Ometepe Island: Two Volcanoes in Lake Nicaragua

Why visit Ometepe

Ometepe is the largest island in Lake Nicaragua, and the largest volcanic island within a lake, with an area of 276 square kilometres. Two volcanoes make it: Concepción, which rises 1,610 metres and is still active, and Maderas, 1,394 metres high, with no eruption in historical times, a crater lake and rainforest on its slopes. A low isthmus joins them, so on a map the island looks like an hourglass. The name comes from the Nahuatl words for two and mountain. The volcanoes are visible from everywhere on the island, daily life runs around them, and so does a visit. You swim in a spring pool fed from Maderas, ride a bicycle or motorbike along lake roads, look for petroglyphs on the lower slopes and climb with a local guide, which is mandatory for both peaks. Concepción last erupted on 16 May 2024. The island has been a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2010. Our four hotels are spread across Altagracia, Santa Cruz, Balgüe and Playa Santo Domingo. Three to four days is a common length of stay.

Volcanoes

Concepción is active and 1,610 metres high. Maderas is 1,394 metres with a crater lake. Both climbs need a local guide.

Water

Swim in the spring pool of Ojo de Agua, walk the sandbar at Punta Jesús María in the dry season, or kayak the Istián river.

Rock art and island roads

Petroglyphs on the slopes of Maderas, a museum in Altagracia, and bicycles, motorbikes or horses for the lake roads and beaches.

Places to know

Moyogalpa

Harbour village on the Concepción side and the main arrival point for ferries.

Altagracia

The island's second biggest town, with a museum whose texts are mostly in Spanish. Finca San Juan de la Isla is here.

Santa Cruz

Start of trails from the park entrance centre on the road from Altagracia. Hotel Finca del Sol is here.

Balgüe

On the northern slopes of Maderas, a centre for eco-tourism with petroglyphs and the Maderas hike from Finca Magdalena. Totoco Eco Resort is here.

Playa Santo Domingo

The only sand beach easily reached on the eastern side of the island. Xalli, Ometepe Beach Hotel is here.

Charco Verde

A nature reserve in the south with an emerald green lagoon, where you can swim, hike and kayak.

When to go

December to April is dry and gives the best conditions for the volcanoes, though the lake is windy from December to February and Maderas stays muddy even then. Rain starts in May and September is the wettest month. The San Ramón waterfall on Maderas is at its best in the wet season.

Getting to Ometepe

From Managua airport (MGA)

About 2.5 hours by road. Private transfer or rental car to the San Jorge port near Rivas, then the ferry to Moyogalpa.

From Liberia airport (Costa Rica)

About 2.5 hours by road. Same road to San Jorge, then the ferry.

From San Juan del Sur

About 40 minutes by road. To the San Jorge port, then the ferry.

From Granada

Road, then ferry. There is no current direct ferry from Granada, so the route is by road to San Jorge.

From San Jorge

About an hour or a little more. Ferries run to Moyogalpa or San José. The crossing takes longer when the lake is choppy.

Frequently asked questions

How many days should we plan for Ometepe?

Three to four days is a common recommendation. Plan one full day for each volcano you want to climb, and leave time for the lake, the beaches and the ferry crossing at each end.

Can we climb the volcanoes?

Yes, with a local guide, which is mandatory for both. Concepción is active and last erupted on 16 May 2024, and its summit is often in cloud. Maderas has no eruption in historical times, and its trail can be slippery even in the dry season.

How do we get to Ometepe?

By ferry from San Jorge, near Rivas, to Moyogalpa or San José. A small airport sits near Moyogalpa, but one island guide reports that scheduled flights were discontinued, so plan on the ferry. A 2025 transport page notes there was no service from Granada to the island.

What is there to do besides the volcanoes?

Swim at Ojo de Agua, a spring pool fed by an underground river from Maderas. Walk the sandbar at Punta Jesús María in the dry season, kayak the Istián river, ride a horse along the beach, or look for petroglyphs. Bicycles and motorbikes are the usual way to get around.

Is the rainy season a bad time to visit?

Not necessarily. Rain starts in May and trails are muddier, but the San Ramón waterfall is at its best in the wet season. The dry months from December to April are better for the volcano climbs.

Is Ometepe safe to visit?

The U.S. Department of State lists Nicaragua at Level 3, Reconsider travel, in an advisory issued May 14, 2026 (https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/nicaragua.html). The advisory also strongly recommends travel insurance. Read it in full and check your own government's advice before you book.