RUN NICA - 8 DAYS / 7 NIGHTS
Runner on the ground - ROGUE EXPEDITIONS
Dates:
- January 20 – 27, 2025
- Private groups can be arranged
Duration: 8 days, 7 nights
Price: $4,695 per person
- Trip pricing is based on double occupancy and solo travelers will be placed with a same-sex roommate.
- Due to the size and unique nature of most of our accommodation, single rooms are not generally available for this trip. If an opportunity for a single room opens up, we will make it available to registered participants; you can indicate your interest when you sign up and we will offer single rooms in the order in which you registered.
Deposit:
You will pay a deposit of $600 to secure your spot. Once confirmed, your tour operator will charge the remaining amount.
Terrain:
Most runs will feature a mix of single track trails, often very technical especially in forested areas, dirt roads, some paved roads and a little bit of beach. The volcano hike on Concepcion – the highlight of the week! – is quite technical and very steep. Those who make it all the way up will log 4500ft / 1400m of gain in just 2.5mi / 4km (and then the same back down, of course)! Expect this to be a very full, very challenging day; we encourage everyone to prepare for this as best they can, though there will be several opportunities to turn back for anyone who feels too far out of their comfort zone.
Average daily running distance: 11-12 km
Longest running distance in a day: 16 km
Group size: up to 14 participants
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What level of running is this trip suitable for?
Are there any alternatives for non-runners?
What’s NOT Included in the Price?
See Additional Information for more details on Payment Procedure and Cancellation Policy.
What Level of Running is this Trip suitable for?
All routes are adjustable in terms of distance and plans will be tweaked according to the ability mix of the group. Daily maximums are listed on the itinerary and there is no time or pace pressure. We will take it day by day and clearly explain each run as they come along so you can adjust to suit your needs!
Keep in mind that many people end up running quite a bit more during our trips than they would at home – when running is your only responsibility for the day, you’ll be amazed at how much more you can do!
There are a couple of group hikes built into this trip. Exploration of Nicaragua’s amazing volcanoes is a must, and a group hike is the way to do this – these are not runnable trails and will be challenging for everyone. So, while the overall mileage is lower than what you may see on our other trips, don’t worry – you will finish the week happily and completely exhausted!
Are there any Alternatives for Non-runners?
It’s possible, as long as they understand that each day is primarily scheduled around that day’s run or hike and that our guides won’t be able to arrange alternate activities for them.
Accommodation
- The first two nights are spent on a beautiful private coffee farm with mountain views. The rooms are basic but very comfortable, and the hangout spaces and surrounding cloud forests make this place unforgettable!
- The next night will be spent in a beautiful colonial-era hotel overlooking the central square, convenient to all the town’s most popular sights and attractions.
- The next two nights will be back on a private farm in a quiet corner of Isla de Ometepe, in cozy lakefront cabins.
- The final two nights are at a spectacular property on the Emerald Coast featuring modern treetop casitas that fully blend in with the beautiful natural surroundings.The first two nights will have 2-4 people per room, and the remaining nights will be double occupancy.
- If a single room becomes available we will offer it to registered participants.
Dietary Accommodation
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
- Halal
If you have any dietary requirements, please let us know about them in a comment upon your booking.
ITINERARY
DAY 1 | ESCAPING TO OUR MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY
Welcome!
We will gather everyone in Managua and waste no time in hitting the road north to Matagalpa. The relatively cool temperatures and lush greenery of the mountains will help everyone ease into the tropical environment from the frigid winter back home. Our accommodation is a unique private house set on a beautiful coffee farm with views of the surrounding forested mountains. After getting settled, our private chef will prepare drinks and snacks so that you can kick back and soak in the surroundings before a big dinner!
Running: No scheduled running. Short evening shakeout optional.
Meals: Lunch and Dinner included
DAY 2 | CAFÉ, ALL DAY
Life starts nice and early in Nicaragua, so we will rise with the sun, have a light breakfast, enjoy some great coffee and start running! Our run today takes us through a neighboring coffee farm and nature reserve, an authentic glimpse of coffee production during the harvest season! After lunch we will take a guided tour of the coffee harvest process and get a deep understanding of all parts of the process – and of course a chance to stock up on some sustainably grown and ethically produced coffee beans. Our chef will prepare another feast for dinner and you’ll be free to enjoy some lounge time on the farm!
Running: 5-10 miles (1200 ft-1800 ft gain) double track, some paved concrete sections
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included
DAY 3 | CRATER LAKES AND COLONIAL CHARM
We will enjoy a big breakfast on the farm before packing up and heading back south towards Laguna de Apoyo for today’s run. Set in the caldera of an ancient volcano, Apoyo is a stunning lake best admired from high above on the forested slopes – exactly where we will start our run! Single-track winds down towards the lake, oropendolas and howler monkeys will provide the soundtrack, and by the time you get lakeside we think you’ll be ready to jump in for a restorative post-run swim! Next we head into Granada where you will have the rest of the afternoon free to explore the sights of this charming city; have your camera ready for photogenic streets teeming with the best of local culture. We will dine out tonight at a popular local restaurant and maybe even sample some nightlife if energy permits!
Running: 7 miles, (300 ft gain, 1200 ft descent), rocky/dusty single track, paved road
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included
DAY 4 | MOMBACHO
We will rise early (you’ll be in the groove by now!) for breakfast before heading off to Granada’s local volcano, Mombacho. A well-preserved cloud-forest bioreserve tops the volcano and we will learn lots about the unique flora and fauna as well as check out some burned areas of forest from the ongoing volcanic activity. Today is going to be a group recovery hike along the forested trails with an option to run a cruise-y descent down the volcano after the hike. We will grab a picnic lunch and then hit the road south to our next destination, Isla de Ometepe (perhaps we will even have glimpsed the island from the summit of the volcano already!), which we’ll reach by way of a scenic ferry ride across Lake Nicaragua. After landfall we will head straight to our retreat on a private farm where we can settle in for two nights.
Hiking: 5 miles (1200 ft descent), single track forest trails, dirt road
Running: option for 4 mile descent (3500 ft descent!!) on dirt/partly paved road
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included
DAY 5 | CONCEPCION – THE MAIN EVENT!
Enjoy a fresh, local breakfast with produce straight from the surrounding farm before heading out to explore Concepción, the volcano that dominates the views all around Ometepe. We’ll again hike as a group, ascending to the amazing active crater which is hot to the touch and pungent with sulfur fumes. It’s an exhilarating experience to climb what is a picture perfect cone volcano – a very challenging day no doubt, but one we would be remiss not to explore! On the descent there will be some fun options to let ‘er rip down some ash slopes, though leisurely descents are also an option. We will picnic along the way and there will still be some time in the afternoon for hammocks and swims in the lake.
Hiking: 6 miles, 4500 ft elevation gain and loss, technical single track – challenging day!
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included
DAY 6 | A WELL-EARNED REST DAY!
- This morning we’ll indulge in a much-deserved rest day, enjoying a leisurely breakfast and time to lounge in the hammocks and soak in the views of our lakefront retreat.
- Eventually we’ll pull ourselves away and bid farewell to Ometepe, but not before stopping by a local farm to learn about local permaculture efforts on the island. We’ll sail back to the mainland and head to the Pacific Coast for our final two nights, where gorgeous treetop casitas await us. We’ll get settled in, kick back with some sunset cocktails and enjoy a delicious dinner right on-site – tomorrow is our final run!
Running: no scheduled run (but if you want a few morning miles, we can point you in the right direction!)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included
DAY 7 | BEST OF THE EMERALD COAST
- This morning we will hit the trails early again right from our hotel. Plenty of run options are available on the trails throughout the beautifully landscaped property which covers a stretch of rolling green hills, and the full distance option will take you up to a high point for sweeping views of San Juan del Sur! You’ll have time back at the hotel for a dip in the pool before we head down into the local town of San Juan del Sur for brunch.
- Around midday we will head off for our grand finale; a private catamaran cruise along the Emerald Cruise to admire the beauty of this stunning and rugged stretch of coast. Food, drinks and music will all be onboard so you can kick back, swim a little, and soak up the sunshine all the way to sunset. The ocean usually works up an appetite so we will finish things off with a special final dinner back at the hotel to reflect on the full scope of this Nicaraguan experience!
Running: up to 10 miles, trail, dirt road, some pavement
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included
DAY 8 | DEPARTURES/BACK TO REALITY
That’s about it! We will have a last breakfast together before driving back to the Managua airport, arriving with plenty of time to accommodate lunchtime, afternoon and evening departures.
Running: no scheduled run, though there are plenty of options right from the hotel if you’d like a few miles
Meals: Breakfast included
What’s Included in the Price?
- Pre-trip guidance + communication
- Managua airport transfers on arrival and departure day
- Transportation (comfortable, air conditioned passenger vans with professional drivers)
- 7 nights accommodation: two nights in a beautiful mountain hideaway home; one night accommodation at a historical hotel in the center of Granada; two nights in lakefront cabanas on an island farm; two nights in modern treetop casitas on a sprawling eco-resort along the Emerald Coast. The first two nights will have 2-4 people per room, and the remaining nights will be a mix of single and double occupancy; you can indicate your preference at sign up and we will assign rooms based on the order in which registrations are received.
- Six unique organized & guided runs and hikes
- Ferry tickets to/from Isla de Ometepe
- Private chartered catamaran trip on the final night (alcohol included)
- All permits and local guide fees
- Experienced Rogue Expeditions trip leaders & and local logistics team
- All meals from lunch on arrival day until breakfast on departure day
- Rogue Expeditions swag
What’s NOT Included in the Price?
- Alcohol and beverages other than water (coffee always provided with breakfasts & alcohol is included with the catamaran trip)
- Travel Insurance
- Personal purchases/souvenirs
- Tips
Cancellation Policy
Cancellation is considered initiated on the date that Rogue Expeditions receives written confirmation from you.
Cancellation charge per person cancelling:
- Within 30 days of booking (but more than 90 days from departure): Full refund*
- 90+ days from the trip start date (but after the 30 day grace period): Deposits are non-refundable
- 61-90 days from the trip start date: 50% of total payment refunded**
- 60 days or less from the trip start date: No refunds
*Participants who register using a transfer credit may transfer again without penalty within 30 days of booking, but are not eligible for a refund.
**This only applies to participants who have paid their balances on time. If you do not pay the balance by the due date and cancel after the fact, Rogue Expeditions will retain your full deposit. You are strongly encouraged to take out cancellation insurance to cover potential loss due to cancellation on your part. If you do not arrive for the trip, arrive late or leave early no refunds will be issued and you are responsible for any additional costs associated with transport to and from the tour.
CANCELLATION BY HOLIDAY TOUR PROVIDER:
We may cancel a trip at any time up to 60 days before departure if the trip has not met the minimum booking numbers. We may cancel a trip at any time prior to departure due to terrorism, natural disasters, pandemics, civil unrest, official government travel warnings or restrictions or other external events that prevent us from safely operating the planned itinerary. If we cancel your trip due to low participant numbers, you can transfer amounts paid to an alternate trip or receive a full refund. In circumstances where the cancellation is due to external events outside our reasonable control refunds will be less any unrecoverable costs. We are not responsible for any incidental expenses that you may have incurred as a result of your booking including but not limited to visas, vaccinations, travel insurance or non-refundable flights.
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