🌋 Hiking Concepción Volcano: My Honest Review & Tips

Concepción Volcano (Volcan Concepción) on Ometepe in Nicaragua is one of the few symmetrical volcanos in the world that can be hiked. Using a clear rating system, I share my honest review of hiking to the summit, along with firsthand tips.

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🍀 Lukiih’s Verdict

I recommend hiking Concepción Volcano only if you’re up for the challenge of climbing a strenuous, steep active volcano.

• The summit is often enveloped in clouds, so it’s a gamble on whether it’s worth hiking it for the views.
• A licensed guide is required to reach the summit, but the experience is affordable even after accounting for transportation and a guide.
• Moderate preparation is required, as you’ll need to pack accordingly and have a certain fitness level to reach the top.

Planning a trip? Here’s what to know about Nicaragua.

🏆 Where Does It Rank?

Hiking Concepción Volcano ranks as the #8 experience I had in Nicaragua. Here’s how it compares to other things I did on my trip:

	Experience	Location	Overall Rating
1	🌊 Laguna de Apoyo Day Trip	Granada	7.7
2	🏖️ Playa Mango	Ometepe	6.7
3	🏍️ Ometepe Scooter	Ometepe	6.3
4	💧 Cascada de San Ramón	Ometepe	6.1
5	⛪ Church of La Merced	Granada	5.9
6	🏊‍♂️ Ojo de Agua	Ometepe	5.7
7	🏄‍♀️ Playa Maderas Surfing Lessons	San Jual del Sur	5.7
8	🌋 Concepción Volcano Hike	Ometepe	5.6
9	🏖️ Playa Santo Domingo	Ometepe	5.6
10	🛶 Islets of Granada	Granada	5.5
11	🏄‍♀️ Playa Remanso Surfing Lessons	San Jual del Sur	5.4

My Nicaragua itinerary features the above experiences.

✈️ About My Trip

For context on my review, here’s what to know about my trip:

• I finance my trips and don’t receive sponsorship; this review reflects my honest opinions.
• I hiked Volcan Concepción in late 2024.
• My Nicaragua trip was in October when it was transitioning from the low, rainy season to the high, dry season.

• Hiking Concepción Volcano is an uncommon experience. I estimate that fewer than 50 comparable hikes exist worldwide. The active volcano offers a challenging hike with a breathtaking view of the surrounding island landscape.

• The hike has the potential to be memorable with its stunning summit view, but unfortunately, the summit frequently has cloud coverage. I stayed at the summit for over 45 minutes, and it never cleared.
• Other challenging active volcanos located on an island that can be hiked include Mount Agung in Indonesia and Stromboli Volcano in Italy.

• Concepción Volcano is an extremely rewarding hike if you can reach the summit. The first 3 hours require hiking through a humid rainforest, and the last 2 hours on the ascent require a bit of rock scrambling due to the steepness.
• A cool thing about hiking the volcano is that the rocks near the summit are warm to the touch. You can also see steam coming out of the rocks at certain points.

A licensed guide is required to reach the summit of Volcan Concepción because the last 2,000 feet for the summit push is not clearly marked. Although rare, several experienced hikers have died attempting to hike on their own.

• I can’t say that hiking the volcano is enjoyable. The 7-10 hour hike is very strenuous, which usually doesn’t discourage me, but it doesn’t offer many interesting views or terrains to distract you from the challenge.
• It’s also an uncomfortable hike. I sweated nonstop for the first two hours when passing through the rainforest. The hike down is also steep, putting a lot of strain on your knees.

Start your hike early to avoid the afternoon sun. Many hikers start as early as 6 am, and I started at 7 am.

• I stayed at the summit for 45 minutes, waiting for the clouds to pass, and it was pretty miserable. It was cold and cloudy, and there were a ton of different species of bugs that kept landing on me. I’ve never been swarmed by bugs like that before.

I found hiking Mt. Fuji much more enjoyable despite being rained on during the ascent.

A licensed guide is required to summit Concepción Volcano because the last 2,000 feet don’t have a clearly marked route (hikers have died getting lost). Hiring a guide costs between $10 and $50, depending on group size, season, and where the tour ends. The volcano also has a $3 entrance fee that’s not usually included in tours.

Some locals are willing to take visitors to a viewpoint at the halfway point of Concepción, which costs closer to $10-$15 per person. Licensed guides knowledgeable enough to take you to the summit charge at least $25.

Green Expeditions has great reviews if you would like to book ahead. I booked with Elmer Tour during the low season and paid $33 ($25 for the guide, $3 for the entrance, and $5 tip). The guide had a nice laid-back vibe and was an incredibly fast hiker.

See my Nicaragua trip expenses.

• A solid level of fitness is required to summit Concepción Volcano. You’ll need to hike over very steep terrain for 7-10 hours. There are some rock scrambles and loose volcanic rocks near the top.
• The trailhead is about a 10-minute drive from Moyogalpa, and most guides will provide transportation, so it’s an easy pick-up in the morning.
• Reserve a guide at least 1-2 days before your hike so they are prepared to take you. Pack for a strenuous day hike that can be hot, cool, and humid at different times (e.g., 2-3L of water, hat, gloves, athletic top, small sweat towel, etc.)

For more detailed tips on my experience, check out my trip planner below.