In the department of Rivas, in the middle of Lake Nicaragua, two volcanoes form the island of Ometepe. Face to face, one is sleeping while the other is still awake and very active. The volcanoes Concepción and Maderas are two giants side by side but different, to be discovered.
Concepción Volcano
Few travelers can forget the Concepción volcano with its almost perfect cone. It is one of the two volcanoes of the island of Ometepe, next to its brother the Maderas volcano.
It is the second highest volcano in Nicaragua, after the San Cristóbal volcano near León and Chinandega, with a height of 1610 meters.
The Concepción volcano is active and wide awake, you can observe smoke coming out of its crater and fumaroles on its slopes. Its explosive eruptions, quite frequent, the last ones having taken place in 2006 and 2007, are however not very violent. Lava flows from ancient eruptions of past centuries can be observed on its slopes.
The ascent of the Concepción volcano is one of the most difficult in Nicaragua because of its height and steep slopes. Accompanied obligatorily by a local guide (let’s not forget that not everything is marked out in Nicaragua!), you will leave at dawn to be back before nightfall, and will walk between 7 and 9 hours.
You will start the trek in banana and plantain plantations and then cross a dense tropical forest. As you ascend, the vegetation becomes scarce because of the gases continuously emanating from the crater, the summit is even devoid of them.
Be careful where you put your feet! The program includes ravines, crevasses and winding paths strewn with large and small rocks that are slippery due to frequent rain and humidity.
At the summit, very often covered with clouds and subject to the wind, your efforts will be quickly rewarded by the pride of the accomplished exploit, the sensations and emotions felt mixing the coolness of the wind with the heat of the crater as well as by the panorama which is offered to you. If by chance the summit is clear of all clouds, you will be able to observe the magnificent view of the entire island of Ometepe, Lake Nicaragua and the continent.
Maderas Volcano
The Maderas volcano is the second volcano located on the island of Ometepe.
Slightly smaller than its neighbor, the Maderas Volcano is still considered a large volcano with its 1400 meters high.
Inactive for more than 800 years, a small lagoon has formed in its crater as well as waterfalls on its slopes, the San Ramon waterfalls.
The ascent to the summit of this volcano is difficult. You must be accompanied by a local guide. Between coffee plantations and selva de lluvia (a rare phenomenon so close to the Pacific Ocean that is also and only found on the Mombacho volcano), the weather is very humid and the paths are often muddy and slippery.
Humidity obliges, the stroll will be surrounded by trees with a thousand variations of green, to the sound of the howls of monkeys and the head in the clouds. Unbelievable!
Without going to the summit, you will be able to make a pleasant hike on this volcano, observe petroglyphs on the way and enjoy the different points of view that it offers on the Nicaragua Lake and the Concepción volcano.
