Day trips

The 15 Best Day Trips from Masaya

Drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan for every place worth the trip.

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There are 15 good day trips from Masaya, Nicaragua, led by Managua, León, Chinandega. The closest is Granada, about 25 min by car, and 6 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.

Day trips from Masaya at a glance

DestinationDistanceDrive timeBest as
Managua24 km NW35 minHalf-day trip
León99 km NW1 hr 35 minFull-day trip
Chinandega134 km NW2 hr 5 minFull-day trip
Matagalpa108 km N1 hr 40 minFull-day trip
Estelí128 km N2 hrFull-day trip
Granada16 km E25 minHalf-day trip
Mateare46 km NW55 minHalf-day trip
Jinotega125 km N1 hr 55 minFull-day trip
El Viejo139 km NW2 hr 10 minFull-day trip
Tipitapa25 km N40 minHalf-day trip
Ciudad Sandino34 km NW40 minHalf-day trip
Juigalpa81 km E1 hr 15 minFull-day trip
Diriamba20 km SW30 minHalf-day trip
Chichigalpa121 km NW1 hr 55 minFull-day trip
Rivas66 km SE1 hr 15 minFull-day trip

Drive times are estimates from the distance. Check live traffic before you leave.

The best day trips from Masaya

  1. 1

    Managua, Nicaragua

    Half-day trip
    About 35 min by car24 km north-west of Masaya1 hr 10 min round trip

    Known for Estatua Cristo Rey.

  2. 2

    León, Nicaragua

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 35 min by car99 km north-west of Masaya3 hr 10 min round trip
  3. 3

    Chinandega, Nicaragua

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr 5 min by car134 km north-west of Masaya4 hr 10 min round trip
  4. 4

    Matagalpa, Nicaragua

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 40 min by car108 km north of Masaya3 hr 20 min round trip
  5. 5

    Estelí, Nicaragua

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr by car128 km north of Masaya4 hr round trip
  6. 6

    Granada, Nicaragua

    Half-day trip
    About 25 min by car16 km east of Masaya50 min round trip
  7. 7

    Mateare, Nicaragua

    Half-day trip
    About 55 min by car46 km north-west of Masaya1 hr 50 min round trip
  8. 8

    Jinotega, Nicaragua

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 55 min by car125 km north of Masaya3 hr 50 min round trip
  9. 9

    El Viejo, Nicaragua

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr 10 min by car139 km north-west of Masaya4 hr 20 min round trip
  10. 10

    Tipitapa, Nicaragua

    Half-day trip
    About 40 min by car25 km north of Masaya1 hr 20 min round trip
  11. 11

    Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua

    Half-day trip
    About 40 min by car34 km north-west of Masaya1 hr 20 min round trip
  12. 12

    Juigalpa, Nicaragua

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 15 min by car81 km east of Masaya2 hr 30 min round trip
  13. 13

    Diriamba, Nicaragua

    Half-day trip
    About 30 min by car20 km south-west of Masaya1 hr round trip
  14. 14

    Chichigalpa, Nicaragua

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 55 min by car121 km north-west of Masaya3 hr 50 min round trip
  15. 15

    Rivas, Nicaragua

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 15 min by car66 km south-east of Masaya2 hr 30 min round trip

A sample day trip: Masaya to Managua

A realistic pace for Managua, 24 km from Masaya. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

  1. 08:30Leave Masaya
  2. 09:05Arrive in Managua (35 min drive)
  3. 09:20Estatua Cristo Rey
  4. 11:20Lunch
  5. 12:35Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Managua
  6. 15:05Head back to Masaya
  7. 15:40Home in Masaya

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Masaya?
The best day trips from Masaya are Managua, León, Chinandega, Matagalpa, Estelí. The closest is Granada, about 25 min away by car.
What is the closest day trip from Masaya?
Granada is the closest, 16 km east of Masaya, roughly 25 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
Where can I go within an hour of Masaya?
6 places are within about an hour's drive of Masaya: Granada (25 min), Diriamba (30 min), Managua (35 min), Tipitapa (40 min), Ciudad Sandino (40 min), Mateare (55 min).
What is the biggest city near Masaya for a day out?
Managua is the largest city in day-trip range, 24 km north-west of Masaya and about 35 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
How far is too far for a day trip from Masaya?
Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is El Viejo at 139 km, around 2 hr 10 min by car.

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