Everything You Need To Know About Mombacho Volcano, Nicaragua
by Rebecca Hollman
updated 2/11/18
INTRODUCTION TO MOMBACHO:
Mombacho is a dormant andesitic and basaltic stratovolcano located close to the city of Granada. Mombacho is 1344 meters tall and is the fifth tallest volcano in Nicaragua. The volcano is not extinct, but the only current activity involves fumeroles and hot springs on the upper northern flank [1]. The Mombacho Volcano Nature Reserve is one of the 78 protected areas in Nicaragua. Mombacho is one of the only two cloud forests located in Nicaragua- the other being Maderas Volcano on Ometepe. The cloud forest of Mombacho contains a diverse array of flaura and fauna and also an endemic species unique to just this volcano: the Mombacho salamander.
MORE ABOUT STRATOVOLCANOES:
Stratovolcanoes are conical volcanoes formed by the buildup of layers and layers of hardened lava and volcanic ash. They are known for being extremely steep and conical and having explosive eruptions- which sometimes leads to collapsed craters called calderas. Stratovolcanoes are common along tectonic plate boundaries, specifically subduction zones. A subduction zone is where an oceanic plate is drawn underneath either another oceanic plate or a terrestrial plate. Subduction zone stratovolcanoes are the most dangerous type of volcano. The magma is too stiff to allow gases to escape so extreme pressures build up inside the volcano. Once the pressure gets too high, the magma degasses with extreme force and causes massive explosions [2].
MORE ABOUT CLOUD FORESTS:
Cloud forests are tropical, moist forests characterized by low-lying cloud coverage. Within cloud forests, much of the moisture available to plants arrives in the form of fog drip, where fog condenses on tree leaves and then drips onto the ground below. Only 1% of the world's woods or forests are considered cloud forests. The large amount of moisture leads to the development of high biomass and biodiversity and lots of endemic species [3]. Read more about the plant species on Mombacho Volcano here.
GETTING THERE:
There are two main ways to experience Mombacho. First, you can take a pre-set tour from Granada that includes transportation to and up the volcano, access to a guide and a guide-led hiking experience. These tours typically cost around $30-$50 and leave from Granada, so they are a good option if you are traveling without a vehicle. These tours pick you up from your hotel/hostel and last around 5-6 hours. Tours can easily be arranged in Granada. The other way to experience Mombacho is to get there yourself. This could either by renting a car and driving to and up the volcano yourself or by taking a bus to the bottom of the volcano and either walking or paying for a chicken truck to take you to the top. It costs $20 to enter the park and to bring your own vehicle up Mombacho or $5 to enter the park and walk up. Add another $2 if you want the chicken truck to take you up to the top. Keep in mind that this road is seriously steep and will require 4 wheel drive to reach the top if you bring a car. Also keep in mind, that walking up the volcano will be tough and take a good portion of your day. Hitchhiking is easy in Nicaragua so you might be able to hitch a ride up and back down, but don't count on this as an absolute.
"To get to Mombacho from Granada take any bus heading to Nandaime or Rivas and ask to be let off at the entrance to Volcan Mombacho. Buses leave regularly and the trip should take about 20 minutes. You will be let off on the highway near a large intersection. Continue walking a few hundred metres down the road to reach the turnoff to the national reserve on the left.
From the highway it is a 2 kilometre walk to the park entrance along a flat paved road. There are plenty of moto taxis waiting at the intersection to take you there but it is easy enough to take the walk [4]."
More detailed information about the truck schedule:
Monday to Wednesday:
Up at 8:30 AM and Down at 11:30 AM
Up at 10:30 AM and Down at 1:30 PM
Up at 1:00 PM and Down 4:00 PM
Thursday to Sunday:
Up at 8:30 AM and Down at 11:30 AM
Up at 10:00 AM and Down at 1:30 PM
Up at 1:00 PM and Down 4:00 PM
More detailed information about Mombacho pricing:
Nationals
- Kids walking: US$2
- Adults walking: US$4
- Kids with transportation (truck): US$4
- Adults with transportation (truck): US$8
Foreigners
- Kids walking: US$4
- Adults walking: US$5
- Kids with transportation (truck): US$10
- Adults with transportation (truck): US$20
HIKING MOMBACHO:
Mombacho has three trails available for hiking. Of these trails, two require guides to access. Read more about the trails below.
EL CRÁTER TRAIL:
Required time: 1 to 1.5 hours
Difficulty: Medium
Why you should do it: Views of Granada, Masaya Volcano and Laguna de Apoyo on a clear day, good opportunity to observe the unique cloud forest ecosystem
Guide: Not required but available. Costs $8 for a Spanish speaking guide or $12 for an English speaking guide. Any group larger than 20 people has to have a guide.
Learn more here: http://www.mombacho.org/crater-trail/
EL TIGRILLO TRAIL:
Required time: 2 to 2.5 hours
Difficulty: Hard
Why you should do it: Has the best scenic spots and view points. A 2 km extension of El Cráter trail that is short but difficult.
Guide: Required. Costs $12 for a Spanish speaking guide or $17 for an English speaking guide.
Learn more here: http://www.mombacho.org/tigrillo-trail/
EL PUMA TRAIL:
Required time: 4 hours
Difficulty: Hard
Why you should do it: Challenging hike but gives you unique views of the surrounding area and of the cloud forest itself. This route borders the main crater of Mombacho and gives views of the main fumerole, which emits lots of sulfurous gas.
Guide: Required. Costs $17 for a Spanish speaking guide or $22 for an English speaking guide.
Learn more here: http://www.mombacho.org/puma-trail/
CAFE LAS FLORES:
Mombacho is known for its unique cloud forest and its abundance of coffee plantations. Nicaragua's largest coffee producer, Cafe Las Flores, has its plantation located about half way up Mombacho. I highly recommend you stop at Cafe Las Flores on your way up to hike Mombacho and take a tour of the plantation. Besides being able to tour the coffee plants and how the coffee beans are processed, there is also a Cafe Las Flores cafe to eat at and a souvenir shop to buy pre-packaged coffee to take with you. You can easily pay for a guide to give you a tour of the plantation once you get there, so need to book a tour in advance. Don't forget to tip your guide!
Learn more about the Cafe Las Flores plantation here.