Cycle Nicaragua to the Panama Canal

Our journey begins in Granada, a colonial architectural gem, situated at the foot of Mombacho volcano on the north-west shore of Lake Nicaragua. Founded in 1524 by the conquistador Hernandez de Cordoba, it was the first colonial city in Nicaragua, as you can see in its many baroque and Renaissance buildings. Our tour leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at approximately 6pm this evening for the welcome meeting. There are no other activities planned today, so you're free to arrive at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you will need to arrive into Augusto C. Sandino International Airport (MGA) in Managua, which is a 45-minute drive from our hotel. If you miss the welcome meeting, our tour leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up. If you arrive earlier in the day, you might like to explore the picturesque, cobbled streets and grab a fresh juice or coffee in one of the local cafes or eateries.

This morning, we hop on our bikes and set out on a short cycle ride from the hotel to the shores of Lake Nicaragua - giving everyone time to get comfortable with their bikes. After returning to the hotel, the rest of the day is free for you to explore Granada at your own pace. Its narrow lanes and historic buildings offer a perfect setting for discovery, and you can enjoy lunch at your leisure. There are optional activities you can get involved with this afternoon. These include: a relaxing boat tour on Lake Cocibolca or a Granada City Tour. Our tour leader will give you more information. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 11 kilometres/6.80 miles.

Leaving Granada behind this morning, we'll drive up into the highland villages, famed locally for their ancient beliefs relating to witchcraft. High up in Catarina village, we'll soak in the expansive views across the spectacular, blue Apoyo Lagoon in the volcanic crater before getting on our bikes. Our route covers 20 kilometres/12.40 miles through the tropical countryside, giving us a glimpse of the local villagers' and farmers' lives. Once we reach the Panamericana Highway, we'll continue by bus and drive to the small town of San Jorge where we take the one-hour ferry over to the volcanic island of Ometepe. On arrival, we'll get back on our bikes and ride one hour - 13 kilometres/8.1 miles to our hotel in Charco Verde (or two hours - 26 kilometres/16.2 miles if our hotel is located on Santo Domingo beach), always with the imposing Concepcion volcano in view on our left. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 33-46 kilometres/22.5-28.6 miles (total 390 metres/1,279 feet ascent and 780 metres/ 2,559 feet descent).

Ometepe is made up of two volcanoes which rise up from the waters of Lake Nicaragua - the perfect cone of Concepcion and the slightly smaller Maderas Volcano. Today is free for you to explore solo and our tour leader will explain various optional excursions. Please note, these will vary slightly if we're staying in Charco Verde or Santo Domingo. You might choose to go off-road and cycle a section around Maderas Island, reaching Finca Merida where you have the possibility of sea kayaking. There are plenty of birds and insects to be spotted in the area and en route we see rural Nicaragua at its best, with lush tropical vegetation and small hamlets. Later, you might want to cycle to Alta Gracia village where you can relax and swim at the fabulous Ojo de Agua lagoon or you may prefer to cycle to Santo Domingo beach for some rest and relaxation. Our total optional cycling distance today is approximately 26-80 kilometres/ 16.16-49.7 miles (optional) (total 150 metres/492 feet ascent and 150 metres/492 feet descent).

We'll start the day with a cycle ride back to the ferry port. From Charco Verde this is 13 kilometres/8 miles and from Santo Domingo this would be 26 kilometres/16 miles. We then cross back to the mainland by ferry and drive the short distance to the Costa Rican border. After border crossing formalities (which can be extremely slow and require a bit of patience) we drive three hours to Tilaran where we spend the night. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 13-26 kilometres/8-16.10 miles (total 330 metres/1,082 feet ascent and descent).

A 45-minute drive this morning brings us to the starting point for our ride around Arenal Lake; a challenging route that takes in the spectacular backdrop of the volcano. Set in an area of a national park covering 9,884 acres, Arenal volcano has been especially active since the massive eruption of 1968. This, along with the impressive manmade Lake Arenal, has helped the area to regenerate through tourism. Since 2010 Arenal's volcanic activity appears to be decreasing. Our challenging ride ends in the town of La Fortuna where we spend the next two nights. For those interested it is possible to start earlier today and ride a total of 68 kilometres/42.3 miles (total 1,390 metres/4,560 feet accumulated ascent and 1z,850 metres/6,069 feet descent). Our total cycling distance today is approximately 46 kilometres/28.6 miles (total 740 metres/2,427 feet ascent and 1,080 metres/3,543 feet descent) with the option to extend the ride.

Today is left free for resting or exploring the tropical rainforest in more depth on either a canopy excursion, a visit to the hot springs or a jungle walk across hanging bridges. Alternatively, you might like to cycle in and around La Fortuna, taking in some of the impressive scenery, agricultural lands, cascading waterfalls and hot springs. This is one of the fertile high plateaux where most of Costa Rica's crops are grown. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 50 kilometres/31.1 miles (optional) (total 350 metres/1,148 feet ascent and 600 metres/1,968 feet descent).

We start the day with a four-hour drive to the small town of Orosi, set in the impressive Orosi Valley, forged by the meandering course of the powerful Reventazón River. This picturesque valley is the setting for today's ride, as we discover the lush green vistas of what many consider to be some of the country's best landscapes. Our destination is our accommodation located outside Turrialba, amid the central valleys, lush tropical gardens and volcanic peaks of Turrialba Volcano National Park. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 46 kilometres/28.6 miles (total 880 metres/2,887 feet ascent and 1,180 metres/3,871 feet descent).

Driving up over the nearby mountain ridges this morning we then descend by bus towards the Caribbean coast. After about two hours we reach Penhurst where we switch from the bus to our bikes and cycle a totally different side of Costa Rica along the beach towns on the coast. We finish the ride at Punta Uva, where we then jump on the bus to transfer to the border. We then cross the Panamanian border by foot. Once again, the border crossing may be very slow and requires patience. We then continue by bus (one hour) to the port of Almirante, from where we take a boat to the Isla Colon and the small town of Bocas de Toro, our base for exploring the stunning archipelago and the equally spectacular Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos. The archipelago itself is made up of several beautiful, forested islands lying in warm Caribbean waters and the laid-back beaches and dazzling reefs make this the ideal Caribbean paradise to relax or explore. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 38 kilometres/ 23.6 miles (total 300 meters ascent and 300 meters descent). Please note, today's ride takes us through a section of dirt.

Today is free to enjoy the Caribbean with several optional activities that you might like to try. The islands boast stunning beaches and coral reefs and there are opportunities to snorkel or dive the rich waters. You may like to take a boat trip around the archipelago and marine park or visit one of the unpopulated outlying islands. Our bikes will not be available today as they cannot be carried across to the island on the ferry.

After taking the short ferry ride back to Almirante we drive south and then upwards over the Continental Divide and the cool Panamanian highlands, a journey of two and a half hours. We commence today's cycle at Fortuna Lake (1,070 metres/3,510 feet above sea level) and the route offers us a few ascents and a long downhill before we reach some fabulous natural pools in the forest for a refreshing dip. We continue by bus from Gualaca for three hours to the centre of the country and our night stop in Santiago, a busy provincial town and one of the oldest settlements in the country. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 35 kilometres/21.8 miles (total 880 metres/2,887 feet ascent and 1,820 metres/5,971 feet descent).

Today's cycle ride begins near Santiago and we'll pass farmland and ranches that offer an insight into a traditional and rural Panamanian way of life. After lunch, we drive to Panama City (three-and-a-half hours), hopefully with time for a swim in the Pacific Ocean before arriving into our final destination. In the evening, we can explore the neighbourhood around the hotel - full of good restaurants and street life. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 38 kilometres/23.6 miles (total 400 metres/1,312 feet ascent and 450 metres/1,476 feet descent).

A short drive out of town takes us to Miraflores Lock, one of the best viewing points on the Panama Canal. We can take time to explore the story of the canal construction in the excellent museum and see huge container ships making their way through this major lock separating the Pacific Ocean from the 26 metres/85 feet higher Gatun Lake in the interior of the Canal zone. After a short drive back to Panama City we will cycle along the short but impressive new cycle path that follows the coastline from the Canal Zone and through Panama Vieja, affording fabulous views of Panama City's impressive skyline. The afternoon is free for you to take a walk through fantastic Panama Vieja - the historic town from colonial times - and can have our farewell dinner here. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 7 kilometres/4.4 miles on flat terrain.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Panama City. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you need to depart from Tocumen International Airport (PTY), which is which is a 45-minute drive away.