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Day 1: Join tour Antigua (Guatemala)
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Day 2: AM city walking tour. PM free
Famed for its well-preserved Spanish Mudejar influenced Baroque architecture, the stunning city of Antigua de Guatemala was founded in the early years of the 16th century. Set in a beautiful valley between the volcanoes Agua, Fuego and Acatenango, a tour of this graceful old colonial city, with its cobbled streets and lovely old buildings, identifies it as one of the most charming in the country and one of the most picturesque in Central America. Despite the damage caused by a series of earthquakes and floods over the centuries, the city's colonial heritage has seen it designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and this morning's walking tour visits the churches of San Francisco, Santa Clara, La Merced and Las Capuchinas, as well as the Museum of the Old Book and the city's Jade museum. Much of Antigua has been repeatedly devastated by earthquakes, but still it retains a graceful charm and its buildings and ruins give it the air of a snapshot in time. This afternoon has been left free for you to continue exploring at your own pace.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Day 3: Drive to Panajachel via Chichicastenango and Atitlan Lake
Leaving the Guatemalan capital behind this morning we turn our attentions to the north-west, towards the highlands of the El Quiché Province and the bustling market town of Chichcastenango. Steeped in Mayan culture, the town is famed for its market, where you can buy everything, from chickens and copal, to pigs and pottery. After a chance to wander through the colourful market we continue on to the town of Panajachel on the shores of Lake Atitlan. An old volcanic caldera, Lake Atitlan is justifiably considered to be one of the most spectacular lakes in the Americas and is certainly the deepest in Central America. Encircled by the volcanoes of Toliman, Atitlan and San Pedro, the lake's fertile shores are sprinkled with small communities of farmers and fishermen who still uphold the traditions of their Maya ancestors. Panajachel itself is an old Spanish settlement that has attracted visitors to this charming setting for years and today it is one of the region's most popular tourist spots, filled with galleries, handicraft shops and cafes, making it an ideal base from which to explore this captivating setting.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Day 4: Boat ride to Santiago Atitlan. Bus to Monterico
The lake covers an impressive area that expands over 130 sq. km, its shores ringed with some dozen Maya villages. This morning we head out by boat to explore one such village, that of Santiago Atitlan, lying at the base of the volcanic peaks of Toliman and Atitlan, and home to the Tzutujil Maya people. The Tzutujil can trace their ancestry back to the post-classic period of the Maya (around 900-1500 AD) and still wear a traditional form of dress, with the women in particular sporting colourful blouses that depict wonderful embroidered geometric designs and small multicoloured birds. Following our visit we board our bus and head towards the Pacific coast and the city of Monterico. Part of the Santa Roas region, this area is home to the Monterico Nature Reserve and the Hawaii National Park, which encompasses the best-preserved area of mangrove forest along Guatemala's Pacific coastline. The Chiqumulilla Channel, which crosses both areas, is a natural haven for a wealth of birdlife, as well as green iguana and sea turtles.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Day 5: Drive to Ipsala Volcano, then continue to Copan (Honduras)
Heading into the Chiquimula region this morning we visit the volcanic slopes of Ipala (1650m) and its beautiful deep green lagoon. After a chance to stretch our legs with a walk in the area, we then board our bus and cross into neighbouring Honduras. Our destination is Copan, a lovely village of adobe buildings very near to the magnificent Mayan ruins of Copan. Crossing through a landscape of lush vegetation and mountainous valleys we arrive later this afternoon and check into our hotel.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Day 6: Visit Copan. Drive to Suchitoto (El Salvador)
This morning we visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site with a local guide. Anyone familiar with Catherwood's incredible drawings (which first appeared in John Stephens' 1841 narrative – 'Incidents of Travel in Central America and Yucatan') will recognise scenes and objects from this marvellous site. Stephens actually bought the entire site for $50 from a local farmer! The Great Plaza is one of the most amazing achievements of the Classic Maya period (AD 750) and contains the greatest collection of Maya sculpture anywhere in Meso-America. Next to the Great Plaza is the Acropolis, a group of massive pyramidal structures where royal power was once concentrated, and which hold beneath them a wealth of information about Copan's ancient past. Ascending one structure is the famous Hieroglyphic Stairway. Composed of some 2500 individual glyphs, its sides flanked by serpentine birds and snakes, this is the New World's longest inscribed Pre-Colombian text. The subject of exploration and investigation since the 1830s, the continual discoveries being unearthed by archaeologists are uncovering remarkable finds that represent a Maya resurrection, and have made Copan the most thoroughly researched and understood of all Maya sites. After our visit we will take a scenic drive on to El Poy on the El Salvador border. Crossing into our third country this afternoon, we then continue to the colonial city of Suchitoto, travelling by way of the handicraft markets of La Palma.
Overnight Basic Hotel (H)
Day 7: In Suchitoto
Suchitoto is a little slice of El Salvador at its timeless best, a charming colonial town of cobblestone streets and pretty houses that lie besides the shores of Lago Suchitlán. Surrounded by the lush landscapes of the northern highlands, the town was once at the heart of the country's indigo trade and today provides visitors with one of El Salvador's most captivating gems. A rapidly developing centre for art and culture, Suchitoto is filled with colonial elegance, craft shops and a rich vein of historic and cultural highlights, making it a wonderful place to explore. Options for today include a chance to take a boat trip out onto the waters of the lake, a haven for birdlife of all kinds, with over 200 species being recorded here, including hawks, falcons and the Pato Cuche, a curious duck that thinks its a pig! Alternatively you could pay a visit to the nearby Cascada Los Tercios, a 30 metre high waterfall formed by a uniquely sited composition of hexagonal basalt rocks that almost look as if they have been placed there by hand.
Overnight Basic Hotel (H) Included meals: Breakfast
Day 8: Drive to Tegucigalpa and the Vallee de Angeles (Honduras)
Turning east this morning we head for the famous pottery town of Llobasco close to the Honduran border. From here we take the Pan-American Highway onto the border crossing at El Amatillo, for the drive to the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa. Built below the towering peak of El Picacho, Tegucigalpa was founded by the Spanish in 1578 and has been the country's capital since the 1880s. Sitting in a valley, ringed by pine-covered mountains, the city was once an important trading centre for the locally mined gold and silver and its ideal location must have made it a pleasant respite from the oppressive heat of the coastal regions. We'll make a tour of the city today, visiting the architectural highlights of this attractive town, including the cathedral of Sn. Miguel Arcangel. Built in 1782, the church dominates the main square of Plaza Morazan, its magnificent dome and twin towers presenting a spectacular edifice along the eastern edge of the square. We'll also take in the church of Los Dolores church, arguably the most handsome in the city and the church of San Francisco, certainly the oldest building of any type in the capital, before heading out into the alpine landscapes of the Vallee de Angeles, the Switzerland of Honduras.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast
Day 9: Drive to Leon (Nicaragua)
Continuing through the mountains of Honduras, we head towards its south-eastern border with Nicaragua today. Crossing at Las Manos, we then drive through Estelí (famous for its cigars) and the boiling volcanic landscapes around San Jacinto, before completing our journey amongst the stunning colonial architecture of León. The old colonial capital, León lies in the shadow of the Cordillera de los Maribios Mountains and is still considered the intellectual centre of Nicaragua. Founded in 1525, Leon was the country's capital for 200 years and today, its old buildings, with their wrought iron balconies, and its massive cathedral (arguably the largest in Central America), all add to an elegant atmosphere of a city that seems almost to have been trapped in time.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Day 10: Drive to Granada via Masaya Volcano National Park and Catarina
This morning there will be time to explore something of Nicaragua's former colonial capital, before we depart for the volcanic landscapes of the Masaya Volcano National Park. One of Nicaragua's most stunning natural highlights, the park was the country's first national reserve and is home to two volcanoes and five impressive craters. We'll stop to view the geothermal activity at the Santiago Crater, before paying a visit to the park's visitors centre, to learn a little more about Central America's seismic history. From here we move on to the famous market town of Masaya, a major centre for arts and crafts, where you will have an opportunity to visit the markets and stroll through a myriad of stalls selling everything from baskets and pottery to jewellery to leather-work. We'll also stop off and visit the town of Catarina and enjoy some breathtaking views across the Apoyo Lagoon, before ending our day in another of Nicaragua's colonial gems. Atmospheric Granada is situated at the foot of Mombacho volcano on the north-west shore of Lake Nicaragua. It was the first colonial city in Nicaragua, founded in 1524 by the conquistador Hernandez de Cordoba and its magnificent setting, set off by baroque and renaissance buildings, is a visual delight.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Day 11: In Granada
We plan a city tour this morning, which will include visits to the Parque Central, the Monument to the war of independence, the plaza and the convent of San Francisco, which holds a huge collection of stone sculptures that date back to the early Americans who lived in Granada before the Spaniards. We also aim to visit the café des Tres Mundos and the neoclassical Bishop's Palace. The afternoon has then been left free for you to enjoy the city's many highlights as you wish. Granada is the perfect city to explore on foot, wandering narrow lanes and alleyways and discovering hidden delights amongst the lush greenery and historic buildings. It is possible to visit Las Isletas by boat or sea kayak, a group of tiny islands dominated by the Volcano Mombacho and located just offshore. You can glide through the forest canopy on a zip line, or venture farther afield, into the surrounding area, a prosperous agricultural centre growing hemp and tobacco. There are also possibilities to arrange visits to the Mombacho Cloud Forest or to a local orphanage. Your tour leader will be more than happy to help arrange any excursions you may like to try.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Day 12: Drive to San Juan del Sur via the Pacific coast
This morning we head for Nicaragua's Pacific coast for a chance to spend some time swimming and relaxing on the beach. Travelling via Playa Mayagual or Playa Maderas, we continue to the bustling town of San Juan del Sur, one of the country's most vibrant coastal resorts. Once a sleepy fishing village, San Juan del Sur is today a summer favourite for travellers and locals alike. The variety of restaurants that line its waterfront overlook a bay that is lined with fishing boats and yachts, whilst the town itself still retains a little something of its laid back ambience, providing us with a perfect place to break the journey and enjoy some welcome beach time.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Day 13: Drive along the Rincon de la Vieja Mountain range into Costa Rica
This morning we continue towards the Rincon de la Vieja Mountains, located close to the Nicaraguan border in the Guanacaste Province. A still active volcano, the area is a lush and pristine region of lagoons and craters, punctuated with steaming vents and pools of boiling mud. The changing elevation ranges of the park have resulted in a variety of quite different habitats, that house a variety of vegetation and wildlife in such a small area. There are forests full of orchids (the Costa Rican national flower) and butterflies, tapirs and birds, whilst quiet secluded trails meander down to hidden waterfalls. Our destination today is the Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge over the border in Costa Rica, where this afternoon we will enjoy a nature walk in the company of a local naturalist guide. Caño Negro lies in the centre of the flight path for millions of migrating species of birds, making it an ideal stopping off point for glossy ibis, green backed herons, Nicaraguan grackle and roseate spoonbills.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast
Day 14: Drive to La Virgen de Sarapiquí
There is the option this morning to take an early morning boat trip along the Río Frío, in search of monkeys, sloths, iguanas and caimans. After breakfast we then depart towards the still active slopes of the Arenal Volcano. Set in an area of national park covering some 9,884 acres, the volcano has been constantly active since the late 1960s and that, along with the impressive man-made Lake Arenal (the largest in Costa Rica), has helped the area to regenerate through tourism. Weather permitting we will get a chance to see the volcano en route to La Fortuna, where we will stop for lunch. This afternoon we then continue on to La Virgen de Sarapiquí and the incredible biodiversity of Sarapiquí, home to the endangered Green Macaw. Famed for its rich natural diversity, its outdoor festivals and its sense of adventure, Sarapiquí is home to a number of national parks and reserves, including the Braulio Carrillo National park and the Sarapiquí Protected Zone.
Overnight Standard Camping (C+)
Day 15: AM free. PM drive to San José
This morning has been left free to enjoy any number of optional excursions in the area, including hiking, horseback riding and an exhilarating canopy tour that takes you across the jungle canopy some 20-30 metres above the rainforest. Costa Rica has been rated as one of the best white water rafting destinations in the world and this morning also allows a possibility to tackle the foaming torrents of the Sarapiqui River. Classified as a Grade III river, the Sarapiqui is fringed by lush vegetation that provides an ideal refuge for toucans, monkeys, parrots and all manner of birdlife, making it the perfect setting to combine exhilarating rafting with some stunning natural backdrops. All safety equipment will be provided and the excursions are all run by professional and trained guides. This afternoon we then continue through the scenic grandeur of the Braulio Carillo National park to San José, Costa Rica's vibrant capital. Founded in 1738 and set in a fertile valley blanketed in a lush abundance of coffee and sugar cane plantations, the city is one of the youngest and most cosmopolitan capital's in Central America. A fitting end to our remarkable journey across this incredible region.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Day 16: Tour ends San José
Included meals: Breakfast
