Embark on an adventure to explore the countries in Central America
Enjoy a Central American odyssey on this adventure from the chaos of Mexico’s capital to the heady heights of San Jose. Journeying through Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, this epic adventure takes in the tantalising highlights of the region. Get acquainted with Central American cultures, spectacular landscapes and fascinating histories as you explore the wealth of ancient ruins, spot the range of unusual wildlife, dive into the unique underwater worlds and relax on idyllic Caribbean beaches. Get to know the friendly locals and discover why Central America is an adventurer's delight on this epic overland adventure from Mexico to Costa Rica.
2019 CHANGES: From 1 January 2019 the duration of this trip will change from 46 days to 47 days. This trip will now finish one day later, however start on the same day of the week. 2019 departures are not guaranteed for this reason as yet.
Discover Central America, a land of mysterious Mayan ruins, active volcanoes, idyllic beaches and emerald jungles. See the sights and engage in a wide range of optional activities across eight different countries on this epic Latin adventure.
Whether its slumbering on the sands of Playa del Carmen, gazing at the pyramids of Tikal or haggling in the markets of Chichicastenango, you'll experience multiple sides of Central America.
You've never seen true colour until you've been to a Mexican market. Practice your bargaining skills, snap some photos and pick up traditional handicrafts at the markets in multiple destinations.
Chichen Itza is one the New Seven Wonders of the World. It's not hard to see why - strolling around the ancient Mayan ruins feels pretty wondrous.
A few days on Caye Caulker provides the perfect opportunity to enjoy laidback island vibes and exceptional snorkelling on the nearby reefs.
A homestay in San Jorge La Laguna invites you to connect with a local family. Sit down for breakfast and dinner with your hosts and work on improving your Spanish.
Experience an El Salvador of the past in the colonial town of Suchitoto, before savouring the blissful present on the black-sand beaches along its Pacific Coast.
Hike, cycle or zip-line through the steamy cloud forests of Monteverde in Costa Rica. Get up close to nature among the hundreds of mammal, bird and plant species that call this place home.
This trip involves some long travel days, including one overnight bus. The 14-hour journey from El Cuco to Granada includes a boat trip across the Gulf of Fonseca and several hours in a minivan. Although this can be tiresome, it's a great opportunity to sit back, enjoy the passing scenery and to bond with your fellow travellers. This is a real Central American adventure, after all.
This trip also includes some travel by local transport, which can be basic and challenging, but is also a fantastic way to rub shoulders with the locals and get under the skin of a place.
As this trip covers destinations across seven countries, you'll need to make several border crossings. While these are usually straightforward, please prepare to be patient.
Central America is tropical, so expect a hot and humid climate. Make sure you protect yourself from the sun, wear comfortable, light clothing and stay hydrated - especially when out on walking tours.
Conditions during your homestay in San Jorge La Laguna are basic. Your room will consist of a couple of beds with clean bedding, and the bathroom will most likely be shared with the rest of the family. Hearty home-cooked breakfast and dinner will be served during your stay, which can be a lot more basic than what you're used to. However, corn, rice and beans are very filling.
Try to learn as many Spanish words as you can. Locals are very friendly, but also shy, so you'll need to make plenty of effort to break the ice. Attempting to communicate in Spanish is a great way of showing you care.
There are many opportunities to get active on this adventure. Some of the the optional activities, especially the volcano hikes, require a moderate level of fitness and sturdy walking shoes. If you'd prefer to take it easy, however, there are plenty of other things you can do instead.
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There are currently no scheduled departures on our Central America Explorer trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.
1. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6pm on Day 1. There are no activities planned for the final day so you may depart at any time.
2. A single supplement is available for purchase on this trip, except on Days 7 (Overnight bus) and on Days 10 & 11 in Rio Dulce where you will be in shared accommodation. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
3. To save you money and the hassle of booking multiple trips, this journey is a combination of some of our most popular adventures. Your leader and the composition of your group may change with the start of each adventure.
4. Please be careful when booking flights from San Jose; make sure you fly out of Juan Santamaría International Airport [SJO]. Please do NOT book flights from Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport [SJC] as this is located in California, United States.
5. Hurricane season in this region is June to November, when landslides, mudslides, flooding and disruptions to essential services can occur. Intrepid monitors any situations that arise, and may need to change itineraries or activities in response to these natural weather occurrences.
2019 CHANGES: From 1 January 2019 the duration of this trip will change from 46 days to 47 days. This trip will now finish one day later, however start on the same day of the week. 2019 departures are not guaranteed for this reason as yet.
Our Central America Explorer trips score an average of 4.5 out of 5 based on 2 reviews in the last year.
Be aware of the audience that a certain trip attracts. Since mine was a combination of 3 trips the nature of it changed along the way - so did participants and what started as a mature group with cultural interests ended being a kinder garden with iPhone and wifi dependency.
Review submitted 21 Feb 2017
Intrepid travel is a great way to travel and I have loved using them in the past and will probably do so in the future. However, the company seems to be going through a shift and needs to change how they train their guides and when they deem them fit to run trips. The level of preparedness seems to have declined in many of the non veteran guides. Many do not get to shadow other guides on trips before given groups and this makes me question this company as a whole. Even when guides shadow that does not mean they are ready as we saw in the last leg of our journey. I hope to see better changes in this department moving forward because that is the only thing that would make me question sticking with Intrepid for future travels.
Review submitted 25 Aug 2016
