If you’re staying in northern Guanacaste and are interested in visiting another country, the Nicaragua one day tour from Costa Rica is perfect for you. It takes you to the highlights of Nicaragua such as Masaya, Granada, Masaya Volcano National Park and Laguna de Apoyo. The tour is an excellent way to see a bit of Nicaragua especially if you don’t plan on taking a dedicated visit to the country.
Read more about the Nicaragua one day tour in this article and if you want to do this tour, we have an exclusive Mytanfeet discount! Get $10 USD off the tour!
**The Costa Rica land borders between Nicaragua and Panama have opened on April 5, 2021 but unfortunately the 1 day tour with our tour partner has not. We will update this post when it has.
Nicaragua One Day Tour from Costa Rica FAQ
When Does This Tour Operate?
This tour runs nearly every day with few exceptions during extremely busy times of the year (Christmas/New Years and Easter). They aren’t able to run the tour during these times because the border is extremely busy and sometimes can take the whole day to cross. We will let you know what days the tour is not running if you are inquiring about those dates.
Who Operates the Tour?
It is operated by Plus Papagayo, the only tour company that runs this tour every day.
What Is Included In the Tour?
The Nicaragua one day tour from Costa Rica includes breakfast, lunch, border fees, a bilingual guide, entrance fees, pick up and drop off and water.
How Much Is the Deposit and How Do I Know My Tour is Confirmed?
The deposit is $20 USD from Coco/Hermosa/Panama/Riu Guanacaste/Liberia/Dreams Las Mareas/La Cruz and $30 from Tamarindo/Flamingo/Conchal/Brasilito/JW Marriott/Portrero.
When you fill out the form, you will automatically be taken to Paypal in order to send the deposit. We will also send you an email with all details and send you a confirmation email once the tour is reserved.
How Long Is the Tour?
Depending on your location, pickup is usually around 4:30 AM – 6 AM. Depending on how long the border takes, you will return around 8 – 10 PM.
What Do I Need to Bring?
Please being your original passport, a printed ticket out of Costa Rica (a screenshot on your phone works too if you don’t have a paper copy), comfortable shoes and clothes, a rain jacket during rainy season, a day bag and camera.
We also highly recommend buying/bringing snacks. The tour includes breakfast and lunch but not dinner. Sometimes the border returning to Costa Rica may take awhile so it is best to bring something to munch on as the tour doesn’t make any stops for food in the evening except the border. The tour company includes water.
You can buy snacks at the border, Masaya market or Granada.
Does Nicaragua Take USD?
Yes. If you want to do some souvenir shopping, bring small USD. They will give you your change back in cordobas, the Nicaraguan currency. If you want your change back in USD, you have to ask.
Do I Need a Visa to Nicaragua?
United States and Canada do not need a visa. Please check the Nicaragua embassy website for your passport country to see if you need a visa. You will be responsible for checking if your passport needs a visa to Nicaragua and if so, for any extra visa fees.
Can I Do the Nicaragua One Day Tour From San Jose?
No. This tour only picks up in northern Guanacaste, the furthest they go is Tamarindo/JW Marriott Guanacaste.
San Jose to the Nicaraguan border is a 6-7 hour drive, so it is much too far. If you’d like to do the tour, the best option is to travel to Liberia and get picked up from there.
Katie says
Hi!
I have a group of 4 interested. We were wondering about the possibility of spending more time in Nicaragua. We were thinking if we could do the day tour and then instead of going back to Costa Rica we stay behind from the tour (in Granada) for the night and then head to San Juan the following night, and then perhaps pick back up with the tour at the border to head back to the conchal area. I’m sorry this sounds so complicated! Please let me know if this would be possible and if any extra fees would apply!
Sammi says
Hi Katie, it is not possible for the tour company to do that since they run large groups and it is too complicated to keep track. You would need to find your own transportation and arrange the trip on your own or hire a freelance guide if you want a driver.
Angela Roesler says
Hi, we are thinking of taking this one day tour of Nicaragua on 14 or 15 Sep 2017. Forecast is scatter thunderstorm with 80% chance rain. Will it be an unpleasant trip with this weather? Just wondering if the rain will be continuous or just a few minutes of down pour then stop. Thanks.
Sammi says
Hi Angela! Usually rainy season days are sunny in the morning, cloudy and rainy in late afternoon and night. Sept is one of the rainiest months but tropical weather in rainy season changes in a drop of a hat. It’ll be sunny on second, cloudy the next. Rain ten minutes, sunny right after. One day is super sunny and hot, the next rainy and cloudy and it’s very difficult to accurately predict how it will be. Unfortunately you may not be able to see the volcano or the lake if it’s too cloudy though and the tour stops at those places for only about 15 minutes. I went in July once and wasn’t able to see either of them as it was too cloudy.
yeison says
Hello Alexia,
Thank you for reading our blog! The drive depends of where your group will be pick up, if you staying in the Tamarindo area it might take around 3 hours to the border and from Playas del coco 2 to 2.5 hours. Then from the border to the first activity it might take 20 minutes.
Alexia says
1.how far if a drive is it from Guanacsta
2. Do you give an additional discount for a party of 10
yeison says
Hello Pamela
Thank you so much so your comment, I already fixed the problem, you can try again.
Thank you
Pamela Moore says
Hi there, I am trying to book the Nicaragua tour for 4 on July 8th and it will not save my information on the form once I click next. Please help book this for us. Thanks!
David says
Hi! I’ll be staying in Playa del Coco in mid-July. How do you coordinate where to pick us up?
Sammi says
Hi David, the tour company will pick you up at your hotel or vacation rental, just please put the name of the hotel in the section for pick up or if youre staying at a condo, the name of the condo complex, number and any other information that will help the tour company find you. In your confirmation, we will include the pick up time.
Natalia Kuzmina says
Hello! I plan to stay on Playa Negra in May. Is it possible to be picked up from this beach?
Sammi says
Hi Natalie, what hotel will you be staying at?
Manida says
I would like to book a day tour leaving in the beginning of July, 2017. I am staying at The Peace Retreat in Nicaragua. Can you send me more info on how to book and cost, exact dates etc.
Sammi says
Hi Manida, this tour only leaves from Costa Rica as it is a day trip to Nicaragua from Costa Rica.
Sammi says
Hi Dana,
From Dreams, it is $140 original price and we offer a $10 discount for Mytanfeet readers so it will be $130 per person. We require a $20 per person nonrefundable fee and then you will pay the remaining balance on the day of the tour. The pick up is around 6-630, I’ll confirm the exact time if you book the tour.
I hope this answers your questions!