Concepción Volcano
My last stop in Nicaragua was Ometepe. The island had a few attractions, although at that time I was only interested in hiking the two volcanoes within it- Concepción and Maderas. I don’t know if it’s because I made the mistake of traveling to the island on Sunday, or for some other reason, but there weren’t many tour agencies open to talk to, and almost no one else was in the hostel, so I wasn’t able to gather a group. As a result, I couldn’t get a good deal for both tours, and decided to do only Concepción. It was highly recommended to do those hikes with a tour guide, especially during the rainy season, and I didn’t want to risk it.
Early in the morning I was on the back of the guide’s scooter, and about fifteen minutes later got to the beginning of the trail. While initially I thought it would be just me and the guide, two other travelers have joined us. We paid the entry fee to the park and started walking.
Less than five minutes had passed before we stopped. The guide gave some explanation about the wildlife and plants along the trail, although I didn’t really pay attention to it. I wasn’t looking for an educational experience, only the added safety of a guide. My fellow travelers, though, seemed quite interested. And that set the tone for the first part of the journey- We would stop every few minutes, which I found annoying, to look at some flowers or trees and try to spot a few animals. Other than that, it road didn’t have much of an incline, if any, and was pretty easy to follow. I started to wonder when we’ll get to the difficult part, which supposedly requires a guide.
It took us a while, partly because we stopped a lot, but mainly it was just a long road to follow. Eventually, we got into the forest area, which was at an incline, although a fairly manageable one. We started walking in the woods, and while we still had an educational break, they were getting less frequent, which for me was a good thing. On the other hand, we also had a few more breaks to just rest, as climbing up at that angle took more of an effort.
There were a couple of noteworthy points during our time in the forest. After walking for quite a while and building sweat, we got to a part of the road where there was a gap in the trees, and we could see a great view of the area below us. That made me feel quite hopeful about what’s yet to come. Quite a bit later, there were a couple more viewpoints, and each timer the view was great to look at.
And then there were the ants. Somewhere along the road, the guide stopped our little group to give us a warning. For a small section of the road, we had to move a bit faster, and do our best to avoid “hammer ants”. I never heard of those ants before, and didn’t quite understand the explanation in Spanish, but I got the basic idea- Avoid the ants. Thankfully, it was a short and fairly easy section of the road, and then we kept going on our way at a more regular pace.
It took longer than I thought, and hoped, but after about a couple of hours the forest part was over. Along with my fellow travelers, I found myself at a nice resting spot, with views all around- The forest, the town, the lake, and even beyond that. That incredible view was definitely worth the hike. It was a good place to just sit down and relax for a little bit.
On the other side I could see the top of Concepción volcano, covered in clouds. I remembered reading online about many people not finishing the hike. I wasn’t sure at what point to go back, but I was under the impression they simply gave up. But sitting down at the top of the forest, looking at the volcano, I could help but wonder if maybe they just didn’t think there was a point in going all the way to the top, especially if they were there on a cloudy day with no view. I also wondered if our little group should go back at that point. I also came to the hike with the mindset of going all the way to the top, no matter how difficult it was going to be. When my two companions stood up and the guide declared it was time to keep going, I didn’t protest.
At that point, the road changed drastically. It was no longer a forest area, but an exposed trail to the top of the volcano. It was filled with small volcanic stones and loose gravel. In addition to that, this part of the trail was considerably steeper. It required more effort, and had a far greater risk of slipping and falling off. Within minutes I understood perfectly well why a guide was strongly recommended. If I had attempted it by myself, there would have been a good chance of me just giving up after those few minutes.
When we paused for a break, we could see another hiker with a guide, quickly catching up to us. As our breaks became more frequent, they eventually did catch us, and for some reason decided to join us, rather than overtake us. It didn’t change much, but I did feel like there was an added safety with one more guide.
We found ourselves within the clouds, and the fantastic views were long gone. It was practically impossible to follow a perfect trail. Everyone at some point slipped a bit, but it wasn’t a major issue at any point. As the path got tougher, we (and more so I) slowed down. On the final stretch, I stopped again to rest and catch my breath, and was left by myself, able to see only a few meters ahead of me, and when I bothered looking up it was just me and the volcanoes. While I could hear the others, they were just out of sight.
Thankfully, it only took a couple of minutes before I caught up with them. All five were standing at the top of the crater, waiting for me, and cheering. Just when I got to them, I slipped. I was caught immediately by one of my fellow hikers, who helped me to get up on my feet and make sure I’m safe.
At the top of the volcano, as suspected, there were no views. Sure, we made it to the crater, but we were surrounded by both clouds and steam, so there wasn’t anything to look at. We made it to the end of the trail, and that was supposed to count for something. To me, it felt like it might count for some wasted time. Soon enough, I thought differently, or rather, worse. More than a waste of time, at least on a day where the area around the crater is covered in clouds, it was simply a mistake.
The solo hiker and her guide left to make their descent down the trail, and we were only four people once more. Very soon after that, our guide gave me a pair of gloves to help protect my hands on the way down, and said I can carefully start descending on my own, while the other two wanted to stay by the crater for a little while longer.
And so I did, slowly and carefully. I slipped a few more times, but every time I could catch myself and hold on to the rocks. While in the beginning the guide was watching over me to make sure I’m heading in the right direction, he had two other people to deal with, and eventually I was by myself, at a part where I really didn’t want to be by myself. I still kept going down the volcano for a while, until I felt like there was a serious risk of getting lost. I sat down and rested while waiting for the rest of the group to catch up.
It took longer than I expected, but eventually I could hear them, and a few moments later, see them. When they caught up, I got up and resumed the descent. It was a long and dangerous road, and even our guide slipped on the way down. As the road continued on, and I slowed down again, the other two passed me along the way. Then, it was just me and the guide, who had no complaints about me taking my time, and in fact reminded me several times that I should not try to rush it.
By the time we got to the rest area at the top of the forest, it appeared that my two companions were waiting there for quite a while, and the other two we met earlier in the day were long gone. I was feeling quite tired, both physically and mentally. Going down the steep slope took its toll, and when the guide said it’s time to go I asked for a few more minutes to rest. He didn’t mind it one bit.
When we started the descent into the forest, the guide was behind me, asking every now and then if I need a break. It didn’t take long for the other two to get ahead of us, and once more it was just me and the guide. At some point he gave me a long piece of wood, to use as an improvised trekking pole. It was a bit heavy, but it definitely helped along the way down, and I appreciated it.
We were in the forest for so long that the sun had started to set. My two companions were already in a taxi on the way to their hotel, according to the guide, who went on to tell me there is no time pressure, and I could take all the breaks I needed. I was slow, but I also felt more emotionally and mentally tired, rather than physically. When we finally cleared the forest and were walking on a more leveled ground, the pace was faster, although not by much.
We walked in silence, while darkness creeped upon us, until the point where we had to use our smartphones to light the path. A bit later, the guide said he is going to move faster than me, and go get his scooter. That meant I had less distance to cover on foot, although I was by myself for a while. It wasn’t too bad, but it would’ve been nice to have company. When we met again, I got on the back of the scooter, and we rode back to the hostel where I was dropped off. The guide’s attitude toward me was nothing but positive, and I decided to give him a tip as a little show of gratitude.
For me, that was the end of the adventure in Nicaragua. While a couple of things were great, mostly it was just one disappointment after the next. I tried my best here, until I ran out of energy and couldn’t be bothered to try anymore. At every stop along the way, short of Ometepe, the tours were all overpriced (and the food wasn’t cheap either), and I found myself repeatedly saying: “Acatenango is better”. Even though I haven’t actually done it, it seems like a far better value for money, not to mention the hikes that I did do in Guatemala.
In addition to that, I encountered several people in the tourism industry, whose mannerism made me feel like I’m facing racists. While there is a chance I may have misunderstood those people and the situations I was in, it was the first country where I found myself thinking it was a possibility. Nicaragua, unfortunately, made me sad.