION

Quetzaltrekkers Office, Leon

DEPARTURE TIME

-6am Meet at the Quetzaltrekkers Office

ARRIVAL LOCATION

-2 pm at the Quetzaltrekkers Office

WHAT TO BRING

Hiking shoes, Hiking clothes, Flashlight, Backpack (60L) to carry your water, Sunscreen & Hat, Mosquito repellent, Bathing suit and Towel, warm cloth for the night, Sandals, Copy of passport and entry stamp

* We have all hiking gear available to loan at no additional charge.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

Transport, Guide, Entrance fees, Boat, Food (3x breakfast, 2x lunch, 2x Dinner), Snack, Equipment (Tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat), free QT shirt

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED

Water

ITINERARY 

Day 1

• 6:00am ---- Meet at Qt office for breakfast, then time to pack your Backpack 

• 7:00am ---- Leaving for a crazy chicken Bus ride to Potosi

• 11:45am ---- Arriving at Potosi, time for Lunch

• 12:45pm --- Start hiking up Cosiguina 

• 17:30pm ---- Enjoy  beautiful sunset over El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua 

Day 2

• 5:00am ---- Wake up for Sunsrise 

• 7:00am ---- After breakfast we pack our bags to hike down

• 10:45am ---- Swim in natural springs before Lunch at a local Comedor 

• 2:00pm --- take a Bus to la Bahona for our Mangrove boat tour 

• 4:00pm ---- Arrive at Jiquilillo beach, time to swim, surf or just rest and enjoy the beach

Day 3

• 5:00am ----wake up for Sunrise 

• 7:00am ---- Breakfast time 

• 8:00am ---- leave for Leon 

• 11:00am --- back at Qt office 

FAQs

• Can I store stuff in your office that I am not hiking with? Yes, we have a secure locker room where you can store any belongings that you don't want to have with you on the hike.

• I am vegetarian / vegan / lactose intolerant etc.. We can easily accommodate dietary restrictions. At the base, all of our food is vegetarian and can easily be made vegan. Just describe any restrictions you have in the “dietary restrictions” section of the booking page.