Bigfoot Hostel vs Volcano Day: Which Company is best for YOUR volcano boarding tour in Nicaragua
Bigfoot Hostel VS Volcano Day VS QuetzalTrekkers, which company is best for YOUR volcano boarding tour in Léon, Nicaragua. They all look like they’re offering similar trips at similar prices and it can be hard to tell the differences. And you want to have a great time, don’t you? We had a hard time choosing too. That’s why we’ve written this post, to help you decide which company YOU should pick for volcano boarding in Léon, Nicaragua.
WHAT IS VOLCANO BOARDING?
Volcano boarding is exactly what it sounds like – riding down the slopes of an active volcano. Instead of waves, thrill-seekers surf down the ash-covered slopes of Nicaragua’s Cerro Negro on a specially designed wooden board, reaching speeds of up to 100km/hour (the fastest ever recorded speed was 172km/hour!). It’s an absolute must-do if you’re travelling to Nicaragua or Central America!
If you’re not clued up on what Volcano Boarding actually is, check out our Ultimate Guide to Volcano Boarding in Nicaragua for everything you need to know. This post skips over all the details and focusses instead on which company to choose to make sure you get the best from your volcano boarding experience.
DO I NEED A TOUR COMPANY TO GO VOLCANO BOARDING IN NICARAGUA?
Ultimately, yes. Who else is going to provide that sexy jumpsuit and goggles combination? Not to mention the board (boarding isn’t much fun without one!) and the transport there and back? If you go alone, you’ll be missing out on the fab party afterwards too!
On a serious note, we do not recommend you try volcano boarding on your own. Your tour company prioritises safety, provides expert guidance, brings all your equipment, and has local knowledge about the volcanoes. They’ll make sure you have a great experience, take a million photos of you having fun, and you get to join in the social aspect (and party!) with other travellers, making friends that you’ll see up and down the rest of Central America.
SHOULD I BOOK WITH BIGFOOT HOSTEL OR VOLCANO DAY NICARAGUA TOURS?
Ah, the big question. Bigfoot Hostel VS Volcano Day VS QuetzalTrekkers? We had no idea who to go with either. That’s the entire reason that we’ve written this guide! To help you make the best decision for YOU.
Ok, let’s break it down.
When you arrive in Léon, you’ll notice two main players for volcano boarding tours on Cerro Negro. These are Bigfoot Hostel and Volcano Day. They’re right across the street from each other! There’s also a lesser-known player on the scene, QuetzalTrekkers, which we’ll discuss here too. All of the tours are more-or-less the same price, and include the same things. So how do you decide which company to go with?
VOLCANO BOARDING NICARAGUA: MEET THE PLAYERS
#1 BIGFOOT HOSTEL
Bigfoot Hostel is where volcano boarding was invented. The then-owner of Bigfoot Hostel, Darryn Webb, used to ‘snowboard’ on sand dunes back in Australian. Inspired by this, the crazy guy decided to experiment with surfing down Cerro Negro. After some trial and error, including an actual snowboard, a mattress, a refrigerator, and even the hood of a car, he finally discovered that a simple wooden sled with a thin piece of metal underneath would do the trick. Why this wasn’t his first idea, I’ll never know!
And thus, volcano boarding was born! Darryn Webb had succeeded and finally put Cerro Negro and volcano boarding on the travellers’ map. By 2004, Bigfoot Hostel were running the first ‘volcano boarding’ tours out of Léon, and other companies soon followed.
Bigfoot Hostel is considered the most popular company to book your Volcano Boarding tour with. Mostly because it’s the OG, but probably also because it’s also the most famous party hostel in Léon! A tour with Bigfoot Hostel might be for you if you love to party with new friends, or if you’re planning to stay there anyway (you’ll get a $5 USD discount!).
BIGFOOT HOSTEL PROS
- ‘Inventors’ of Volcano Boarding. They started it, and they’ve been doing it for a while!
- Bigfoot is a popular party hostel. If you’re staying here already, it’s easy to book and a great way to meet new friends. Plus, you’ll get a discount!
- They’re a bit competitive. The boards are in great condition and there’s a laser speed gun to turn it into a competition for the fastest boarder
- Bonfire, snacks, and unlimited alcohol included
- Meal included at a local family home (supports locals!.
- Famous party bus back to Léon (sunset tour only), plus two free mojitos at Bigfoot Hostel once you’re back.
- Bigfoot Hostel t-shirt included
- Three trips a day: sunrise, day, and sunset tours available.
BIGFOOT HOSTEL CONS
- Larger group sizes leading to a less-intimate experience
- In our opinion, a little disorganised. Although the Bigfoot Hostel group hiked up Cerro Negro first, they were so slow coming down that they missed the sunset. We were up, down and enjoying our campfire whilst the Bigfoot Hostel group were still on the volcano. Of course, there’s every chance people were scared or just taking their time coming down but it looked like a lack of organisation from the group leaders
- Competition is encouraged and Bigfoot Hostel (apparently) has more injuries than any other volcano boarding tour, usually just cuts and grazes but occasionally worse. They’ve also been slammed for their lack of trained first aiders on the trip.
- Fully encourage getting absolutely hammered, which is not our vibe (but if it’s yours, we won’t judge! Just move this point to the pros list)
#2 VOLCANO DAY
Volcano Day was founded in 2017 by a local guide known as “Chicharra”. He wanted to start his own company with the mission to provide unforgettable hiking and camping adventures on Nicaragua’s volcanoes and to empower local Nicaraguans through skills training and employment.
Volcano Day is the only tour operator in León that’s 100% owned by Nicaraguans.
They are run by a dedicated team of locals, with the help of international volunteers. Volcano Day also provide internship opportunities to local children and young people so that they can develop skills to either grow with the company, or pursue other goals in life.
Volcano Day are a new-ish company but they are rapidly growing in popularity – they were the company we chose! A tour with Volcano Day might be for you if you don’t want to miss out on the social and party aspects of a volcano boarding trip, but you also care about supporting and empowering local Nicaraguans. They also have a lot of add-on options and can organise visits to other volcanoes, or to the beach, after your volcano boarding experience.
VOLCANO DAY PROS
- The only tour operator in Léon that’s locally owned and entirely operated by Nicaraguans
- Profits support internship opportunities for young people, training important skills and creating employment in Léon
- Best-rated volcano boarding tour: consistent 5* reviews
- Lots of add-on options for extra trips on the same day (at extra cost)
- The cheapest option if you’re on a budget, prices start at just $25 USD
- Bonfire, snacks, and unlimited alcoholic drinks included
- Meal included back in Léon
- Famous party bus back to Léon (sunset tour only)
- Volcano Day t-shirt included
- Three trips a day: sunrise, day, and sunset tours available.
VOLCANO DAY CONS
- Medium to large-sized groups. Ours was medium-sized, but groups can get really big occasionally, leading to a less-intimate experience.
- The pick-up was a little disorganised
This was the company that we chose and we thought that they were great! But this could have just been down to our guide, who was really lovely. She was a geography student, and knew so much about volcanoes it was unreal. Guides change all the time and a good guide is never guaranteed. However, we also loved Volcano Day for being locally owned and operated, and for supporting opportunities for young people in Léon.
#3 QUETZALTREKKERS
Quetzaltrekkers, founded in 1995 in Guatemala, is a non-profit organisation with the aim to raise money from tourists and use it to help street children and at-risk youth. They’ve now expanded across Central and South America, and have a base in Léon. Since 2015, they have raised over $225.000 USD to support local kids across Nicaragua.
QuetzalTrekkers offer volcano boarding and hiking trips in the surrounding areas of Léon. They do rely heavily on international volunteers to run trips, which can take away employment from local people. But this means that they can afford to donate all profits to locally-run projects working with disadvantaged youth.
We didn’t hear about this company in Léon but actually discovered them afterwards and we love the concept. Their marketing is revolved around the fact they will give you two runs down the volcano for the same price as one with Bigfoot or Volcano Day. Quetzaltrekkers also has smaller groups. They don’t make such an ‘occasion’ out of volcano boarding – there’s no unlimited alcohol or party bus – but we love the work they’re doing to help kids across Nicaragua!
A tour with Quetzal Trekkers might be for you if you want a more intimate experience, with fewer people. This is also a great option for those who want to feel good by knowing proceeds are going to help disadvantaged youth in Léon and wider Nicaragua.
QUETZALTREKKERS PROS
- Profits support street children and disadvantaged youth in Nicaragua!
- Smallest group size means a quieter and more intimate experience
- Some add-on options if you want to visit more volcanoes in the same day
- You get to board down the volcano twice for a relatively cheap price
- Cheaper option if you’re on a budget, prices start at $30 USD
- Water, snacks and meal included
- QuetzalTrekkers t-shirt included
QUETZALTREKKERS CONS
- Less social. There are no alcoholic drinks or parties included. If this is not something you’re worried about, it could be a ‘pro’ for you, but we were super excited about the famous party bus.
- Relies heavily on foreign volunteers which takes away employment opportunity from local people, and may lead to a mixed experience
- Only offer a daytime trip, no sunrise or sunset trip option.
SO, WHICH COMPANY SHOULD I CHOOSE FOR VOLCANO BOARDING?
When deciding who to book your volcano boarding tour with, you have to consider your budget, what time of day you’d like to board, and what you would like to get out of your experience.
#1 WHY YOU MIGHT CHOOSE BIGFOOT HOSTEL
Bigfoot Hostel offer three types of tours; sunrise, day, and sunset volcano boarding trips. They’re all priced at $35 USD (if you’re staying at Bigfoot Hostel you’ll get it $5 USD cheaper). If you’re in solely for the fun of speeding down a volcano and celebrating with lots of new friends afterwards, Bigfoot is the clear winner. If you want to get absolutely smashed for a relatively cheap price, you should definitely consider Bigfoot for your tour too.
#2 WHY YOU MIGHT CHOOSE VOLCANO DAY
Volcano Day offers four different types of tours. These include the basic tour, the sunset tour, the “all-in” tour and the twice tour. Prices start at just $25 USD for their basic, ‘no frills’ version, which is the cheapest volcano boarding option we found. This is great for those on a super tight budget, but you don’t get dinner, drinks, or a t-shirt included. Their regular boarding trips are $35 USD. The daytime option includes a beach shuttle for sunset, and the sunset option includes the party bus back to Léon. You can pay an extra $5 USD to board down twice on either of these.
They also offer tons of add-on extras if you want to visit another volcano on the same day. Volcano Day is the best option if you still want a great social/party experience whilst supporting a company that is 100% owned and operated by Nicaraguan people. It’s also nice to know the profits go towards internship and employment opportunities for Léon’s youth.
#3 WHY YOU MIGHT CHOOSE QUETZALTREKKERS
QuetzalTrekkers offers only daytime tours to Cerro Negro. Their price is on the lower end, at just $30 USD, and you’ll get to go down (and hike up) the volcano twice. This is awesome, because you get a practice round to go slowly, and the second time you can really throw yourself down with your newfound confidence! If you’re not bothered about drinking alcohol and partying, or if you prefer a more quiet/intimate experience, Quetzaltrekkers might be your best fit. You’ll also feel amazing knowing that your money is going to help kids get off the street, and offer scholarships to disadvantaged youth in Nicraragua.
OUR FINAL THOUGHTS...
We hope this guide has helped you to understand which company is right for your once-in-a-lifetime volcano boarding experience!
For more information about Volcano Boarding in Nicaragua, including what to wear, what to expect, and our top tips on going really really fast, you might want to check out our Ultimate Guide to Volcano Boarding in Nicaragua. This is the longest, most comprehensive guide out there. We’ve checked! It covers everything you could possibly need to know, and if you have any more questions, leave a comment and we’ll get back to you!
We’re so jealous you’re heading to Nicaragua. It was our favourite Central American country and we’d love to do it all over again. Good luck, and have the best time! Feel free to shoot us a message if you need any advice,
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Alice
Alice is a UK travel blogger who advocates sustainable travel and being more eco-conscious on a budget. She loves coffee, her houseplants and summiting mountains.
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