Wonderful kayak tour of Rio Istiam on Ometepe!! - If you go to Ometepe, you must kayak Rio Istiam with The Sanctuary. The river and the whole area are remarkably scenic. We were so surprised at how close you can get to the birds and wildlife, and they are so plentiful: tiger herons, stilts, caracara falcons, caiman, iguanas, lizards, fruit bats, and so much more. You’ll definitely want the guide service as you will want the expert eye to spot the wildlife and point it out to you. Our guide spotted so much that we would have paddled right by. And, our guide spoke good English. The kayaks were in really good shape, and they have a lot of them. We were also given great overall guidance. We had thought to use a double kayak but were told the water was low so individual kayaks were recommended. Touring in early morning was also recommended as the best time to see wildlife. We were glad we went early. Definitely do a kayak tour of Rio Istiam with The Sanctuary. It will be a great memory for you. You’ll be really glad you did.

Great Rio Istian paddle! - We wanted to kayak Rio Istian while on Ometepe, and we checked out a few places for a guide and kayaks. Hector greeted us with enthusiasm, and his kayaks and support equipment were far superior to other options on the island. The location, the guides, equipment, and Hector’s enthusiasm were excellent, and made for a truly wonderful excursion. Many thanks, Hector, and Henderson! The trip is highly recommended, and Hector’s outfit is the place to go :-)

Awesome! Lots of crocodiles - The kayaking was amazing. So peaceful. We had a great ecplaining by Hector. We got to see many caiman and a lot of birds. It is the perfect distance to the River. Other kayak companies are further away, so this was good for our condition Level.

Really nice experience - Our experience was so nice! The kayaks are in perfect shape and the nature of Rio Istian is so beautiful. The host, Hector, was really kind and gave us a really nice explanation of how to spot the wildlife there. Would really recommend!

The best time ever! Highly recommend this jungle water safari kayak ride! - Hi had such a magical time on this trip! I am a solo traveler and safety is always the most important to me. From the start to the finish, the guys went above and beyond to make it an outstanding trip!!! Hector picked me up on his motorcycle around 8am in the morning. We went to The Sanctuary to meet my guide, Enderson, who was the BEST!! Both guys spoke great English and it was refreshing to learn from them. I decided to do a double kayak with Enderson so that I could just relax and enjoy the view and take pics. I’m so glad that I did! We started the tour in the lake and then came upon the river area. We saw so many animals! It was like being on a water safari. Enderson was able to see all sorts of things that I couldn’t see. We also saw lots of caiman, some monkeys, a cow in labor, birds and many other things. I went during the dry season, so although the water was low, the river was teeming with life. I felt like I was on some Disney movie with birds singing and chirping. After the kayaking, I stayed and ate at the restaurant and it has amazing food and a fantastic view!!! I just wanted to recommend this company to anyone who comes to Ometepe and wants a great trip! Thank you to the entire team for everything!

Wonderful sunset - We had a wonderful time, 8 of us kayaking in the mangroove with the guide, and saw the sunset. Thanks to the guide we got to see many things including monkeys, that we wouldnt have without him. All super friendly people offering this experience, I highly recommend it

Amazing trip - I found contact of Hector from Tripadvisor and sent him whatsapp asking for more details. He was very responsive giving me information of what he can offer. I was picked up at 8am by motorbike from Balgue. I think doing the kayak early in the morning is a good idea as it won't be too hot. I was in the same kayak with the guide as I just wanted to enjoy the view and take photo. It was such a wonderful morning being in a real nature seeing lots of animals. The place is also a good spot for sunset. I came back the day after for sunset view.

Self-guided wildlife viewing by kayak - Hector picked us up from Santa Cruz at 8:00 am, and we were on the water 20 minutes later. Entering the river early in the day resulted in our enjoying undisturbed bird life and a peaceful outing in paradise by ourselves. While most of our time was spent heading up and drifting down nearby Rio Istian, we also paddled up the coast before turning back to basecamp. Given the high water level of Lake Cocibulca, we paddled under mature ceiba and acacia trees and over fenced pasture that were normally on dry land. It was also a unique experience for us to have Concepcion Volcano or Maderas Volcano always within our line of sight while making way in the sheltered waters of the cove. During more than four hours in our kayaks, we saw countless cattle and great egrets, various species of herons, large flocks of parrots, cormorants, osprey and other hawks. We recorded a couple firsts: A group of purple gullinule and a male-female couple of northern jacama—shorebirds uncommon to Nicaragua. We also saw a family of six turtles soaking up the morning rays and a cloud of hundreds of dragonflies in the sky! Hector and his staff are honest, good natured, knowledgeable and speak excellent English. The rental gear (West Marine kayaks, Pelican otter-tail paddles and PFDs) was new and in good working order. A coco frio is a refreshing treat when you arrive back on shore.

A must see! - This place was perfect! We showed up without a reservation, and they were able to accommodate us no problem. We hired a private guide (definitely the way to go and very affordable) and he took us on a nice tour and pointed out all the animals for us that we probably would have missed. The scenery is jaw dropping and a really cool and different experience. Additionally, we had all our luggage with us and the owner kept it safe and watched over it for us while we were out on the river which was very much appreciated. Great value, trustworthy place, highly recommend!

A Nice Time Out on the Water - We really enjoyed the tour. The views on the lake and on the river are stunning and you get to see a variety of birds, turtles, and monkeys. It was a lovely experience.