Pottery Workshop + Catarina Lookout + Apoyo Lagoon
The Destination: City of Masaya
Good morning!
Today, our tour will start at 9:00 am. We will drive from your lodging to the town of San Juan de Oriente, located half an hour from the city of Granada.
San Juan de Oriente is a small and picturesque municipality located in the department of Masaya, Nicaragua. It is known mainly for its rich handicraft tradition, especially the production of pottery. Artisans in the area have perfected pottery techniques dating back to pre-Columbian times for centuries, creating decorative and utilitarian ceramic pieces that are appreciated both locally and internationally. The town is also characterized by its tranquil atmosphere, cobblestone streets, cool climate and lovely people.
Our ceramic instructor, a descendant of the Chorotegas lineage, will show us step by step the process of clay making. These people have carefully guarded for centuries the process of clay pottery and today, we will learn with them this cultural tradition. After this man finishes his exposition, you will have the opportunity to get your hands muddy and try your hand at making your own clay piece.
Next, we will drive about 15 minutes to the town of Catarina. Catarina Lookout is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Nicaragua, located in the municipality of Catarina, in the department of Masaya. This viewpoint offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the Laguna de Apoyo, a volcanic crater filled with crystal clear water surrounded by a lush tropical forest. From the lookout, you can also enjoy the views of Lake Nicaragua, the Mombacho Volcano and the surrounding landscapes, making it an ideal place for photography and contemplation of nature. You will have 40 minutes free time here before we head for our next destination.
After our time in Catarina Lookout, we will drive 30 minutes to Apoyo Lagoon. Here, we will spend several hours having a great time in one of the most visited destinations in the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua. At 2:30 pm, we will leave Apoyo Lagoon back to Granada.
Apoyo Lagoon is a volcanic lagoon located in the crater of the extinct Apoyo volcano, between the departments of Masaya and Granada in Nicaragua. It is one of the most beautiful and visited nature reserves in the country. The lagoon was formed 22 thousand years ago after a violent volcanic eruption, and is currently filled with crystal-clear water that reaches depths of up to 170 meters, making it the deepest volcanic lagoon in Central America.
Laguna de Apoyo is known for its clean and warm waters, ideal for swimming, water sports such as kayaking, paddle-boarding or diving. It is also a perfect place for those seeking tranquility, as the shores of the lagoon are surrounded by lush tropical vegetation, which is home to a rich biodiversity of birds, monkeys, reptiles, insects, butterflies and other native species. The area is protected as a nature reserve, making it a popular destination for both nature lovers and those seeking a quiet retreat.
- Difficulty - None
- Pick Up - 9:00 am
- Duration - 6 hours
- Availability - All Year Round
- Accessibility - All Ages
What to wear?
- Comfortable clothing
- Hat or cap
- Sunglasses
- Tennis shoes or flip-flops
What to bring?
- Towels
- Swimming Suits
- Clothes to get changed
- Cash
Included?
- Air-Conditioned Transportation
- Hotel Pick up & Drop off
- Bilingual, Certified and Experienced Tour Guide
- Entrance Fees
- All Taxes
No included?
- Meals
- Alcoholic Drinks
- Tips
- Things not mentioned here
EXCELLENT Based on 83 reviews Dirk MMarch 28, 2024Verified Simple the Best in Nicaragua don't know what to start. Mario loves his job more then most tour operations go, we first made reservations with him through WhatsApp about seeing the Islatas In Granada Nicaragua, It was perfect It was a little bit more expensive than the rest of their tour guides that are on the streets but he promised us a private tour any picked us up from the airport on time and gave us a beautiful Sunsets, I was a little apprehensive over giving him a deposit but his Google reviews were good and it was only $20 deposit. After that he did not push us to use him but we decided to use him to go to Mobacho volcano and do the Puma, after reading lots of reviews on how to do it we decided with Mario and his team. Honestly there was no shenanigans he picked us up from a hotel there was no waiting around to take a 4x4 vehicle the guide over there spoke perfect English and then his driver waited for us to be picked up It was fantastic compared to other people issues trying to save a little bit of money. He also gave as a right to the airport pretty late at night with his driver. Don't hesitate to use him and services for all your tour needs and Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Thank you again. Very polite all the transportation cars what clean and communicated very well. Thank you Mario and Gusto Steve PMarch 8, 2024Verified Fantastic service!!!! I cannot say enough positive things about Mario and his company. They treated me and my group extremely well, far beyond the call of duty. If you are looking for a very knowledgeable tour guide and one with excellent connections I highly recommend them. Also, if you happen to get Maynor as a guide suggest you ask him to sing, he has literally an award-winning voice. RolandMarch 8, 2024Verified Amazing and Memorable Experience with Mario Romero and Golden Tours Nicaragua! Mario Romero of Golden Tours Nicaragua surpassed every expectation as a provider of group transportation, excursions, and as a tour guide and person. To begin with, Mario’s oral and written English and Spanish are superb. From his very first, detailed, descriptive, and thorough introductory summary-of-services email, our correspondence was professional, timely, and clear, enabling one of the smoothest "business" transactions I’ve ever enjoyed, covering logistics and pricing, but also littered with helpful tips and suggestions for me to hone my tour. A bit of context, I’m a Canadian musician and tour leader who ran a 2-week musical excursion for a group of 25 middle-aged choir singer “gringos” from Canada in February 2024. I’d been to Nicaragua before to plan the tour, and so I knew my way around, although I don’t speak Spanish. I needed support running my tour on a variety of fronts; little did I know that by engaging Golden Tours, I’d have most of them covered. Mario Romero responded to a query I’d posted on Facebook looking for recommendations for a bus company to get my group from the airport to our destination. I sent him a quick message outlining my needs, which he responded to promptly and professionally, as mentioned above. Not knowing him, I wrote a few more exploratory emails to feel out the collaboration. He answered all questions promptly and thoroughly, had great prices and services, and it was quickly apparent that he could offer much more to my tour than mere group transportation. And so I engaged him, a decision I have never been more happy with in my life. At that point, Mario helped me settle on the best dates and times for group movements and excursions, working around other facets of the itinerary and helping to bring focus and optimal sequencing among a diverse array of activities. As the collaboration progressed, Mario continuously adapted plans to best fit my group’s needs as he better understood their age and interests. In the end, Mario Romero and Golden Tours coordinated all of my group travel needs, first from the airport in Liberia across the border into Nicaragua, and then from San Juan Del Sur to Granada, to the Masaya Volcano, to Ometepe Island, to beaches, and other destinations. All of this unfolded perfectly and with great adaptability, for example, adapting to the fact that the group had multiple lodging designations to shuttle between. Mario also coordinated the bulk of my group’s excursions, which was enormously helpful since he made all the necessary calls and reservations, handled payment matters with venues, and dealt with small issues that arose directly with venue staff on my group’s behalf. Yes, that’s merely what the job entails, but he carried this out perfectly, never allowing an opportunity for misunderstanding to slow things down. In this capacity, he additionally served my group as translator, tour guide, historian, botanist, sociologist, and philosopher. I do not exaggerate. He even supported our choir by acting as MC and verbally introducing musical selections we sang in our three evening - and very much outside of business hour - concerts, a role I could never in my wildest dreams imagine that our “transport guy” would be able to fill. Mario was liked and respected by every member of my group, a response he earned by simply being an amazing human. At the end of the tour, having discovered Mario’s passion for music and his desire to learn to play, we gave him the group’s electric piano, as a parting gift and partial gesture of thanks. I will definitely be back to Nicaragua to work with Mario and all the guys from Golden Tours Nicaragua - drivers Justo Cárcamo, Marvin Calderón, and tour guide, Maynor Ríos, who led an unforgettable spontaneously-organized early-morning bird-watching tour along the shores of Lake Nicaragua. Thank you, Golden Tours Nicaragua! Susan-voyageMarch 6, 2024Verified More than a tour guide! Mario provided lots of support to our musical ensemble during our visit to San Juan del Sur and Granada and shared his knowledge of Nicaragua, volcanos, birds and more. He attended all of our concerts and provided introductions to our repertoire in Spanish. Going beyond the role of a tour guide. Gracias! David RFebruary 4, 2024Verified Nicaragua in September I have traveled with Golden Tours several time and have had a wonderful experience every time. I recommend Mario to help you make your Nicaragha trip unforgettable. They are very knowledgeable and can answer questions or even help plan your trip. I am going back to Nicaragua the end of February and first of March and have everything booked with Golden Tours. Sophie RJanuary 28, 2024Verified Great! Nous avons fait le tour Mombacho, Masaya et Laguna de Apoyo en une journée avec notre guide Abbott. Tout était parfait, il allait à notre rythme et répondait très bien aux questions. EvelienJanuary 12, 2024Verified una guía de sueños Mario es una guía fantástica! Él es amigable, confiable y muy útil. Logró involucrar a todos en el grupo cada vez. Sabe mucho y puede contar historias bien. Me sentí 100% cómodo con él y nada es demasiado para él. Él es el mejor guía que he conocido. Gracias, Mario ???? Stijn BeleynJanuary 11, 2024Verified Authentiek, veel info over fauna en flora, amusement Super toffe ervaring in Nicaragua! Mario is de beste gids die je kan hebben. Hij verzet hemel en aarde om u volop te laten genieten van dit prachtige land! De trip naar Charco Muerto was een top ervaring om de lokale bevolking te leren kennen! Zeker niet twijfelen om hem te contacteren en volop te genieten van Nicaragua!!!! tinatravelerJanuary 10, 2024Verified Family tour with Mario Our family had a wonderful tour with Mario. He showed us around Granada and we had the best sunset experience at Masaya Volcano park. We got there early to see the sunset while most tours only came at night. Transportation to Ometepe and all the way to our resort in Costa Rica. He even set us up for transfer to Liberia airport. Always on time and professional. Highly recommend for peace of mind. Peter DJanuary 9, 2024Verified Best tourguide ever! Mario was our tourguide for 10 amazing days in Nicaragua. He showed us amazing places: El Castillo, Indio Maiz, Los Gatuzos, Solentiname, Granada and all the volcanoes in the area. Communication is excellent, his English is impeccable and his enthusiasm is the icing on the cake. Everything was super easy and smooth, he took us to places we would never have found on our own, places we would never have dreamt of going if it weren't for him. His love for nature, wildlife and people is contagious. His knowledge of the history and the culture of Nicaragua is vast and being around him is fun. While we were exploring and having the time of our lives, he was clearly enjoying the experience as well - which is awesome. Tip - if you can - visit Charko Muerto - you'll get a taste and feel of what the real Nicaragua is like that you cannot find anywhere else!