Fly into the Managua airport and meet your private transfer to the hotel. Enjoy the evening in Managua and dine on our own.

Early this morning you will transfer 2 hours to Granada's rival colonial city, Leon lying in the North. En route, stop to visit the UNESCO heritage site of Old Leon, the ruins left behind after Old Leon was buried by an erupting Momotombo Volcano in 1610. Learn about the history of its founder, as well as its unique rivalry with Granada and ultimate demise by natural disaster.
This afternoon you will get the chance to explore Leon City. Famous for being the home to Ruben Dario, it has the stigma of being the center for the modernist movement in literature and the arts for Nicaragua. You will explore the Ruben Dario museum, displayed in his home as a teenage boy. Visit the Basilica de la Asuncion, the largest cathedral in all of Central America. If it is a clear day, visit the rooftop for a breathtaking view of the avenue of volcanoes. Next explore the Museum of Legends and Myths, filled with life sized paper mache imitations of historical Leonese personages, as well as murals portraying torture methods by the National Guard. You will learn about the human rights abuses that took place here until 1979. Overnight in Leon City this evening.

After breakfast this morning, choose between two morning tour options:

Option 1: Juan Venado Island Tour

Juan Venado island is a natural reserve off of Nicaragua's Pacific coast that provides habitat for hundreds of species of birds, wetland creatures, and sea turtles. Observe these native species and enjoy pristine volcanic sand beaches as you tour the island on foot and via boat. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant in Las Penitas.

Option 2: Cerro Negro Volcano Hiking Tour

The Cerro Negro Volcano, the youngest in Central America, is a truly unique destination. Your tour begins with a 90 minute 4x4 drive to the base of the volcano. The ascent is steep and will take about an hour, but the stunning view from the top is a worthy reward for your hard work. For those seeking a memorable descent, you can opt to sand board down through the loose rock of Cerro Negro's black slope. Equipment is provided and the descent takes about 15 minutes. Afterward travel with your guide back to Leon for lunch.

After the morning's activities, transfer 2 hours to Venecia Beach located in the Estero Padre Ramos Nature Reserve. Upon arrival at Venecia, settle in, meet the staff, and dive right into the critical conservation work going on onsite. The nature reserve, a pristine estuary located on Nicaragua's northwest coast, is considered extremely ecologically significant as it a nesting site for 45% of hawksbill turtles in the Pacific. Eastern Pacific Hawksbill Initiative (ICAPO) operates the Padre Ramos site with the help of a team of local researchers and biologists. Together staff and volunteers gather data on these fascinating creatures through nightly patrols, egg protection, and turtle tagging.

This afternoon staff will introduce you to the turtles, the beaches, and the conservation projects you'll be working on. Enjoy a typical, homemade dinner at the lodge before embarking with a staff member on a night patrol that will last from about 7 until 11 pm. The purpose of the night patrol is to tag and monitor nesting turtles in an effort to gather information on nesting patterns, and to protect the hawksbill eggs. After your patrol, head to the lodge for a well-earned night's rest.

After breakfast this morning, you have the chance to learn about mangroves and their importance to the ecosystem and the turtles that come to nest at Venecia Beach.

This afternoon, explore the beach with local researchers and visit the black cockles hatchery. The hatchery houses small saltwater clams.

Enjoy your homemade dinner and then it is out for another night patrol.

This morning experience beautiful dawn over the estuary as you embark on a 5 a.m. boat survey, recovering and accounting for the nests not encountered during the night patrol. Return to the lodge for a hearty breakfast and then take a few hours to rest up after the morning's work. Enjoy an authentic Nicaraguan lunch courtesy of supporting members of the community.

After lunch participate in a mangrove reforestation project that is ongoing at Padre Ramos. Staff will give you a brief introduction to the project and provide you with information about the mangrove forests and their importance to the area. Spend about two hours in the forest gathering "propagules," mangrove fruits, and prepare them for replanting.

Have dinner at the lodge and set out on another night patrol. Enjoy another night with the turtles before heading back to the hotel.

After breakfast this morning you will head to the Cosiguina Volcano. Once the tallest Volcano in Central America, the volcano erupted in 1835 when half of the volcano blew off in the eruption. The catastrophic event, caused days of darkness for many Central American countries as ash spewed for miles. Take some time to hike near the base of the volcano. As you hike, keep an eye out for red macaws, pumas, spider monkeys and coatis.

Enjoy lunch back at the hotel and a free afternoon to explore the area of Padre Ramos at your leisure.

Tonight head out for your final turtle patrol before departing in the morning.

This morning enjoy your last interaction with the turtles. If any turtles were measured and tagged during your stay, you will get a chance to release them before making the 2 hour drive back to Leon City.

Tonight enjoy the city at your own pace and take in any sights you may have missed earlier during the trip.

Transfer the 2 hours to Managua today to connect with your flight home. We recommend that your flight departs after 12 PM today.