Birding Nicaragua

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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?
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Max Group Size
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.
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.
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Dates & Availability
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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.

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What's excluded
- International airfare
- Immigration fee
- Alcohol, personal expenses such as souvenirs, expenses relating to personal choices during free time
- Tips for guides.
Accommodation
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.
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