Concepción
An active volcano, a hard climb of 7 to 10 hours with a guide. The summit is often in cloud, and the route is closed when the volcano is more active.
Lake Nicaragua · Rivas · Nicaragua
Ometepe Island: Concepción and Maderas Volcanoes
Two volcanoes rising from Lake Nicaragua on one island, with cloud forest, a crater lagoon and beaches.
- UNESCO biosphere reserve
- Concepción about 1,610 m, Maderas about 1,390 m
- Ferry from Rivas or San Jorge
- Volcano climbs with a guide
About the park
Ometepe is a figure-of-eight island formed by two volcanoes in Lake Nicaragua: Concepción, an active, perfect cone, and Maderas, an older, forested volcano with a crater lagoon. The island is a UNESCO biosphere reserve, with villages, farms, beaches, petroglyphs and the forest on the slopes of the volcanoes.
Climbing the volcanoes is the main activity: Concepción is a long, hard day of 7 to 10 hours, and Maderas is a shorter but muddy climb through cloud forest to a lagoon at the top. Guides are expected on both, and the climbs are fixed with a local guide in the villages.
- Two volcanoes on one island
- Cloud forest and a crater lagoon on Maderas
- Beaches, waterfalls and petroglyphs
- A ferry crossing of Lake Nicaragua
Wildlife
Howler monkeysWhite-faced monkeysMany birds, including oropendolas
What to do
Maderas
A forested volcano with a crater lagoon, climbed through muddy cloud forest, usually in 6 to 8 hours with a guide.
Beaches and villages
Quiet beaches, a waterfall, a swimming spring and villages with petroglyphs, easy to explore by bike or scooter.
Plan your visit
- Entrance
- Fees and guide prices on the volcanoes are paid on the island, and they differ by route. We could not find an official fee table, so we confirm the current prices before you go.
- Guide
- Guides are expected on both volcanoes; some sources say they are required.
- Best time
- The dry season from December to April; the climbs are muddy in the rainy season.
- What to bring
- Strong shoes, a rain jacket, water and snacks, a headlamp, and a change of clothes.
How the entrance is paid
We did not find a national online ticket system for Nicaraguan parks. Entrance and guides are normally paid on the spot, in cash (US dollars or córdobas), and some places are run by communities with their own prices.
Ask us for the current price and the rules before you go, or for a guided visit with everything arranged.
Information is approximate and based on public guides and press reports, not on an official fee table; hours, fees and access change. We confirm the current conditions before you go.
Getting there
By ferry
Ferries and boats cross Lake Nicaragua to Moyogalpa and Altágracia from San Jorge, near Rivas, in about an hour.
To the ferry
San Jorge is about 1 hour 30 minutes from Granada and about 3 hours from Managua.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a guide?
Yes, we advise a guide for both volcanoes.
Which volcano should I choose?
Maderas for cloud forest and a lagoon; Concepción for a long, hard climb. Tell us your fitness level.
How long should I stay?
Two or three nights allow a climb and a rest day.