Lava Walk

Telica Volcano is one of the most active volcanoes here in Nicaragua. It stands 1061 m. high and has a double crater. This amazing sight is 120 m deep, 700 m wide with lava easily seen bubbling below. If you are fortunate enough to be there when it is not cloudy or at night, take a peak over the crater edge to see a sight of a lifetime! Caution: there are no fences or barriers so be careful.

Part of the Maribios chain, Telica last erupted on September 25, 2013 when "jet engine" noises were heard and ash plumes as high as 1.5 km were seen.

Located close to Leon it has now become a popular tourist attraction. Many tour operators offer varying tours, so check out what is best for you. Trails are not well marked so going it alone is not recommended especially if you will be there at night.

Our Trek to the Top: Our group of adventurers opted to use Mas Adventures to do their night walk to see the lava. With this option we left at 2 p.m. and took a 2 hr. ride along highway and then "not" highway to get to the drop off point.

First 20 min. or so were fine then the fun started. The "road" was dusty, bumpy and extremely bumpy. I felt sorry for the driver's jeep!! and the 6 riding in the back. It was an interesting trip and before we knew it we were at the point of no return.

With our guide taking the lead we headed up and up and up. I found it best not too look up to the top as it seems like we would never get there. The lower part of the volcano is covered with vegetation, so take the time to check out the cool small plants and flowers growing in this harsh environment.

With some stops along the way to catch our breath and have a drink of water the climb to the top took about 1 hr. About half way up stop and look around, the views are amazing in every direction. You can see the volcanoes all the way north to Cosiguina, on the Gulf of Fonseca.

The last section looks the hardest but actually it isn't. As you wind along the gravel and rock path you can start to "hear" the roar of the lava in the crater. This makes you get your second breath and your determination to reach the top is renewed!

The reward for all our effort is standing on the crater edge listening to the power we know is beneath our feet. As we peaked over the edge we could see some glow of lava which made us all the more eager for the darkness of night to come.

To view the sunset we trekked part way down and across a grassy valley and then back up the east side of Telica. This took us about 15-20 minutes and we arrived just in time to watch the sun set. We sat down to have supper and admire the ocean view. It was truly a peaceful and beautiful sight.

After hiking back around to the north ridge of the crater I got to experience what I had come for (hopefully the rest did also) seeing lava with my own eyes! It was scary creeping close to the edge but we all used caution and got to see and hear the wonderful sight below us. The air was clear with only a slight smell of sulphur so there was nothing blocking the view. Truly amazing!!!

Of course what goes up, must come down. The walk down is probably more dangerous as it is now very dark with only flashlights to light you path. We all stayed close together, helping each other along the way.

The night sky was crystal clear and when you looked up the stars were endless! As you looked around you could see the lights of towns and cities miles away. This was the best trip ever, worth every ache and pain! When we got back to the jeep we piled in for the fun trip back home!

Link to Mas Adventures Website : masadventuresni.com

Check out our 360 degree Panoramic taken at the top of Telica Volcano