If you’re looking for an unforgettable, high-adrenaline activity, volcano boarding should be at the top of your Nicaragua bucket list! You’ll hike up and speed down the side of an active volcano, gliding through the black sand at around 50-70 kilometers an hour. Here’s everything you need to know before you go, from where to stay in León, how much the tour costs, and what you can expect from this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
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What is volcano boarding?
Volcano boarding is exactly what it sounds like: boarding down a volcano. But honestly, it’s a little more like extreme tobogganing.
First you’ll hike about an hour up an active volcano. You’ll then slip on your jumpsuit, bandana, and goggles, to protect your face from all the dust you’re about to kick up. When you’re ready (or even if you’re not), you’ll sit on your board and cruise down the black sand slope at full speed. Sounds like something you’d enjoy? It’s easy, affordable, and thrilling — a must-do activity and maybe even the highlight of your entire trip to Nicaragua!
Don't forget travel insurance!
Not all types of travel medical insurance cover adventure activities like this, but some do! VisitorsCoverage is like Skyscanner for travel insurance, and you can filter to find companies that’ll will volcano boarding. It’s not like it’s that extreme, but you never know.
Volcano boarding tours in Nicaragua
To check volcano boarding off your bucket list, you’ll have to make your way to León, a colourful city about two hours from Managua (the capital).
The volcano, Cerro Negro, or “black hill,” is the only place to go volcano boarding in the country, but there are two tour operators to choose from: Bigfoot Hostel and Volcano Day. You cannot just grab a board and DIY this experience.
I went with Bigfoot Hostel because I was staying there and it just made sense. They happen to be the original inventors of volcano boarding on Cerro Negro, and I had an amazing time from start to finish.
That said, Volcano Day is entirely Nicaraguan-owned, and if I’d known that at the time, I’d probably have gone with them instead! So definitely consider supporting their locally owned business. I don’t think you can go wrong with either of these companies.
How much does it cost to go volcano boarding?
This is an exceedingly affordable once-in-a-lifetime activity. It can be as low as $25 USD! Even if you’re on a shoestring budget, this should be something you can comfortably splurge on.
Bigfoot Hostel offers three tours per day. One at sunrise, one that’s just a regular day tour, and one at sunset. They all cost $37. I like that the pricing is simple and the same across the board.
The drive to and from the volcano is pretty long and you have to account for the hour-long hike up. So the sunrise excursion leaves at a painful 3 AM. But the lighting will make for some incredible photos! The whole excursion usually lasts around 6 hours.
Read more: Why TravelSpend Is the Best Budgeting App
Volcano Day offers four different tours with dynamic pricing. The basic tour is just $25, the all in tour costs $35 and comes with lunch, a t-shirt, and other extras. The sunset tour includes all the same goodies and is $35, and there’s an option to board down the volcano twice for $50. (That means twice the hiking, too!)
Bigfoot Hostel only offered the one option when I went, so I did the regular day tour leaving at 8 AM. The sun was HOT during the hike up, so that’s another plus to doing the sunrise or sunset excursion.
Total cost of volcano boarding in Nicaragua
The total cost will depend on a couple factors. Here are the most affordable and most expensive ways to go volcano boarding in Nicaragua.
The cheapest:
- Volcano Day basic tour: $25
- Park entrance fee: $10
- Carry your own board: $0
- Bring your own lunch
- Total: $35
The most expensive:
- Volcano Day double run: $50
- Park entrance fee: $10
- Pay a friendly local “sherpa” to carry your board: $5
- Lunch, t-shirt, and others included
- Total: $65
Personally, I feel this is an experience to splurge on. (And all things considered, it’s super affordable.) So make sure you do the tour that speaks to you most! I really recommend sunrise/sunset.
How to get to León for volcano boarding
You will probably fly into Managua, the capital city, but you definitely shouldn’t spend more time there than necessary. Like most countries in Central America, all the best stuff in Nicaragua is away from the main cities. (No shade to the cities, but it’s true.)
León is under 2 hours from Managua. What I did was take a shuttle bus directly after I landed.
Other popular destinations around Nicaragua that you may be coming or going from include San Juan del Sur, Ometepe Island, and Granada. Bigfoot Hostel offers several shuttle services to destinations around Nicaragua and beyond. You can also take a taxi for about $100 or more, but be prepared to bargain. For the more affordable option, do as the locals do and take a “chicken bus.”
Where to stay in León
Budget hostels
I stayed at Bigfoot hostel which made organizing my volcano boarding very easy. Dorms are about $12 USD and private rooms go for $35.
But let me be clear: Bigfoot is a party hostel. Like, we finished our tour with a “lava shot” — some combination of super hot sauce and tequila?… If I remember right. The music was always loud, dancing on the bar is encouraged, and the staff might even party even harder than the guests. That said, it was still clean and comfortable. It’s a vibe if partying is your thing! But if it’s not, you can 100% stay somewhere else and just head to Bigfoot to book your volcano boarding experience or have a drink afterwards.
There are about 15 other hostels in town, with the cheapest option, Hostal El Albergue, being just $8! Poco a Poco is also a good vibe. If you’re on a budget, check Hostelworld to explore your options.
Comfortable hotels
Alternatively, if you want to return to some peace and quiet, an ensuite bathroom, and a big comfy bed, León is also full of great hotels. Nicaragua is one of the most affordable countries in Central America, so you can find a very comfortable spot for a reasonable price. There are lots of cozy places with pools and included breakfast around the $150 mark, like Casa Riverstone and Hotel La Recolección.
Check out your options on Booking.com.
What to expect when volcano boarding: my firsthand experience
I hop on the open-air shuttle bus from Bigfoot Hostel at 8 AM for a long and bouncy drive to Cerro Negro. There are about 30 people in my group. At the park entrance, it cost another $5 USD / 180 cordobas on top of what I paid for the tour. (However, I hear it’s now $10 / 370 cordobas!)
We’re all given boards, orange jumpsuits, and goggles to carry to the top, and I apply 100 SPF sunscreen twice. There’s no shade on the hike up.
“Sherpas” wait at the trailhead offering to carry the wooden board up for $5. It’s tempting, but I decide to carry my own. I’m here, so I may as well do the thing.
The hike itself is not particularly hard, but it’s relatively rugged, covered in volcanic rocks and slippery black sand. The only struggle with carrying the wooden board is having to stay steady against the increasingly heavy winds — it kind of acts as a giant sail. I swear it almost gets me swept off the volcano a few times near the top!
I envelop myself in this ridiculously large orange jumpsuit. Mine has a giant hole in the crotch, and many others have mended patches sewn to them. I tie my bandana around my neck and face, secure my goggles, and take some pretty cautious steps towards steep slope.
I can feel the hot earth through the rubber of my shoes, heated by both the sun and the internal temperature of the volcano.
One of the guides has gone skipping at full speed down the mountain so he can snap some pics and clock our speed with a speed gun as we whiz past.
Some people ahead of me, probably in attempt to beat the speed record, start off too fast. They fall and lose their boards completely, which doesn’t look fun, because you have to run back up the hill to get it! The bailing hard part also doesn’t look super fun, either.
So I start a bit slower. My feet are my only form of speed control, and volcanic dust kicks up around me as go down the hill at what feels like 100 km/hour. (The record is 95.) I’m so focused on trying not to lose control of my board that I’m not even aware of all the black sand that has made its way into the hole in my jumpsuit. That only becomes apparent once I’m at the bottom, where every single one of us is covered in black dust. But what a thrill!
Turns out… my speed was only clocked at just 50 km/hr. Surely this can’t be true!? The gun must be broken. I was flyin’.
Me at the bottom, still covered in volcanic dust.
Tips for the best volcano boarding trip
- Don’t drink the night before. So many people on my tour were severely hungover, and I promise it will make your hike miserable lol.
- Don’t forget extra money. Just $10-20 for the park entrance fee and to pay a “sherpa” if you’re going to ask someone to carry your board.
- Bring sunscreen! Seriously, it’s hot out there. Wear 50 SPF at least. I have this one called Skinnies, which I think is a New Zealand company, but it looks like you can get it in a few different countries now. It’s the best!
- Wear comfortable clothes. This feels obvious, but you’ll want something light and flexible for hiking that can also double as something comfortable to wear under your jumpsuit. And for obviously volcanic reasons, don’t wear your favourite white T-shirt.
- Go at sunrise or sunset. I didn’t actually do this because it wasn’t an option at the time. But volcano boarding is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so you should do it right! It’ll make the setting more epic and will help you avoid peak day sun on a shadeless hike.
Stay connected when you travel
Try an eSIM on your trip to Nicaragua! These handy little things can help you avoid expensive roaming fees and makes it easier to access data the moment you touch down. You don’t need to fumble your way through Spanish at a cellular store trying to get a temporary SIM card.
If you’re using Airalo for the first time, use my code NAOM15 at checkout for 15% off, or NAOM10 on any future purchase for 10% off.
Holafly is another great option with unlimited data on all their eSIM plans. Perfect if you’re a digital nomad, lost without Google Maps, or just addicted to your phone.
