Booking choice: The Nicaragua Full Day Tour, from $230 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
Every day tour from Guanacaste crosses by land at Peñas Blancas, on the Pan-American Highway north of Liberia. You leave Costa Rica, enter Nicaragua, and do the reverse in the evening.
Guides deal with the order of things, but the requirements are yours. Rules change, so check your government's travel advice close to your date.
The quick answer
Bring your passport, valid for at least six months after you arrive (the UK government's rule), and proof of your flight out of Costa Rica. Send the operator your passport details when you book, and check whether your nationality needs a visa. Most tours here include the border fees. Leave drones and binoculars at the hotel. Queues reported by guests range from about 15 minutes to an hour and a half.
What happens at the border?
You get an exit stamp from Costa Rica, cross on foot, and go through Nicaraguan immigration with your guide; in the evening you do the same in reverse.
One guest described being processed with fingerprints and a photo on entry to Nicaragua.
Want help through every step? The most reviewed tour includes the border fees and a guide to take you through.
Check dates for the Nicaragua Full Day TourWhat passport do you need?
A passport valid for at least six months after you arrive in Nicaragua, according to the UK government, and the operators ask for its details when you book.
The most reviewed tour needs each traveler's passport name, number, expiry and country at booking. Bring the passport itself on the day; a copy is not enough to cross.
Do you need a visa for Nicaragua?
Many nationalities do not: the UK government says British visitors can stay up to 90 days without a visa. Some nationalities do need one.
The Liberia expedition's listing notes that travelers from Nicaragua's "category B" countries must pay for a Nicaraguan visa. One guest on the most reviewed tour wrote that nobody flagged that a companion needed a visa. Check your own nationality with the operator and an official source well before the day.
Are the border fees included?
On most tours listed here, yes; on two, they are not listed, so ask.
| Tour | Fees in the listing | Meals |
|---|---|---|
| Nicaragua Full Day Tour | All taxes, fees and handling charges; park fees | Breakfast, lunch |
| Liberia expedition | All taxes, fees and border charges | Breakfast, lunch |
| Playas del Coco day trip | All taxes, fees and handling charges | Breakfast, lunch |
| Masaya and Granada from Liberia | All fees and taxes | Breakfast, lunch |
| Pura Vida VIP trip | All fees and taxes | Breakfast, lunch |
| Small-group day | Not listed | Not listed |
| Private day | Not listed | Breakfast, lunch |
Fees, meals and park entry in one price: check dates for the most reviewed tour.
Check dates for the Nicaragua Full Day TourDo you need proof of a flight out of Costa Rica?
Yes: the operators ask you to carry proof of your flight out of Costa Rica, because you re-enter Costa Rica the same evening.
The Playas del Coco day trip calls it an immigration rule for re-entering Costa Rica. A screenshot or printout of your flight booking is the simplest way to have it ready.
What can you not bring into Nicaragua?
Drones and binoculars of any kind, night-vision ones included, plus professional or journalistic camera and recording equipment, according to the operators.
The UK government adds that e-cigarettes are banned in Nicaragua. A phone camera is fine for holiday photos. See what to bring for the full list.
How long does the crossing take?
Anything from about 15 minutes in line to an hour and a half, by guests' accounts, and longer on holidays.
One guest crossing on May 1 wrote that it could easily have taken four hours or more, and that their driver got them through in under an hour and a half. That is why the tours start so early: to reach the border before the lines build.
Staying in Liberia? This tour meets at 6 AM at Plaza Santa Rosa, so there is no long ride up from the beaches.
Explore the Liberia expeditionHow much is the arrival tax?
The UK government says Nicaragua charges an arrival tax of 10 US dollars, paid in cash.
On the tours that list "all taxes and fees", ask the operator whether that covers every charge at both borders, and carry some small US bills anyway.
Ready to go? Book the day with fees, meals and border help included.
Check dates for the Nicaragua Full Day TourFrequently asked questions
Which border crossing do Nicaragua day tours use?
Peñas Blancas, the Pan-American Highway crossing north of Liberia.
Do US citizens need a visa for Nicaragua?
Check the US State Department's Nicaragua page before you go; it also rates Nicaragua Level 3, "Reconsider travel". Some nationalities need a visa arranged in advance.
Can I use my passport if it expires in four months?
Do not risk it: the UK government says it must be valid for at least six months after you arrive in Nicaragua.
Ready to book
Choose your day
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option here. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Nicaragua Full Day Tour from Costa Rica
- Hotel, condo or house pickup from Tamarindo to Liberia (some resorts pay an extra fee)
- Breakfast, lunch and bottled water
- All taxes, fees and handling charges, plus national park fees
Nicaragua One Day Expedition from Liberia
- Meet at Plaza Santa Rosa mall, Liberia, at 6:00 AM (free pickup inside Liberia)
- Breakfast and lunch; transport on both sides of the border
- Bilingual guide; all taxes, fees and border charges
Day Trip to Granada from Playas del Coco
- Hotel pickup and drop-off, 5:00 AM start
- Driver-guide and an air-conditioned vehicle
- Breakfast and lunch
