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Flights not included
Now from
$1190
Was from
$1590
Days
11
FIVE COUNTRIES, ONE WILD RIDE

Volcano Roads and Cloud Forests

Overview
Why you'll love this trip
Itinerary
Inclusions
Before you book you should know
Dates and prices
Important notes
Reviews
This 16-day Central America journey starts in Antigua and rolls south through Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica before finishing in San Jose. It is a big, satisfying route for travelers who want ruins, colonial cities, volcano country, local kitchens, border-crossing road days and Costa Rican rainforest in one well-shaped adventure.

Expect long drives, warm nights, market towns, Pacific air, Lake Nicaragua, the cloud forest of Monteverde and the Arenal Volcano region. The pace is active, but that is what gives the trip its range: one morning you are walking through Maya stonework in Copan, another you are trying pupusas in Suchitoto, then later you are listening for wildlife under the misty trees of Costa Rica.
16 days from Antigua to San Jose
A cross-Central America route through ruins, volcanoes, markets and cloud forest.
Dates and prices

Why You'll Love This Trip

Why you'll love this trip
  • Copan Maya Stonework
    Walk Honduras' carved Maya ruins with a local guide and time to take it in.
  • Suchitoto Indigo Hands
    See indigo dyeing up close at a community enterprise supporting local working mothers.
  • Pupusas After The Road
    Learn how El Salvador's favorite stuffed corn flatbreads are made, then taste the payoff.
  • Leon To Granada
    Feel Nicaragua shift from mural-filled Leon to lakeside Granada and volcanic crater views.
  • Monteverde Cloud Forest
    Follow a guide through misty trails, watching for quetzals, monkeys and tangled green life.
  • Arenal Family Kitchen
    Make Costa Rican tortillas with a local family before heading toward San Jose.
This is Central America with its sleeves rolled up: border crossings, big landscapes, local food, ruins, lakes and rainforest all packed into one long, colorful route. It suits travelers who like movement, texture and the feeling of actually crossing a region, not just visiting one corner of it.

Prices from

$1500 $1700

Dates and prices
Itinerary
Antigua
Copan
Suchitoto
Pacific Coast
Leon
Granada
Monteverde
La Fortuna
San Jose
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Tour program
  • Welcome to Guatemala. Your trip begins in Antigua, a beautiful old city of worn church walls, volcano views, busy markets and easy cafe corners. The official welcome meeting is at 6 pm. If you arrive early, you might visit ChocoMuseo for a chocolate-making workshop or settle into Central Park and watch the evening build around you. After the meeting, the night is open, and a tamale dinner with the group is a very good way to start.
  • Accommodation
    Hotel - 1 night
  • Meals
    None included
  • Included / optional activities
    Included: None listed
    Optional: Antigua - Salsa-dance Lesson per hour - GTQ150; Antigua - Chocolate-making workshop at ChocoMuseo - USD30
  • Special information
    Please attend the welcome meeting, as insurance details and emergency contact information are collected then. If you will be late, let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask at reception or check the lobby notice for the meeting location.
  • Leave Antigua around 7 am to get ahead of traffic and begin the drive toward Honduras. The road gives you a long look at everyday life in Guatemala before the border formalities and the arrival into Copan in the early afternoon. Copan is best known as the base for nearby Maya ruins, but the town itself has cobblestone streets, a relaxed central plaza and enough cafes and corners to make the afternoon feel easy after the drive.
  • Accommodation
    Hotel - 1 night
  • Meals
    None included
  • Included / optional activities
    Included: None listed
    Optional: None listed
  • Special information
    Travel time is approximately 8 hours. Border formalities usually take 1 to 2 hours. Have your passport, visa if needed, and USD cash for entry or exit fees ready.
  • This morning, explore the UNESCO-listed Copan archaeological site with a local guide. Copan is the southernmost of the great Maya sites and is famous for its carved stelae, temple remains, excavated vaults and stone walls marked with ancient faces. The afternoon is free. You might visit Macaw Mountain Park, see the Temple of Rosalila or head to the natural hot springs for mud, warm pools, jungle air and dinner.
  • Accommodation
    Hotel - 1 night
  • Meals
    Breakfast
  • Included / optional activities
    Included: Copan - Guided visit to Archaeological site
    Optional: Copan - Natural Hot Springs and Dinner - USD50
  • Special information
    No special information listed for this day.
  • Today is a long travel day, crossing from Honduras back through Guatemala and on into El Salvador. Keep a book, podcast or road-trip patience close. In Suchitoto, often called El Salvador's cultural capital, join a leader-led orientation walk past handsome facades and quiet streets. Later, watch a pupusa-making demonstration. These stuffed cornmeal flatbreads come from Pipil food tradition and are usually filled with ingredients like cheese or chicharron.
  • Accommodation
    Hotel - 1 night
  • Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  • Included activities
    Suchitoto - Salvadoran Pupusa cooking demonstration; Suchitoto - Leader led orientation walk
  • Optional activities
    None listed
  • Special information
    Travel time is approximately 7 hours. Border formalities may take up to 1 hour from Honduras to Guatemala and up to 1.5 hours from Guatemala to El Salvador. Have your passport, visa if needed, and USD cash for fees ready. You will walk about 50 m at the Honduras-Guatemala border.
  • Start the day at a local designer's home for an indigo-dyeing demonstration. Suchitoto has a strong indigo tradition, and this visit shows how an old craft can still become modern design. The small enterprise supports single mothers with income for education, food and independence. After watching the process, try it yourself. Later, enjoy free time in town. You might look toward Lago Suchitlan, a freshwater lake known for migrating birds, or join a historical hike in Cinquera Forest.
  • Accommodation
    Hotel - 1 night
  • Meals
    Breakfast
  • Included / optional activities
    Included: Suchitoto - Indigo Dyeing Demonstration
    Optional: Suchitoto - Town tour, minimum 4 travelers required - USD40; Suchitoto - War historic hike, moderate 2 km hike at Cinquera Forest, minimum 5 travelers required - USD55; Suchitoto - Sunrise Kayaking on Lake Suchitlan, minimum 4 travelers required - USD60
  • Special information
    No special information listed for this day.
  • Drive to El Salvador's Pacific Coast, where dark-sand beaches and strong surf give the day a different rhythm. The afternoon is free. You can keep it simple with beach time, find a local dinner spot or just slow down at the hotel after several full days of movement.
  • Accommodation
    Hotel - 1 night
  • Meals
    Breakfast
  • Included / optional activities
    Included: None listed
    Optional: None listed
  • Special information
    Travel time is approximately 2.5 hours.
  • Start early for a full day of travel into Nicaragua, crossing the Gulf of Fonseca by boat. By afternoon, arrive in Leon, Nicaragua's second-largest city. Your leader will take you on an orientation walk through the streets so you can get your bearings. Leon is quieter than many travelers expect, which makes its murals, cathedral views and contemporary architecture especially enjoyable on foot.
  • Accommodation
    Hotel - 1 night
  • Meals
    None included
  • Included / optional activities
    Included: Leon - Leader led orientation walk
    Optional: None listed
  • Special information
    Total travel time is approximately 9 hours. If poor weather affects the Gulf of Fonseca boat crossing, the group may travel overland through Honduras instead, which takes about 11 to 12 hours and includes two border crossings. The boat crossing and El Salvador-Nicaragua border formalities take about 3 hours, and you will walk about 100 m at the border. Bring passport, visa if required, and USD cash for fees. Because the boat is open-air, pack a light waterproof layer for spray. If traveling overland through Honduras, the El Salvador-Honduras crossing can take up to 1.5 hours in hot conditions with about 200 m of walking while carrying your luggage; the Honduras-Nicaragua crossing can take up to 2 hours with another 150 m walk.
  • Today is yours in Leon. You might find the street food area behind the Lady of Grace Cathedral and try a Nica taco, made with maize, fried crisp and finished with shredded cabbage and cream. If you want something more adrenaline-heavy, consider volcano sandboarding on the black slopes of Cerro Negro. You can also keep the day quieter with the art center, the cathedral or slow wandering through the city.
  • Accommodation
    Hotel - 1 night
  • Meals
    None included
  • Included / optional activities
    Included: None listed
    Optional: Leon - Volcano Sand Boarding, minimum 3 travelers required - USD55; Leon - Leon Art Center - USD4
  • Special information
    No special information listed for this day.
  • Drive to Granada, one of the oldest colonial cities in the Americas. Along the way, pause at Laguna de Apoyo, a volcanic crater lake formed thousands of years ago, with free time for lunch near the viewpoint. Continue to Masaya for a leader-led orientation walk and time to browse the artisan market. In Granada, set on Lake Nicaragua and ringed by volcano country, your leader will show you Parque Central and La Calzada before the afternoon opens up for independent exploring.
  • Accommodation
    Hotel - 1 night
  • Meals
    None included
  • Included / optional activities
    Included: Masaya - Town and Market Visit; Granada - La Laguna de Apoyo Viewpoint
    Optional: None listed
  • Special information
    Travel time is approximately 6 hours.
  • Have breakfast with the group at Cafe de las Sonrisas, a cafe managed and staffed by people who are hard of hearing. The project is built around employment opportunity and inclusion, and the historic setting gives breakfast a real sense of place. The rest of the day is free. You might visit Convento y Museo San Francisco, take a boat among the little islets of Lake Nicaragua or rent a kayak. Swimming is not recommended because freshwater sharks live in the lake.
  • Accommodation
    Hotel - 1 night
  • Meals
    Breakfast
  • Included / optional activities
    Included: Granada - Breakfast at El Cafe de las Sonrisas
    Optional: Granada - Mombacho Volcano hike, minimum 4 travelers required - USD60; Granada - Granada islets boat tour, minimum 3 travelers required - USD25
  • Special information
    No special information listed for this day.
  • Begin another early travel day and make your way into Costa Rica. By afternoon, arrive in Monteverde and join your leader for an orientation walk. Monteverde began as an agricultural community founded by North American Quakers in 1951, and their early conservation work helped shape what became the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve. The cloud forest is rich, cool and layered, with thousands of plant species, hundreds of bird species and a long list of mammals living in the mist.
  • Accommodation
    Hotel - 1 night
  • Meals
    None included
  • Included / optional activities
    Included: Monteverde - Leader-led orientation walk
    Optional: None listed
  • Special information
    Travel time is approximately 8 hours. Border formalities may take up to 2 hours. Have your passport, proof of onward travel from Costa Rica or the required exit documentation, and USD cash for fees ready. You will need to walk about 1.2 km to cross the border.
  • Begin with breakfast at a local women's cooperative cafe. The project started with eight women in 1982 and has grown into a way for women without formal education to earn income while staying close to home and family. Handmade products are available in the shop. After breakfast, the day is free. You might zipline through the canopy, tour coffee and chocolate farms, visit butterflies, frogs or orchids, or head into the forest after dark on a night walk.
  • Accommodation
    Hotel - 1 night
  • Meals
    Breakfast
  • Included / optional activities
    Included: Monteverde - Breakfast at women's cooperative cafe
    Optional: Monteverde - Suspension Bridges Tour - USD55; Monteverde - Canopy Zip Lining including entrance, equipment and transport - USD101; Monteverde - Coffee and Chocolate Tour - USD47; Monteverde - Butterfly Garden and Insects Farm entrance fee - USD22; Monteverde - Frog pond - USD20; Monteverde - Orchid gardens - USD18; Monteverde - Cloud Forest Night Walk - USD45; Monteverde - Children's Forest - USD25
  • Special information
    Some optional activity prices may cover entrance only. Transportation can cost extra and may change depending on the number of participants.
  • Visit Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve with a local guide and walk the trails while learning about the region's biodiversity. Look for the resplendent quetzal, listen for howler monkeys and take in the dense, damp world that makes Monteverde so memorable. Later, travel by minibus to Lake Arenal, cross the lake by boat and continue to La Fortuna. If the weather is clear, Arenal Volcano grows larger as you approach. After checking in, join a leader-led orientation walk.
  • Accommodation
    Hotel - 1 night
  • Meals
    None included
  • Included / optional activities
    Included: La Fortuna - Leader led orientation walk; Monteverde - Cloud Forest Reserve with a Local Guide
    Optional: None listed
  • Special information
    Travel time is approximately 3 hours.
  • This is a free day in La Fortuna, so choose the version of Arenal country that fits your mood. You might hike near Arenal Volcano, walk hanging bridges for wildlife views, visit the 70 m La Fortuna waterfall or relax in thermal hot springs. For more wildlife, a Cano Negro boat safari can bring chances to see lizards, crocodiles and tropical birds. Stand-up paddleboarding is another option if you want time on the water.
  • Accommodation
    Hotel - 1 night
  • Meals
    None included
  • Included / optional activities
    Included: None listed
    Optional: La Fortuna - Arenal hanging bridges including entrance fee, guide and shared transport - USD75; La Fortuna - La Fortuna Waterfall entrance only - USD25; La Fortuna - Arenal Volcano Base Hike - USD97; La Fortuna - Cano Negro boat tour - USD94; La Fortuna - Stand up paddle board - USD75; La Fortuna - Baldi Hot Springs entrance fee - USD66
  • Special information
    Some optional activity prices may cover entrance only. Transportation can cost extra and may change depending on the number of participants.
  • Spend your last morning in La Fortuna learning how Costa Rican tortillas are made with a local family, then share the results over lunch. Afterward, travel by private transfer to San Jose, watching Arenal fade behind you. In the capital, your leader will take you on an orientation walk. Later, you might visit the Gold Museum, browse the Plaza de la Cultura outdoor market or explore the Central Market before an optional farewell dinner.
  • Accommodation
    Hotel - 1 night
  • Meals
    Lunch
  • Included / optional activities
    Included: San Jose - Leader-Led Orientation Walk; La Fortuna - Tortilla Making Class and lunch
    Optional: San Jose - San Jose By Night: Food and Culture - Urban Adventures - USD74; San Jose - National Museum entrance fee, closed Sunday and Monday - USD11
  • Special information
    Travel time is approximately 5 hours.
  • Your trip ends this morning after breakfast, with no further planned activities. San Jose and the surrounding region have plenty more to offer, so arrange extra nights before departure if you want more time in Costa Rica.
  • Accommodation
    Not included
  • Meals
    Breakfast
  • Included / optional activities
    Included: None listed
    Optional: San Jose - San Jose Bites and Sights Tour - Urban Adventures - USD49
  • Special information
    No special information listed for this day.
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  • Meals
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  • Included activities
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By the end, the trip feels like a moving postcard: volcano silhouettes, border roads, market colors, cloud forest mist and one last Costa Rican breakfast.
Inclusions and activities
  • Destination
    Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica
    Region: Central America
  • Meals
    7 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
  • Transport
    Private vehicle, public bus, taxi, shared boat
  • Accommodation
    Hotel - 15 nights
  • Included activities
    Copan - Guided visit to Archaeological site; Suchitoto - Salvadoran Pupusa cooking demonstration; Suchitoto - Leader led orientation walk; Suchitoto - Indigo Dyeing Demonstration; Leon - Leader led orientation walk; Masaya - Town and Market Visit; Granada - La Laguna de Apoyo Viewpoint; Granada - Breakfast at El Cafe de las Sonrisas; Monteverde - Leader-led orientation walk; Monteverde - Breakfast at women's cooperative cafe; La Fortuna - Leader led orientation walk; Monteverde - Cloud Forest Reserve with a Local Guide; San Jose - Leader-Led Orientation Walk; La Fortuna - Tortilla Making Class and lunch
  • Optional activities
    Antigua - Salsa-dance Lesson per hour - GTQ150; Antigua - Chocolate-making workshop at ChocoMuseo - USD30; Copan - Natural Hot Springs and Dinner - USD50; Suchitoto - Town tour, minimum 4 travelers required - USD40; Suchitoto - War historic hike at Cinquera Forest, minimum 5 travelers required - USD55; Suchitoto - Sunrise Kayaking on Lake Suchitlan, minimum 4 travelers required - USD60; Leon - Volcano Sand Boarding, minimum 3 travelers required - USD55; Leon - Leon Art Center - USD4; Granada - Mombacho Volcano hike, minimum 4 travelers required - USD60; Granada - Granada islets boat tour, minimum 3 travelers required - USD25; Monteverde - Suspension Bridges Tour - USD55; Monteverde - Canopy Zip Lining including entrance, equipment and transport - USD101; Monteverde - Coffee and Chocolate Tour - USD47; Monteverde - Butterfly Garden and Insects Farm entrance fee - USD22; Monteverde - Frog pond - USD20; Monteverde - Orchid gardens - USD18; Monteverde - Cloud Forest Night Walk - USD45; Monteverde - Children's Forest - USD25; La Fortuna - Arenal hanging bridges including entrance fee, guide and shared transport - USD75; La Fortuna - La Fortuna Waterfall entrance only - USD25; La Fortuna - Arenal Volcano Base Hike - USD97; La Fortuna - Cano Negro boat tour - USD94; La Fortuna - Stand up paddle board - USD75; La Fortuna - Baldi Hot Springs entrance fee - USD66; San Jose - San Jose By Night: Food and Culture - Urban Adventures - USD74; San Jose - National Museum entrance fee, closed Sunday and Monday - USD11; San Jose - San Jose Bites and Sights Tour - Urban Adventures - USD49
  • Start / End
    Start: Antigua, Guatemala
    End: San Jose, Costa Rica
    Duration: 16 days
Planning a group trip? Contact our manager at info@eurotourclub.com — we’ll help you organize every detail for a smooth and unforgettable journey.
Trip moments from our travelers
Before you book you should know
Is this trip right for you?
Costa Rica is often more expensive than the other countries on this itinerary, so plan for higher day-to-day costs once the trip reaches Monteverde, La Fortuna and San Jose.

This route covers a lot of ground and includes several border crossings. Some travel days are long, and private vehicle space can feel tight when everyone is riding together with luggage. The upside is that the road time becomes part of the group experience, but it is best to arrive ready for movement.

Central America is usually hot and humid, though nights and higher elevations can feel cooler. Bring light layers, sun protection, a waterproof jacket and a refillable water bottle. Air conditioning is not always available, and some properties may charge extra for it.

Expect plenty of walking, including moments when you may need to carry your own luggage across borders or short distances. Sturdy walking shoes and lighter packing will make the trip much easier.

Entry rules can change, and travelers are responsible for checking requirements for their passport. UK passport holders currently need a visa for Honduras, and visa tools may not show every full entry requirement or service fee.
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Accommodation
Accommodation is hotel-based for 15 nights. The accommodation style shown in the day-by-day itinerary is a guide and may change if preferred hotels are unavailable. If a change is needed, a similar standard will be used whenever possible.

Hotels are asked to prepare rooms for the group's arrival, especially on days when the group reaches a destination before normal check-in time. Immediate check-in is not always possible, so luggage may be stored while the group explores, or shared day rooms may be used on some trips.
Joining point
Joining point: Posada Los Bucaros, #94, 7a North Avenue, Antigua, Guatemala.

This 150-year-old property has colonial-style architecture, internal gardens and galleries. It sits close to Antigua's city center and the famous arch. Because of the building's traditional layout, some rooms may be darker and have small outward-facing windows. Hotel facilities include 24-hour reception, cable TV, safety box, free Wi-Fi, free water dispensers and coffee and tea facilities.

Arrival transfers from Guatemala City International Airport can be arranged in advance for an additional fee. If you book a transfer, send flight details at least 14 days before travel. After customs, follow signs for the Light Blue Wing and continue to Cafe Baretto, where the driver will wait with a sign showing your name. If you cannot find the driver, use the emergency contact information in your travel documents. The airport has free Wi-Fi if you need to call online.

Without a pre-booked transfer, use authorized airport taxis arranged inside the terminal. The taxi from Guatemala City Airport to Antigua usually costs about GTQ250-285, or USD35-40, and the drive takes roughly 1.5 hours depending on traffic.

For selected 2026 departures, alternate joining points may be used: Casa Florencia Hotel or Hotel Casa Maria Jose in Antigua. Check your final travel documents for the exact joining hotel for your departure.
Dates and prices
Lock in your trip with a 50% flexible deposit
  • Starting
    Wednesday 8 Oct 2025
  • Ending
    Wednesday 15 Oct 2025
  • Prices from
    $1500 $1800
  • Sunday 12 Oct 2025
  • Sunday 19 Oct 2025
  • $1800
  • Wednesday 15 Oct 2025
  • Wednesday 22 Oct 2025
  • $1800
  • Sunday 19 Oct 2025
  • Sunday 26 Oct 2025
  • $1500 $1800
  • Wednesday 22 Oct 2025
  • Wednesday 29 Oct 2025
  • $1500 $1800
Starting Wednesday 8 Oct 2025
Ending Wednesday 15 Oct 2025
$1500 $1800
Starting Sunday 12 Oct 2025
Ending Sunday 19 Oct 2025
$1500 $1800
Starting Wednesday 15 Oct 2025
Ending Wednesday 22 Oct 2025
$1500 $1800
Starting Sunday 19 Oct 2025
Ending Sunday 26 Oct 2025
$1500 $1800
Need help choosing a date?
Get more details and book

Important notes

A single supplement may be available if you prefer your own room. It applies to all nights and depends on availability.

When booking arrival flights, use Guatemala City Airport, code GUA. Do not book Antigua and Barbuda Airport, code ANU, which is in the Caribbean.

When booking departure flights, use Juan Santamaria International Airport, code SJO, for San Jose, Costa Rica. Do not book Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport, code SJC, which is in California.

Nicaragua entry requirements currently ask travelers to provide a copy of the passport photo page to the booking agent no later than 15 days before departure.

Your leader can help with Honduras pre-registration questions on Day 1. Check the passport, visa and entry requirements section of your trip information before travel.

UK passport holders must obtain a multiple-entry visa for Honduras before joining this trip. Because embassy appointment delays can happen, check availability before locking in travel plans.

Under Honduran law, travelers under 21 who are traveling alone or with only one parent may need written, notarized permission in Spanish from the non-traveling parent or guardian. Confirm details with the relevant embassy or consulate.

If you plan to bring high-quality cameras or binoculars, review Nicaragua's packing restrictions and regulations before departure.
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