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$6,160
NZ $5,830

Central American Highlights (Reverse)

16 days
From San Jose to Antigua
4.3
27 traveler reviews
Central American Highlights (Reverse) - Explore!
  • Explorer
  • Group
  • Fully Guided
Fully Guided
An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Guided in English
Group Size 7 - 18
Age range 16 to 85
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Highlights

  • Visit the modern wonder of the Panama Canal
  • Search for the beautiful quetzal in Monteverde
  • Relax on the beautiful Bocas De Toro archipelago
  • Learn of the Maya culture at the UNESCO Copan ruins
  • Explore the elegant colonial city and volcanoes of Antigua

Itinerary

Expand All
  1. Introduction
  1. Day 1 Join tour in San Jose (Costa Rica)
  2. Day 2 Travel to Monteverde. Night walk in search of wildlife
  3. Day 3 Guided reserve walk; afternoon for optional activities
  4. Day 4 Journey to Bahia Salinas. Free afternoon on the beach
  5. Day 5 Travel to Granada, Nicaragua. City tour and free afternoon
  6. Day 6 Morning hiking the Mombacho crater; afternoon free to explore
  7. Day 7 Travel to Leon. City tour on arrival
  8. Day 8 Free Day; optional hike to Cerro Negro Volcano
  9. Day 9 Journey to El Salvador via the Gulf of Fonseca
  10. Day 10 Travel to Suchitoto; free afternoon for optional activities
  11. Day 11 Drive to Copan (Honduras)
  12. Day 12 Visit the UNESCO Site of Copan, drive to Guatemala City
  13. Day 13 Travel to Panajachel on the shores of Lake Atitlan; boat trip to lakeside villages
  14. Day 14 Drive to Antigua via Chichicastenango Market
  15. Day 15 Walking tour of Antigua, free afternoon to explore
  16. Day 16 Tour ends Antigua (Guatemala)
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What's Included

Expand All
  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Meals
  • Additional Services
  • Transport
  • Free eSIM
    TourRadar offers the lead traveler (the person who booked) a free 1GB eSIM for the trip. The eSIM is redeemable only through the TourRadar app 72 hours before departure.

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Insurance
  • Optional
  • Additional Services

Where You'll Stay

All accommodations are subject to change

Operated by

Explore!

Number of tours

534

Age Range

16 to 85 years old

Response time

10 hours

Response rate

88%

Explore is a global adventure travel company with 42 years’ experience in...

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Sustainability Initiatives

Reduce Carbon Emissions

Animal Welfare

Supporting Destinations

Sustainability Programs

Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

Customer Reviews

  • Overall Rating
    Excellent
    4.3
  • Itinerary
    Excellent
    4.3
  • Guide
    Excellent
    4.8
  • Transport
    Excellent
    4.6
  • Accommodation
    Excellent
    4.1
  • Food
    Good
    3.9
  • 4.5
  • Most Recent
  • Most Popular
  • Highest First
  • Lowest First
  • A
    · January 24th, 2023
    The highlights were the volcano trips; Lake Nicaragua; Copan; and the colonial towns of Granada, Suchitoto, and Antigua.
    Show more
    Trip date: January 2023
    Review collected by Explore!
  • A
    · January 21st, 2023
    So many zip lining over the jungle canopy climbing an active volcano Suchitoto and Antigua
    Show more
    Trip date: January 2023
    Review collected by Explore!
  • A
    · January 22nd, 2023
    Suchitoto, sunset visit to Masala volcano, taking part in the fire memorial ceremony in Chichicastenango
    Show more
    Trip date: January 2023
    Review collected by Explore!
  • A
    · February 18th, 2023
    The varied scenery and cultures of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua very effectively annotated by the Guide, Jose with an amazing knowledge of the turbulent histories of these countries. The volcano trips and views, Lake Atitlan, market visits, boat trips
    Show more
    Trip date: February 2023
    Review collected by Explore!
  • A
    · April 30th, 2023
    Nicaragua was a highlight for me .. so much history, wildlife, volcanoes which were awesome to climb up! Costa Rica is beautiful and wish we had more time there .. I need to go back!
    Show more
    Trip date: March 2023
    Review collected by Explore!
  • A
    · April 8th, 2023
    I do love a border crossing and Miguel our guide was fab, I did enjoy it all except for Costa Rica which is a shame.
    Show more
    Trip date: March 2023
    Review collected by Explore!
  • A
    · April 9th, 2023
    Volcanoes
    Show more
    Trip date: March 2023
    Review collected by Explore!
  • A
    · April 11th, 2023
    Antigua Copan Masaya Zip wire. Cerro Negro walk Granada Lake Atitlan and surrounding area Canoeing
    Show more
    Trip date: March 2023
    Review collected by Explore!
  • A
    · November 20th, 2023
    Volcanos - just something that fascinates me. Wild life in Costa Rica An often uncomfortable insight in how many of the worlds population have to live
    Show more
    Trip date: November 2023
    Review collected by Explore!
  • A
    · November 21st, 2023
    Copan, Cerro negro volcano hike, Suchitoto, Granada, sunset on teh Pcific coast at San Juan del Sur, Cano Negro for the wildlife & boat trip
    Show more
    Trip date: November 2023
    Review collected by Explore!

Dates & Availability

16 days
Central American Highlights (Reverse)
From San Jose to Antigua

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What our customers ask about this tour

The content in our FAQ section is subject to change.
All questions
  • S

    Simon

    Asked on July 29th, 2024

    I would like to know if they can have 4 star hotels during the tour and added lunch and dinner for the meals. Also, can you help me with visa for Vietnamese (how we can apply visa)?

    Accommodation
    Meals
    Visa
    • Explore!OperatorWritten July 2024

      We are only able to run the trip as per the set tour itinerary, therefore we are unable to amend the accommodation or meals provided.

    • S

      Simon

      TravelerWritten August 2024

      I don't understand your email. I sent you my request but I don't receive your itinerary and price. Please check it.

    • Explore!OperatorWritten August 2024

      Our prices for the trip are $4000.00 per person on a twin share basis, and a supplement of $980.00 per person if wishing to stay in a single room.

    • S
      2 more answers
  • B

    Brittany

    Asked on October 10th, 2023

    Can we use our national passport + USA resident card and USA B1/B2 visa to join this tour?

    Visa
    • Explore!OperatorWritten October 2023

      Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Guatemala: Citizens from the UK, US, Canada and most EU countries do not require a visa for a stay up to 90 days. El Salvador: USA must buy a tourist card (current cost 10USD) on arrival, this is valid for 30 day from entry. Honduras: you will need to consult the relevant consulate.

    • B

      Brittany

      TravelerWritten October 2023

      We are Indonesian citizens who have a US green card and US B1/B2 visa. We will travel from the US to join the tour. Would you also arrange for the international flight from SFO? We need to confirm the info that Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua have a C-4 agreement so if we enter from one of these countries it will be valid for all 4 countries. Is it correct?

    • B
      1 more answer
  • C

    Carl

    Asked on February 8th, 2023

    Is a PowerPoint available overnight in the one night camping accommodation

    Accommodation
    • Explore!OperatorWritten February 2023

      During the tour we stays at the hotels only.

    • C

      Carl

      TravelerWritten February 2023

      The website clearly states 1 night of simple camping - the detailed itinerary I have opened doesn't indicate where this night is. Please confirm the accommodation standards.

    • Explore!OperatorWritten February 2023

      As stated in the trip notes, for this trip we provide the following accommodation - 10 nights comfortable hotel, 5 nights premium hotel. There is not any camping on this trip.

    • C
      2 more answers
  • H

    Heidi

    Asked on October 6th, 2022

    how much extra money would i need to bring to do the extra activities?

    Price / Availability
    Tour Details
    • Explore!OperatorWritten October 2022

      Trip Notes for this tour in attachments where you can find detailed description of the possible amount to spend in each country in the tour.

  • S

    Sylvia

    Asked on October 5th, 2022

    Will there be opportunities for me to get a PCR test before these 2 countries

    Travel Support
    Visa
    • Explore!OperatorWritten October 2022

      Yes, you will have to ask the leader on arrival thought – costs vary between $US30 and $US 50

Can’t find the answer to your question?
Reach out to the experts at Explore! with your enquiry, they usually respond within 10 hours.

Good to Know

Tour ID: 144401

  • Currencies
    Costa Rican Colon
    Costa Rica
    SVC
    El Salvador Colon
    El Salvador
    Q
    Quetzal
    Guatemala
    L
    Lempira
    Honduras
    C$
    Cordoba Oro
    Nicaragua
  • Plugs & Adapters

    As a traveler from New Zealand you will need an adaptor for types A, B, G.

    Type A
    El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua
    Type B
    El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua
    Type G
    Guatemala
    Type I
    Guatemala
  • Vaccines
    • These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
    • Typhoid - Recommended for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Hepatitis A - Recommended for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Hepatitis B - Recommended for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Ideally 2 months before travel.
    • Yellow fever - Certificate of vaccination required if arriving from an area with a risk of yellow fever transmission for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Ideally 10 days before travel.
    • Tuberculosis - Recommended for Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Ideally 3 months before travel.
  • Visa
    • Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
    • Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
  • Payment information
    • For any tour departing before August 16th, 2025 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after August 16th, 2025, a minimum payment of 10% is required to confirm your booking with Explore!. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 75 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
    • Some departure dates and prices may vary and Explore! will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
    • The following cards are accepted for "Explore!" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
  • Cancellation Policy
  • Accessibility
    Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.

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