Central America holiday

country:	Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras
trip type:	A small group adventure
departures:	2008: 6 Jul, 24 Aug, 21 Sep, 5 Oct, 19 Oct, 16 Nov 2009: 25 Jan, 8 Feb, 8 Mar, 26 Apr, 24 May, 7 Jun, 21 Jun
price:	From £400 (17 days) excluding flights. Local payment US $300. Price includes transport & simple hotels. Maximum group size 12 people

Central America holidays

Overland tous in Central America

the amazing things you'll be doing

Do you know the way to San Jose? We do!

This is one of our most exciting trips, even for the seasoned traveller, as we travel through Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. From oceans teeming with marine life to tropical rainforest alive with jungle melodies, this pocket of Central America is something of natural paradise. Try snorkelling, horseriding, biking, white water rafting or hiking round a volcano!

Come see it as we take the road less travelled, from Antigua all the way to San Jose.

day-by-day itinerary

Day 1:	Antigua. In the peaceful city of Antigua, shop for ceramics, jade statues and funky Guatemalan textiles.
Day 2:	Copan. The Mayan ruins of Copan are home to intricately carved monuments, staircases and statues dotted around grassy plazas.
Day 3-5:	Roatan. The azure waters of Honduras are at their best in Roatan. Tear yourself away from the sandy beaches to swim, dive or snorkel among the offshore reefs.
Day 6:	Comayagua. Spend the evening in Comayagua, the old capital of colonial Honduras.
Day 7-9:	Granada. Cruise the lake or explore the markets and museums in this charming colonial town. In the warm evenings stroll the streets while neighbours chat to each other from their open-fronted living rooms.
Day 10-11:	Ometepe Island. Take an optional hike up Concepcion Volcano or enjoy the beach life and jungle swimming holes. This island, sitting slap bang in the middle of Lake Nicaragua, has it all.
Day 12-13:	Monteverde. Take time to go birdwatching, horse riding or mountain biking through the rainforests of Monteverde. There is the option to wander along a tree canopy walkway or simply sit back and breathe in the fresh mountain air.
Day 14-15:	La Fortuna. Take an unforgettable night hike around the Arenal Volcano or try a full day of whitewater rafting. Take a look at the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge or dive into the hot springs of Tabacon Resort.
Day 16-17:	San Jose. People-watch in the main plaza and keep an eye out for an impromptu fair.

small group adventure holiday

This is a 'small group adventure' - on our group trips you'll be with a maximum of 11 like minded travellers and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting people from other parts of the world as well as seeing new places! (more)

highly commended

This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.

Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.

how this holiday makes a difference

We just can't get enough of the Amazon, not only as a jaw-dropping travel destination but also as a global treasure and this trip will help to ensure that the incredibly Amazon Rainforest is here for us to enjoy for generations to come! Our Amazon Fund will help support on the ground projects by the Foundation's long time partners Greenpeace and WWF. By booking your Latin American adventure with us you're helping us work towards a sustainable future for the Amazon.

This trip gives you plenty of opportunities to get to know the culture and vibrant history of Latin America. There are numerous chances for local interaction as we cover so much ground using all means of public transport. You’ll be surprised how much you can learn from a friendly local who strikes up a conversation during your journey.

Your leader and the occasional local guide will be able to direct you to many local eateries throughout the trip, helping you discover real local fare at real local prices (and probably helping you learn some Spanish at the same time). All travellers are encouraged to explore with the group and on their own, learn a few words of the language and interact with the locals as much as possible.

Local guides are employed to help explain as much as possible about the cultural differences and the historically significant places that we visit. This also allows us to appreciate the importance of preserving and respecting these sites and to help us minimise the impact of our visits.

There are plenty of opportunities to support local merchants in the markets and stalls that we pass along the way. We can purchase traditional handicrafts from local artisans and learn more about the importance of preserving these crafts.

Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people.

We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel.

'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left).

We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays.

We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism.

This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards.