Tour overview

This 9-day active adventure crosses from Guatemala into El Salvador on foot, by bike and by kayak, climbing two volcanoes and ending on the Pacific coast. A local leader travels with the group, which numbers no more than twelve. You stay eight nights: seven in hotels and one camping at the Acatenango base camp. Breakfast is included daily, along with a lunch and two dinners.

From Antigua you cycle through surrounding villages to Finca Azotea, a small coffee plantation. The next day you hike up Acatenango, at 3,976 metres Guatemala's third-highest peak, through farmland and cloud forest to a base camp facing Volcán de Fuego, one of the world's most active volcanoes, where you can often watch it erupt after dark. At sunrise there's an optional climb to the summit before you descend to Antigua.

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Crossing into El Salvador, you reach Ahuachapán on the Ruta de las Flores for a pupusa-making class, then hike the Santa Ana volcano in Cerro Verde National Park to its turquoise crater lake, followed by kayaking on Lake Coatepeque. On the coast at El Tunco, El Salvador's famous surf spot, a local guide leads you along jungle paths to the waterfalls of Tamanique for a swim.

The physical rating is medium, and the Acatenango hike is challenging, at altitude. This trip suits active travellers who want an adventurous side of Central America.

Trip highlights

  • A bike ride to a coffee farm (Day 2)
  • A night facing Volcán de Fuego (Day 3)
  • Sunrise on Acatenango (Day 4)
  • A pupusa-making class (Day 5)
  • The Santa Ana volcano and Lake Coatepeque (Day 6)
  • The Tamanique waterfalls (Day 8)

Your route

7 stops from Antigua to Tamanique

9-day route: Antigua – Acatenango – Antigua – Ahuachapán – Santa Ana Volcano – Lake Coatepeque – El Tunco
  1. Antigua Days 1–2 & 4
  2. Acatenango Volcano Day 3
  3. Ahuachapán Days 5–6
  4. Santa Ana Volcano Day 6
  5. Lago de Coatepeque Day 6
  6. El Tunco Days 7–9
  7. Tamanique Day 8

Why choose this tour

Hiking, biking and kayaking in two countries. Watch an active volcano erupt from camp.

Best suited to

  • Active travellers and hikers
  • Adventurous travellers
  • Solo travellers
  • Travellers on a budget
Antigua below Volcán de Agua

Day-by-day itinerary

9 days from Antigua, Guatemala to El Tunco, El Salvador

  1. Day 1 · Antigua Antigua

    A welcome meeting.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  2. Day 2 · Finca Azotea Antigua

    A bike ride to a coffee farm.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  3. Day 3 · La Soledad, Acatenango Volcano Acatenango

    Camp facing Fuego.

    Hotel
    Base camp
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  4. Day 4 · Acatenango summit, Antigua Antigua

    Sunrise and the descent.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  5. Day 5 · Ruta de las Flores, Ahuachapán Ahuachapán

    Into El Salvador and a pupusa class.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  6. Day 6 · Cerro Verde National Park, Lake Coatepeque Santa Ana volcano

    A crater lake and kayaking.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  7. Day 7 · El Tunco El Tunco

    To the Pacific.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  8. Day 8 · Tamanique waterfalls Tamanique

    A jungle hike and swim.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  9. Day 9 · El Tunco El Tunco

    The trip ends.

    Meals
    Breakfast
The summit of Acatenango above the clouds

Where you stay

  • Antigua (2 nights) Hotel
  • Acatenango (1 night) Base camp
  • Antigua (1 night) Hotel
  • Ahuachapán (2 nights) Hotel
  • El Tunco (2 nights) Hotel

Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation 7 hotel nights and 1 night camping
  • Meals 8 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 2 dinners
  • Private vehicle, local bus and taxi transfers
  • Antigua bike tour to a coffee plantation
  • Overnight Acatenango hike and camp
  • Santa Ana volcano hike and Lake Coatepeque kayaking
  • Pupusa class, Tamanique hike and a local leader

Not included

  • Flights
  • Meals not included 6 lunches and 6 dinners
  • Optional activities
  • Travel insurance and personal spending
The rock at El Tunco beach at sunset

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You don't want to camp
  • You prefer a gentle pace
  • You want most meals included
  • You want flights included — they are not

Good to know

Meals by day Breakfast: Days 2–9 · Lunch: Day 3 · Dinner: Days 3 and 5
Lake Coatepeque in its crater

In pictures

Departures & prices

From £1,393 per person, twin share, tour only. 34 upcoming departures.

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 hard is the Acatenango hike?

Challenging, with a steep climb to a base camp at high altitude. Porters can be hired locally.

What is the camp like?

A basic base camp with tents, for one night, facing Volcán de Fuego.

Is the summit climb included?

It's an optional one-hour climb at sunrise.

Do I need a visa?

UK citizens don't need a visa. El Salvador charges a tourist card fee on entry.

Is there a single supplement?

Yes, except on the camping night.

How many people travel together?

No more than twelve travellers, with a local 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
From £1,393
See dates & prices