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Cosigüina Volcano

Department: Chinandega

Municipality: El Viejo (view on map)

Type: Volcanoes

Height
859 meter
Volcano Type
Stratovolcano
Latest Eruption
1859

Comments:
4 comments

Comments

  • James Lucas wrote on Feb 11, 2015:

    I figured that my first climb up a volcano should be a not-so-tall one, so I decided on Cosigüina. We stayed at Hotel Brisas del Golfo in Potosí the night before (a must if you are taking the bus like we did) so that we could get an early start on our climb. We left the hotel around 6am and walked for quite a bit to get to the road that turned into the entrance of the volcano. It was easy following the trail on the way up, but we didn't bring enough water for what turned out to be a 3 hour ascent. After nearly giving up (we wanted to make the last bus back to Chinandega at 3pm) we finally arrived to the rim to behold the enormous water-filled crater. Just a few minutes to take some photos and then we descended. Trails were much harder to follow on the way down as they split off into many directions. We ended up running into fenced-off property and had to beat our way out of thorny brush trying to make our way back towards the gulf in the distance. Moral of the story - take out cash in Chinandega beforehand to hire a $15 local guide!

  • wrote on Jan 22, 2014:

    awesome

  • Elvira Van Daele wrote on Sep 19, 2008:

    Hiking the Cosigüina volcano is an absolute must! It is fantastic! You can engage in a variety of great activities and enjoy the "Back to Basics" of nature.

    Please be advised that currently it is impossible to drive a part of the volcano hike. Besides that, Albergue Rural Aguas Termales is currently closed.
    I can highly recommend contacting Fundación Lider who manages the national park and can arrange a nice, complete package for you: wetlands, volcano hike, turtle watching, Islotes de Cosigüina and the Aguas Termales in Potosí. They arrange for your stay, food, guide, transport and are very friendly! Fundación Líder is located in El Viejo (close to Chinandega) and you can contact them by calling the following number 344-2381 or by writing to William Areas on his email wacareas@yahoo.es

    I hope you enjoy the trip as much as we did!!!

  • Lynette Camacho wrote on Aug 2, 2007:

    Gracias, por la informacion. Recientemente y por la informacion brindada en su pagina decidi visitar el Cosiguina. Contacte en Granada a una compania llamada Amigo Tours y la experiencia fue increible, tanto en servicio como en precio. Deberian recomendarla en este sitio, ya que salimos muy contentos y disfrutamos mucho del viaje. Gracias

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Description

The most violent eruption in recent Nicaraguan history occurred January 22, 1835, at the Cosigüina Volcano. A huge part of the crater was blown away and some huge pieces of rock formed islands in the Gulf of Fonseca. Ash rained down in a huge area, reaching as far as Mexico City, 1400 kilometers away. The ash cloud blocked sunlight within a radius of 150 kilometers. After this short but brutal eruption there were only a couple other eruptions before the volcano became dormant in 1859. In 1938 a crater lake developed in the hole left after the eruption.

The Cosigüina Volcano is located in the utmost northwest corner of Nicaragua and has a height of 859 meters. Its stretched slopes are mostly covered with trees and run down almost to the Gulf of Fonseca. The volcano consequently does not appear to be a volcano, judging by its shape. It merely seems to be a long-stretched hill. The crater is not easily visible from down below.

Hiking to the crater, however, is not very hard. The slopes are not steep and the volcano provides some great views. There is a trail that starts at the office of MARENA at the bottom of the volcano. You will see nothing but trees, plants, butterflies, and a small trail leading to the top. The first part halfway up the volcano is also accessible by car. The abundant plants have mostly overgrown the path and scratches in the paint are hard to avoid, so make sure this does not matter for the car you are driving.

You will have to leave your car when halfway up the volcano. Here the vegetation gets to dense and you will have to hike. During your hike to the top you will pass a part with beautiful, big trees inhabited by birds and monkeys. The hike is friendly and tranquil, and not too steep. In around one and an half hour (from the place where you can leave the car) you will reach the top. It will not be until you are at the rim of the crater that you can see the actual crater.

The crater has a diameter of approximately 2 kilometers, and the crater lake is located at the bottom of this huge hole, at a depth of 500 meters. Descending to the lake is not an option, as the only path leading to the lake was destroyed when a strong earthquake hit the area in 2001 (this earthquake was even more devastating in El Salvador, where it originated).

Nevertheless, the crater and its lake are truly impressing seen from the top, and you will also have a superb view of the area. You can actually see El Salvador and Honduras at the other side of the Gulf of Fonseca. Including Nicaragua you will have a view of three countries from the top of this volcano!

Practical Information

This hike will take in total either eight hours when you start at the bottom of the volcano, or around three hours when you drive the first half of the hike. The eight hour hike is tough mainly because of its length. The three hour hike is doable for anybody in reasonable shape, including children from around 14 years old.

Start hiking as early as possible because it will anyway get hot once the sun is fully shining. The volcano is located around 70 kilometers north of Chinandega. The preferred way of planning a hike to the Cosigüina is by staying at one of the few hotels located close to the volcano, who can arrange transportation and a guide. It takes around two and an half hours to get to these hotels from Chinandega. Fore more information on traveling times, check our transportation page. The Cosigüina is one of the least frequently visited volcanoes in Nicaragua due to its location, but it is a true beauty which has not yet been explored by many!

Getting There

To get here, you must take a paved road that goes from the city of El Viejo to the community of El Congo. After that, there is a dirt road that will take you to the town of Potosí, located in the Northeast side of the Cosiguina Peninsula. It is recommended to drive a high clearance vehicle during the winter, but it is possible to reach this destination with low cars during summer.

There are also buses leaving from Chinandega and El Viejo to Potosí, but not frequently. We recommend to ask about schedules at the bus terminal or in nearby hotels.

Online Reservations

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