Epic Central America: Seven Countries & the Softest Sand Ever

The big kahuna of our Central America trips. Travel from Mexico City all the way to Costa Rica over 45 days of jam-packed adventure, collecting seven new stamps in your passport along the way. For a relatively small geographical part of the world, this area overflowing with epic experiences of every kind. From mouth-watering meals, white-sand beaches, and incredible ancient ruins, to eye-popping scenery, spectacular wildlife and cultural traditions, Central America packs a giant punch of adventure.

Day 1 Mexico City
Arrive at any time.

Day 2 Mexico City
Start the adventure off with a CEO-led walking tour through La Condesa and Roma neighborhoods. Stroll past bohemian cafes, bars, and restaurants. Your CEO will grab some street food snacks for the group ranging from street tacos to chilaquiles. Savour whatever you sample as you continue to get to know the area. Finish up the tour near the giant Bosque de Chapultepec. Then, spend the afternoon trying out the optional activities in the area like a visit to the ruins of Teotihuacán.

Day 3 Mexico City/Oaxaca
Hit the road and travel south to Oaxaca from Mexico City. Once the group arrives we will head out for an orientation walk to the main square and some of the nearby markets. Soak in your first experience of the vibrant culture in Oaxaca. Enjoy a free evening to do as you please. Perhaps, find a lively restaurant and give your tastebuds something to dance about.

Day 4 Oaxaca
Today, enjoy a free day for optional activities in Oaxaca until late afternoon. Explore local taverns, discover the vibrant indigenous culture in the area, sample food from lively markets, try mole, and mezcal and fully experience the allure of this Mexican city. Later your CEO will accompany the group to the market where you can try a tlayuda, a toasted tortilla with tons of different toppings like refried beans, shredded cabbage, salsa, meat, and cheese. Cap off the day with a visit to a local chocolate-making shop and a free evening to keep the adventure going.

Day 5 Oaxaca/San Cristóbal
The group will have additional free time today in Oaxaca for other optional activities. Afterwards, visit the Alebrijes Artisan Community for your G for Good moment. Meet a local artisan, speak with them, ask any questions the group may have, and learn more about how these handicrafts are made. In the evening board and overnight bus to San Cristobal.

Day 6 San Cristóbal
Arrive early to Tuxtla Gutierrez, which is a city in southern Mexico and the capital of Chiapas. The group will travel by private bus to Sumidero Canyon for an included boat ride down the river. The trip is a few hours long and will take you through the canyon with some of the walls towering 2,500 feet above you. It’s sure to make you feel small. Keep a lookout for the wildlife in the area and try to spot caves as you journey on. Afterwards, continue on to San Cristobal de las Casas where you will stop for the evening.

Day 7 San Cristóbal
San Cristóbal de Las Casas is located in a high mountain valley at 2110m (6921 ft). Enjoy a free day to experience this city known for its 16th-century architecture. Opt to visit nearby indigenous Mayan villages to see their unique day-to-day, or visit Lagunas de Montebello National Park and the group of beautiful lakes near the Guatemalan border. You have a full day to do as you please and there are plenty of activities to try out.

Day 8 San Cristóbal/Palenque
Get ready for a full day of travel from San Cristóbal de Las Casas to Palenque. Along the way the group will stop to swim in the pristine turquoise waters of Roberto Barrios waterfall. Arrive to Palenque in the evening.

Day 9 Palenque
Enjoy a guided tour of the impressive Mayan ruins of Palenque followed by free time for an optional jungle trail hike, or just relax at the hotel keeping an eye out for nearby birds and wildlife.

Day 10 Palenque/Bacalar
Spend the day travelling to Bacalar in the eastern part of Mexico from Palenque. Sit back as the scenery changes outside your window and rest up for the next part of the trip.

Day 11 Bacalar
The group is in for a treat this morning with an included catamaran adventure in the lagoon. The trip is around 4 hours and will make stops at the Canal de los Piratas for a swim in the crystal clear waters before heading to 3 cenotes, finishing with a picnic lunch. In the afternoon enjoy free time for optional activities in the area or just relax and keep the good vibes going from your morning on the water.

Day 12 Bacalar/Valladolid
It’s onward to Valladolid today. Travel north and inland from Bacalar to a city on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. Upon arrival your CEO will lead you on an orientation walk of the small Mayan town filled with quaint taverns, vibrant indigenous culture, and loads of street food vendors. Smell the delicious aromas as you walk and sample a few snacks along the way.

Day 13 Valladolid/Tulum
After a short, but sweet visit in Valladolid the group will travel to the Chichen Itzá ruins for a guided tour. These ruins hold the history, beliefs, and rituals that defined ancient Mayan civilization. See the Pyramid of Kukulcan, the famous Castillo, the cenote, and the Nunnery. Afterwards, travel to Tulum for a free evening. Tulum is filled with trendy beach clubs where you can dance the night away, or stretch out on white sand beaches to admire the colors at sunset.

Day 14 Tulum/Playa del Carmen
Travel from Tulum to Playa del Carmen where you can enjoy time to explore on your own. Tonight, head out with your fellow travellers to 12th Street, where there’s tons of bars and clubs to choose from.

Day 15 Playa del Carmen
Enjoy free time to explore the Mayan ruins of Tulúm or take a ferry to nearby Cozumel. Or just play in the waves and enjoy the beach.

Day 16 Playa del Carmen/Caye Caulker
Opt to snorkel with stingrays and nurse sharks at Hol Chan Marine Reserve, go diving or just chill out, Belizean style.

Day 17 Caye Caulker
Opt to snorkel with stingrays and nurse sharks at Hol Chan Marine Reserve, go diving or just chill out, Belizean style.

Day 18 Caye Caulker
Opt to snorkel with stingrays and nurse sharks at Hol Chan Marine Reserve, go diving or just chill out, Belizean style.

Day 19 Caye Caulker/San Ignacio
Travel by boat and bus from Caye Caulker to San Ignacio. Enjoy an included pottery demonstration and local lunch at a G Adventures-supported women's pottery cooperative.

Day 20 San Ignacio
Opt to visit the sacred Mayan cave Actun Tunichil Muknal or check out the seldom-visited Mayan ruins of Xunantunich.

Day 21 San Ignacio/Flores
Learn about Mayan culture and history on a guided tour of the ruins of Tikal.

Day 22 Flores/Rio Dulce
Travel across the country towards the coast to Rio Dulce, on the shores of Lake Izabal.

Day 23 Rio Dulce
Travel to the Caribbean town of Livingston by scenic boat ride from Rio Dulce. Enjoy a visit to the G Adventures–supported El Manglar Restaurant for an explanation of the women-led community initiative project here. Then, walk around the grounds before a sit-down lunch of delicious local flavours.

Day 24 Rio Dulce/Antigua Guatemala
Enjoy an orientation walk of Antigua's cobblestone streets, then opt to take a salsa lesson and practice new moves out at night.

Day 25 Antigua Guatemala
Enjoy a free day in Antigua. Opt to relax with a massage, climb a volcano, soak up the culture in one of the city's many cafés, or explore the nearby hills and towns by bike.

Day 26 Antigua Guatemala/Panajachel
Travel to beautiful Lake Atitlán and enjoy the views.

Day 27 Panajachel/San Juan La Laguna
Embark on a boat ride across the lake before participating in a G Adventures-supported homestay with a local family. This area is known for stunning scenery and great shopping for Mayan handicrafts. Opt to bargain for colourful textiles and paintings at the lake's markets.

Day 28 San Juan La Laguna/Antigua Guatemala
Return to Antigua, and enjoy a Big Night Out with the group.

Day 29 Antigua Guatemala
Enjoy free time to relax with a massage, explore the nearby hills by bicycle, or visit a local macadamia nut farm.

Day 30 Antigua Guatemala/Copán
Set off today on a full day of travel from Antigua across the border to neighboring Honduras, arriving to the town of Copán Ruinas in the evening.

Day 31 Copán
Free time in Copán. Opt to visit the ruins of Copán or soak in hot springs.

Day 32 Copán/Suchitoto
Cross the border into El Salvador and stay in the colonial town of Suchitoto. Don't forget to try the delicious pupusas, a local Salvadorian specialty.

Day 33 Suchitoto/La Libertad Region
Enjoy a free morning in Suchitoto before heading to the coast in the La Libertad region. The sunsets in these small surfing towns are stunning. Grab a cold drink and enjoy!

Day 34 La Libertad Region
Enjoy a free day in the laidback beach towns of the area to take a surf lesson, eat fresh ceviche at the fish market in nearby La Libertad, visit the Tamanique waterfalls, or chill out with a beer in hand.

Day 35 La Libertad Region/León
Set off early for a full day of travel by land and sea to Nicaragua, finishing up in colonial León with a brief orientation walk.

Day 36 León/Granada
Journey to Granada and see its colourful colonial buildings on an orientation walk. Enjoy a Big Night Out with the group.

Day 37 Granada
Free time to explore beautiful Granada's markets, buildings and museums. Opt to kayak in Lake Nicaragua or swim in Laguna de Apoyo.

Day 38 Granada/Isla de Ometepe
Get to know local friends during a 2-night G Adventures-supported community homestay on Ometepe. Try the local cuisine and test out some language skills.

Day 39 Isla de Ometepe
Enjoy free time to explore Ometepe. Opt to climb Volcano Concepción or Volcano Maderas, take a cultural tour, visit the beach at Santo Domingo, or visit el Ojo de Agua for a refreshing swim and lunch. You can also view pre-Columbian petroglyphs or the small museum of indigenous artifacts in Altagracia.

Day 40 Isla de Ometepe/Monteverde
Take a ferry back to the mainland and cross the border into Costa Rica, finishing up in the cloudforest air of Monteverde.

Day 41 Monteverde
Free day in Monteverde. Opt to visit a cloud forest reserve, fly through the jungle canopy via zipline, or tour a coffee plantation.

Day 42 Monteverde/La Fortuna
Transfer to La Fortuna along bumpy roads, then break up the journey with a peaceful boat ride on Lake Arenal before a short ride to the town.

Day 43 La Fortuna
Free time to enjoy the La Fortuna and Arenal area.

Day 44 La Fortuna/San José
Journey through the mountains to the capital for a final night out.

Day 45 San José
Depart at any time.