Our main goal on this trip was to climb ultra and ribu peaks in Nicaragua and Costa Rica. We plan to fill the time between the ultras with P600 or lower peaks. There will be plenty to choose from as we travel along the Pan-American Highway from north to south. Long flight from Prague to…
Trip: Central America 2023
Zürich
Long stop at the airport. I check out the nearby mountains and peaks that might be accessible at this time of year. Nothing really attractive, so plan B – sightseeing in the city. I buy a return train ticket and in half an hour wandering around the streets of Zurich. There are not many people…
San Jose to Newark
The plane took off from San José in Costa Rica and flew over the east coast of the United States before landing in Newark. Many places can be seen from the plane’s window, including Cuba, Florida, South Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and New York. We also flew over parks, rivers, oceans, beaches and…
Cerro Rabo de Mico
I wanted to squeeze in one last adventure before my flight home. A great way to do this is a short hike up Cerro Rabo de Mico. Located near the capital city of San José, the hike itself is relatively easy, with a moderate incline, and takes about two hours to complete. I was following…
Cerro Chirripó
Cerro Chirripó is a remarkable journey in Costa Rica, situated in the Talamanca mountain range. It stands tall at 3,819 metres and is the highest point not only in Costa Rica, but also in the Cartago, Limón and San José regions. Being ranked 36th on the “World Top 50 by Prominence” list, it is a…
Volcán Barva
Volcán Barva is an impressive inactive stratovolcano in the Central Valley region of Costa Rica. Located about 30 kilometres northeast of the city of San José, it is the highest peak in the Heredia region and the Braulio Carrillo National Park. The volcano’s summit is covered in lush vegetation and is home to a variety…
Volcán Miravalles
Volcán Miravalles is a stratovolcano located in the province of Guanacaste, Costa Rica. It is the highest peak in the Cordillera de Tilarán, rising to over 2,000 metres above sea level. The volcano powers several geothermal power plants at its base and offers hot springs for tourists. As usual we start early in the morning…
Nicaragua
Exploring Nicaragua for the first time was an incredibly enjoyable experience. From the picturesque hikes to the active volcanoes and the hospitable locals, I was left with fond memories and a greater appreciation of the country and its culture. The food was organic and delicious, and the people I encountered were always welcoming and helpful.
Volcán Masaya
The shuttle takes us from Managua to Liberia in Costa Rica, but we have plenty of time, a couple of hours drive and not much to do the rest of the day. So we look at the map and see a tourist sign for the Parque Nacional Volcán Masaya. There is also a small peak…
Volcán Maderas
The ferry leaves in the afternoon, so we get up early and make our way to the Volcano Maderas trailhead. The road is asphalted and not bad, but the biggest danger is the “sleeping policemen” who are hard to see. But that’s what they were invented for, to drive slowly. I can say that they…
Volcán Concepción
An active stratovolcano, the most prominent lake mountain in the world, the most prominent mountain in Nicaragua, and maybe the “most” of something else… For us, it’s enough that it’s an ultra peak. We try to get on the first ferry in the morning, but we don’t know if we’ll make it. To transfer the…
Las Cumbres
After a successful ascent of Volcán Cosigüina, we head towards Lake Nicaragua, the largest lake in Central America. It is also known by several other names: Lake Nicaragua, Lake Cocibolca, Lake Granada, Lago de Nicaragua, Lago Cocibolca, Mar Dulce, Gran Lago, Gran Lago Dulce or Lago de Granada. I would not be surprised if there…
Volcán Cosigüina
After breakfast we say goodbye to Renee. She and Dave have successfully climbed some peaks in Honduras and yesterday we climbed together Volcán San Cristóbal in Nicaragua. Today she is on her way to Managua to fly home, Dave and I head for the Gulf of Fonseca, where the Cosigüina volcano rises on the coast….
Volcán San Cristóbal
This is my first introduction to the world of Nicaragua’s smoking volcanoes. First impressions are important and these are great. One of Nicaragua’s two ultra mountains is Volcán San Cristóbal, an active stratovolcano with a bush-covered base and a half kilometre high volcanic sand slope. Today we’ll have a great opportunity to get our legs…
Brussels to Chicago
As I head towards Nicaragua, the airlines’ marketing departments have made sure that the route that is “most convenient for me” has at least three connections. The first is in Brussels; the second is in Chicago. I have flown a very similar route across the Atlantic before, and I know that I will be able…