Central America Tours & Travel | Intrepid Travel IL

From cloud-shrouded volcanic peaks to sun-splashed beaches, lost temples to charming colonial towns, Central America is replete with natural wonders and converging cultures.

This narrow isthmus is home to some of the greatest biodiversity in the world, the happiest people on earth and a mix of cultures than can be traced back thousands of years. Stay in historic haciendas in Mexico, marvel at Maya ruins in Guatemala, spot monkeys amidst misty canopies in Costa Rica and salsa to sultry beats in Cuba. It’s a haven for outdoor adventurers and those that want to immerse themselves in the local culture, and it’s like nowhere else on earth.

New tours in Central America

Map of Best of Mexico & Costa Rica including Costa Rica and Mexico

Best of Mexico & Costa Rica

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Take a 22-day journey through Mexico and Costa Rica, soaking up sun, surf and culture...

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Mexico City to Oaxaca

8 Days From 1125

Discover the ruins, cuisines and countryside of Mexico on this eight-day adventure into...

Map of Central Mexico including Mexico

Central Mexico

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Our tours in Central America

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Classic Costa Rica

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Travel to Costa Rica and discover a tropical playground of immense natural beauty....

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Guatemala to Mexico

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Travel from the cobblestone streets of Antigua, along the waters of the Rio Dulce,...

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Mexico Unplugged

15 Days From 1455

The cultures and colours of Mexico await on this 15-day Lonely Planet Experience...

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Costa Rica Experience

9 Days From 1120

Encounter the natural beauty of Costa Rica, from La Fortuna’s volcano and Monteverde’s...

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Central American Journey

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Maya Encounter

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Costa Rica & Panama Discovery

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Mexico Real Food Adventure

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Take a culinary journey through Mexico, tasting the flavours of Oaxaca, Puebla, Mexico...

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Land of Belize

8 Days From 1050

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Best of El Salvador

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Discover Mexico & Cuba

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Real Central America

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Central American Adventure

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Guatemala & Beyond

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Discover the tropics and ancient wonder of Central America on a nine-day Lonely Planet...

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Best of Mexico

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Real Mexico

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Mexico is everything you dreamed of and more, and you'll live out that dream on this...

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Best of Central America

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Have the ultimate Central American adventure on this classic tour from Mexico to Panama...

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Mexico & Guatemala Highlights

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Best of Mexico & Costa Rica

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Best of Mexico & Cuba

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Yucatan Peninsula Adventure

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Costa Rica Family Holiday with Teenagers

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Discover the pristine beaches, beautiful mountains and dramatic volcanoes of Costa Rica...

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Amazing Central America

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Epic Mexico to Costa Rica

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Mexico City: Day of the Dead Original

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Costa Rica: Raft, Surf & Kayak

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Greater Central Mexico

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Maya Adventure

22 Days From 2790

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Costa Rica to Panama

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Best of Jamaica

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Mexico City: Day of the Dead Comfort

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Best of Costa Rica

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Guatemala Expedition: El Mirador Trek

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Mexico City to Oaxaca

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Epic Mexico & Cuba

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Ultimate Central America

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Real Guatemala to Costa Rica

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Real Day of the Dead Oaxaca

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Epic Mexico, Belize & Guatemala

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Costa Rica: Raft, Surf, Kayak & Hike

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Epic Central America

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Central Mexico

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Central America Explorer

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Cycle Nicaragua, Costa Rica & Panama

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Cycle Costa Rica & Panama

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Cycle Nicaragua & Costa Rica

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Costa Rica Family Holiday

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Belize & Guatemala Family Holiday

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Mexico Family Holiday

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Best of Nicaragua

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San Jose Stopover

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Mexico City Stopover

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Highlights of Central America

Maya ruins of Chichen Itza in Mexico

Meet Maya history at Chichen Itza

If you like your Mayan ruins with a touch of disco, then you’ve come to the right place. Set on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, this ancient city comes alive at sunset with a (slightly kitsch but entirely unmissable) sound and light show. The site is dominated by El Castillo, a massive pyramid with 91 steps running along each of its four sides.

Group of travellers go white-water rafting in Costa Rica

Go white-water rafting in Costa Rica

If you’re going to try white-water rafting anywhere, Pacuare River in Costa Rica is the place. Set among cascading waterfalls and lush rainforest, the warm water is ideal for first-timers. During the calmer moments keep your eyes peeled for jaguars, toucans, ocelots and monkeys.

Colourful streets of Antigua in Guatemala

Explore the tumbledown ruins of Antigua

Coffee all day, salsa all night and a never-ending supply of chocolate in between. This small Guatemalan city is super chilled and an extended stay is the best way to soak it all in. While there are plenty of ruins to be found, the city is famous for its colourful convents, arches and buildings in colourful hues of blue, pink, and yellow.

Bustling and colourful streets of Cuba

Havana blast in Cuba

There’s so much to do here, it’ll leave your head spinning. Join the fun with a twirl around the dance floor in a salsa class, check out a baseball game, swing past the mansion-turned-perfume-laboratory at Habana 1791, or grab a guava pastry from one of the vendors along the Malecon. Close out the day with a cigar and a glass of good ol’ fashioned Cuba Libre.

Reviews

What to see in 7-10 days in Central America

With so much packed into such a small part of the globe, it’s incredible the number of things you can experience with even just a short stay in Central America. You could start off sampling coffee in Guatemala, make your way through the Mayan ruins of Honduras and El Salvador, and finish up in the colonial charm of Granada.

If you’re looking to dive a little deeper, you could also focus on one or two countries – exploring the island beaches of Jamaica, sailing through the Canarreos Archipelago or snorkelling off the coast of Costa Rica. If you have less than 10 days, the laidback paradise of Belize is a quintessential Central American experience, while it only takes a week to cycle across Cuba from Havana to Vinales and back, seeing everything in between.

Map of Cycle Cuba: West including Cuba

Cycle Cuba: West

7 Days From 1267

Explore laidback Cuba on a two-wheeled round-trip adventure from Havana. Cycle along...

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Cuba Sailing Adventure

9 Days From 2700

Set sail across the Caribbean Sea to visit the untouched and idyllic islands of Cuba. A...

Map of Guatemala & Beyond including El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua

Guatemala & Beyond

9 Days From 950

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Map of Costa Rica: Raft, Surf & Kayak including Costa Rica

Costa Rica: Raft, Surf & Kayak

8 Days From 1810

Be captivated by Costa Rica on an adventure through Pacuare River, Manzanillo beach,...

Map of Best of Jamaica including Jamaica

Best of Jamaica

7 Days From 1462

This seven-day exploration of Jamaican culture, food and language will take you to the...

What to see in 3 weeks in Central America

The ruins of ancient Maya are one of the region’s biggest drawcards and the more time you can set aside for exploring these jungle cities, the better. Over three weeks, traverse the impressive archaeological sites at Tulum, Tikal, Xunantunich and Mexico's most famous site, Chichen Itza, one of the seven wonders of the world.

This is also your chance to get immersed in the modern cities and cultures of Central America. You can easily spend three weeks in Cuba, walking through the historical streets of Havana, visiting Che Guevara’s mausoleum in Santa Clara, and cha-chaing the night away in Trinidad to Cuba’s famous rhythms.

If it’s a fast-paced adventure you want, look at travelling from Antigua to San Jose. It’s the best way to knock a few countries off the bucket-list as you crisscross your way through Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, fitting in as many cities, jungles, ruins, villages, volcanoes and beaches as you can along the way.

Map of Best of Cuba including Cuba

Best of Cuba

15 Days From 2115

Escape to Cuba on an exotic getaway through the sizzling streets of sultry Havana, soak...

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Central American Journey

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Maya Encounter

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Mexico & Guatemala Highlights

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Costa Rica: Raft, Surf, Kayak & Hike

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Be captivated by Costa Rica on an adventure that combines thrill-seeking hiking,...

What to see in 6 weeks in Central America

With six weeks to fill, everything from Mexico City to the Panama Canal is your playground. It’s impossible to experience everything a region has to offer, but this is your chance to come pretty close.

You can choose to focus more on Mexico, Guatemala and Belize in the north-west, while Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua might tempt you to the south-west. You could keep the central in Central America and explore Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua. Or you might head out to the islands with Jamaica, Cuba and the Bahamas beckoning with their perfect beaches and laidback siestas.

If you just want to limit yourself to just Cuba or Mexico, there’s no shortage of experiences for an extended stay too. But with this much time, you can explore a variety of countries and cultures and still have time to relax on a Caribbean beach.

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Discover Mexico & Cuba

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Best of Central America

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Amazing Central America

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Central America Explorer

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