3 Ways to Experience Masaya Volcano in Nicaragua
Visit one of the world's most active volcanoes on a day trip from Managua or Granada
Volcan Masaya, or the Masaya Volcano, lies just 23km south of Nicaragua’s capital city of Managua. One of the most active volcanoes on the planet, Masaya was known by Spanish colonizers as the La Boca del Infierno – the Mouth of Hell – thanks to the bubbling lava lake visitors can see from its rim.
I’ve been to Volcan Masaya twice – the first time in 2018, and again last night. It’s one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Central American Pacific, and in this post, I’ll share a few different ways to experience it.
First, a bit of background and why you definitely want to put Masaya Volcano on your must-see list.
7 Reasons to Visit Masaya Volcano National Park
1. Masaya is the first and largest national park in the country and home to a volcanic caldera with two volcanoes and five craters. Nicaragua boasts seven active volcanoes accessible by car to the rim, and the Santiago lava lake in the Nindiri crater here at Masaya is spectacular to see.
2. Masaya is a complex volcano (a mixed landform made up of volcanic centers, lava flows, and rock fragments from explosive volcanic eruptions). At the on-site museum, you can explore and learn about the nested calderas and craters and the unique geology of this place.
3. Santiago continuously emits sulfur dioxide plumes, making it a wondrous sight even during the day when the candescence of the lava lake is not as pronounced.
4. There’s plenty more to see and do at Masaya Volcano National Park (Parque Nacional Volcán Masaya). Designated a protected area in 1979, the park spans 54 km² and offers great views of Managua, Laguna de Masaya, and other Nicaraguan volcanoes outside the park. There are plenty of hiking trail options, including the popular Coyote and Comalito hiking trails, which are about a 2-hour hike at 4km each.
5. The history and folklore of this place is fascinating. In fact, the Masaya region, home to Volcan Masaya and Laguna de Apoyo, is known as "La Cuna Del Folklore" (The Cradle of Folklore). This place is rich in music, tradition, dance, poetry, sculpture, and local legend, including those surrounding the volcano. You can imagine what an imposing force this was for the local indigenous community and early colonizers, who lived in constant fear of the next eruption. In the 16th century, the Spanish planted a cross on the crater lip to exorcise the Devil. (Come to think of it, I didn’t see "La Cruz de Bobadilla," named for Father Francisco Bobadilla, last night as I did in 2018 – and now wonder if that cross is still there. Let me know in the comments if you have some insight here.)
6. It’s accessible and easy to get to the top. This is great news for those with mobility issues like me. Once you’ve entered the gates, you simply drive up the winding road to the active lava lake. It’s a short (less than 30 seconds) walk to the rim, where you can see the flaming red lava. Parking lanes at the top, close to the time, ensure that all vehicles can be pointed out and down the hill… just in case.
7. The on-site museum is a great place to learn about those legends and Masaya’s active history of volcanic eruptions. It’s open from 9AM-5PM daily, so you’ll want to arrive a bit earlier than 5 if you plan to spend sunset (around 6pm) gazing down into the Mouth of Hell at the top.
3 Ways to Experience Masaya Volcano
Now, I love a good deal. But the cheapest way to experience a place may not be the best option, even for budget-conscious travelers. Us midlife nomads with back problems appreciate a car with shocks, for example – and no, that’s not a given. Here are a few different ways to get to Masaya Volcano National Park.
Go with a tour operator through a booking site.
Masaya Volcano tours are available on both Viator and GetYourGuide, two online booking platforms Trevor and I often use when we’re traveling.
When we checked out what Viator had to offer, we found a 2-hour “Night Tour to the Masaya Volcano” option with good reviews that started at $80 Canadian per person, depending on dates.
GetYourGuide had a “Private Masaya Volcano Night Tour” with 3.7/5 ratings at $45 USD per person. TripAdvisor lists a “Night Tour to Masaya Volcano” with 41 reviews that’s recommended by 95% of travelers, but we’re getting even more dear with tickets starting at $80 USD per person.
Booking through major platforms like these gives you the ease of booking online, and you can read reviews from real travelers before booking. The $10 park entry fee and transportation cost are rolled into your ticket price. However, these tend to be the most expensive options and unless you’ve chosen a private option, you might be packed into a mini or full-sized bus with a bunch of others. The social butterflies among us may not mind this at all, but it’s not this introvert’s favourite way to get somewhere.
Take a local bus.
This is completely doable and is going to be the least expensive option of the three. It’ll take you about an hour and $1 USD to get to Masaya Volcano from Granada by chicken bus, and from there you’ll pay the $10 USD per person park entry fee at the gate.
Riding the chicken buses is an experience in itself and although it’s not my idea of a good time, plenty of others prefer this as an inexpensive way to get around and live like a local. If this is how you choose to get from Granada to Masaya Park, catch a bus headed for Managua and let the driver or his helper know that’s where you need out.
Once at the park, you’re going to need a way to get to the top, and I don’t know anything about what services might be available. It’s about a 2-hour walk and would be incredibly dangerous coming down on the winding roads in the dark, so I can’t recommend walking up or down for a sunset viewing.
In short: the chicken bus will get you there for $1, and then you’re on your own.
Hire a local guide or driver.
This is how we roll, and I have two solid recommendations for you.
Jorge is a local cabbie with decent English who drives taxi by day and does private driving and tours when booked. He can access a clean, safe sedan with air conditioning through his employer. We hired Jorge for two hours for $40 USD (plus $5 tip), and paid the $10 fee each entry fee at the gate. He picked us up at our house, drove us to the park and up the hill, and waited patiently while we wandered around at the top for an hour.
All in, we paid $65 USD for a private air-conditioned ride and door-to-door service. This is a way better value for our travel style than the $160 USD we would have paid for a large group tour through TripAdvisor. You can reach Jorge on WhatsApp at +505 8383 6099, and can call him for in-town rides in Granada, too.
Victor at Nicaragua Trips is another excellent driver and tour guide you’d be lucky to connect with in Granada and Managua. He’s fluent in English and if you want to support a growing local business, this is a great way to do it. Victor’s company is small so you get personalized service, but he has grown his fleet to include vehicles ranging in size from cars to a minibus so he can accommodate groups of varying sizes. He’s our top choice for airport transfers, as well.
And at $25 USD per person including transportation from Granada, the park entry fee, and your guide, it’s a great deal. This is my top recommendation for budget-friendliness, accessibility, and comfort for your Masaya Volcano trip. You can reach Victor at victorubau10@gmail.com or on WhatsApp at +505 8866 4378.
Okay, but how do you find these drivers?
Victor was recommended to me by a person I housesat for, as was Jorge many years ago. I often rely on my housesit peeps for recommendations. But when you’re heading somewhere completely new where you don’t have friends or connections, how do you find local vendors and drivers you can trust?
I like to join expat and nomad Facebook groups for the region I’m visiting a few weeks ahead of any trip. Browse through the posts… these are common questions that come up often. If you don’t see relevant recommendations, put the ask out there. Be specific and tell people what you’re looking for or need; for example, if you don’t speak the local language, ask for recommendations for English-speaking drivers. If you have personal safety concerns, ask who the locals and expats would trust with their child or partner.
Here are a couple other sources of trusted info about Masaya Volcano National Park, if you’d like to learn more:
Masaya Volcano Museum, Tourist Attractions, Culture - Nicaragua.com
Masaya Volcano National Park - Vianica.com