Tour Leader: John & Sara DeNucci
Tour Dates: January 15 - January 26, 2004
The Photography Travel Tour took place in January of 2004. John and Sara DeNucci served as the tour's leaders while eight others participated in the trip, which was guided by Juan Carlos of Careli Tours with transporation arranged by Bismark. All involved had a great time.
The tour consisted of a diverse group of travelers - males and females of ages ranging from 22 to 82 years. Non-photographers were welcomed, as one person did not even bring a camera. The tour was designed to adapt to individual needs, making all excursions possible. Activities included the Mombacho Canopy Tour, where one could swing from tree tops or stay grounded in the park's museum, boat trips to secluded beaches, and a photo session with a model hired for the afternoon.
Nights were spent in Selva Negra, León, Granada, and San Juan Del Sur. Selva Negra, a mountain-side coffee and flower plantation, allowed many participants in the tour to hike to a mountain peek by way of forest trails. Early morning bird watching, horseback riding, and visiting the workers' village were also available activities. Photo opportunities were abundant in this beautiful setting.
From Selva Negra, the group moved on to León. A private tour to the roof of the cathedral provided rare and breathtaking views of the city. Opportunities to tour the Old León ruins and photograph children and homes in the neighboring village were available to the group.
Granada served as home for a few nights, and the group had several excursions originating from the city. The tour attended the Diriamba Festival of the Saints, a very colorful and action-filled celebration that draws visitors from many communities. Other activities included visits to the Masaya volcano and its national park and the Masaya market, which sells arts and crafts from across Nicaragua. One day started with a trip to the Chocoyero Wildlife Refuge, where the group witnessed a mass exodus of parakeets, and concluded with a boat trip around the islands of Granada during sunset. The tour then moved on to the Pacific Ocean town of San Juan Del Sur for a relaxing weekend on the beach. Other adventures too numerous to mention filled the remainder of the twelve-day tour.
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Tour participants were encouraged to bring along donations. Throughout the trip, toys and supplies were given to children in generous encounters while bags of items were left at the Managua warehouse for future use. Both W/NP volunteers and vacationers were delighted to help in this way.
The tour was the first of its kind for W/NP as tour participants were not assigned teaching or charity duties. Participants were on a vacation, and not only did this encourage tourism to Nicaragua, but it also attracted new travelers to the organization. W/NP volunteers and vacationers alike were given the chance to explore the beautiful country of Nicaragua. The travelers, hailing from various communities and careers, are now raving about Nicaragua as a great place to visit. This tour was the perfect opportunity to display Nicaragua as the great vacation destination that it is.
