14 Days » Surf & Yoga Retreat in Nicaragua

This specialty location in Northern Nicaragua rests on a 6-acre ocean front property surrounded by endless coconut, mango, avocado, lime, papaya and orange trees. You will wake up and fall asleep to the sound of the waves, relax in a hammock by the pool and common areas, and watch the beautiful sunsets on the beach. Each eco-friendly cabana is designed with comfort and coolness in mind—built using local pine and eucalyptus woods and local palm thatch for the roofs. This tranquil resort is truly one of the most beautiful places to stay in Nicaragua—a tropical dream!

• 8 simple but comfortable beach style cabanas
• Private bathroom with alfresco showers (shower under the stars!)
• Private patio with hammock
• Ceiling fans
• WiFi – but we recommend disconnecting!

Included Meals

Breakfast , Brunch , Lunch , Dinner , Snacks, Drinks

Food Types Supported

Gluten Free , Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian, Lactose Free, Organic, Paleo Diet, Pescatarian (You take fish but not meat), Raw, Regular (Meat, Poultry, Fish), Seafood, Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole Food

When we’re not surfing or practicing yoga at Rise Up, we love to have some fun outside the camp. Here is a list of some of our favorite local activities.

Estuary trip - We do a weekly trip to explore the estuary. The mangrove forest is home to abundant wildlife such as crocodiles, iguanas, raccoons and a diverse birdlife.

Fishing - Head out ocean fishing or estuary fishing with our knowledgeable local fishing guide in our fully equipped Panga (speed boat) and catch some fish for a delicious Ceviche.

Beach games - We are blessed to be located on a large secluded beach that’s perfect for playing, volley ball, football or bocce ball when the tides are right.

SUP - The bay out front of Rise Up is perfect for Stand Up Paddle Boarding, especially during sunset. We also offer guided tours through the mangrove forest in the estuary.

Horse back riding - Take a ride along the beautiful uncrowded beach and back roads of the stunning Nicaraguan countryside that surrounds the camp.

Volcano boarding - This adventure has become very popular among tourists visiting Leon. The hike, the incredible view and the fast ride down make for an exhilarating experience.

Community tour - Take a walking tour through our community to learn about local culture. Take part in tortilla and cheese making and learn some new Spanish words.

City tour to Leon - Leon is a vibrant colonial city, it boasts Central America’s largest cathedral and is known as the capital of the revolution. Explore Leon alone or with our guides.

• Massage

• 13 days of personalized surf coaching
• Intro to surfing
• Beach session
• Surf theory classes
• Paddle school
• Video analysis
• 1:1 feedback
• Professional surf photos (extra cost)
• Daily transport to and from the best surf breaks

• Flights
• Alcoholic drinks
• Tips for staff
• Massages

Yoga is an integral part of your day and is scheduled to fit in with the daily surf sessions. The classes are suitable for all levels of students and are specifically designed to relieve the aches and pains you’ll likely get from spending a day out on the water.

No idea what your surf level is? The idea behind separating skill levels and experience before you arrive at Rise Up Surf is to help us plan your week of surf instruction in a way that will maximize your progress. It is so hard to really define what an intermediate surfer is these days, so we came up with some simple criteria to help you choose your surf level. We have 4 simple levels for you to choose from so that you can let us know your surf level when booking your trip.

• Level 1 – Beginner You’ve never seen a board before and you love the idea of surfing so you wanna give it a go! From level 1, we start at the basics of surfing and water safety. Learn how to catch waves and stand up on your own, with the correct technique. - Maybe you have surfed before, but not with any professional coaching, or it has been a long time and you’d like to start from scratch.
• Level 2 – Novice/Refresher Catching waves is becoming easier for you, but you need assistance every now and then . You’re standing up on every 1 in 3 waves, riding them all the way in towards the beach. - Have surfed a lot previously but haven’t surfed in the last year or longer.
• Level 3 – Improver You have an understanding of how to paddle out past the broken waves in 1-3 foot surf and you’re paddling into your own waves. Sometimes you still need assistance on catching waves, positioning in the line up and wave selection. You have a basic understanding of turning and trimming along the wave face but would like to improve in this area
• Level 4 – Intermediate Or Higher You’ve been surfing for a few years and can link turns and do basic maneuvers. Fully capable of surfing alone, but would like to build upon your current skill set.

And when you’re not surfing or practicing yoga? Well, the fun doesn’t stop there. By all means, relax by the pool if you want, but we always make an effort for you to experience the local culture and nature by taking you on some amazing adventures around the region.

Fly io Augusto Cesar Sandino International Airport, Managua, Nicaragua and we will arrange transfers up arrival and departure.

Cancellation Policy

Refundable up to 60 days from start date

Deposit Percentage

35%

The rest of the payment should be made on arrival

COVID-19 & Nicaragua

Our main concern is making sure your surf retreat in Nicaragua is a great experience from beginning to end—including your preparation! We understand that there’s a lot of travel information out there about COVID, so we’ve gathered the information in one place so you don’t have to worry about searching the internet for the most up to date information.

We know this isn’t the fun part, but no stress—in no time, the only thing we’ll be sharing with you are waves!

General

• Nicaragua officially reopened to tourism on July 14th, 2020, and visitors from all countries are welcome with proof of a negative PCR test.
• Currently, the only flights available to Nicaragua are through Avianca Airlines.
• Countries
• Nicaragua does not have any covid-related country bans or restrictions. All nations that could enter Nicaragua before covid are once again permitted to enter under regular visa requirements.
• Most nations visiting Nicaragua do not need to apply for a visa beforehand, as 92 countries can visit visa-free for 90 days, and another 73 countries are eligible for a visa-on-arrival. Visa-free countries include: USA, Canada, UK, Mexico, Australia, and many more.

Entering Nicaragua

• Anyone who enters Nicaragua is required to have a “negative for COVID-19” certificate, with a negative COVID-19 test result.
• This test must be taken no more than 72 hours before arrival—this includes transits.
• All arrivals will be screened at the airport
• Prior to landing in Nicaragua, airlines must submit photocopies of the passports of passengers and flight crew 72 hours prior for authorization. Contact your airline or travel provider for updates.
• Face masks are required during the flight as well as upon arrival at the Managua airport

No passengers will be allowed to travel:

• With quick or blood test results for COVID-19.
• Do not present the original PRC test results at the airport.
• Do not send to the airline the copy of the test in the times detailed above.
• Who present respiratory symptoms or fever.
• That they do not meet the requirements requested by the country’s authorities.
• Quarantines
• There are no quarantines as long as the above testing requirement is fulfilled. We recommend that you check your country of origin’s quarantine information upon return from Nicaragua.
• Travel Insurance
• While not a mandatory requirement, all visitors to Nicaragua should have valid travel health insurance that also covers COVID.

Procedures

• We operate in open-air spaces and all activities, surf lessons, and other activities are outdoors, we do not expect much to change about the Rise Up Surf experience. That said, we have implemented some extra measures to ensure you feel extra safe during your stay:
• Hand sanitizing stations will be set up in key areas in the resorts. All guests are required to sanitize upon arrival, and each time they enter from their rooms.
• Greater distance in lounge and dining areas, yoga space, and during surf classes and video feedback sessions will be implemented—observing the 2m distance rule. Dining will take place in our outdoor rancho and only plated meals will be served.
• We will assign guests a personal yoga mat, block, and strap to use throughout the week. You are welcome to bring your own.
• All our vehicles for airport transfers or surf trips will be disinfected before and after every trip. All drivers will wear masks at all times.

Staff

• All team members will be monitored closely and anyone with any flu-like symptoms will be sent home immediately.
• All the staff in contact with guests will wear masks when the 2m rule can not be observed and will change clothes upon arrival.
• Hand washing will take place every 30 minutes, and every 15 minutes for our chef—washing of hands will be mandatory upon each entry to the kitchen.

Cleaning

• There will be an increased disinfection of common spaces.
• Masks and gloves will be worn by housekeeping staff at all times, and changed between each room.
• We will verify daily if guests would like their room to be cleaned or not.

Guests

• We require all guests to confirm no cold or flu-like symptoms 48 hours from arrival.
• We ask guests to be respectful of other guests and our staff and keep a safe distance— please consider your room/group your bubble.
• We will not enforce distancing as per local Nicaragua policies.
• Masks are not required, but we ask that when unable to safely distance from others, guests use their discretion.
• We ask that guests bring their own masks.
• Unfortunately, testing is not fool-proof and might be taken pre-incubation. We must also acknowledge the potential for travel exposure, post-test results/arrival. Although arriving with a negative COVID test result is required by the government, and we will not require on-site mask-wearing, we do ask that you wear a mask when appropriate such as heading out into the local community.
• These procedures are subject to change as new measures may be imposed by the Ministry of Health.

COVID Cancellation Policy

• All deposits/ payments are -non-refundable but can be used towards a future retreat at any location until December 31st, 2021 with a 10 days notice via email.
• In case of last minute cancellation (within a week ) related to COVID, Rise Up will make an effort to make your deposit valid until 2022. Every case will be evaluated individually.
• Rise Up requires all guests to confirm a lack of COVID symptoms 48 hours from arrival via email.
• Rise Up cannot offer any COVID related refunds once a guest has arrived.
• Once onsite if you present symptoms or feel sick then we will ask you to self-isolate and we will provide all the help we can, to get you to Managua to get a PCR test and treatment if necessary.
• We strongly recommend purchasing refundable airline tickets for travel Nicaragua and also travel insurance that covers all possible issues related to travel including delays or change of schedules.
• We will do our best to update this page as requirements change. We highly recommend double checking your country’s guidelines, airline, and/or embassy information.