Basix
18 to 35s
Real Guatemala to Costa Rica
17 Days | A wildlife-rich paradise brimming with active volcanoes, beaches and jungles
5
Excellent
28 reviews
17 days
Start
Antigua, Guatemala
Finish
San Jose, Costa Rica
Trip Code
QBYJ
Min Age
18
Trip Size
1 - null
Physical Rating
Meals
1 breakfast, 2 dinners
Transport
Private vehicle, Public bus, Local bus, Taxi, Shared boat, Ferry
Accommodation
Hotel (12 nights), Camping (2 nights), Multishare Hostel (2 nights)
From £1,144(17 days)
Trip Informations
From the Guatemalan highlands to the cloud forests of Costa Rica (and all the surf spots in between), you’ll roll through four Central American countries for a taste of what this diverse region is plating up. Discover tropical forests alive with jungle melodies, vast freshwater lakes and active volcanoes – this wildlife-rich pocket of Central America is ready to be explored. Turn your eyes to a volcanic crater in Cerro Verde, spot colourful birds on the facades of Granada, stand in the shadow of the mighty Arenal Volcano and search for sloths among the canopy of Monteverde Cloud Forest. This trip through Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica is perfect for those who like their adventures 'la forma natural'.
Why you’ll love this trip
Take a cooking class in Los Ramos – an Indigenous community in the middle of Ometepe Island’s volcanos – and learn traditional techniques used to make Nicaraguan dishes like nacatamales.
Enjoy a full day at leisure in one of El Salvador’s most beautiful national parks – Cerro Verde. Get up close and personal to a volcanic crater or take the plunge in a pristine lake. The choice is yours!
Island life doesn’t get much better than Ometepe in Nicaragua – volcanoes, wildlife-rich rainforests, stunning beaches, ancient rock carvings and a massive lake are all at your disposal.
Have breakfast at Cafe de las Sonrisas – a local café run entirely by deaf people. The café's owner is aiming to bridge the gap and inspire other business owners to employ local people living with disabilities.
Get a taste of four different countries in Central America on an epic Latin adventure that takes in the sights and offers a whole heap of optional activities too! You’ll have loads of free time to choose your own hike, kayak, swimming or dancing adventure.
Is this trip right for you?
This trip involves some long travel days, and while travelling between some locations on local transport can be hard, it’s super rewarding and a great way to meet the locals. You’ll be crossing the borders between five countries, and while it is usually straightforward, you may need to be patient. Make sure you’ve got your best car game ready if there are any delays!
This itinerary has a mix of included activities and free time when your leader will offer suggestions. Please budget spending money for optional activities you want to partake in.
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.
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.
This trip is part of a longer itinerary. You might be joining travellers who have already spent some time together. If you have more time to explore, you might like to check out Epic Central America or Epic Mexico to Costa Rica.
Itinerary
Inclusions
Meals
1 breakfast, 2 dinners
Transport
Private vehicle, Public bus, Local bus, Taxi, Shared boat, Ferry
Accommodation
Hotel (12 nights), Camping (2 nights), Multishare Hostel (2 nights)
Activities
Leader-led Informal Spanish Lesson
Cerro Verde - Salvadoran Pupusa cooking demonstration
Leon - Leader-led orientation walk
Granada - Breakfast at El Cafe de las Sonrisas
Los Ramos Community - Cooking Class
Monteverde - Leader-led orientation walk
La Fortuna - Leader-led orientation walk
San Jose - Leader-led orientation walk
Optional activities
Antigua - Chocolate-making workshop at ChocoMuseo - GTQ236
Cerro Verde- Coatepeque Lake – (transportation, entrance fee, hotsprings, guide) - USD50
Cerro Verde- Santa Ana Volcano Crater – (Entrance fee, guide, lunch) - USD30
Leon - Volcano Sand Boarding - USD53
Granada - Laguna Apoyo kayaking tour - USD30
Granada - Kayak rental (per day) - NIO913
Granada - Masaya Volcano at night (Viewpoint for the Lava Lake at Santiago Crater) - NIO1600
Ometepe - Maderas Volcano hike - USD45
Ometepe - Ojo de Agua natural spring (entrance fee) - USD25
Ometepe - Petroglyphs - USD25
San Juan del Sur - La Flor Beach Reserve - USD6
Monteverde - Cloud Forest Entrance - USD26
Monteverde - Suspension bridges tour - USD58
Monteverde - Canopy Zip Lining (Entrance, Equipment & Transport) - USD65
Monteverde - Coffee & Chocolate tour - USD47
Monteverde - Cloud Forest Night Walk - USD45
Monteverde - Butterfly Garden and Insects Farm (entrance fee) - USD22
La Fortuna - Ecotermales Hot Springs (entrance fee) - USD49
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 - National Museum (entrance fee) - USD12
Dates and availability
Starting
Ending
Remaining
Prices From
















Important notes
1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Days 10 & 11 (San Juan del Sur) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. 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.
3. Please be careful when booking flights from San Jose; make sure you fly out of Juan Santamaria International Airport [SJO]. Please do not book flights from Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport [SJC] as this is located in California, United States.
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. 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.
Reviews (0)
No review found
Friends and Family Travel is an agent of Intrepid Travel. All Trip content and associated images are copyright of Intrepid Travel.
You are protected
Contact Information
Call us at
0208 058 4003
Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM GMT.
Contact our customer support
contact@friendsandfamily.travel
We’ll get back to you within 24 hours.

© 2024 Friends and Family Travel | All rights reserved.