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.
Jeff Borstmayer says
Hi
We are thinking of going on your tour in March. We are staying in potrero and friends of ours will be in Playa’s del coco can we both be picked up for the same tour?
Thanks
Jeff
Sammi says
Hi Jeff, yes as long as you guys book on the same day you guys will be on the tour together. They will pick everybody up and then you’ll meet up at breakfast and everyone will be on the same bus for the whole tour.
Patricia says
How many are on each tour?
Sammi says
Hi Patricia, it depends but can be anywhere from 15-40. On average, around 30.
Debbie says
Thank you so much for this wonderful information! We are leaving for CR in 13 days (but who’s counting 🙂 ). Because of your blog we have decided to add the one day tour to Nicaragua and very excited for this adventure. My only question is that we need to bring a printed ticket out of CR. How do we do that when you can’t print out a boarding pass until 24hrs before a flight. We would be doing this trip at the beginning of our trip.
Thanks,
Debbie
Sammi says
Hi Debbie, the ticketed itinerary the airline sends you is what they need, not a boarding pass. The itinerary will be fine, they just need to see you have a ticket out of Costa Rica within 90 days of entry.
Brent says
It looks like I have to get US money to pay cash this tour. Can I not pay in the Countries actual currency ? Don’t remember Costa Rica becoming part of the US. Or a credit card ? I don’t have any Yankee money.
Sammi says
Costa Rica readily accepts USD and in tourism, that is the preferred method of payment and has been for years. The reason why it’s easier in USD sometimes than colones is because the exchange rate changes every day so you will have to bring the exact amount of that day’s exchange rate. This tour company in particular doesn’t accept credit card so it will have to be either in USD or the exact change in colones.
Erica says
Is this on a large tour bus? Looking for something more along the lines of a van. We would be looking to do this next November in 2018.
Sammi says
This is a large bus tour, they normally have around 30 people or more on the tour. You can request a private tour, it will be more expensive since open tours are cheaper.
Bhanu Ramesh says
We are a group of 3 people and will be staying in Coco Beach Hotel, Coco, Guanacaste the last week of December 2017. We are interested in a day trip to Nicaragua. Is this hotel a pick up point? What days does this tour operate? We will be in Coco from Dec 22-28. Are there any vegetarian food options for us?
Sammi says
Hi Bhanu, yes they can pick you up at Coco Beach Hotel. Pick up time from there is around 5-5:30 AM. They operate the tour during that time every day except for Christmas and Christmas Eve usually so any other day will work. They do have a vegetarian option for lunch. Please let me know if you have other questions!
Christian says
Good morning again, Sammi and Yeison,
We will definitely be going on this tour, as I cannot pass up an opportunity to see another country (and get another stamp in my passport :D), especially when I can absorb another culture and surroundings. As always, have a few questions though;
Does the tour make washroom stops or do we have to go only when we disembark to the locations? Dinner is not provided, however will food/meals be allowed to be brought over the border and back or will they be confiscated/discarded? (that way, we could pick up something and bring it back, eating it on the way).
And we will most certainly be booking it through you guys, so we appreciate the discount; any little bit helps!
Many thanks again 🙂
Sammi says
Hi Christian, the tour doesn’t make specific bathroom stops but there are bathrooms at every stop they go to on the tour. Lunch is usually kind of late, around 1-2 PM and you can buy snacks or bring food. They won’t confiscate it (it’s not like an airport). The bathroom at the border on the Nicaraguan side does cost $1 so just keep that in mind.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Christian says
I’m great for now, but I’ll let you know! 😉
Leigh says
Hi! I am currently interested in this tour for Saturday November 18 for one person. Is this still possible. I will travel to Liberia from samara on Friday for pick up but I wanted to make sure the tour is possible before booking hotel in Liberia. Thank you!
Sammi says
Hi Leigh, yes it is possible! They can pick you up at a hotel in Liberia.
Mo says
I’m definitely interested in booking this tour, as it’s the cheapest offered out of all the Costa Rica to Nicaragua one day tours. However, a lot of reviews say that these one day tours are tiring and rushed. Is there a way to pay for a hotel on our own in Granada and then go back with another tour the next day?
There’s only two people, hoping to book a tour for pickup Nov 13th, (stay overnight in Granada the night of the 13th on our own) and return with another tour group the evening of the 14th.
Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Mo, no the tour company can’t do that as they can’t be responsible if anything happened and they can’t change schedules for anyone as they have big groups. You will need to travel to Nicaragua tour on your own if you want to stay a night.
Iris says
Hi! Me and my husband are planning on taking this trip at the end of Januari-beginning of Februari 2017. The only thing is, the most northern place we go is Guayabo De Bagaces, Guanacaste. We will stay at ParaÃso Camping Lodge for 2 nights. What is the best thing for us to do so we can take the trip to Nicaragua?
Sammi says
Hi Iris, the tour company can pick you up any hotel in Liberia, that is the closest they can go. Pick up time in Liberia is around 6-630 AM and they will drop you off there too. If you have a car, you can drive there or arrange a taxi.
Iris says
Thanks! We switched hotels. We’re going to stay at Best Western El Sitio Hotel & Casino in Liberia. Is this okay for picking us up?
Thanks again for your information. Looking forward to the trip!
Sammi says
Hi Iris, yes that’s perfect they can pick you up and drop you off there 🙂