Mombacho Volcano is a distinctive figure which can be seen from almost any part of Granada. Located just 10km outside of Granada Nicaragua, this is an active Nicaraguan volcano with its own unique habitat and cloud forest. For the best views of Granada, do a Mombacho Volcano hike. There are three hikes to choose from with varying levels of difficulty. We came across plenty of wildlife on our volcano hike, such as howler monkeys and the guardabarranco, the national bird of Nicaragua. Best of all we were rewarded with spectacular views of Granada, Lake Nicaragua, Las Isletas, Volcano Masaya and Laguna de Apoyo!
About Mombacho Volcano – Mombacho Volcano facts
Where is the volcano Mombacho located?
Mombacho Volcano is located in Mombacho Volcano Nature Reserve in Nicaragua. Reserva Natural Volcán Mombacho is one of 78 protected areas in Nicaragua. This Nicaraguan nature preserve is situated approximately 10km south of the city of Granada Nicaragua in the department of Granada. It is in the middle of Nicaragua in a region known as the Pacific lowlands.
What type of volcano is Mombacho Volcano?
Volcán Mombacho is an andesitic and basaltic stratovolcano. Stratovolcanoes are also known as a composite volcanoes. They are cone-shaped with steep sides and made of many layers of hardened lava, tephra (volcanic rock fragments) and volcanic ash.
Is Mombacho Volcano active?
Yes, Mombacho Volcano is technically active. However while Volcan Mombacho is officially an active volcano, its last recorded eruption was in 1570.
How tall is Volcano Mombacho Granada Nicaragua?
Volcano Mombacho is a towering presence, which stands 1,344m high. It is the 4th tallest volcano in Nicaragua after Volcano San Cristóbal, Volcano Concepción and Volcano Maderas.
How many volcanoes are in Nicaragua?
Nicaragua is known as the land of lakes and volcanoes. There are 19 volcanoes in Nicaragua.
| Volcano | Elevation (metres) | Elevation (feet) | Last Eruption |
| San Cristóbal | 1745 | 5725 | 2012 |
| Concepción | 1700 | 5577 | 2009 |
| Maderas | 1394 | 4573 | Holocene |
| Mombacho | 1344 | 4409 | 1570 |
| Momotombo | 1297 | 4255 | 2015 |
| Las Pilas | 1088 | 3570 | 1954 |
| Telica | 1061 | 3481 | 2015 |
| Lajas | 926 | 3038 | Holocene |
| Estelí | 899 | 2949 | Holocene |
| Cosigüina | 872 | 2861 | 1859 |
| Rota | 832 | 2730 | Holocene |
| Cerro Negro | 728 | 2388 | 1999 |
| Masaya | 635 | 2083 | continuing |
| Zapatera | 629 | 2064 | Holocene |
| Ciguatepe | 603 | 1978 | Holocene |
| Apoyeque | 518 | 1699 | 50 BC |
| Nejapa-Miraflores | 360 | 1181 | Holocene |
| Granada | 300 | 984 | 10,000 BC |
| Azul | 201 | 659 | Holocene |
About Mombacho Volcano Cloud Forest
A notable feature of Mombacho Nicaragua is its cloud forest which contains plants and animals that can only be found on this volcano!
About Mombacho hike
There are 3 Mombacho hiking trails that you can do at the top of the volcano:
- Crater Trail – Mombacho Crater Trail is the easiest of the trails and does not require a guide. It can be done in 1-2 hours, is 1.5km in distance and includes a couple of lookouts with stunning views over Granada and Lake Nicaragua
- El Tigrillo Trail – Mombacho Tigrillo Trail requires a guide
- El Puma Trail – Mombacho Puma Trail is the most demanding of the Mombacho hikes and requires a guide
Getting to Mombacho Volcano
How do I get to Mombacho Volcano by car
Mombacho Volcano overlooks the city of Granada is only around 10km away. It is a 20min car ride through the beautiful countryside. We took a taxi to volcano Mombacho from Granada Nicaragua and that cost us $14 USD for the return trip (as at 2020). The taxi dropped us off at the car park near the Mombacho Volcano ticket office. From the ticket office it is a further 4.9km (3 mile) walk to get to the hiking trails, or you can pay for transport to the crater as part of your entry fee.
How do I get to Mombacho Volcano by bus
There are buses from Granada Nicaragua to Mombacho for around 10 cordobas. Buses depart from the Cementerio De Granada and the bus ride takes around 20 minutes. Any buses heading to Nandaime or Rivas will drive close to the entrance to Mombacho nature reserve. If you ask your driver, they will tell you where to get off the bus for Mombacho volcano. From the highway, it is a further 2km (1 mile) walk to the ticket office for Mombacho Volcano. Alternatively you can catch a tuk tuk to the ticket office for around 100 cordobas. From the ticket office it is a further 4.9km (3 mile) walk to get to the hiking trails, or you can pay for transport up to the crater when you pay your entry fee.
Mombacho volcano tour
There are a number of tour companies that offer Mombacho tours. We’ve used Danny’s Tour before and were very impressed with their service. Danny’s Tour is a Nicaraguan owned and operated tour company that has been around since 2014. For more information see this website.
Entry fees for Mombacho Volcano
There is an entry fee for Mombacho Volcano for entrance to the park as well as an additional price for the specific trail you want to go on. As at December 2020 the prices were as follows:
| National Children | Foreign Children | National Adults | Foreign Adults | |
| Entry Fee (Walking) | $2 USD | $4 USD | $4 USD | $5 USD |
| Entry Fee (With Transport) | $4 USD | $10 USD | $8 USD | $20 USD |
| “El Tigrillo” Trail | $2 USD | $4 USD | $2 USD | $4 USD |
| “El Puma” Trail | $3 USD | $6 USD | $3 USD | $6 USD |
| Crater Trail | $1 USD | $2 USD | $1 USD | $2 USD |
Optional Add-Ons:
- Camping Fee $20 USD
- 4 x 4 Vehicle Access $25 USD per vehicle
- Eco Lodge $35 USD for Nationals, $50 USD for Foreigners and $0 for Children under 7 years old
- Guides $10 USD for Spanish speaking guides and $15 USD for English speaking guides for a group of 5 people
We walked and did the Crater Trail, so it was $5 USD each for our local friends and $7 USD each for us.
How long to spend at Mombacho Volcano
Mombacho Volcano is a good day trip, but you can also stay on the volcano overnight, either camping or at Mombacho lodge. If you are driving up the volcano and doing the shortest trail then you can see the main vantage sights in a couple of hours. We walked up and it took us 4 hours to reach the start of the trails (with a lot of rest stops and photos along the way) and a further 1.5 hours to walk back down to the entrance. The Crater Trail hike, which is the shortest of the hikes, took us a leisurely 2 hours. In total we were at Mombacho Volcano from 8am to 5pm.
Our Mombacho Volcano hike
We’ve been living in Nicaragua since the start of the covid pandemic. During that time we’ve had a unique glimpse into the food, places and culture of this wonderful country. After waking up to views of Mombacho Volcano for 9 months, we decided it was finally time to experience it up close. We organised a day trip there and brought along our local friends Deyanira and Freddy.
Arriving at the Mombacho Volcano National Park
We got there bright and early around 8am, which was when the park opened. When we got there, we were to wash our hands. Love the covid safe protocols!
We paid at the entrance and then were on our way. The cost of entry to Reserva Natural Volcán Mombacho as at November 2020 was $5 USD for foreigners and $4 USD for locals. You also have to pay an additional amount depending on the trail you decide to walk once you have reached the top. We chose the Mombacho Crater Trail. This was a further $2 USD for foreigners and $1 USD for locals, bringing the total entry cost to $7 USD and $5 USD respectively. For the tougher Mombacho Tigrillo trail and Puma trail, you need to walk with a guide and these will cost you more for both the trail and the guide.
You also have the option of taking a truck up to the top, however this will set you back $22 USD per person.
The hike up Mombacho Volcano
There aren’t too many stores on the way up Mombacho Volcano. With this in mind, we took the opportunity to buy some snacks and drinks at the corner store. This can be found just shortly after the entrance (it’s a house on the left).
On our walk up we saw plenty of wildlife. We were also surrounded by banana and coffee plantations.
We managed to glimpse the national bird of Nicarauga, which is the Guardabarranco!
We were fascinated by these leaf cutter ants! They were pretty fun to watch!
We were basically the only people walking up the volcano, however there were a couple of people on their early morning walks. One person we found particularly impressive was a guy was walking up with his son on his back. Now that’s a workout!
Canopy tours on Mombacho Volcano
Just before the halfway mark, you will get to Mombacho Canopy Tour Miravalle. This is the Mombacho Volcano zipline. There are 2km of zip lines to ride as well as 17 platforms, 15 cables and 2 hanging bridges.
As at June 2021 the entrance fees for Canopy Tour Miravalle were as follows:
| National Children | Foreign Children | National Adults | Foreign Adults | |
| Entry Fee (Canopy Tour) | $11.50 USD | $17.25 USD | $17.25 USD | $28.75 USD |
Cafe las Flores Nicaragua
After about an hour of walking we reached a beautiful lookout point. This lookout was a perfect spot for photo opportunities, not to mention a well earned break! At the halfway point, there is also a cafe called Cafe las Flores. This is where you can sample some of the local coffee and have lunch. The lunch prices are $9 USD for either a number of chicken or beef dishes with rice, tostones, salad and a drink. Alternatively, a coffee and a sandwich will set you back $3.50 USD. There are also toilet facilities in this area, so make sure you take advantage of them as there are no more before getting to the summit!
Approaching the top of Mombacho Volcano
The path up to this point was steep but paved. It begins easily enough with a dirt path through the forest, but before too long it gets steep, really steep!
We made sure that we took plenty of breaks, because our legs demanded it! Halfway up the volcano you can start to see some amazing views across the country side, such as the smouldering active Volcano Masaya.
As we were approached the summit, the temperature dropped. We soon found ourselves in the cloud forest. It was really cool being up in the clouds! That said, we were hoping by the time we got to the summit, that the clouds would part and we can see some awesome views from the top.
Howler monkeys on Mombacho Volcano
One distraction from the steepness of the hike were the howler monkeys! Fortunately for us, we managed to spot a whole family up close and personal! They are called howler monkeys due to their very distinctive and quite scary call. They were quiet the morning we were there, however heard their calls on the way down.
Reaching the summit on Mombacho Volcano hike
As we arrive at the summit it started raining. However, not to be deterred, we made a beeline straight to the lookout. However our view was obscured by a wall of cloud. From hiking through a cloud forest to seeing a forest of clouds, not what we’d hoped for but still very atmospheric!
We decide to break for lunch instead. The first thing we were told by the rangers were to wash our hands. Good to see covid safe practices at the top and bottom of the volcano! We chose to eat lunch outside, instead of in the visitor centre. Unfortunately we never got the chance to look inside, however there is plenty of exhibits about the volcano.
After lunch, the clouds appeared to be breaking up, so we had another try with the lookout. To our delight, we could see expansive views across Nicaragua. This included the city of Granada, Lake Nicaragua with its over 365 small islands, Masaya Volcano with smoke rising from it as well as the vast country beyond. It was breathtaking!
Hiking trails on Mombacho Volcano
From there we started our hike through one of the 3 trails around the Mombacho crater. We did the Crater Trail, which is the easiest one, being about a kilometre or so. There’s also the Tigrillo and the Puma Trail and they’re a fair bit tougher and they also require a guide to go with you.
The Puma trail is the toughest hike at a further 4 hours in length. However you will venture around the other side of Mombacho to another crater and you will be able to see views of Ometepe Island, as well as have a greater chance of observing the wildlife.
The cloud forest is amazing, it’s so beautiful. And we’re so lucky that the clouds lifted after we had lunch, so we saw the amazing view of Granada below.
Natural tunnel on Mombacho Volcano hike
On the Crater Trail there is a natural tunnel that was formed when the rock split in two. I don’t know how many years ago but it looks like its got a lot of moss on it, so its been like this for a while.
Lookout point on Mombacho Volcano hike
Finally, the best views from Mombacho Volcano can be found on the final lookout on the Crater Trail. Firstly, from the lookout you can see amazing views of the active Masaya Volcano and the smoke coming from that. You can also see Laguna de Apoyo as well as the city of Granada. Finally, you can also see the Isletas. It’s such as magical view!
Fumeroles on Mombacho Volcano
El Mombacho volcano is active, with some signs of volcanic activity lurking below. Specifically, there are ‘fumaroles’ that you can check out. These are vents that bring volcanic gas up to the surface. Near the summit of Mombacho Volcano there are three well-established fumarole areas. On some days we can see smoke rising from Mombacho’s fumaroles from our home in Granada Nicaragua.
Hiking down Mombacho Volcano
After all the excitement of witnessing the views, the reality dawned on us that we had another couple of hours of steep walk down! Thankfully we still had plenty of amazing views to admire.
Where to stay when visiting Mombacho Volcano
If you want to experience spending the night on the side of a volcano, you can camp on Mombacho Volcano or stay at Mombacho lodge. Alternatively, if you prefer to do it as a day trip, we’d recommend staying in Granada. Other places to stay that are a short drive away are the city of Masaya (which has its home to an active volcano!) as well as the lakeside area of Apoyo.
Is Mombacho Volcano safe?
General safety considerations for travel to Mombacho Volcano
- Drinking water – Bring plenty of drinking water with you on the hike and make sure you stay hydrated
- Mosquitoes – We had no issues with mosquitoes on Mombacho Volcano
- Road safety – The roads to Mombacho Volcano are well maintained. Exercise normal road safety. The road up to the hiking area of Mombacho Volcano is very steep. It is paved about half way and then it becomes a dirt road
- Sun safety – The UV Index is very high in Nicaragua, so sun protection such as sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses is very important to ensure you don’t get burnt.
- Dogs – in many countries in Central America, stray dogs are common. We saw some stray dogs at the entrance to Mombacho Volcano when we were there. For more on dog safety while travelling, check out this video.
As with any destination, take all of your normal safety precautions.
Final thoughts on Mombacho Volcano
Hiking to the summit of Volcano Mombacho was such an amazing experience, with spectacular views and a good workout along the way! We ended up taking a full day Mombacho Volcano from 8am to 5pm, it was the perfect day trip!
If you want to learn more about visiting Mombacho Volcano, check out our Mombacho Volcano video.
Nicaragua Blogs
You can find our Nicaragua blogs below.
Esteli Nicaragua Destination Guide (2024): What You Need to Know
Ometepe Island Nicaragua Destination Guide (2024): What You Need to Know
Masaya Nicaragua Destination Guide (2024): What You Need to Know
San Juan del Sur Nicaragua Destination Guide (2024): What You Need to Know
Managua Nicaragua Destination Guide (2024): What You Need to Know
Leon Nicaragua Destination Guide (2024): What You Need to Know
Granada Nicaragua Destination Guide (2024): What You Need to Know
Transport in Nicaragua – Complete Guide to Nicaragua Transportation (2024)
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Granada Ferry: How to get to Ometepe Island
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