Birding Nicaragua
Member Savings
Sign in to see which companies give additional
savings to Travelstride Members (it’s free)
Overview
Highlights
- Sitting on the porch of your jungle hut watching flotillas of Herons & Egrets drifting down the Rio San Juan.
- Walking and exploring the mountain trails amongst beautiful tropical plants.
- Hanging out with Howler Monkeys.
What's this trip about?
Compare to similar trips
Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Attractions
Activities
Trip includes
- One round trip domestic flight Domestic transfers Lodging Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner on days 2 -14 Scheduled group tours Entrance fees & Allianz deluxe travel health insurance.
View Similar Trips
Itinerary
Arrival in Managua; we will try and coordinate our flights to arrive in Managua together. Flights usually arrive in the evening, so we will head directly to Las Mercedes Hotel for a relaxing evening among the pools and gardens.
There are two great birding areas just outside of Managua that we will visit today: Chocoyero - El Brujo Natural Reserve and Montibelli Private Natural Reserve.
It is a one hour flight to San Carlos, which is a small town on the southeast corner of Lake Nicaragua and the start of the Rio San Juan. From there we catch a boat for a 2 hour ride down river. We will see a lot of birds along the way. We will be staying at Sabalos Jungle Lodge.
The Sabalos Lodge is a sweet place; completely surrounded by nature with cabins directly overlooking the river. There are good walking paths for exploring the area and the neighboring village. There are kayaks at the Sabalos for exploring the rivers and plenty of hammocks. The trees are usually full of monkeys. They will sing you to sleep at night.
A short boat ride down the river from Sabalos Lodge is the Monte Cristo River Lodge and Reserve. We will spend the day at this 120 acre reserve where 144 different species of birds have been identified. There is 5.5 miles of trails here to view wildlife.
Today we will be visiting El Castillo and Reserva Indio-Maiz, via a boat trip down river. The village of El Castillo began in 1693 when the Spanish built a fortress on the banks of the river, which still stands today. Further down river is the Indio-Maiz Biological ...
A two hour boat ride up river and a one hour flight will find us back in Managua at Las Mercedes Hotel.
It is a 2 hour shuttle ride to the Selva Negra Lodge and Coffee Plantation location in Matagalpa. Matagalpa is the coffee region of Nicaragua. We will be spending three nights here.
There are about 4 miles of hiking trails here where you can watch birds and monkeys. You can also choose to take a coffee plantation tour or just chill by the pond.
Just north of Matagalpa is the town of Jinotega. Jinotega is at the edge of some of Nicaragua’s most beautiful misty cloud forest mountains. From Selva Negra to Jinotega it is about a 45 minute bus ride for a short day trip to see the town and have lunch.
It is a 2 hour shuttle ride to the Hacienda and Ecolodge La Sombra. We will be spending three nights at this lodge.
There are many beautiful trails and roads to walk at La Sombra, which is also a private wildlife reserve. There are waterfalls, rivers and pools to swim in. This is a small paradise at the edge of the largest national reserve in Nicaragua.
We will be taking a day trip to the Massif Peñas Blancas natural area within the Bosáwas Biosphere Reserve. Over 700 different species of birds have been identified in the reserve. The highest peak in Nicaragua is located here with an elevation of 5,725 feet.
A 2.5 hour shuttle will get us back to Las Mercedes were we will spend our day relaxing among the gardens
Flights usually leave in the morning, so getting to the airport and getting home is our only activity for the day.
Want a tailor-made trip instead?
Your trip, your way, planned by an expert:
- You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type
- Expert designs the itinerary for you, and once approved, takes care of logistics
Dates & Availability
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Kaiyote Tours.
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
Kaiyote Tours Reviews & Ratings
Other Kaiyote Tours Reviews
Great job!
Great job! The tour was better than we could have ima...
Enough for an amazing
I cannot thank you enough for an amazing 5 days. Your support and encouragement helped me feel strong again and getting us up to the glacier was just the icing on t...
Had a great time!
Lisa and I had a great time! We enjoyed seeing Iceland very much. All the meals and hotels were great. The trip was a vacation but even more so an experience. I...
Travelers also viewed
Tour Operator
At Kaiyote Tours we specialize in birding, botany, wildlife viewing and nature travel. Our trips offer unique experiences and great opportunities for photography, learning and adventure. We travel in small groups of 7 – 10 travelers with knowledgeable guides.
Kaiyote Tours never misses an opportunity for a little fun; perhaps an afternoon of learning how to surf or maybe climbing up into a rainforest canopy platform to sleep with the parrots or even exploring and swimming in deep beautiful caves. Sometimes we travel first class and sometimes we take the “chicken bus”. Exploring local cultures and meeting the local people is part of the fun.
If you love birds, wildlife and the thrill of getting to remote places, the trips we offer are for you. On all trips, it is our goal to see as many birds and interesting critters as possible. We also, however, appreciate that travel is always more than that. The places you will get to in your life and the people you meet along the way will be some of the most memorable experiences you will have. It will change your life.
We are professional guides based in Port Angeles, Washington. Our specialty is nature and travel tours. We offer twelve different international trips a year. We travel to Argentina, Colombia, France, Iceland, Nicaragua and Scandinavia. We live at the edge of Olympic National Park and we have been taking travelers on guided tours since the year 1998.
Kaiyote Snow is the owner and lead guide of Kaiyote Tours. Kaiyote has a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. She is a self-taught naturalist, an award winning photographer and artist. Kaiyote is a certified Wilderness First Responder, a NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) graduate and a Leave No Trace Backcountry Master Educator. Kaiyote is a former instructor for the Rocky Mountain Conservancy. Her passions are birding, botany and adventure travel.
From 1998 - 2014 Kaiyote led guided birding, hiking and backpacking tours in Rocky Mountain National Park. Currently she lives in Port Angeles, Washington and continues to lead international nature trips and tours in Olympic National Park. She has traveled much of the world in search of birds and adventure.
When we are not out exploring the world we are at home, living in the mountains and by the sea. Here we spend our time birding, wildlife watching, hiking, backpacking and sailing. In the winter, we are skiers, both Alpine and Nordic, and we love to snowshoe. We can guide you on any type of trip you would like, whether it is private or with a group.
We believe that travel and nature will show you a better way to live and will change your life forever. There is no better way to find a new part of you then to lose your old self in a new world.
About Travelstride
Find your perfect trip
Save time
Save money
Travel confidently
Logistics
What's excluded
- International airfare
- Immigration fee
- Alcohol, personal expenses such as souvenirs, expenses relating to personal choices during free time
- Tips for guides.
A non-refundable payment of $600 is requirement to reserve a spot on a trip*. Full payment is due 60 days prior to departure date. If you are reserving a spot within 60 days of departure, full payment is required to reserve a spot. You may cancel 60 days in advance of departure and receive a 100% refund, less the $600 deposit. There are no refunds within 60 days of the departure date.
Please note: The lodging described in this itinerary is always our first choice based on availability. If we must book with our second choice, the lodging type and style is comparable.
Become a member
- Save up to $700 per person
- Access members-only specials
- Personalize trip recommendations
