The Expedition
Ultimate Volcano Expeditions has been leading adventurers into some of the world's most remote volcanoes since 2012. Join us on our next expedition to Masaya, Nicaragua and see this amazing natural wonder from the world's only zip line over an active lava lake.
Location: Masaya, Nicaragua
Dates Available: March 15th- April 30th 2020
Cost: $6499 for three day excursion
Masaya 2020
$6,499 Fee Covers:
- Transportation to and from airport and volcano
- Access to Masaya Volcano and overnight stay within the crater
- Climbing Equipment including harness, helmet, gas mask, head lamp, gloves etc.
- Climbing instruction from experts with volcanic experience
- Access to one of of the kind zipline across the Masaya Lava Lake
- Professional photos
- Meals while on the Volcano (Please let us know of dietary restrictions ahead of time)
- Airfare to and from Managua, Nicaragua
- Accommodations in Managua
- Incidentals
- Tents are not included unless said otherwise, if you wish to borrow one please let us know prior to arrival and we will check our stock.
Special pricing is available for longer excursions, film crews and researchers.
Our Team
Expedition Leader: Geoff Mackley
Geoff, and his team have been leading expeditions into the world's most active volcanoes since pioneering the first safe lava lake descent strategy in 2012. Their work has been featured in documentaries and news broadcasts all over the world. They are experts in establishing and maintaining climbing lines in harsh volcanic conditions ensuring a safe excursion for climbers of varying experience levels.
Ultimate Volcano Expeditions is the only company approved to guide visitors on overnight stays within the crater of Masaya. Our base camp is located on the rim of the volcanic crater, a safe distance from the lava lake at its center. While Masaya's rim is accessible by car, the lava lake itself can only be viewed from within.
The visit will also include access to our one of the kind zip line, spanning the crater and giving participants an unparalleled view of the roiling lava below. Our climbing guides take great care to ensure the stability of these lines, removing them nightly and reinstalling them each morning to prevent degradation. The lines are tested by our crew multiple times throughout the day to certify their security.
Overview: Our expeditions are very unique, 300 meters of volcanic rock face separate you from the incredible lava lake. We will use two ziplines to bring you to the face melting location, where you will feel the heat of Masaya’s lava lake. We have been leading the way in rope access of extreme locations, especially volcanoes in the Pacific. We have pushed boundaries in filmmaking & exploration with BBC, National Geographic, GoPro, CNN and others and as the demand for accessing extreme locations increases we provide these expeditions for everyone.
Description: Masaya is an active stratovolcano with an elevation of 2083 ft Masaya is a complex consisting of a 3.7×7.1 mile large caldera with steep, up to 985 ft high walls, and a group of young cones at the NW end including Nindirí and Masaya volcano proper. There are multiple summit craters including the currently active Santiago crater, the site of the current exedition.
Location: Masaya is about 31 km (12 mi) from the capital city of Managua which is where the international airport is located. There is no need to camp on top of the volcano overnight unless you wish to, a number of well priced hotels are within a 20 minute drive from the summit.
Expeditions Package: USD $6499 per private person (not intended for commercial filming and photography or product advertising) 787 foot zipline descent to crater floor, then a 10 minute walk across to a second zipline spanning across Masaya’s lava lake, Exploration to lower level inside the volcano is ongoing. A night will be spent inside if safe to do so or requested.
NOTE: This is an activity that is suitable for all ages but you will need to be fit enough to make the 10 minute walk over rough terrain to the second zipline and does require somebody of reasonable fitness. If weather conditions are not to our standard your climb will be delayed until a weather window opens, it is very important that you allocate enough time. We cannot be held responsible for weather conditions.
Getting there: Frequent flights from the United States and other nearby countries service Managua.
Visas: 92 countries have visa free entry to Nicaragua check
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Nicaragua
Hotel in Managua: Globales Camino Real , 5 minutes from International Airport - $140 USD (book online for US$80)
Numerous smaller but good hotels exist closer to the Volcano too. Prices around US$35 per night per person.
Optimum weather: The best time to visit Nicaragua is during the dry season, between November and the end of April. The weather will be rather warm, and there will be little to no rain.
Drones: Are strictly forbidden in Nicaragua, don’t try to smuggle one in, it will be found.
It is possible for us to to get a permit for drones under certain circumstances and with enough advance warning.
Interested?
