17 Days | A wildlife-rich paradise brimming with active volcanoes, beaches and jungles
From the Guatemalan highlands to the cloud forests of Costa Rica (and all the surf spots in between), you’ll roll through four Central American countries for a taste of what this diverse region is plating up. Discover tropical forests alive with jungle melodies, vast freshwater lakes and active volcanoes – this wildlife-rich pocket of Central America is ready to be explored. Turn your eyes to a volcanic crater in Cerro Verde, spot colourful birds on the facades of Granada, stand in the shadow of the mighty Arenal Volcano and search for sloths among the canopy of Monteverde Cloud Forest. This trip through Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica is perfect for those who like their adventures 'la forma natural'.
Trip overview
- Start
- Antigua, Guatemala
- Finish
- San Jose, Costa Rica
- Theme
- 18 to 35s
- Destinations
- Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Basix
- Ages
- Min 18 - Max 35
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 16
- Trip code
- QBYJ
Tick off all the popular spots and enjoy unique local experiences
Affordable trips with the freedom to choose how you spend your time
Connect to the places you go and the communities at the heart of every Intrepid experience
- Take a cooking class in Los Ramos – an Indigenous community in the middle of Ometepe Island’s volcanos – and learn traditional techniques used to make Nicaraguan dishes like nacatamales.
- Enjoy a full day at leisure in one of El Salvador’s most beautiful national parks – Cerro Verde. Get up close and personal to a volcanic crater or take the plunge in a pristine lake. The choice is yours!
- Have breakfast at Cafe de las Sonrisas – a local café run entirely by deaf people. The café's owner is aiming to bridge the gap and inspire other business owners to employ local people living with disabilities.
- Island life doesn’t get much better than Ometepe in Nicaragua – volcanoes, wildlife-rich rainforests, stunning beaches, ancient rock carvings and a massive lake are all at your disposal.
- Get a taste of four different countries in Central America on an epic Latin adventure that takes in the sights and offers a whole heap of optional activities too! You’ll have loads of free time to choose your own hike, kayak, swimming or dancing adventure.
- This trip involves some long travel days, and while travelling between some locations on local transport can be hard, it’s a great way to meet the locals. You’ll be crossing the borders between five countries, and while it is usually straightforward, you may need to be patient. Make sure you’ve got your best car game ready if there are any delays!
- This itinerary has a mix of included activities and free time when your leader will offer suggestions. Please budget spending money for optional activities you want to partake in.
- Central America is generally hot and humid year-round. At nighttime and in locations at higher elevations it can get chilly. Protect yourself from the sun, bring light clothing you can layer and a waterproof jacket, and stay hydrated. Air conditioning may not always be available in your rooms. Occasionally, properties may require an additional charge for air conditioning.
- With so much to see and do, Costa Rica can sometimes be expensive. Expect to pay more than you would in other Central American countries for a lot of things.
- This trip is part of a longer itinerary. You might be joining travellers who have already spent some time together. If you have more time to explore, you might like to check out Epic Central America or Epic Mexico to Costa Rica.
Itinerary
View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2024 - 31 December 2024
Inclusions
1 breakfast, 2 dinners
Private vehicle, Public bus, Local bus, Taxi, Shared boat, Ferry
Hotel (12 nights), Camping (2 nights), Multishare Hostel (2 nights)
- Leader-led Informal Spanish Lesson
- Cerro Verde - Salvadoran Pupusa cooking demonstration
- Leon - Leader-led orientation walk
- Granada - Breakfast at El Cafe de las Sonrisas
- Los Ramos Community - Cooking Class
- Monteverde - Leader-led orientation walk
- La Fortuna - Leader-led orientation walk
- San Jose - Leader-led orientation walk
- Antigua - Chocolate-making workshop at ChocoMuseo - GTQ236
- Cerro Verde- Coatepeque Lake – (transportation, entrance fee, hotsprings, guide) - USD50
- Cerro Verde- Santa Ana Volcano Crater – (Entrance fee, guide, lunch) - USD30
- Leon - Volcano Sand Boarding - USD53
- Granada - Laguna Apoyo kayaking tour - USD30
- Granada - Kayak rental (per day) - NIO913
- Granada - Masaya Volcano at night (Viewpoint for the Lava Lake at Santiago Crater) - NIO1600
- Ometepe - Ojo de Agua natural spring (entrance fee) - USD25
- Ometepe - Petroglyphs - USD25
- San Juan del Sur - La Flor Beach Reserve - USD6
- Monteverde - Cloud Forest Entrance - USD26
- Monteverde - Suspension bridges tour - USD58
- Monteverde - Canopy Zip Lining (Entrance, Equipment & Transport) - USD65
- Monteverde - Coffee & Chocolate tour - USD47
- Monteverde - Cloud Forest Night Walk - USD45
- Monteverde - Butterfly Garden and Insects Farm (entrance fee) - USD22
- La Fortuna - Ecotermales Hot Springs (entrance fee) - USD49
- La Fortuna - La Fortuna Waterfall (Entrance only) - USD21
- La Fortuna - Arenal Volcano Base Hike - USD97
- La Fortuna- Caño Negro boat tour - USD84
- La Fortuna - Stand up paddle board - USD79
- San Jose - National Museum (entrance fee) - USD12
Dates and availability
Important notes
1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Days 10 & 11 (San Juan del Sur) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. Please be careful when booking flights to Antigua; make sure you fly into Guatemala City Airport [GUA]. Guatemala City Airport is the closest airport to Antigua. Please do not book flights to Antigua & Barbuda Airport [ANU] as this is an island in the Caribbean.
3. Please be careful when booking flights from San Jose; make sure you fly out of Juan Santamaria 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.
4. As per updated Nicaragua entry requirements, customers are currently required to supply a copy of their passport front page to their booking agent no later than 15 days prior to departure.
5. This tour includes accommodation in multi-share rooms (triple and quad). This means travelers on the same booking may be split between rooms due to single gender allocation.
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