Formed of twin volcanos rising out of Lake Nicaragua, Ometepe Island is 276 square kilometres of grassland, jungle, and volcanic peaks. Mark Twain journeyed here in 1866 and wrote of: ‘Two magnificent pyramids, clad in the softest and richest green, all flecked with shadow and sunshine, whose summits pierce the billowy clouds’.
After the Spanish colonisation of the region in the 16th century, Ometepe was brutally plundered by pirates leading to the extinction of the island’s indigenous population. Remnants of their culture remain in petroglyphs and stone idols on the slopes of the Maderas Volcano, which are well worth a visit.
Horse ride through plantain and coffee plantations, hike the slopes of the Maderas volcano and kayak the Istían River that cuts 4 kilometres across the isthmus. There is abundant fauna and flora and the riverbanks hum with colour and exotic birdlife.
Contact our Nicaragua specialists to discover more about Ometepe Island.
