Tour overview

This 15-day trip covers three countries in Central America. It starts in Antigua, Guatemala, and heads into the western highlands. There you visit the Temple of San Simón at San Andrés Itzapa, ride a chicken bus to the vegetable market at Almolonga and walk through Chichicastenango market. A boat across Lake Atitlán takes you to Santiago Atitlán, where you visit the shrine of Maximón.

Back in Antigua, a tuk-tuk tour takes in the colonial ruins, churches and crafts market, followed by a tortilla-making workshop with lunch. The route then crosses into Honduras for a guided tour of the UNESCO-listed Maya ruins at Copán. In El Salvador you tour a coffee plantation on the Ruta de las Flores, visit Joya de Cerén (a Maya farming village preserved under volcanic ash), see San Salvador and finish with a free day on the Pacific coast.

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Travel is by private vehicle, with a tuk-tuk in Antigua, a shared boat on Lake Atitlán and one chicken bus ride. Some drives are long, including about 8 hours from Antigua to Copán with a border crossing. You stay in hotels for 14 nights, with 14 breakfasts and 4 lunches included.

Groups are up to 16 travellers aged 15 and over, with a local leader. This trip combines two shorter trips, so some travellers and the leader may change on Day 7 in Antigua.

Trip highlights

  • San Andrés Itzapa

    a shamanic ceremony at the Temple of San Simón, also called Maximón (Day 2)

  • Almolonga

    ride a brightly painted chicken bus to a market known for its giant vegetables (Day 3)

  • Chichicastenango

    one of the largest outdoor markets in Latin America, explored with your leader (Day 4)

  • Lake Atitlán

    cross by lancha to Santiago Atitlán and visit the shrine of Maximón (Day 5)

  • Antigua

    a tuk-tuk tour of the colonial city and a tortilla-making workshop with lunch (Day 8)

  • Copán

    a guided tour of the UNESCO-listed Maya ruins and their carved stelae (Day 10)

  • Ruta de las Flores

    a coffee plantation tour with tasting and a picnic lunch (Day 12)

  • Joya de Cerén

    a 7th-century Maya farming village preserved under volcanic ash, then a walk in San Salvador (Day 13)

Your route

11 stops from Antigua to Costa del Sol

15-day route: Antigua – Quetzaltenango – Lake Atitlán – Antigua – Copán – Santa Ana – San Salvador – Costa del Sol
  1. Antigua Days 1 & 6–8
  2. San Andrés Itzapa Day 2
  3. Quetzaltenango Days 2–3
  4. Chichicastenango Day 4
  5. Panajachel (Lake Atitlán) Days 4–5
  6. Copán Ruinas Days 9–10
  7. Santa Ana Days 11–12
  8. Juayúa (Ruta de las Flores) Day 12
  9. Joya de Cerén Day 13
  10. San Salvador Day 13
  11. Costa del Sol Days 13–14

Why choose this tour

This trip combines Guatemala's highland markets and Maya traditions with the ruins of Copán and the coffee country of El Salvador, crossing three borders in 15 days. Private transport handles the long drives, a local leader travels with you, and the trip ends with a free day on El Salvador's Pacific coast.

Best suited to

  • Travellers curious about Maya culture, both ancient and living
  • Market lovers, with Almolonga and Chichicastenango included
  • Travellers happy with some long drives and border crossings
  • Solo travellers, with a single room available for all nights at extra cost
The Santa Catalina Arch on a colourful street in Antigua, Guatemala

Day-by-day itinerary

15 days from Antigua, Guatemala to Costa del Sol, El Salvador

  1. Day 1 · Antigua Arrive in Antigua

    The trip starts in Antigua, a colonial city of old churches and markets set beneath a volcano, with a welcome meeting at 6 pm at the hotel. If you arrive early, you could visit the ChocoMuseo or sit in Central Park.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  2. Day 2 · San Andrés Itzapa, Quetzaltenango San Andrés Itzapa to Quetzaltenango

    Travel to San Andrés Itzapa for a shamanic ceremony at the Temple of San Simón, known as Maximón, where Maya belief and Catholicism meet. You can leave an offering of rum or tobacco, which you can buy on site. After a group lunch, continue to Quetzaltenango for an orientation walk with your leader.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  3. Day 3 · Almolonga, Quetzaltenango Almolonga market by chicken bus

    Early in the morning, before breakfast, ride a chicken bus — a decorated former American school bus — to Almolonga market, known for its giant vegetables. The rest of the day is free. You could visit the Quetzaltenango Chocolate Museum or the Fuentes Georginas hot springs.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  4. Day 4 · Chichicastenango, Panajachel Chichicastenango market and Lake Atitlán

    Visit Chichicastenango market, one of the largest outdoor markets in Latin America, with textiles, wooden crafts and jade, and explore it with your leader. Then drive on to Panajachel on the shore of Lake Atitlán, about 3.5 hours of driving in total.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  5. Day 5 · Lake Atitlán, Santiago Atitlán Santiago Atitlán

    Cross Lake Atitlán by lancha, past volcanoes and Maya villages, to Santiago Atitlán, the largest town on the lake. Visit the shrine of Maximón, where the group shares a gift of local spirits with the shamans who keep watch and learns about the shrine.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  6. Day 6 · Panajachel, Antigua Back to Antigua

    A free morning in Panajachel. A Maya cooking class is one option. In the afternoon, a private transfer returns you to Antigua for an orientation walk through the historic centre with your leader.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  7. Day 7 · Antigua Free day in Antigua

    A free day until a 6 pm meeting that welcomes new travellers. Some travellers and the leader may change at this point. You could visit the 18th-century ruins of the Monastery of Santa Clara, try chocolate-making at the ChocoMuseo or take a salsa lesson.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  8. Day 8 · Antigua Antigua by tuk-tuk and tortilla workshop

    A tuk-tuk tour takes you to the Cerro de la Cruz viewpoint, the Santa Clara ruins, the Santa Catalina Arch, La Merced church, the Nim Po't crafts market and the altar of Maximón, with a guide explaining the city's history. Then make tortillas at a corn and comal workshop and eat them for lunch with guacamole, salsa, beans and cheese.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  9. Day 9 · Copán Ruinas Into Honduras: Copán

    Leave Antigua around 7 am for the long drive to the Honduran border, about 8 hours in total. You arrive in Copán Ruinas in the early afternoon. You could spend the rest of the day around the palm-lined central plaza.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  10. Day 10 · Copán Ruinas Copán ruins

    A local guide takes you around Copán's UNESCO-listed Maya ruins, known for their carved pillars inscribed with faces and glyphs. The afternoon is free. Options include the Macaw Mountain Bird Park or the hot springs with dinner.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  11. Day 11 · Santa Ana To Santa Ana, El Salvador

    Drive into El Salvador, briefly re-entering Guatemala on the way, so expect waits at the border crossings. The drive takes about 5 hours. Santa Ana is El Salvador's second-largest city, with some of its best-preserved colonial buildings. You could take an evening walk through the centre.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  12. Day 12 · Concepción de Ataco, Juayúa, Santa Ana Coffee and the Ruta de las Flores

    Tour El Molino El Carmen, a coffee plantation dating from 1930, including its estate house and mill, then taste the coffee with pastries. A picnic lunch follows, and you take home a bag of coffee. In the afternoon, drive the Ruta de las Flores through the hillside villages.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  13. Day 13 · Joya de Cerén, San Salvador, Costa del Sol Joya de Cerén and San Salvador

    Visit Joya de Cerén, a UNESCO-listed 7th-century Maya farming village buried in ash by a volcanic eruption. After a group lunch in San Salvador, your leader shows you the city, including El Rosario Church. Then continue to the Costa del Sol on the Pacific coast.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  14. Day 14 · Costa del Sol Free day on the Costa del Sol

    A free day on the coast, with several beaches nearby. One option is a boat trip through the Jaltepeque estuary, a 28-kilometre mangrove forest home to many birds.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  15. Day 15 · Costa del Sol Trip ends on the Costa del Sol

    The trip ends after breakfast, and you can leave at any time. San Salvador international airport (SAL) is about an hour's drive away. Extra nights can be arranged when you book.

    Meals
    Breakfast
Aerial view of the church and market stalls in Chichicastenango, Guatemala

Where you stay

  • Antigua (1 night) Hotel
  • Quetzaltenango (2 nights) Hotel
  • Panajachel (2 nights) Hotel
  • Antigua (3 nights) Hotel
  • Copán Ruinas (2 nights) Hotel
  • Santa Ana (2 nights) Hotel
  • Costa del Sol (2 nights) Hotel

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

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation 14 nights in hotels
  • Meals 14 breakfasts and 4 lunches, including the tortilla workshop in Antigua and a picnic at the coffee plantation
  • Transport private vehicles between destinations, a tuk-tuk tour in Antigua, a shared boat on Lake Atitlán and a chicken bus ride
  • Local leader throughout, with local guides at Copán and Joya de Cerén
  • Activities and entry the ceremony at San Andrés Itzapa, Almolonga and Chichicastenango markets, the Maximón shrine in Santiago Atitlán, Copán ruins, the coffee plantation tour, Joya de Cerén and El Rosario Church

Not included

  • Flights to Guatemala City (GUA) and home from San Salvador (SAL)
  • Airport transfers at the start and end
  • Dinners and meals not listed
  • Optional activities, such as the Fuentes Georginas or Copán hot springs and the Jaltepeque mangrove boat trip
  • Visas, including the visa for Honduras that UK passport holders need in advance
  • Single room supplement, tips, travel insurance and personal spending
Aerial view of El Rosario Church in San Salvador, El Salvador

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You dislike long road days — Antigua to Copán is about 8 hours, with border crossings
  • You want dinners included — 14 breakfasts and 4 lunches are included
  • You need the same group throughout — some travellers and the leader may change on Day 7
  • You hold a UK passport and can't get a Honduran visa before travel — one is required in advance
A scarlet macaw in the forest at Copán Ruinas, Honduras

Departures & prices

From £1,895 per person, twin share, tour only. 23 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.

Do I need a visa for Honduras?

UK passport holders need a visa for Honduras, arranged before travel, and appointment waiting times can be long. Check the current requirements with the Honduran Embassy before you book flights.

Which airports should I use?

Fly into Guatemala City (GUA) for Antigua — not Antigua and Barbuda. Fly home from San Salvador (SAL), about an hour from the Costa del Sol. Airport transfers are not included but can be arranged at extra cost.

How long are the drives?

About 3.5 hours on the Chichicastenango day, about 8 hours from Antigua to Copán (leaving around 7 am) and about 5 hours from Copán into El Salvador, with waits at the borders.

How active is the trip?

No special skills are needed, just reasonable fitness. Expect cobbled streets, uneven ground and walking in hot, humid weather.

Can I book a single room?

Yes. A single room is available for all nights at extra cost, subject to availability. Single prices are shown for each departure.

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

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