Private Journeys

Signature Nicaragua: Fire, water and revolution

13 days from £2,690pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Nicaragua

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Overview & Highlights

A medley of Spanish colonial cities, visible wildlife, volcanoes and the continent’s largest freshwater lake. Travel down jungle-fringed Rio San Juan, visit tranquil Ometepe Island, relax on unspoilt beaches on the Pacific Coast and learn about a history of rebellion and innovation.

The variety you will discover on your highlights holiday is staggering - the volcanic and jungle-choked scenery, timeless colonial cities, cultures ranging from Spanish to indigenous communities: you could extend your trip to visit its English speaking Caribbean Corn islands.

Nicaragua, following a history of political and economic upheavals is now a peaceful and congenial place which has become impressively reconciled with the conflicts of its past. Visitors are increasingly drawn to its wonderfully unspoilt landscapes, where the bucolic tranquility of countryside little changed over the centuries has as its counterpoint seething volcanoes and the legacy of earthquakes in times gone by.

Here you’ll find a couple of the continent’s finest Spanish colonial cities, Granada and León. Spruced up now, with their central Spanish cores faithfully restored, they have a real historical atmosphere, with lovely old mansions, baroque churches and cobbled lanes.

Beyond, rising from the vast silvery waters of Lake Nicaragua is the dozy island Ometepe, whose isolation has protected it from the political upheavals of the past, and held back modern development. Rio San Juan is too important a river to be called a backwater, but its jungle-fringed banks have a timeless, wilderness feel, and the quaint little port of wooden houses on stilts, El Castillo, will make you feel you are on a real adventure of discovery. San Juan del Sur, a rustic and laid-back fishing village on the Pacific Coast, has a string of yawning, golden sand beaches where turtles hatch between September and April.

 

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  • Discover Nicaragua's fascinating history from colonial cities to ruined forts
  • Explore the lush jungles and waterways
  • Take in the countries natural volcano clad beauty

THE UK’S NO. 1 SPECIALIST IN TRAVEL TO LATIN AMERICA

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Mary Anne Nelson

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Things to do

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What our clients say

  • The holiday was really terrific - one to be remembered for ever.  It really met all our hopes, and offered even more than anticipated - in particular, with all the…

    NB, Keswick
  • "Nigh on impossible to pick out just one memory but the vastness and emptiness of the salt flats, Machu Picchu in the mist, rain and finally sun, being photo bombed…

    JH, Staines-upon-Thames
  • Overall a very enjoyable trip - some long days and early starts but was easily do-able for a group mainly consisting of people in their 50s and 60s. Saw many…

    LB, New Malden
  • This was  a trip to remember. I have a brilliant overview of this enormous country. And was pleased to visit it before tourism takes a hold. Our brilliant tour leader…

    RP, Matlock
  • A well thought out tour with a good balance of culture, scenery and larger towns. The tour leader was excellent and the local guides were friendly and knowledgeable with great…

    SW, Broxbourne
  • Most memorable experience: “I can't really single out any one- I found it all memorable but what was a real pleasure was the friendliness of the local people.”

    PB, Swansea
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Our Expert's Opinion

Mary
Mary Anne Nelson Travel Expert Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.

Inspired by this trip

Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

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Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Hannah
    Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert

    Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.

  • Hannah
    Hannah Donaldson - Travel Expert

    Having spent part of her childhood in Colombia and worked in Brazil and Costa Rica, Hannah's ties to Latin America run deep. Hannah is a much valued Travel Expert in our Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tours sales team.

  • Heloise
    Heloise Buxton - Travel Expert

    Heloise started her Latin American journey as an exchange student in Santiago, Chile. With extended summer holidays this was the perfect opportunity to backpack through Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

  • Lina
    Lina Fuller - Travel Expert

    Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.

  • Juliet
    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

  • Ben
    Ben Line - Travel Expert

    Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Head of Sales.

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