If you love adventure activities, you should definitely try volcano boarding at Cerro Negro, located near León, Nicaragua! This unique activity entails hiking up an active volcano, throwing on a protective suit, then tobogganing down the side of the volcano on a wooden board.
The city of León is gorgeous to visit and is known as one of the best places to visit in Nicaragua. While there’s plenty of markets, food to try, and gorgeous architecture, volcano boarding is one of the main attractions near the city. It is a must-do activity when visiting Nicaragua as it is one of the few places that offer this adventure!
Continue reading to explore an incredible adventure volcano boarding near León, Nicaragua!
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Volcano Boarding on Cerro Negro Near León, Nicaragua
Book a Volcano Boarding Tour
The only way to experience Volcano Boarding on Cerro Negro is to book a tour. These tours can be purchased through many front desks at hostels as well in advance from tour websites.
The tour will pick you up from your accommodations if you are staying in downtown León and drive you to the volcano. The drive lasts about 45 minutes and the tours are typically around 6 hours in duration.
Pro Tip: Bring a bandana or something to cover your face. There is a lot of dust!
Collect Your Board and Protective Gear
When you arrive at Cerro Negro Volcano, you will be given goggles, a suit, a backpack, and your board. You will have to carry all of your belongings in the bag and hold on to them while riding down the volcano.
Cerro Negro Volcano is actually an active volcano, which makes this adventure that much cooler of a story to tell!
Hike up Volcan Cerro Negro
The hike up Cerro Negro can take up to 2 hours. The path is in fairly decent shape, but the incline can be challenging to manage. There also tend to be strong winds in this area, which is difficult to navigate with a large wooden board. Be sure to carry your board along your side so you don’t blow over!
Experience Volcano Boarding on Cerro Negro
Once you get to the top of the active volcano, it will be time to put on all of your protective gear. I had a lot of fun dancing around in the orange suits! You will be asked to put your backpack inside the jumpsuit with you so you don’t have to worry about holding on it.
There will be a few lines forming at the top of the volcano where you will prepare to board down one-by-one. It can be really nerve-racking staring down the volcano, but your guide will explain how you can slow yourself down or speed up.
The guides took photos as we boarded down Cerro Negro. They also had a speed gun to let us know how fast we were going. I was nervous and maintained a slower pace of around 18 km/h. There were others who flew down the volcano at quicker than 40 km/h!
If you have a GoPro, definitely be sure to bring a mount to capture the experience. It is one of my favourite videos I have of my travels!
How to Get to León
To get to León from an international destination, you will fly to Augusto Cesar Sandino International Airport in Managua. From there, the most popular choice of transportation is either by public bus or shuttle. It is around 90 km from Managua to León.
Where to Stay in León
As León is a very popular city for backpackers to visit, there are plenty of hostels and budget accommodations throughout the city. The best place to stay while visiting is in the downtown near the León Cathedral. This area is filled with restaurants, outdoor vendors, and incredible places to visit.
Booking.comConclusion
Volcano boarding at Cerro Negro Volcano is a must-have on your bucket list if you love extreme sports or adventure activities. This one-of-a-kind experience is one of the most interesting things I’ve done while travelling. It definitely makes for a great story to tell!
Have you been volcano boarding on Cerro Negro near León, Nicaragua? Let me know about your experience in the comments!
13 Comments
Jennifer Connarn
This looks like an epic bucketlist type of trip!
deventuretime
It definitely is!
limitlesssecrets
This looks so much fun! I am such a chicken, I would probably keep it at a slow pace like you!
deventuretime
I was terrified all the way through, but in the end, I told myself I would go faster IF I was to do it again!
Ummi Nadrah
Wowww, this is so cool! I’m adding this to my bucket list of crazy things to do before I die. It’s great that they provide all the necessary gear.
deventuretime
It is so much fun!
Rachel
Volcano boarding looks so fun! So funny in the orange suits! Great post
deventuretime
So much fun!
usfman
So what happens when you get to the bottom of the volcano? How do you get back up?
Unicorn
Volcano boarding!? I’ve never heard of that before. That sounds like an amazing adventure
SecretMoona
This is the first time I’ve heard about volcano boarding. This activity is both thrilling and scary. I would love to try it but on a inactive volcano!
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