The silence was intercepted only by the rippling of the water and fluttering of the wings of the birds flying around us. Most travellers use Liberia as a jumping-off point for the Rincn de la Vieja and Santa Rosa national parks, an overnight stop to or from the beaches of Guanacaste, or a break on the way to Nicaragua.. That said, Liberia is an appealing city, particularly if you explore on foot in the shade of its numerous mango trees. We even landed up using them to go back to the airport as transportation. Return Location: Returns to original departure point. The next stop a few meters away, the guide tells all clients to collect their bags as they must change of van when they cross the police patrol to switch transport in Nicaragua side. We are glad we gave Nicaragua its well-deserved chance. Their prices are amazing and they are the nicest people. Thank you to share your great experience. Espero que tengas un buen viaje. Yet I would say the lagoon, that looked like a big circle containing deep blue liquid, was quite charming. Discover the best waterfalls in Costa Rica, and read up on the best hikes in Costa Rica. We booked 2 tours with Frank on the beach at the Riu Guancaste and were not disappointed. Operators have paid Viator more to have their. Native's Way is not responsible for any additional fees for obtaining a visa to Nicaragua. Jaguars and pumas prowl the park, though youre unlikely to see them. Cut-off times are based on the experiences local time. I knew better. First off, you get your money's worth on this one! Santa Rosa mall is located in the main intersection of Liberia Highway, any bus to Liberia can drop you off there, meeting point is next to BAC (bank). We loved everything about our day including how Claudio thinks outside of the box! However, we visited the national park during day. Find all the transport options for your trip from Liberia to Managua right here. * Covid vaccination card required (or) PCR Covid Test. They helped us through an emergency situation with class, dignity and professionalism. Places you visit on the Nicaragua day excursion: Lake Nicaragua (take pictures of the Ometepe volcano) Laguna de Apoyo Masaya Volcano National Park Masaya Market Granada We got picked up at 5:30 AM very close to our condo in Playas del Coco. hi sweetheart, thank you so much for let to other knows about your experiences. Discover the natural beauty and heritage of Nicaragua with a full-day tour that travels round-trip from northern Costa Rica. Boat tour on Nicaragua Lake (Granada City), What we liked about the Nicaragua day trip, What could be better about the Nicaragua day trip, Nicaragua Visa requirements for Indian passport holders, Nicaragua day trip: A well-deserved chance, Frida Kahlo Museum/ Casa Azul How it affected me, Peruvian gastronomy: 7 must-try food and beverage, Before starting, we booked the tour online and awaited the confirmation while we were already on our way to Liberia, Before starting, we booked ourselves a 2 nights stay at a budget guesthouse in Liberia, On our way from the workplace to Liberia, made a quick stop at home to pack a backpack, Get off the mini van (Costa Rica number plate), Enter Costa Rica immigration office and depart the country get the exit stamp on passport. While the rest of the tour participants enjoyed the monkey interaction at the Spider Monkey Island on our boat tour, we feel animals should be left alone in their natural habitat and should definitely not be fed with chocolates and cookies in plastic wrappers. . $60 of those dollars I was using to give to the tour guide for providing a service prior to the trip. I would still recommend this trip even with a longer wait. Nicaragua is primarily a rural country with some bigger towns. To reach Liberia from elsewhere in Costa Rica, typical travel times by bus are: From Monteverde | 3-4 hours. It's not necessary, as everyone accepted USD and it was a bit confusing trying to figure out the exchange rate. Rome2Rio displays up to date schedules, route maps . Our guide Misael was so great, informative, responsible young man who loves his job and his country. Hi Lisa, thank you so Much for this amazing review, you both are so special. Before arriving at the border control, each client must get off the van to stamp their passport at the immigration offices. Some countries may often issue travel warnings on Nicaragua. Everything was paid for and we didnt shell out extra money except for souvenirs and of course tips which they really deserved. However, there is not enough evidence to accuse an excellent employee of our team and we will not be able to fulfill your expectations. Our shuttle will pick you up at 9:15 AM at the Liberia Airport or downtown Liberia at 9:30 AM in Plaza Santa Rosa in front of Perimercado, and take you to the border with Nicaragua. The weather was perfect and food delicious. Exit taxes are included. My tour guides were passionate about their country and show you some of the amazing experiences available in Nicaragua. How I wished we had more time to have quiet conversations at charming coffee shops. Each dish would be accompanied with salad, white rice and french fries. This tour was very well done. Thank you so much for your review. That said, Liberia is an appealing city, particularly if you explore on foot in the shade of its numerous mango trees. Thank you for your review. The country has been perennially affected by war or revolution through the major course of the 20th century. Now, for many countries in the American continents, you can get a visa exemption if you hold a valid US visa. And not at the beginning. There are 4 ways to get from Costa Rica to Nicaragua by bus, car or plane Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner. At first we thought it was going to be bad as they didnt pick us up due to some miscommunication at their office. The answer is A LOT! Los Comales: a typical Costa Rican soda, very popular for its generous portions of tasty rustic food. I have used other companies in the past, but none were as good and as reasonable as Costa Rica Unique. It is very important for us to know about your guides. There a guide will assist you with the immigration process out of Costa Rica and into Nicaragua. But if you can only be in a country for one day, wouldnt it be worth it? Have more flexibility with a private tour, Hear insightful commentary from your guide, Includes breakfast, lunch, and Lake Nicaragua cruise, Optional activities available in the afternoon, *Connections if you are not staying in Liberia city. Granada City is home to several heritage buildings and churches. Our guide was very knowledgeable and knew his history well. The guide will make the process easy for you and will take care of all of the passport paperwork and visas. Really there are so many places unknown & beautiful placesand its a privilege to travel to those part of this earth. Consider changing the search query. Entry to Nicaragua: Schedule your PCR Covid-19 test with us for 120 USD - Doctor will travel to your hotel 2 days before the date of the tour. For reservations, please contact us in the form below, we will be sending you a link for online payment, once we have verified availability. You can take a bus from Liberia to Managua via Peas Blancas in around 4h 51m. Liberia has a strong dining scene with several above-average restaurants serving local dishes such as natilla (sour cream) eaten with eggs, or gallo pinto and tortillas. We could have never have seen so much or experienced so many different areas of southwestern Nic on our own. As such, it attracts researchers from all over the world. Explore all of Nicaragua's most famous highlights all in one day on this Nicaragua tour from Costa Rica! The towns were vibrant and people very friendly! Expect to spend a lot of time on the van. You can enjoy good gallo pinto in Liberia, Costa Rica Shutterstock. Presence at the crater site is time limited as a safety control measure. We saw natural wonders (including looking down into an active volcano), ancient towns (including going to the top of an old church to see all of Granada), and a small chocolate museum. What an amazing day!. They followed up with us when we got home to make sure we were ok. I am a big fan of the road less travelled or off the beaten path. I would decline the offer. in this travel group whereas the others were from Canada, US and Netherlands. The parque itself is dedicated to el mes del anexin, the month of the annexation (July), celebrating the fact that Guanacaste is not in Nicaragua. Trees, bushes and grass on the foreground and a pair of twin volcanic mountains in the background framed my lake view. Nice. But the best part of this trip was going to Masaya Volcano National Park! You can take a taxi from here into town. The tour provides pick and drop options from different towns in the Guanacaste province. However the time we were allowed there was enough to get a glimpse of the orange-red lava lake as well, when the fumes cleared for a moment. Our hearts beamed with joy. We also get to feed the monkeys. Our app deals help you to save on trips so you can travel more and manage it all on the go. cheerful, passionnate and had a great knowledge of Costa Rica's nature and wildlife. Expect parades, bands, fireworks and bulls wreaking havoc. Masaya Artisan Market: Do some shopping for inexpensive souvenirs and experience the Nicaraguan life style before sitting down for a typical Nicaraguan lunch. A country on category B Must pay Nicaraguan Visa. Roland and Ernesto were amazing and our tour guide in Nicaragua was great! I just wanted to warn people so that this wouldnt happen to anyone else. It was well thought out and the tour guide knew a lot of information. see an amazing volcano in a national park and see a lot of beautiful green, along with some wildlife. Hop over the border and take in the highlights of Nicaragua on this full-day tour from Liberia in Costa Rica. I cant say enough what an amazing tour company this is. We got to see a lot of the natural beauty of the country. OurCosta Rica travel tipswill also help you plan your trip. You could also get a view of the famous Mombacho volcano from this mirador. However the reason I have this expedition 3 stars is because the driver stole money out of my purse. If its canceled because the minimum isnt met, youll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund. On the boat tour, as we passed by some small islands with private houses, our guide explained that the lake is home to around 300+such small islands which can be privately owned. for your convenience the meeting point is at Plaza Santa Rosa Mall next to BAC bank, Liberia Guanacaste. Nicarague is a beautiful country, and seeing the ACTIVE volcano was so cool! When we arrived back to the bus, I proceeded to give him the $60 and that was all that was left in my wallet. For a real feast, try desayuno guanacasteco, a hearty local breakfast of tortillas, sour cream, eggs, rice-and-beans, and sometimes meat. Before arriving at the border control, each client must get off the van to stamp their passport at the immigration offices. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. This was a once in a life time experience and Im so glad we did it. Thus, contrary to popular choice, the afternoon boat tour excursion was probably our least favorite part of the Nicaragua day trip. From San Jos | 4-5 hours From Tamarindo | 2 hours From Uvita | 6 hours, likely requires transfer in San Jos Our tour was outstanding. The trip has a wonderful mix of stops. Great tour! For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experiences start time. While we waited for the breakfast to be served, I watched the small waves roll up to the beach by the large lake. Both our teenagers and our 4 year old had a good time. From here, youll have a panoramic city view of Granada, Mombacho Volcano, and Nicaragua Lake with the islets. I had mentioned before about the enormous size of the Nicaragua Lake. You will drive through an agricultural area (rice, sugar, sorghum, mango etc.) Particular to this region, this architectural feature is left over from the colonial era. The pricing ranges from $130-$150 depending on the pick-up/drop-off point. I don't think we should have waited for people to meet the bus, if they were not there at the designated time, we should have left them. Some trails lead west to the cataratas escondidas (hidden waterfalls), while another runs east to the Santa Mara station. Chances are, you'll also love our customisable Costa Rica Eco Adventure trip. Our guide was fantastic and it was a great way to see Nicaragua in a day. The guide send a report of what happened and we immediately made the pertinent investigations and I want to respond to your reviews based on the testimonies of the guide and the driver. Plus there's a great smoking volcano at the top to reward you for your efforts. It is important to mention that on this tour from Liberia to the Border with Nicaragua it is approximately 1:15 hours, then you have to cross the border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua which can take 1 hour on busy days and 25 minutes in not busy days, from the border with Nicaragua to Granada is around 2:15 hours and from Granada to Masaya it is around 35 minutes. Its wide streets reveal the legacy of the pioneering farmers and cattle ranchers who founded it. Given its welcoming charm, and proximity to top natural attractions, consider spending 3-4 days in Liberia before heading elsewhere in Guanacaste. I highly recommend this and the wonderful guides! I am a big fan of the road less travelled or off the beaten path. But, I think some people taking the tour were out of control, that of course is not the fault of the tour company, so I can't knock them for it. This has its origins as an annual livestock fair and is celebrated over ten days. On July 30th 2013 I used Costa Rica Unique Transfer & Tours to take a day trip from Guanacaste to Nicaragua, and I definitely recommend them. This region of Nicaragua is worth a visit! Bathed in the last rays of the sun, the city glowed with a golden filter. Officially called Parque Mario Caas Ruiz, it's named after a twentieth-century poet and musician whose songs paid tribute to sabanero culture. The Nicaragua one day tour from Guanacaste is a full day activity starting from about 5 AM to 9 PM. From Masaya to the border with Costa Rica again it is about 2 hours. How I wished we had more time to spend in Granada City. To do Masaya volcano at night you can leave later and pay only extra $10. Unauthorized request L2FwaS9jb21tZW50L0dldENvbW1lbnRzP2NydW1iPUJXcEFCRUwybWZON09UZzNaVE0xTjJJNU16TTVPVFU1TURneFlqazVaVFV3WXpBNE5qVTM= 4- There were several stops including shopping centers that you visited before reporting your loss. Then we went on a boat cruise where we saw monkeys and different kinds of birds. site may be reprodiced without our written permission. more, Tropical Rainforest, Hanging Bridges And Jungle Sloths Sanctuary, This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. 4- There were several stops including shopping centers that you visited before reporting your loss. Hope you find well. Masaya volcano is an active volcano that continuously emits sulfur dioxide fumes. At one point, some of them requested to stop the van so that they could get down to take photographs of bullock carts on the road! A boat ride on a large fresh water lake on a sunny afternoon should be soothing to the soul. If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experiences start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded. If you are in the area you have GOT to take this tour and take it with Claudio. The Ultimate Guide to Crossing the Border Between Costa Rica and Nicaragua:Penas Blancas Border January 5, 2022 By Sammi 452 Comments **The Costa Rican government has opened the land borders to Nicaragua and Panama on April 5, 2021 for tourists. I am so glad you did this full day tour. The day was packed and very interesting to learn about the country. I learned a lot of the culture and history, as well as sightseeing. We are Pubali and Indranil, an Indian couple living in Costa Rica and slow traveling Latin America and Caribbean. You can do a Google Image Search with Masaya Volcano at night and you will know why. The tour guides were knowledgeable. You will see a dormant volcano crater, the active Masaya Crater, go shopping at the artisan markets, explore the colonial town of Granada, and go on a boat ride viewing the islets of Lake Nicaragua, and even get to feed monkeys! We were the only Indians (why do I mention this? Next stop: Granada! Guillermo and Jose are fabulous to work deals out with! Keep reading!) We immediately decided to drive towards Liberia (~210 km away from our workplace) right after work so that we could join the Nicaragua day trip the next day. But my partner was concerned about safety and access. Throughout the day we visited several beautiful places which represent the stunning topography that Nicaragua boasts of. Could also do a later start like 6am instead of 4:30am since its better to stay later to see the Masaya Volcano at night. Seeing lava flow dried up from the 1770s, seeing new volcanic mounds forming and then driving up to the LIVE Santiago crater! We did not really explore the town. We did wait an hour on the way in. The process was easy the officer had to take our passport details and we had to pay the US$50 VOA fees. The viewpoint had gallery style seating with an elevated view of the lagoon. Plan your trip to Liberia with our guide to Liberia based on theThe Rough Guide to Costa Rica,your travel guide forCosta Rica. What companies run services between Liberia, Costa Rica and Managua, Nicaragua? Book online now! They pick you up at your hotel and guide you through border/COVID testing and take you to 6 different places and 3 cities, 2 volcanoes. She helped us thru customs and we met our Nicaraguan guide Urielle. P.S: US$50 was the cost of single entry Visa on Arrival so we would probably have given this tour a second thought had we known about the visa costs earlier. When the day was done, he brought us back to the border, made sure we got thru immigration again, and Marlene was waiting for on the CR side. On the contrary, many times clients have left cameras, telephones, glasses or hats and have always reported and returned to the original owner when possible. Its an eye opening experience and our travel guides were amazing! Hi Lisa, thank you so Much for this amazing review, you both are so special. We have selected the best ones. 6- When customers book a tour to Nicaragua (another country) are always recommended to travel light, and in this way reduce the chances of losing valuable things. 5- When consulting with another client we know that you made a public claim at the end of the tour, (7:00 pm approx.) God makes it possible. Eventually, the plan is to create a larger municipal museum here, but the pace of progress is slow. For any country shaking with such instability, what get buried under the political environment are the natural treasures, the culture and most importantly the people. ], We went with the tour company named Plus Papagayo and booked online through a travel blog that provided a $10 discount per person. A lot of people may advise you against traveling there.