21 Nov 2026
Twin share
£1,780pp
Single from £2,275
Escorted tour
Highlights of El Salvador – 11 Days
Colonial towns, Maya sites, turtles, coffee and a volcano hike in a group of up to eighteen.
11 days
From £1,780
Tour overview
This 11-day small-group adventure explores El Salvador, Central America's smallest country, from its colonial towns and Maya sites to its mangroves, volcanoes and Pacific beaches. A tour leader travels with the group, which numbers no more than eighteen. You stay ten nights: nine in comfortable hotels and one in fixed-tent glamping beside the volcanoes of Cerro Verde. Breakfast is included daily, along with a lunch and three dinners.
From San Salvador you visit Joya de Cerén, a Maya farming village buried by volcanic ash and preserved like Pompeii, on the way to the cobbled colonial town of Suchitoto, where you learn to make pupusas. A visit to Cinquera, a former guerrilla community in the rainforest, brings the country's recent history to life. At Jiquilisco Bay you stay by the mangroves and join a local biologist on a boat trip to monitor endangered hawksbill turtles.
Read more
Heading west, a walking tour of San Salvador is followed by Lake Coatepeque, in a volcanic crater, and the Maya pyramid of Tazumal. In Ataco you visit a small coffee farm and explore the villages of the Ruta de las Flores, with their murals and street food. After a night glamping at Tres Volcanes, you hike the Santa Ana volcano, El Salvador's highest, to its turquoise crater lake, then relax for two nights on the coast near La Libertad.
The physical rating is medium. This trip suits curious travellers who want to discover one of Central America's least-visited countries.
Trip highlights
-
Joya de Cerén and a pupusa class (Day 2)
-
The community of Cinquera (Day 3)
-
Monitoring hawksbill turtles (Day 5)
-
Lake Coatepeque and Tazumal (Day 6)
-
The Ruta de las Flores (Day 8)
-
The Santa Ana volcano crater (Day 9)
Your route
14 stops from San Salvador to La Libertad
- San Salvador Day 1
- Joya de Cerén Day 2
- Suchitoto Days 2–3
- Cinquera Day 3
- Laguna de Alegría Day 4
- Jiquilisco Bay Days 4–5
- San Salvador Day 6
- Coatepeque Lake Day 6
- Tazumal Day 6
- Ataco Days 6–7
- Juayúa Day 8
- Cerro Verde Day 8
- Sunzal Days 9–10
- La Libertad Day 11
Why choose this tour
El Salvador in depth, from turtles to volcanoes. A small group with a tour leader.
Best suited to
- Curious, well-travelled travellers
- Nature and culture lovers
- Solo travellers and couples
- Active travellers
Day-by-day itinerary
11 days from San Salvador, El Salvador to La Libertad, El Salvador
-
Day 1 · San Salvador San Salvador
The trip begins.
- Hotel
- Villa Terra Hotel
-
Day 2 · Joya de Cerén, Suchitoto Suchitoto
A buried village and pupusas.
- Hotel
- Hotel El Tejado
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
-
Day 3 · Cinquera Suchitoto
A rainforest community.
- Hotel
- Hotel El Tejado
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 4 · Laguna de Alegría, Jiquilisco Bay Jiquilisco Bay
A crater lagoon.
- Hotel
- Hotel Puerto Barillas
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 5 · Jiquilisco Bay Jiquilisco Bay
Hawksbill turtles.
- Hotel
- Hotel Puerto Barillas
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 6 · San Salvador, Lake Coatepeque, Tazumal Ataco
A city walk and a pyramid.
- Hotel
- Fleur de Lis
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 7 · Ataco Ataco
A coffee farm.
- Hotel
- Fleur de Lis
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 8 · Ruta de las Flores, Cerro Verde Cerro Verde
Villages and volcanoes.
- Hotel
- Tres Volcanes Glamping
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
-
Day 9 · Santa Ana Volcano, Los Cóbanos, La Libertad Santa Ana volcano
A crater lake.
- Hotel
- Hotel Atami
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
-
Day 10 · Sunzal La Libertad
A free day on the coast.
- Hotel
- Hotel Atami
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 11 · La Libertad La Libertad
The trip ends.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Where you stay
- San Salvador (1 night) Villa Terra Hotel
- Suchitoto (2 nights) Hotel El Tejado
- Jiquilisco Bay (2 nights) Hotel Puerto Barillas
- Ataco (2 nights) Fleur de Lis
- Cerro Verde (1 night) Tres Volcanes Glamping
- La Libertad (2 nights) Hotel Atami
Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.
What's included
Included
- Accommodation 9 hotel nights and 1 night glamping
- Meals 10 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 2 dinners
- All transport by bus and boat
- Joya de Cerén, Tazumal and a San Salvador walk
- Turtle monitoring boat trip with a biologist
- Coffee farm visit and pupusa class
- Santa Ana volcano hike and a tour leader
Not included
- Flights
- Optional activities such as kayaking
- Meals not included 8 lunches and 8 dinners
- Travel insurance and personal spending
This trip might not be for you if…
Honest disclaimer — please read
- You want luxury hotels
- You want most meals included
- You want to visit several countries
- You want flights included — they are not
Good to know
Meals by day
Breakfast: Days 2–11 · Lunch: Day 9 · Dinner: Days 2 and 8
FCDO advice
UK FCDO travel advice for El Salvador
In pictures
Departures & prices
From £1,780 per person, twin share, tour only. 6 upcoming departures.
30 Jan 2027
Twin share
£1,899pp
Single from £2,494
20 Feb 2027
Twin share
£1,899pp
Single from £2,494
06 Mar 2027
Twin share
£1,899pp
Single from £2,494
09 Oct 2027
Twin share
£1,899pp
Single from £2,494
13 Nov 2027
Twin share
£1,899pp
Single from £2,494
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.
What is the glamping like?
Fixed tents with two single beds, bedding and a lamp, with shared bathrooms, for one night.
How hard is the volcano hike?
A moderate climb of a few hours to the crater rim of El Salvador's highest volcano.
Is El Salvador safe to visit?
Check the latest FCDO advice before you travel. Your leader knows the country well.
Do I need a visa?
UK citizens don't need a visa, but El Salvador charges a tourist card fee on entry.
Where does the trip end?
Near La Libertad, about 45 minutes from San Salvador airport.
How many people travel together?
Between four and eighteen 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