Somoto Canyon Tours
Somoto Canyon Tours
4.9
Canyoning & Rappelling ToursHiking & Camping ToursNature & Wildlife Tours
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Full view
About
A rural community ecotourism project offering tours (canyoning, hiking, horse riding, rappelling and rock climbing) with 100% government certified guides, accommodation (cabins and camping), and a concierge service for visitors to Nicaragua.
Somoto, Nicaragua
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.9
324 reviews
Excellent
292
Very good
23
Average
5
Poor
2
Terrible
2
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Kelly
1 contribution
Feb 2025 • Couples
We asked for information the day before and we had information quickly about availability, cost, location and what we needed. We went around 6 hours and it was just perfect, a very nice day accompanied by a very nice and funny guide! It is a very nice activity, the meal served at the end of the tour was also delicious! I recommend!
Automatically translated
Written February 6, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lucy
22 contributions
Mar 2024 • Couples
We booked this trip relatively last minute and Brian was great at helping accommodate our plans. He gave us really useful information about how to make our way to Somoto from León, and they came to collect us from the bus station which was a great help. We stayed overnight at their accommodation, the room and facilities are basic but were all we needed for one night. We were able to have dinner and breakfast at the property for an additional charge, and they were able to accommodate us as vegans which is great. In terms of the tour itself, we opted for the 6-hour tour and our tour guide was Rigo. It was a brilliant day, the shoes provided were a great touch so we didn’t have to get ours wet, and it was also really useful that Rigo carried a dry bag for us so we didn’t have to worry about any of our belongings. We really enjoyed swimming and scrambling through the canyon, we went at a nice pace to be able to fully enjoy the scenery, and the jumps were great fun (although you didn’t have to do them if you didn’t want to). Rigo didn’t speak English, and our Spanish is only basic but we still managed to be able to communicate and learn about the canyon. This trip was definitely a highlight of our 3-month trip so far and would definitely recommend.
Written March 28, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
travelfrogg
Berlin, Germany88 contributions
Aug 2024 • Solo
I did the short tour (4h) years ago and have since wished I would have done the long one. When I finally made it back to Nicaragua, there was no question about it- I would do the long tour (6h) this time. It was truly magical and just beautiful. I would definetely recommend doing the long one as the first and smaller canyon is, while less impressive in my opinion the more beautiful of the two. Also the hike is easier as there is no incline in the beginning and no walking along the Panamericana as with the short tour.
I wasn‘t sure that I would be able to do everything on my own but Henry (the owner) was a superstar and made it happen.
I also went on a horse tour to two viewpoints (miradores) over the canyon which is also really nice if you want to stay in the area and see some more. Not for you if you feel unsafe on horseback though. As far as I can tell the horses were healthy and well-treated. There is also the option to sleep up top and be driven most of the way, if you like sleeping in a tent and waking up to a gorgeous view. At one of the viewing platforms there is a bathroom although no running water.
I wasn‘t sure that I would be able to do everything on my own but Henry (the owner) was a superstar and made it happen.
I also went on a horse tour to two viewpoints (miradores) over the canyon which is also really nice if you want to stay in the area and see some more. Not for you if you feel unsafe on horseback though. As far as I can tell the horses were healthy and well-treated. There is also the option to sleep up top and be driven most of the way, if you like sleeping in a tent and waking up to a gorgeous view. At one of the viewing platforms there is a bathroom although no running water.
Written August 8, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Beckah D
1 contribution
Feb 2024 • Family
Such a fantastic experience. I did the 4-hour standard tour with my 3 year old and they were amazing. Olvin was an incredible guide and often effortlessly Billy-goated his way across the rocks with my son on his shoulders. He carried a tube the entire hike in case my son wanted to use it in the water instead of swimming (which he did eventually for a bit). Brian and Henry were so welcoming and had great recommendations for us on the best way to pack my son around (ie. not in his hiking pack). 10/10 would do another tour with them!
Written February 25, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bryan
Calgary, Canada9 contributions
Apr 2022
Highlights: Very cheap for a couple of hours of hiking and floating.
Johnny (sp?) was our guide for the day. He met us at the gas station on the edge of town and directed us to the guide outpost where we geared up. He did not speak English and we did not speak Spanish so it was an interesting conversation and charades for our tour.
He quickly guided us into the canyon. Be aware that this short hike can be steep for some people and there are loose rocks and also large rocks to step over. No big deal for most people but just know that there is about 30 minutes or so to get down to the water.
Once at the water the next few hours were a combination of short scrambles across large rocks and lots of float time in the water. We wore lifejackets but did not use tubes for our floats. The water was warm / light chilly but not cold. Perfect for the hot sun that day. The rocks under the water can be very slippery so use caution. Johnny did a great job of showing us where to go and which rocks could be used to get across.
When you get to the end of the canyon there is a rocking area where tons of tourists and locals hang out in the water or jump off of the rocks. You can stay here for long time or a short time if you want. I would recommend staying for a while, as the hike (easy walk) out is long, flat, and a bit boring. When you get up to the parking lot the guide arranged for a vehicle pickup for us to drive us the rest of the way out of the tour area and back to the base camp.
I would highly recommend this tour if you end up in the north near Somoto. It is relatively cheap for a tour and a great way to spend a few hours in the water.
Johnny (sp?) was our guide for the day. He met us at the gas station on the edge of town and directed us to the guide outpost where we geared up. He did not speak English and we did not speak Spanish so it was an interesting conversation and charades for our tour.
He quickly guided us into the canyon. Be aware that this short hike can be steep for some people and there are loose rocks and also large rocks to step over. No big deal for most people but just know that there is about 30 minutes or so to get down to the water.
Once at the water the next few hours were a combination of short scrambles across large rocks and lots of float time in the water. We wore lifejackets but did not use tubes for our floats. The water was warm / light chilly but not cold. Perfect for the hot sun that day. The rocks under the water can be very slippery so use caution. Johnny did a great job of showing us where to go and which rocks could be used to get across.
When you get to the end of the canyon there is a rocking area where tons of tourists and locals hang out in the water or jump off of the rocks. You can stay here for long time or a short time if you want. I would recommend staying for a while, as the hike (easy walk) out is long, flat, and a bit boring. When you get up to the parking lot the guide arranged for a vehicle pickup for us to drive us the rest of the way out of the tour area and back to the base camp.
I would highly recommend this tour if you end up in the north near Somoto. It is relatively cheap for a tour and a great way to spend a few hours in the water.
Written April 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sophie B
3 contributions
Mar 2022 • Friends
We booked the 6 hours canyon tour with accommodation and food at somotocanyontours and it was perfect. We got picked up at Somoto bus terminal and were taken back there the next day after our tour. The accommodation was super clean and everybody was so friendly. On the tour it was just us and our guide, Renaldo. He was so sweet and explained a lot about the nature, animals and history of the canyon. For the jumps (which were really all optional) Renaldo helped us up to the jumping point and even jumped first, so we could see that everything was ok.
I would recommend somotocanyontours to anyone, who is visiting Nicaragua, because it’s a breathtaking experience and totally worth the travel up to the north. It doesn’t even matter, at what time of the year you are there. We were here in dry season and it was beautiful but Renaldo told us in rain season you can float through the canyon on tubes and see many beautiful orchids, which sounds amazing, too!
I would recommend somotocanyontours to anyone, who is visiting Nicaragua, because it’s a breathtaking experience and totally worth the travel up to the north. It doesn’t even matter, at what time of the year you are there. We were here in dry season and it was beautiful but Renaldo told us in rain season you can float through the canyon on tubes and see many beautiful orchids, which sounds amazing, too!
Written March 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jacob S
Canberra, Australia15 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
A really fun canyon tour, Ringo was an amazing guide and made us laugh endlessly, he is so animated and full of knowledge. The tour is the perfect amount of structure and exhilarating adventure. I Would highly recommend everyone do the stay overnight. The rooms are accomdating, quiet and dark for a good bought sleep. The people you stay with are beautiful and welcoming to their town and the food is delicious!!
If there was a slight room for improvement, I would suggest if they had the capacity, to provide a shuttle back to your location because if you are without transport and going to Leon etc you do arrive back quite late. However, we should've been more aware we could go from somoto onward to El Salvador which was our ultimate destination.
Overall a 5 star experience and if you want the true Nicaraguan experience you should definitely go!!
If there was a slight room for improvement, I would suggest if they had the capacity, to provide a shuttle back to your location because if you are without transport and going to Leon etc you do arrive back quite late. However, we should've been more aware we could go from somoto onward to El Salvador which was our ultimate destination.
Overall a 5 star experience and if you want the true Nicaraguan experience you should definitely go!!
Written October 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Simon C
Montreal, Canada4 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
We had a great experience at Somoto Canyon Tours, we arrived at the Somoto terminal and knew that we wanted to go to the canyon but had no idea where we would be staying. A very nice lady came to us and arranged everything for us. Henri, one of the owners, came to pick us up and bring us to the hostel/family home free of charge! The hostel was very clean and very enjoyable, the people that work there are very nice and provide you with everything that you need. If ever you have trouble speaking spanish, Brian, the owner of the place is a very nice English man and he will always make sure that you have everything you need!! The tour itself was amazing an very safe too, all the guides are very professional, very friendly and considerate. Our guide Rigo was especially very very good, he talks a lot, dances and sings during the tour, he is really funny but also very professional and will help you with anything that you need during the tour, be it water, help to climb up the cliffs, or encouragement to jump when you are scared (without pressuring you at all). Plus, Rigo even took us on a free 2 hour trek the afternoon of the day before our tour and showed us around the national park and took us to see the beautiful sunset over the border of Honduras. All in all, we had an amazing experience and were treated really well at Somoto Canyon Tours! If you are to go to the Somoto Canyon, you have to book it with Somoto Canyon Tours!!
Written March 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Allison S
Vancouver, Canada6 contributions
Oct 2022
We did the four-hour canyon tour with our fairly adventurous kids (aged 6 and 8) through Somoto Canyon Tours and we loved it. Our guide Johnny was fantastic and made us feel super safe. The views were amazing. The four hour tour includes hiking, wading, floating (on tubes or in your lifejacket), rock jumps, beautiful views, and a boat ride. At one point I said to my husband “this reminds me of the Narrows in Zion, but more fun”!
We stayed in one of their four-bed dorm rooms so we could leave early in the morning on our tour. We ate dinner, breakfast, and lunch on their property. The family, including the owner Henry, was very welcoming and kind—and staying there made everything so easy! We had our own transportation, but they can also pick you up in Somoto or at the Honduras border if you don’t. The night we arrived we got a bonus farm tour and the kids even got a mule ride!
We communicated via WhatsApp with Brian in advance. From the time we contacted him about five days before the tour he was frequently in touch about the level of the river and what what might be required of our kids. The weather was in our favour, so by the time we got there all jumps were optional (but the kids loved doing some of them anyways)! We highly recommend these guys!
We stayed in one of their four-bed dorm rooms so we could leave early in the morning on our tour. We ate dinner, breakfast, and lunch on their property. The family, including the owner Henry, was very welcoming and kind—and staying there made everything so easy! We had our own transportation, but they can also pick you up in Somoto or at the Honduras border if you don’t. The night we arrived we got a bonus farm tour and the kids even got a mule ride!
We communicated via WhatsApp with Brian in advance. From the time we contacted him about five days before the tour he was frequently in touch about the level of the river and what what might be required of our kids. The weather was in our favour, so by the time we got there all jumps were optional (but the kids loved doing some of them anyways)! We highly recommend these guys!
Written November 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sandra N
3 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
Top top top!
We chose the 6-hour tour and it was wonderful. The tour offers everything: swimming through the canyon, jumping from rocks into the water (from 1 meter to 20 meters, everything is possible but only if you want to), hiking and hopping from stone to stone to cross the river. We traveled from Leon to Esteli especially for this tour and it was worth it. The trip was a lot of fun and the scenery was beautiful. Our guide was super nice and explained and told us everything about nature. He was very entertaining and personable. Great guy!
About the provider: 5 stars!!! Always reachable via WhatsApp and very personable! Uncomplicated and always available for questions. We forgot our action camera and thought we would have to take the whole trip again on the chicken bus (4 hours there and back). On top of that, we wanted to drive on to Granada the next day. The provider made sure that the camera was brought to us in Granada. And we actually got it back!
Many other tour operators would have kept the camera if it hadn't been picked up. Thank you so much again. I really appreciate it and would book here again anytime!
We chose the 6-hour tour and it was wonderful. The tour offers everything: swimming through the canyon, jumping from rocks into the water (from 1 meter to 20 meters, everything is possible but only if you want to), hiking and hopping from stone to stone to cross the river. We traveled from Leon to Esteli especially for this tour and it was worth it. The trip was a lot of fun and the scenery was beautiful. Our guide was super nice and explained and told us everything about nature. He was very entertaining and personable. Great guy!
About the provider: 5 stars!!! Always reachable via WhatsApp and very personable! Uncomplicated and always available for questions. We forgot our action camera and thought we would have to take the whole trip again on the chicken bus (4 hours there and back). On top of that, we wanted to drive on to Granada the next day. The provider made sure that the camera was brought to us in Granada. And we actually got it back!
Many other tour operators would have kept the camera if it hadn't been picked up. Thank you so much again. I really appreciate it and would book here again anytime!
Written September 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Where and what is the bus stop.
How can I arrange a one night stay
in Somoto where a guide will pick me up.
Thank you
Regina
Written April 2, 2018
Somoto Canyon Tours
Somoto, Nicaragua
You use the contact form to make a reservation which is located at on the Somoto CanyonTours website the address for which you can find in the TripAdvisor listing or via a search engine.
If you are travelling by bus we meet you at the bus terminal in Somoto and bring you too our cabins at the entrance to the canyon to check in. All part of the service.
Written April 2, 2018
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.