06 Nov 2026
Twin share
£2,920pp
Single from £3,595
Escorted tour
Central American Highlights: Guatemala to Costa Rica – 16 Days
Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica overland, in a group of up to 16.
16 days
From £2,920
Tour overview
This 16-day small-group journey travels overland through five countries of Central America, from the volcano-ringed colonial city of Antigua in Guatemala to San José in Costa Rica. Along the way you explore Maya villages and ruins, colonial towns, crater lakes and cloud forest. Groups have up to 16 travellers aged 16 and over, with a tour leader throughout, supported by local guides, drivers and boat crews. You stay fifteen nights in hotels, eleven in comfortable hotels and four in premium ones, with breakfast every day.
Antigua, a UNESCO World Heritage city of cobbled streets and pastel houses set between three volcanoes, is your introduction, with a walking tour of its colonial churches and a jade museum. You then head into the highlands for the famous market at Chichicastenango and on to Lake Atitlán, a vast volcanic caldera ringed by peaks. A boat trip takes you to Santiago Atitlán and San Juan La Laguna, Tz'utujil Maya villages known for their textiles and murals.
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Crossing into Honduras, a local guide leads you around Copán, one of the richest Maya sites in Central America, with its Hieroglyphic Stairway and remarkable sculpture. In El Salvador you stay two nights in Suchitoto, a colonial town above Lake Suchitlán, and visit Cinquera, where former guerrillas guide you through the forest and share their experiences of the civil war. A water taxi across the Gulf of Fonseca, with views of three countries, brings you to Nicaragua and the revolutionary city of León, where a free day allows for volcano boarding on Cerro Negro.
In Granada, the oldest colonial city in Nicaragua, you take a city tour and hike the crater rim of Mombacho Volcano. Entering Costa Rica, a boat trip on the Bebedero River in Palo Verde National Park offers sightings of monkeys, crocodiles and birds, before two nights in Monteverde for a guided cloud-forest walk and an evening walk in search of nocturnal wildlife. The journey ends in San José.
The physical rating is medium, with several border crossings, early starts and long drives. This trip suits curious travellers who want to see the breadth of Central America in one journey.
Trip highlights
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Colonial Antigua (Day 2)
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Chichicastenango market and Lake Atitlán (Days 3–4)
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The Maya ruins of Copán (Day 5)
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Former guerrillas in Cinquera (Day 7)
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Granada and Mombacho Volcano (Days 11–12)
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Monteverde Cloud Forest (Day 14)
Your route
15 stops from Antigua to San José
- Antigua Days 1–2
- Chichicastenango Day 3
- Panajachel Day 3
- Santiago Atitlán Day 4
- Guatemala City Day 4
- Copán Ruinas Day 5
- Esquipulas Day 6
- Suchitoto Days 6–7
- La Unión Day 8
- Potosí Day 9
- León Days 9–10
- Granada Days 11–12
- Mombacho Volcano Day 12
- Monteverde Days 13–14
- San José Days 15–16
Why choose this tour
Five countries, Maya ruins and volcanoes in one overland journey. Breakfast daily and four nights in premium hotels.
Best suited to
- Culture and history lovers
- Travellers who want to see several countries
- Solo travellers looking for a group
- Active travellers
Day-by-day itinerary
16 days from Antigua, Guatemala to San José, Costa Rica
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Day 1 · Antigua Arrive in Antigua
Arrive at any time.
- Hotel
- Villa Colonial or similar
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Day 2 · Antigua Antigua
A walking tour of colonial churches.
- Hotel
- Villa Colonial or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 3 · Chichicastenango, Panajachel Lake Atitlán
A famous market and a volcanic lake.
- Hotel
- Villa Santa Catarina or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 4 · Santiago Atitlán, San Juan La Laguna Guatemala City
A boat trip to Maya villages.
- Hotel
- Best Western Stofella or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 5 · Copán Copán
Cross into Honduras for the Maya ruins.
- Hotel
- Hotel Plaza Copán or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 6 · Esquipulas, Suchitoto Suchitoto
Into El Salvador.
- Hotel
- Hotel Almendros de San Lorenzo or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 7 · Cinquera Cinquera
A forest walk with a former guerrilla.
- Hotel
- Hotel Almendros de San Lorenzo or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 8 · Suchitoto, La Unión La Unión
A free morning, then to the coast.
- Hotel
- Comfort Inn La Unión or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 9 · Gulf of Fonseca, León León
A boat across the gulf to Nicaragua.
- Hotel
- Hotel Austria or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 10 · Cerro Negro León
A free day, perhaps on a volcano.
- Hotel
- Hotel Austria or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 11 · Granada Granada
A colonial city tour.
- Hotel
- Hotel Patio del Malinche or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 12 · Mombacho Volcano Mombacho
Hike the crater rim.
- Hotel
- Hotel Patio del Malinche or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 13 · Palo Verde National Park, Monteverde Monteverde
Into Costa Rica with a river trip.
- Hotel
- Claro de Luna or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 14 · Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Monteverde
A guided walk and a night walk.
- Hotel
- Claro de Luna or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 15 · San José San José
A free morning, then to the capital.
- Hotel
- Palma Real Hotel or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 16 · San José Tour ends
The tour ends after breakfast.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Where you stay
- Antigua (2 nights) Villa Colonial or similar
- Lake Atitlán (1 night) Villa Santa Catarina or similar
- Guatemala City (1 night) Best Western Stofella or similar
- Copán (1 night) Hotel Plaza Copán or similar
- Suchitoto (2 nights) Hotel Almendros de San Lorenzo or similar
- La Unión (1 night) Comfort Inn La Unión or similar
- León (2 nights) Hotel Austria or similar
- Granada (2 nights) Hotel Patio del Malinche or similar
- Monteverde (2 nights) Claro de Luna or similar
- San José (1 night) Palma Real Hotel or similar
Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.
What's included
Included
- Accommodation 15 nights in hotels
- Meals 15 breakfasts
- All transport by bus and boat, including the Gulf of Fonseca crossing
- Antigua walking tour
- Lake Atitlán boat trip to Maya villages
- Guided visit to Copán
- Granada city tour and Mombacho crater hike
- Tour leader throughout, with local guides
Not included
- Flights
- Meals not included 14 lunches and 15 dinners
- Airport transfers
- Lunches and dinners
- Optional activities, tips, travel insurance and personal spending
This trip might not be for you if…
Honest disclaimer — please read
- You dislike border crossings and long drives
- You want luxury throughout
- You want most meals included
- You want flights included — they are not
Good to know
Meals by day
Breakfast: Days 2–16 · Lunch: none included · Dinner: none included
In pictures
Departures & prices
From £2,920 per person, twin share, tour only. 9 upcoming departures.
18 Dec 2026
Twin share
£2,950pp
Single from £3,745
22 Jan 2027
Twin share
£2,995pp
Single from £3,690
12 Feb 2027
Twin share
£2,999pp
Single from £3,694
26 Feb 2027
Twin share
£2,995pp
Single from £3,690
02 Apr 2027
Twin share
£2,995pp
Single from £3,690
22 Oct 2027
Twin share
£2,999pp
Single from £3,694
05 Nov 2027
Twin share
£2,995pp
Single from £3,690
24 Dec 2027
Twin share
£3,195pp
Single from £4,010
Frequently asked questions
How do I book this tour?
Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.
What financial protection do I get?
Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.
How many countries do we visit?
Five: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
What is the Gulf of Fonseca crossing like?
A two to three hour water taxi. Boarding can be wet, so bring sandals and a dry bag.
Which meals are included?
Breakfast every day. Lunches and dinners are at your own expense.
Do I need a visa?
UK visitors do not usually need visas for these countries for short stays, but entry fees may apply. Check before travel.
How fit do I need to be?
You should be comfortable with walks of two to three hours, including the Mombacho crater trail.
How many people travel together?
Up to 16 travellers, with a tour leader.
Can you tailor the trip?
Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.
What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?
If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.
ATOL protected
100% financially protected in a Trust bank account
PTS 6035
4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option
Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.
If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.
Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary