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.

Our tours in Central America

Map of Classic Costa Rica including Costa Rica

Classic Costa Rica

15 Days From 1620

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

Map of Guatemala to Mexico including Belize, Guatemala and Mexico

Guatemala to Mexico

12 Days From 1605

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

Map of Mexico Unplugged including Mexico

Mexico Unplugged

15 Days From 1520

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

Map of Costa Rica Experience including Costa Rica

Costa Rica Experience

9 Days From 1140

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

Map of Central American Journey including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua

Central American Journey

17 Days From 1700

See Central America on a 17-day Lonely Planet Experience of Guatemala, Honduras, El...

Map of Maya Encounter including Belize, Guatemala and Mexico

Maya Encounter

17 Days From 1530

Find authentic adventure on a 17-day Lonely Planet Experience through Mexico, Belize...

Map of Costa Rica & Panama Discovery including Costa Rica and Panama

Costa Rica & Panama Discovery

13 Days From 1285

Highlands, coast and islands – this 13-day Costa Rica and Panama Lonely Planet...

Map of Mexico Real Food Adventure including Mexico

Mexico Real Food Adventure

9 Days From 1525

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

Map of Land of Belize including Belize

Land of Belize

8 Days From 1120

Escape to Belize on an adventure to San Ignacio and Crooked Tree. Visit breathtaking...

Map of Best of El Salvador including El Salvador

Best of El Salvador

8 Days From 1215

Uncover the spectacular beauty, rich history and vibrant culture of El Salvador as you...

Map of Discover Mexico & Cuba including Cuba and Mexico

Discover Mexico & Cuba

22 Days From 2665

Adventure with Intrepid Travel through Mexico and Cuba on a 22-day Lonely Planet...

Map of Real Central America including Belize, Guatemala and Mexico

Real Central America

16 Days From 1720

Mexico, Belize and Guatemala – meet these three amigos on this Central American...

Map of Central American Adventure including Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras

Central American Adventure

33 Days From 3135

Tour jungle ruins and Caribbean coastline on a 33-day Lonely Planet Experience to...

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

Guatemala & Beyond

9 Days From 1050

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

Map of Best of Mexico including Mexico

Best of Mexico

15 Days From 3760

Marketplaces, waterfalls, Maya ruins – there's a wealth of excitement and beauty to be...

Map of Real Mexico including Mexico

Real Mexico

15 Days From 1494

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

Map of Best of Central America including Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras

Best of Central America

45 Days From 4380

Tour Central America on an epic 45-day Lonely Planet Experience from Mexico to Panama,...

Map of Mexico & Guatemala Highlights including Guatemala and Mexico

Mexico & Guatemala Highlights

11 Days From 1430

Spend 11 days exploring Mexico and Guatemala in Playa del Carmen, Chichen Itza, Merida,...

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

Best of Mexico & Costa Rica

22 Days From 6370

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

Map of Best of Mexico & Cuba including Cuba and Mexico

Best of Mexico & Cuba

22 Days From 5535

Embark on an adventure through Mexico and Cuba that spends time in Mexico City, Oaxaca,...

Map of Yucatan Peninsula Adventure including Mexico

Yucatan Peninsula Adventure

8 Days From 1580

A Mexican adventure covering the Yucatan Peninsula with stops in Merida, Playa del...

Map of Costa Rica Family Holiday with Teenagers including Costa Rica

Costa Rica Family Holiday with Teenagers

9 Days From 2140

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

Map of Amazing Central America including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua

Amazing Central America

29 Days From 2900

Spend 29 days visiting Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and...

Map of Epic Mexico to Costa Rica including Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico

Epic Mexico to Costa Rica

32 Days From 3340

Spend 32 days exploring the beaches, ruins, jungles and jungle ruins of Belize, Costa...

Map of Mexico City: Day of the Dead Original including Mexico

Mexico City: Day of the Dead Original

5 Days From 1040

Be a part of the Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) celebrations in Mexico City,...

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

Costa Rica: Raft, Surf & Kayak

8 Days From 1905

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

Map of Greater Central Mexico including Mexico

Greater Central Mexico

19 Days From 3035

Discover the Mexico old and new on this adventure to its heart, from Mexico City,...

Map of Maya Adventure including Belize, Guatemala and Mexico

Maya Adventure

22 Days From 2900

Discover the ancient Maya ruins, beautiful beaches and pristine jungle of Central...

Map of Costa Rica to Panama including Costa Rica and Panama

Costa Rica to Panama

8 Days From 1625

Take a eight-day journey through Costa Rica and Panama: get active in the mountain...

Map of Best of Jamaica including Jamaica

Best of Jamaica

7 Days From 1745

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

Map of Central America Encompassed including Belize, Guatemala and Mexico

Central America Encompassed

31 Days From 2955

Say hola to an adventure through Mexico, Belize and Guatemala, revealing the history of...

Map of Mexico City: Day of the Dead Comfort including Mexico

Mexico City: Day of the Dead Comfort

5 Days From 1040

Be a part of the Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) celebrations in Mexico City,...

Map of Best of Costa Rica including Costa Rica

Best of Costa Rica

8 Days From 2490

A Costa Rican adventure starting and finishing in San Jose via Copey District, Manuel...

Map of Guatemala Expedition: El Mirador Trek including Guatemala

Guatemala Expedition: El Mirador Trek

8 Days From 960

Explore the depths of the ancient El Mirador rainforest on this eight-day Guatemalan...

Map of Mexico City to Oaxaca including Mexico

Mexico City to Oaxaca

8 Days From 1125

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

Map of Epic Mexico & Cuba including Cuba and Mexico

Epic Mexico & Cuba

22 Days From 2805

This epic adventure through Mexico and Cuba will give you all the food, churches, and...

Map of Ultimate Central America including Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras

Ultimate Central America

59 Days From 5855

This 59-day Central American Lonely Planet Experience heads from Mexico City to Panama...

Map of Real Guatemala to Costa Rica including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua

Real Guatemala to Costa Rica

17 Days From 1548

Take a small-group tour through Central America. A place of incredible wildlife, active...

Map of Costa Rica: Hike, Raft & Zipline including Costa Rica

Costa Rica: Hike, Raft & Zipline

11 Days From 2820

Discover why Costa Rica is made for adventure seekers with a trip that journeys through...

Map of Real Day of the Dead Oaxaca including Mexico

Real Day of the Dead Oaxaca

9 Days From 1710

Get into the spirit of Mexico’s famous Day of the Dead fiesta, winding a course from...

Map of Epic Mexico, Belize & Guatemala including Belize, Guatemala and Mexico

Epic Mexico, Belize & Guatemala

30 Days From 3335

See some of the best of Central America in one trip, covering big parts of Mexico,...

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

Costa Rica: Raft, Surf, Kayak & Hike

18 Days From 4715

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

Map of Epic Central America including Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico

Epic Central America

46 Days From 5025

Take an epic adventure through Central America. A place of incredible wildlife, active...

Map of Central Mexico including Mexico

Central Mexico

12 Days From 1860

Learn of the incredible history and culture of Mexico on this stunning trip starting...

Map of Central America Explorer including Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras

Central America Explorer

47 Days From 4475

Head on this epic 47-day Central American Lonely Planet Experience through Mexico,...

Map of Cycle Nicaragua, Costa Rica & Panama including Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama

Cycle Nicaragua, Costa Rica & Panama

15 Days From 3230

Ride across the many and varied landscapes of Central America on a cycling tour of...

Map of Costa Rica & Panama Experience including Costa Rica and Panama

Costa Rica & Panama Experience

16 Days From 2770

Journey from San Jose to Panama, stopping to explore the wildlife packed forest of...

Map of Nicaragua & Costa Rica including Costa Rica and Nicaragua

Nicaragua & Costa Rica

10 Days From 865

Discover the best of Nicaragua and Costa Rica on an all-encompassing adventure,...

Map of Cycle Costa Rica & Panama including Costa Rica and Panama

Cycle Costa Rica & Panama

8 Days From 1695

Ride across the many and varied landscapes of Central America on a cycling tour of...

Map of Cycle Nicaragua & Costa Rica including Costa Rica and Nicaragua

Cycle Nicaragua & Costa Rica

8 Days From 1625

Ride across the many and varied landscapes of Central America on a cycling tour of...

Map of Costa Rica Family Holiday including Costa Rica

Costa Rica Family Holiday

10 Days From 1980

This family-style trip through Costa Rica begins and ends in San Jose, taking in the...

Map of Belize & Guatemala Family Holiday including Belize and Guatemala

Belize & Guatemala Family Holiday

8 Days From 2255

Starting in Belize City, this holiday visits San Ignacio, the Tikal Ruins in Guatemala...

Map of Mexico Family Holiday including Mexico

Mexico Family Holiday

8 Days From 1810

Travel from Playa del Carmen through to Merida, Valladolid and Tulum on a Yucatan...

Map of Best of Nicaragua including Nicaragua

Best of Nicaragua

9 Days From 1330

An overlooked gem in Central America, Nicaragua offers some enticing contrasts. Find...

Map of Cruising Costa Rica & Panama: Costa Rica to Panama including Costa Rica and Panama

Cruising Costa Rica & Panama: Costa Rica to Panama

8 Days From 2640

Join Peregrine and experience the best Central American small ship adventure cruise...

Map of San Jose Stopover including Costa Rica

San Jose Stopover

4 Days From 488

Discover modern Costa Rican life on a 4-day mini San Jose adventure, visiting the...

Map of Mexico City Stopover including Mexico

Mexico City Stopover

4 Days From 525

Explore culture, history, arts and sights on this short break adventure in Mexico City....

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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 1230

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

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

Guatemala & Beyond

9 Days From 1050

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

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

Costa Rica: Raft, Surf & Kayak

8 Days From 1905

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 1745

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 2160

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

Map of Central American Journey including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua

Central American Journey

17 Days From 1700

See Central America on a 17-day Lonely Planet Experience of Guatemala, Honduras, El...

Map of Maya Encounter including Belize, Guatemala and Mexico

Maya Encounter

17 Days From 1530

Find authentic adventure on a 17-day Lonely Planet Experience through Mexico, Belize...

Map of Mexico & Guatemala Highlights including Guatemala and Mexico

Mexico & Guatemala Highlights

11 Days From 1430

Spend 11 days exploring Mexico and Guatemala in Playa del Carmen, Chichen Itza, Merida,...

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

Costa Rica: Raft, Surf, Kayak & Hike

18 Days From 4715

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.

Map of Discover Mexico & Cuba including Cuba and Mexico

Discover Mexico & Cuba

22 Days From 2665

Adventure with Intrepid Travel through Mexico and Cuba on a 22-day Lonely Planet...

Map of Best of Central America including Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras

Best of Central America

45 Days From 4380

Tour Central America on an epic 45-day Lonely Planet Experience from Mexico to Panama,...

Map of Amazing Central America including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua

Amazing Central America

29 Days From 2900

Spend 29 days visiting Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and...

Map of Central America Explorer including Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras

Central America Explorer

47 Days From 4475

Head on this epic 47-day Central American Lonely Planet Experience through Mexico,...

Read more about Central America

Jan 21, 2020

Kid’s-eye view: what to expect on a family...

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Nov 05, 2018

Why every wildlife lover should go sailing on...

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Jul 23, 2019

Why you should visit Izamal, Mexico’s most...

If you're planning a trip to Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, there’s a destination you...

Feb 03, 2018

Step aside Chichen Itza: 6 other Maya ruins we...

Yes, there's incredible ruins in nearby nations such as Guatemala, Belize and...