Welcome!

We will gather everyone in Managua and waste no time in hitting the road north to Matagalpa. The relatively cool temperatures and lush greenery of the mountains will help everyone ease into the tropical environment from the frigid winter back home. Our accommodation is a unique private house set on a beautiful coffee farm with views of the surrounding forested mountains. After getting settled, our private chef will prepare drinks and snacks so that you can kick back and soak in the surroundings before a big dinner!

Running: No scheduled running. Short evening shakeout optional.
Meals: Lunch (L) and dinner (D) included

Life starts nice and early in Nicaragua, so we will rise with the sun, have a light breakfast, enjoy some great coffee and start running! Our run today takes us through a neighboring coffee farm and nature reserve, an authentic glimpse of coffee production during the harvest season! After lunch we will take a guided tour of the coffee harvest process and get a deep understanding of all parts of the process - and of course a chance to stock up on some sustainably grown and ethically produced coffee beans. Our chef will prepare another feast for dinner and you’ll be free to enjoy some lounge time on the farm!

Running: 5-10 miles (1200ft-1800ft gain) double track, some paved concrete sections

Meals: Breakfast (B) Lunch (L) and dinner (D) included

We will enjoy a big breakfast on the farm before packing up and heading back south towards Laguna de Apoyo for today’s run. Set in the caldera of an ancient volcano, Apoyo is a stunning lake best admired from high above on the forested slopes - exactly where we will start our run! Single-track winds down towards the lake, oropendolas and howler monkeys will provide the soundtrack, and by the time you get lakeside we think you’ll be ready to jump in for a restorative post-run swim! Next we head into Granada where you will have the rest of the afternoon free to explore the sights of this charming city; have your camera ready for photogenic streets teeming with the best of local culture. We will dine out tonight at a popular local restaurant and maybe even sample some nightlife if energy permits!

Running: 7 miles, (300 ft gain, 1200 ft descent), rocky/dusty single track, paved road

Meals: Breakfast (B) Lunch (L) and dinner (D) included

We will rise early (you’ll be in the groove by now!) for breakfast before heading off to Granada’s local volcano, Mombacho. A well-preserved cloud-forest bioreserve tops the volcano and we will learn lots about the unique flora and fauna as well as check out some burned areas of forest from the ongoing volcanic activity. Today is going to be a group recovery hike along the forested trails with an option to run a cruise-y descent down the volcano after the hike. We will grab a picnic lunch and then hit the road south to our next destination, Isla de Ometepe (perhaps we will even have glimpsed the island from the summit of the volcano already!), which we’ll reach by way of a scenic ferry ride across Lake Nicaragua. After landfall we will head straight to our retreat on a private farm where we can settle in for two nights.

Hiking: 5 miles (1200 ft descent), single track forest trails, dirt road

Running: option for 4 mile descent (3500 ft descent!!) on dirt/partly paved road

Meals: Breakfast (B) Lunch (L) and dinner (D) included

Enjoy a fresh, local breakfast with produce straight from the surrounding farm before heading out to explore Concepción, the volcano that dominates the views all around Ometepe. We’ll again hike as a group, ascending to the amazing active crater which is hot to the touch and pungent with sulphur fumes. It’s an exhilarating experience to climb what is a picture perfect cone volcano - a very challenging day no doubt, but one we would be remiss not to explore! On the descent there will be some fun options to let ‘er rip down some ash slopes, though leisurely descents are also an option. We will picnic along the way and there will still be some time in the afternoon for hammocks and swims in the lake.

Hiking: 6 miles, 4500 ft elevation gain and loss, technical single track - challenging day!

Meals: Breakfast (B) Lunch (L) and dinner (D) included

This morning we’ll indulge in a much-deserved rest day, enjoying a leisurely breakfast and time to lounge in the hammocks and soak in the views of our lakefront retreat.

Eventually we’ll pull ourselves away and bid farewell to Ometepe, but not before stopping by a local farm to learn about local permaculture efforts on the island. We’ll sail back to the mainland and head to the Pacific Coast for our final two nights, where gorgeous treetop casitas await us. We’ll get settled in, kick back with some sunset cocktails and enjoy a delicious dinner right on-site - tomorrow is our final run!

Running: no scheduled run (but if you want a few morning miles, we can point you in the right direction!)

Meals: Breakfast (B) Lunch (L) and dinner (D) included

This morning we will hit the trails early again right from our hotel. Plenty of run options are available on the trails throughout the beautifully landscaped property which covers a stretch of rolling green hills, and the full distance option will take you up to a high point for sweeping views of San Juan del Sure! You’ll have time back at the hotel for a dip in the pool before we head down into the local town of San Juan del Sur for brunch.

Around midday we will head off for our grand finale; a private catamaran cruise along the Emerald Cruise to admire the beauty of this stunning and rugged stretch of coast. Food, drinks and music will all be onboard so you can kick back, swim a little, and soak up the sunshine all the way to sunset. The ocean usually works up an appetite so we will finish things off with a special final dinner back at the hotel to reflect on the full scope of this Nicaraguan experience!

Running: up to 10 miles, trail, dirt road, some pavement

Meals: Breakfast (B) Lunch (L) and dinner (D) included

That’s about it! We will have a last breakfast together before driving back to the Managua airport, arriving with plenty of time to accommodate lunchtime, afternoon and evening departures.

Running: no scheduled run, though there are plenty of options right from the hotel if you’d like a few miles
Meals: Breakfast (B) included