Isla de Ometepe and a Priceless Photo-op

We recently heard rumblings about a must-ride ‘extra’ to the typical southward bound pan-american cycling route: an eighty-some-odd mile figure-eight around the double-volcano island of Ometepe in the southern freshwater sea of Lago de Nicaragua.

The island was formed by Volcan de Conception and Volcan Madera which are a part of the Cordillera Los Marrabios volcano range jutting straight out of the massive freshwater lake. We met back up with Lee (a cycling cohort we met in El Salvador) in Granada and from there caught the four hour ferry to the island ready for a dirt-road adventure. Over the next three days on Ometepe we got a taste of some fantastic riding that sometimes devolving to technical flowy single-track, a wealth of natural beauty and vintage island charm. Here is the story in photos and captions:


View Ometepe, Nicaragua in a larger map

Bike touring Nicaragua
Lee working his Spanish to figure out the bike situation on the ferry.

Surly Troll bike touring Nicaragua
Our bikes being overseen by deck-hands.

Bike touring Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua
The evening light on the ferry made for some fun shooting.

Travel photo Nicaragua
A nice sunset as we said goodbye to Granada and Volcan Mombacha.

Bike touring Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua
Gin practicing her Spanish with some young Nicaraguans as Conception emerged into view.

Bike touring Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua
Conception at dusk from the ferry.

Bike touring Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua
Met Mykal and Nico re-assembling in prep for our 4km night-ride caravan to the nearest town on Ometepe.

Bike touring Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua
This dog with one white eye was giving me a stare the next morning.

Bike touring Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua
Lee getting ready to throw some stones at mangoes after our introduction to Ometepe’s rocky roads.

Bike touring Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua
Taking a rest-stop and fueling our Coca-Cola addiction.

Volcan de Conception
Making our way around the slopes of the mesmerizing Volcan de Conception.

Bike touring Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua
A cemetery on the island.

Bike touring Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua
Not sure how we’d get off this island if she was to blow.

Bike touring Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua
Heading back up to the loop road from a break at a finca.

Bike touring Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua

Cooking up the morning fry.

Ometepe Nicaragua
Curious daughter of the folks who owned the beachfront backyard where we camped for the night.

Surly Troll Bike Touring Nicaragua
Gin negotiating some piedras.

Bicycle touring in Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua
Meeting back up for a break with Mykal and Nico.

Bike touring Surly Troll

Picking lines in some technical bits. Photo by Lee.

Ometepe Nicaragua
Lots of horses on the island… and lots of new ones as well.

Bicycle touring Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua Surly Troll

Gin checking out some howler monkeys.

Surly Longhaul Trucker and Surly Troll
A pair of Surlys on a volcanic boulder.

Bicycle touring Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua
The island’s work-truck infrastructure is made up of vintage clunkers.

Bicycle touring Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua
Gin summoning creatures from the forest.

Bicycle touring Surly Troll - Tubus, Rohloff, Carradice
Lots of red and black painting everywhere.

Bicycle touring Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua Surly Troll
Gin working some technical chops.

Bicycle touring Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua
Sad to be leaving, but we had a date with the Rivas fire station.

Bicycle touring Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua
Watching Conception fade from view.

Bicycle touring Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua
Lee chowing a papaya with an onlooker.

Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua
Some of the deck-hands playing a game of checkers.

Bicycle touring Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua
Last good sight of Conception.

Bicycle touring Isla de Ometepe Nicaragua Surly Troll
Catching Gin’s beautiful eyes through the window.

Rivas , Nicaragua Fire station
Ah yes, the Rivas fire station. This too is becoming a popular camping option for Pan-Am cyclists. We couldn’t resist at the promise of a nice morning photo.

Rivas , Nicaragua Fire station
Pretty sweet engine.

Rivas , Nicaragua Fire station
And a station dalmation to boot.

Rivas Fire Station
We’d heard of this photo-op and slept with the station crew to wake up to a very large man sleeping on the pool-table. Priceless.

For more information on this route, including GPS and logistics, click here. Also, check out our growing list of bikepacking and dirt road touring routes.

Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.

Share This

Thanks in advance for spreading the word!
art