Amazing Central America

28 Days | Adventure from volcanic highland to island paradise

4.4 out of 5 based on 10 reviews submitted.
Explorer
From
NZD $4,025
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Get ready for a 28-day experience through Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. From oceans teeming with marine life to tropical forests alive with jungle melodies, this pocket of Central America is truly a natural paradise. Whether you're shopping in colonial Antigua, exploring the intricately carved structures at Copan or taking a night hike up an active volcano at La Fortuna, this trip gives you real insight into the heart and soul of Central America.

Trip overview

Map of Amazing Central America including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama
Start
Antigua, Guatemala
Finish
Panama City, Panama
Theme
Explorer
Destinations
Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras
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 15
Group size
Min 1 - Max 16
Trip code
QVRPC
This trip generates 19 kg of CO2-e per person per day.
We offset these emissions on your behalf. But we know that is not enough, so we also have a carbon reduction target.

Why you'll love this trip
  • Hike, cycle or zip-line through the steamy cloud forests of Monteverde – there’s so many ways to experience the lush canopies and see unique Central American wildlife.
  • Try out your Nicaragua sign language skills when you order breakfast at an atmospheric cafe housed in a historic building that is managed and staffed by members of the local deaf community.
  • Put your chef hat on and help prepare a traditional Caribbean dinner with a local family in their home in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.
  • Clear sea perfect for swimming, shacks serving cold cerveza and sandy shores covered in starfish are waiting in the Bocas del Toro, where you spend three nights on Isla Colon.
  • Get to know Panama City during a guided stroll along the Cinta Costera right to the city’s salty belly – the Mercado de Mariscos (seafood market).

Is this trip right for you?
  • This trip is made for travellers who value their independence but also want the benefit of a local leader and a group of like-minded travellers. The itinerary includes basic accommodation and has free time for activities when your leader will offer suggestions. Please budget spending money for optional activities you want to partake in.
  • 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.
  • In order to see as much as we can, this trip includes some long days spent travelling. You’ll also be crossing the borders between six countries on this trip and while the process is usually straightforward, you may need to be patient. Make sure you’ve got your best car game ready in case of any delays!
  • 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.
  • There will be times when you have to walk with your luggage, and for this reason, we recommend packing light and using a backpack or something easy to carry.

Itinerary

This itinerary is valid for departures from 12 February 2024 to 31 December 2024.

View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2025 - 31 December 2025

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

Inclusions

Meals

1 breakfast, 2 dinners

Transport

Private vehicle, Local bus, Taxi, Shared boat, Ferry

Accommodation

Hotel (24 nights), Lodge (3 nights)

Activities
  • Copan Ruins - Visit (entrance fee, no guide)
  • Suchitoto - Salvadoran Pupusa cooking demonstration
  • Suchitoto - Leader led orientation walk
  • Suchitoto - Indigo Dyeing Demonstration
  • Leon - Leader led orientation walk
  • Granada - Breakfast at El Cafe de las Sonrisas
  • Monteverde - Leader-led orientation walk
  • La Fortuna - Leader led orientation walk
  • San Jose - Leader-led orientation walk
  • Sarapiqui – Jungle Walk
  • Puerto Viejo de Talamanca - Leader-led orientation walk
  • Puerto Viejo - Hands-on dinner in local home
  • Boquete - Leader-led orientation walk
  • Leader - led Informal Spanish Lesson
  • Panama City - Leader-led walk in Casco Viejo
  • Panama City - Leader-led walk along part of the Cinta Costera (Causeway) including a visit to the Fish Market
Add on activities
  • Antigua - Chocolate-making workshop at ChocoMuseo - GTQ236
  • Antigua - Salsa-dance Lesson (per hour) - GTQ105
  • Copan - Natural Hot Springs & Dinner - USD53
  • Suchitoto - Town tour (it requires a minimum of 3 travellers to operate) - USD32
  • Suchitoto - War historic walk at Cinquera Forest (requires a minimum of 3 travellers to operate) - USD58
  • Leon - Volcano Sand Boarding - USD53
  • Leon - City Tour - USD30
  • Leon - Leon Art Center - USD2
  • Granada - Laguna Apoyo kayaking tour - USD30
  • Granada - Mombacho Volcano hike - USD32
  • Granada - Monkey Island boat tour - NIO455
  • Monteverde - Cloud Forest Entrance - USD26
  • Monteverde - Suspension bridges tour - USD58
  • Monteverde - Canopy Zip Lining (Entrance, Equipment & Transport) - USD65
  • Monteverde - Coffee & Chocolate tour - USD47
  • Monteverde - Butterfly Garden and Insects Farm (entrance fee) - USD22
  • Monteverde - Frog pond - USD19
  • Monteverde - Orchid gardens - USD19
  • Monteverde - Cloud Forest Night Walk - USD45
  • Monteverde - Children's Forest - USD20
  • La Fortuna - Ecotermales Hot Springs (entrance fee) - USD49
  • La Fortuna - Arenal hanging bridges - USD79
  • 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 - San Jose By Night: Food and Culture - Urban Adventures - USD78
  • San Jose - National Museum (entrance fee) - USD12
  • San Jose - Pre-Colombian Gold Museum (Entrance fee) - USD17
  • San Jose - San Jose Bites and Sights Tour - Urban Adventures - USD40
  • Puerto Viejo de Talamanca - Surf lesson (1 hour) - USD60
  • Puerto Viejo de Talamanca - Cahuita National Park (entrance fee) - USD5
  • Bocas del Toro - Jungle Cacao Tour (guide and transport included) - USD42
  • Bocas del Toro - Full-day Tour including Bastimentos island, Jungle hike & Lunch with Ngobe Community (guide and transport included) - USD63
  • Bocas del Toro - Bio-luminescence Boat Tour (seasonal - guide and transport included) - USD37
  • Bocas del Toro - Colon Expedition including starfish beach & bird island - USD47
  • Boquete - Guided Bicycle Tour (guide and bike hire included) - USD58
  • Boquete - Guided Tour of Hidden Waterfalls (entrance fee, transport and guide included) - USD53
  • Boquete - Zipline (guide and transport included) - USD79
  • Boquete - Mini Canyons Tour (entrance fee, transport and guide included) - USD37
  • Boquete - Calderas Hot Springs (entrance fee and transport included, no guide) - USD37
  • Boquete - Coffee Plantation Tour (guide and transport included) - USD37
  • Panama City - Panama Canal: Miraflores Locks (entrance fee only, no guide, no transport) - USD21

Dates and availability

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Important notes

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. 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.
3. 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.
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. Should you have any questions or need assistance with the Honduras pre-registration, your leader will be able to assist on Day 1 of your tour. For more information, visit the ‘Passports, visas and entry requirements’ section of the ‘Essential Trip Information.’

Essential Trip Information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

Read Essential Trip Information

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 based on 10 reviews submitted.
Reviews are from travellers who have completed their trip and want to share their experience. We show all reviews, but may remove any that include profanity or inappropriate content, are unrelated to the trip or reveal personal details.

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Belinda · Traveled April 2024
If you've got a free month, and a hankering for an epic adventure, you've found it. Beaches, cloud forests, volcanoes and animals galore, this trip ticks so many boxes.
Review submitted 15 May 2024

Edith · Traveled March 2024
Central America trip was the most memorable with great experience, our group was the most friendly and family feeling from each of us thanks to the tour leaders who create this lovely environmental making our trip the most enjoyable in life.
Review submitted 22 Apr 2024

Edith · Traveled March 2024
I have traveled with Intrepid for more than 10 times and I love so much the way they handled the trip on each country thanks to Intrepid for make my life on each trip very memorable at my 72 years old Intrepid knows who to make my daily trip very fabulous
Review submitted 06 Apr 2024

Paul · Traveled February 2024
This was a jam packed tour from Guatemala to Costa Rica. On the go the whole time experiencing 5 countries. Trip was exceptional but this was partly due to sterling work of out guide Choko who made trip memorable with additional insight to each country. The thermal springs candle lite tour was memorable.
Review submitted 14 Mar 2024

Brian · Traveled September 2023
The trip from Guatemala to Costa Rica was excellent. The tour leader Dennis was outstanding as were the local guides and experiences we had . We always felt safe and cared for
Review submitted 02 Oct 2023
Amazing Central America
From
NZD $4,025