Best of Central America

Arrival
Upon arrival at Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose, will be welcomed and greeted by our representative who will provide you all necessary documentation for your trip - including your itinerary day by day, the main contact details and phone numbers necessary.
Then a private transport will take you to the central volcanic mountain range where you will enjoy beautiful landscapes while driving to Naranjo town where Chayote Lodge is located.

Arenal Volcano
In the morning, we will make our way to the Arenal Volcano, enjoying the beautiful mountain scenery and crops of pineapple, bananas and sugar cane. Set on the northern plains of Costa Rica, Arenal Volcano sits on the shore of Lake Arenal. Separating two mountain ranges of Guanacaste and Tilarán, the lake was created by a hydroelectric dam. The volcano, once quite active, has been dormant since the beginning of 2011 but still is a dramatic backdrop to the town of La Fortuna. During the day, its reflection on Lake Arenal is truly enchanting. Evening at leisure.

Breakfast included.

Arenal Volcano & Hot Springs
This morning is at your leisure. This beautiful and diverse region holds an abundance of incredible experiences for all to enjoy, from adrenalin adventure activities to more relaxed, leisurely walks and hot springs. In the afternoon, you will enjoy a visit to the Arenal Volcano, where you will observe the natural beauty of flowers, lush vegetation, howler monkeys and exotic birds as you walk along the beautiful trails.

Later, you will have the chance to unwind in the natural hot springs with views of the majestic Arenal Volcano. This experience finishes with a delicious meal before we transfer you back to your hotel.

Breakfast and Dinner included.

Arenal Volcano to Monteverde Cloud Forest
Morning depart from Arenal Volcano to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. The first part of the trip is adorned with the beautiful scenery of the Arenal Lake, which we cross by boat before driving through the beautiful scenery of the Tilarán Mountain Range and arriving in Monteverde.

We arrive to our hotel in the late afternoon, with the evening spent at your leisure.

Breakfast included.

Cloud Forest Tour
In the morning, we will make our way to the Monteverde cloud forest, a habitat for rare flora and fauna, such as the quetzal. We visit the Tree Top walkway, which is the ideal way to explore the beauty of the canopy and appreciate the incredible array of vegetation, and exotic bird life that the region has to offer.

Afternoon at leisure or take one of the optional excursions on offer, including the Santa Elena Reserve.

Breakfast included.

Monteverde to Penas Blancas
This morning after breakfast, we will make our way across the border at Peñas Blancas to Nicaragua.

Penas Blancas to Ometepe Island
Once you have completed the migration process at both sides of the border and have you passport stamped, please head to the main gate which is the entrance to Nicaragua. Our representative will transfer you in a private transfer to the port of San Jorge to take the Ferry to Ometepe Island, the world's highest lake island.

Ometepe is the world’s largest volcanic island in a lake. It's twin volcanic peaks, rising up out of Lake Nicaragua, have captured the imagination of everyone from pre-colonial Aztec to Mark Twain to nowadays travelers. Enjoy a 1-hour approx. smooth ferry ride on Lake Nicaragua.

On arrival at the port of Moyogalpa, you will be greeted by our local driver who will transfer you to your hotel passing by local villages.

Included:
Private transfer Penas Blancas border to San Jorge port | Duration: 45 minutes approx.
Ferry tickets San Jorge to Ometepe Island | Duration: 1 hour approx
Private transfer Moyogalpa port to your hotel | Transfer time: 45 minutes approx.

Breakfast included.

Ometepe Island Tour
After breakfast, a local guide will pick you up at your hotel and then he will take you on a great tour of Ometepe Island.

Your local guide will take you to visit the main sites of Ometepe Island. Your tour will consist of visits to places like “El Ceibo” the best archaeological and numismatic museum of Nicaragua. You will also visit Charco Verde with its Green Puddles lagoon. The next spot on you tour will be the petroglyphs at Finca el Porvenir. These stones, found on the lower slopes of Maderas volcano on Ometepe, still bear the ornate carvings of the first indigenous settlers of Nicaragua. Enjoy the great views that Volcano Concepcion and Volcano Maderas have to offer. Also visit El Ojo de Agua, a natural pool of clear water supplied by a river that originates from Concepcion Volcano where you can take a dip. Lunch is included during the tour.

Transfer back to your hotel after the tour where you have the rest of the day at leisure.

Tour duration: 8 hours approx.

Breakfast and Lunch included.

Ometepe Island to Granada City
In the morning, our driver will pick you up at your hotel and transfer you to the docks to take a Ferry departing from the port of Moyogalpa. Upon arrival, our driver will meet you at the port for a direct transfer to Granada City.

Granada is an absolute must-see destination during your trip in Nicaragua. As the oldest colonial city in the Americas, Granada is brimming with rich cultural history, natural beauty, and a ton of fun and interesting things to see and do! With stunning architecture, cobblestone streets, authentic cuisine, looming volcanoes, and a freshwater lake complete with tropical islands there really are activities for everyone who makes the journey to this incredible place in Central America.

Private transfer hotel to Moyogalpa port | Transfer time: 45 minutes approx.
Ferry tickets Ometepe Island to San Jorge port | Duration: 1 hour approx.
Private transfer San Jorge port to Granada | Transfer time: 1,5 hours approx.

Breakfast included.

Lake Nicaragua Tour
After breakfast, our driver will pick you up and transfer you to Lake Nicaragua, where you board a boat to enjoy a relaxing adventure in a private Ecological Island.

See the most beautiful islands in Lake Nicaragua and their rich flora and fauna, discover some of the 356 islands “isletas”, a must see! The islands were formed thousands of years ago, after an eruption of nearby Mombacho volcano (now extinct). They are now covered with lush, tropical vegetation, some of them are inhabited by natives, others have vacation houses built on them, and others are still deserted. You will be able to observe some of the many species of tropical birds that live in the islands.

The inhabitants (“Isleños) live peacefully in simple yet decent conditions and dedicate themselves to fishing and small agriculture, and now to tourism too. Arrive in a private ecological island, enjoy lunch there and time at leisure. You may also go kayaking to discover more of the islands. It is a truly a paradise located amidst nature, in front of the Mombacho volcano. In the late afternoon, you will be transferred back to mainland and continue to your hotel.

Notes:
No bilingual guide today but not really needed as you will spend your time in the island (can be included on request).
This is a private tour; however, there may be more people on the island during your visit.

Included
Entrance fee.
Use of kayaks.
Lunch.
Tour duration: 9-10 hours approx. including ground transfer

Breakfast and Lunch included.

Granada City Tour, Masaya Volcano & the White Villages
This morning, our guide will meet you at the lobby of your hotel to enjoy a City Tour of Granada.

On this wonderful outdoor experience you will visit places like the La Casa de los Tres Mundos, an art gallery a cultural academy. Then, go to the Convent of San Francisco church, built in 1529 and decorated with elegant paintings and pre- Columbian statues from Zapatera Island. Continue to the Iglesia La Merced, take the stairs up to the tower from where you will have great views of the city. After Iglesia La Merced, you will go to the Old Train Station located in front of Sandino Park. The last place you will visit is La Polvora, a fort where the Spanish stored dynamite and weapons in the 17th and 18th century to repel the attacks of English and French pirates. Part of the tour will take place in a traditional Horsedrawn Carriage conducted by a local driver. Morning tour duration: 3 hours approx.

In the early afternoon, you will leave Granada and will be transferred to the Masaya Areas.

Your tour will take you to Catarina, a small and characteristic village of Nicaragua where people work seedling nurseries, make handcraft and raise horses. Placed on top of the extinct volcano 520 meters above sea level this presents a very agreeable climate. The temperature veries from 22 and 27 C° (72 & 77 F°) from here you can have a magnificent view of Apoyo lagoon, Mombacho volcano, Granada and Lake Nicaragua. Enjoy lunch in nice restaurant amidst nature. After Catarina you will visit the ancient highland villages of "La Meseta" to visits the Mesa artisans workshops of San Juan de Oriente. This precious town has colonial period houses, churches and a hardworking native population. Then visit the finest Handicraft Market in Masaya where you will enjoy the creativity and a variety of Nicaraguan art at bargain prices.

Our day tour ends with the late evening visit to the First National Park created in Nicaragua in 1979, one of Nicaragua's most interesting and beautiful natural phenomena. It comprises an area of 54 km2 with more than 20 km of scenic roads and trails, leading to and around the one impressive volcano and five formidable craters; one of them currently displays gaseous activity and incandescent lava lake in its interior. Standing at the wall, you are able to peer into the crater- an incredible thing to experience first-hand! Eventually transfer back to Granada. Afternoon tour duration: 6 hours approx.

Included:
Transportation.
Bilingual guide (English-Spanish).
Lunch.
Entrance fees.

Please note that due safety restrictions, visitors are only allowed to stay 15 minutes near the crater.

Breakfast and Lunch included.

Depart
Today you will be met by our representative at your hotel and transferred to the Managua (MGA) Airport.

Antigua
Upon arrival in Guatemala City you will be met by a representative and transferred to your hotel in Antigua 45 kms away.

Once the third largest city in all of Spanish America, Antigua served as Guatemala's capital city for more than two hundred years until it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1773. Antigua today is a peaceful, partially restored colonial city that is a pleasure to explore.

Breakfast included.

Antigua City Tour
Volcan Fuego rises to the roof of the world above the streets of Antigua. Once the capital of Guatemala and all Central America, Antigua resembles a living ruin. Mammoth churches and palaces tell the story of Antigua's past glory, and restored facades speak of a bright future for this wonderful city. This morning we’ll tour the city and admire Antigua's gilded cathedrals. The afternoon is yours to rent mountain bikes to explore the countryside, visit a coffee finca or macadamia nut plantation, or simply people watch in the main plaza.

Tour departs: approximately 9:00am.

Breakfast included.

Antigua to Lake Atitlán
We’ll travel into the heart of the Guatemalan Highlands to Lake Atitlán, located in the western highlands of Guatemala and often called one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. Located at over 1500 metres above sea level, the lake reaches depths of 324 metres and is surrounded by three majestic volcanoes - Tolimán, Atitlán and San Pedro. We’ll spend a night in beautiful Panajachel, considered the jewel of the highlands and inhabited by the Cachikel people for over eight hundred years. As we wander around Panajachel and its surrounding villages, you will observe the daily lives of these people and the skill of the women weavers.

Breakfast included.

Boat Trip San Juan La Laguna
Today you’ll take a small passenger boat that takes across the azure-coloured waters of the lake to the charming village of San Juan la Laguna, a very calm village with a Tzutujil population. Here you can find dozens of female-run weaving Co-Operatives, producing beautiful textiles according to time-honored methods passed down through generations, often using organic local cotton and natural dyes. You will also find delicious chocolate.

Breakfast included.

Chichicastenango Markets – Antigua
A visit to Guatemala would not be complete without the chance to visit the famous market of Chichicastenango. This beautiful town, surrounded by valleys and shadowed by mountains, has many shamanistic and ceremonial overtones. Its large market brings villagers from throughout the region who often arrive the night before and sleep on blankets in the market square. Rising early, they set out their colourful fruits, vegetables and handicrafts. The market disperses in the early afternoon, so we will then travel back to Antigua where we’ll spend the night.

Tour departs: approximately 8:00am.

*Take note that market days are Thursdays and Sundays, however we can rearrange this itinerary to make sure you’re there on the correct day.

Breakfast included.

Depart
Pick up is at 3:30am and a boxed lunch is included. Our representative will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.

Arrival at Flores and Tikal Ruins Tour
An early morning flight takes you to Flores in the tropical lowlands of the Petén Jungle and the home of the ancient Maya. After meeting up with your guide, you'll continue on to the ruins of Tikal and check in to your hotel located in the national park.

After lunch at your hotel you will enjoy a guided tour of the Tikal site, where you'll encounter towering pyramids rising above the thick jungle canopy and learn how the city thrived as an important religious, scientific, and political centre for fifteen hundred years. Today, the pristine forest engulfing the ruined city is home to howler and spider monkeys, white-lipped peccary, brocket deer, coatimundis, toucans, scarlet macaws, parrots, ocelots and the seldom seen jaguar.

The sheer scale of the ruins at Tikal may at first seem daunting; however by staying within the park you will have the opportunity to further explore the ruins beyond the central area. Wander endlessly into the maze of smaller structures and outlying complexes hidden in the jungle growth, and if your energy levels are high enough to make it to the top of Temple IV you won’t be disappointed! Amazing views of the surrounding jungle canopy will greet you from the top of the highest structure within the complex, and once the crowds have left the jungle animals comes to life.

Dinner is at your own expense either at your hotel or one of the other nearby alternatives.

Lunch included.

Breakfast and Lunch included.

Transfer to Border
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel very early in the morning (around 4am) and transfer you from Tikal to Bethel, you will have a boat trip to Corozal and then our Mexico supplier will pick you up.

Corozal Border - Palenque
Arrival at the border town of Corozal, your guide will welcome you and take you to Yaxchilan for a private visit of this archaeological site. After de visit you will continue to Palenque.

Arrival at your hotel and the rest of the evening is at leisure.

Breakfast included.

Palenque Archeological Site Tour
Today we will visit the archaeological site of Palenque, a World Heritage Site, located 7km outside of the town of Palenque overlooking the swampy plains that stretch northward all the way to the Gulf coast. Palenque flourished between AD600 and 800, when its influence extended throughout the basin of the Usumacinta River. The site, surrounded by rainforest where toucans and howler monkeys live, is made up of some five hundred buildings spread over 15 sq. km, of which only a few have been excavated. We will explore the magnificent ruins, including the Temple of the Inscriptions – the tallest and stateliest of Palenque’s buildings, the Temple of the Sun – crowned with a prominent roof comb, The Palace – with its maze of corridors and rooms, and many other beautiful buildings. Return to your hotel where the evening is spent at your leisure.

*If you’d like to explore the rainforest ruins of Chiapas in more detail then we recommend adding an extra day and taking a tour of Yaxchilan and Bonampak located deep in the rainforest.

Breakfast included.

Palenque - Isla Aguada - Edzna - Campeche
A representative will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to Campeche. On the way stop at the Natural Reserve of Laguna de Terminos and at the small fishing village of Isla Aguada take a boat tour through the lagoon (aprox1,5hrs). On this trip, you will see plenty of Dolphins and if you are very lucky even the very shy manatees. Stop at an Island in the Lagoon and see the local flora and fauna. Continue towards Edzná, with its remarkable main temple and the large ball court. Continue towards Campeche and walking city tour of the historical center.

Breakfast included.

Drive to Merida
A representative will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to Merida (3-4 hours approx.), known as the "White City" for its white-painted buildings and the "City of Parks" due to its abundance of green areas, Merida is a city full of history, culture and architectural beauty. Discover the majesty of the Plaza Grande, surrounded by the San Ildefonso Cathedral and the Government Palace. Explore the cobblestone streets and admire the colonial architecture of the old houses and mansions.

Breakfast included.

Merida - Kabah - Uxmal
We will visit the archaeological site of Uxmal, a World Heritage Site, located 80km south of Merida. Its architecture is characterized by low, horizontal palaces set around courtyards, decorated with a profusion of symbolic motifs and sculptures depicting the long-nosed rain god Chaac. We will explore the magnificent buildings, including the Nunnery, the House of Turtles, and the House of the Magician, which dominates the site. We’ll continue to Kabah, with its amazing Palace of the Masks, covered in nearly three hundred masks of Chaac, before heading to Merida.

Breakfast and Lunch included.

Merida - Chichen Itza - Merida
Today will be one of the highlights of your Mexican adventure as you enjoy a visit to the archaeological site of Chichen Itza, located 120km east of Merida. One of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Chichen Itza is the best restored of Yucatan’s Mayan sites. While here we will explore, the magnificent ruins set in a dense jungle, including:
- Pyramid of Kukulcan, its height and striking geometric design the most prominent of this site.
- The Great Ball Court, the largest and most impressive in Mesoamerica.
- The Sacred Cenote, a natural well used for human sacrifice.

We’ll also see many other beautiful temples. From Chichén Itzá, we will head back to the Merida International Airport to board your flight back home. Please note that you will arrive at the airport around 7pm. Therefore, you should allow for 3 hours in advance for an international flight, or 2 hours in advance for a domestic flight.

Yucatan Peninsula options
One of the advantages of our tailormade itineraries is the ability to change things to create your perfect holiday. You can choose to visit several destinations such as Tulum, Cancun, Playa del Carmen or head back to Merida. If you are thinking about Tulum, please be aware that you can stay at a beach resort or in town which is 20min drive from the beach. Speak to your travel designer for more information.

Breakfast and Lunch included.