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Epic Central America: Seven Countries & the Softest Sand Ever

45 days, Mexico City to San José

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.

45 days

Mexico City to San José

From$4649USD
Valid on Jul 14 2024
Trip Code: CMMR

Need a flight? We can help.

Call us to book your flights! We'll find you the best option!

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.

Is this tour for me?

Travel Style: 18-to-Thirtysomethings

Fast, fresh, and fun adventures that never slow down, made for young, budget-minded travellers.

Service Level: Basic

Simple and clean hotels and hostels; affordable public and private transport; lots of optional activities.

Physical Rating: 2 - Light

Light walking and hiking suitable for most fitness levels. Nothing too challenging.

Trip Type: Small Group

Small group experience; Max 18, avg 16.

Age requirement: 18-39

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45 days

Mexico City to San José

From$4649USD
Valid on Jul 14 2024
Trip Code: CMMR

Need a flight? We can help.

Call us to book your flights! We'll find you the best option!

See how your trip uplifts communities

In a number of impactful ways, your adventure directly benefits the local people and places we visit.

Trees for Days

Help us spread love around the world — with trees! Together with Planeterra, we'll plant one tree in your name for every travel day.

Trees planted for this trip: 45

Ripple Score

Want to create ripples that change lives? The higher the Ripple Score percentage, the more money stays in the local communities you visit.

Ripple Score for this trip: 100

Itinerary

Day 1Mexico City

Arrive at any time.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your First Night Out Moment Connect With New Friends| Your Welcome Moment Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group

Day 2Mexico 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 3Mexico 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 4Oaxaca

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.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Foodie Moment Oaxaca Market Visit With CEO

Day 5Oaxaca/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.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your G for Good Moment Alebrijes Artisan Community Visit

Day 6San 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.

Meals included:

Breakfast

Day 7San 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.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Discover Moment San Cristobal de Las Casas - Free Time

Day 8San 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 9Palenque

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 10Palenque/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 11Bacalar

Spend a full free day enjoying optional activities in the area, or just relax and keep the good vibes going.

Day 12Bacalar/Valladolid

The group is in for a treat this morning with an included boating adventure in the lagoon. In the afternoon it’s onward to Valladolid. 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 13Valladolid/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 14Tulum/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 15Playa 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.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Discover Moment

Day 16Playa 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.

Days 17–18Caye Caulker

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

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Discover Moment

Day 19Caye 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.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your G for Good Moment San Antonio Women's Pottery Cooperative and Local Lunch

Meals included:

Lunch

Day 20San Ignacio

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

Day 21San Ignacio/Flores

Learn about Mayan culture and history on a guided tour of the ruins of Tikal.

Day 22Flores/Rio Dulce

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

Day 23Rio 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.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your G for Good Moment Caribbean Gastronomic Experience "El Manglar"

Meals included:

Lunch

Day 24Rio 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 25Antigua 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.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Discover Moment

Day 26Antigua Guatemala/Panajachel

Travel to beautiful Lake Atitlán and enjoy the views.

Day 27Panajachel/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.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your G for Good Moment Posadas Mayas Homestay

Meals included:

Dinner

Day 28San Juan La Laguna/Antigua Guatemala

Return to Antigua, and enjoy a Big Night Out with the group.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Big Night Out Moment

Day 29Antigua Guatemala

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

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Discover Moment

Day 30Antigua 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 31Copán

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

Day 32Copán/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 33Suchitoto/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 34La 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 35La 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 36León/Granada

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

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Big Night Out Moment

Day 37Granada

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

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Discover Moment

Day 38Granada/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.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your G for Good Moment Puesta del Sol Community Guesthouse Stay

Meals included:

Dinner

Day 39Isla 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.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your G for Good Moment Puesta del Sol Community Guesthouse Stay

Meals included:

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 40Isla 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.

Meals included:

Breakfast

Day 41Monteverde

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

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Discover Moment

Day 42Monteverde/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 43La Fortuna

Free time to enjoy the La Fortuna and Arenal area.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Discover Moment

Day 44La Fortuna/San José

Journey through the mountains to the capital for a final night out.

Day 45San José

Depart at any time.

View full itinerary

What's Included

  • Your G for Good Moment: Alebrijes Artisan Community Visit, Oaxaca
  • Your G for Good Moment: San Antonio Women's Pottery Cooperative and Local Lunch, San Ignacio
  • Your G for Good Moment: Caribbean Gastronomic Experience "El Manglar", Lívingston
  • Your G for Good Moment: Posadas Mayas Homestay, San Juan La Laguna
  • Your G for Good Moment: Puesta del Sol Community Guesthouse Stay, Isla de Ometepe
  • Your First Night Out Moment: Connect With New Friends
  • Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
  • Your Foodie Moment: Oaxaca Market Visit With CEO, Oaxaca
  • Your Discover Moment: San Cristobal de Las Casas - Free Time, San Cristóbal de Las Casas
  • Your Discover Moment: Playa del Carmen
  • Your Discover Moment: Caye Caulker
  • Your Discover Moment: Antigua Guatemala
  • Your Big Night Out Moment: Antigua Guatemala
  • Your Big Night Out Moment: Granada
  • Your Discover Moment: Granada
  • Your Discover Moment: Monteverde
  • Your Discover Moment: La Fortuna
  • Mexico City street food crawl
  • Alebrijes Artisan Community visit
  • Boat trip to Sumidero Canyon
  • Stop at Roberto Barrios Waterfall for a swim
  • Tour the Mayan ruins in Palenque
  • A catamaran adventure into a gorgeous lagoon in Bacalar
  • Chichen Itzá ruins guided tour
  • Guided tour of Tikal
  • Orientation walk in Antigua, Leon, and Granada
  • Beach time in Playa del Carmen and Caye Caulker, and El Tunco
  • Free time in Mexico City, Oaxaca, Palenque, San Cristóbal de las Casas, Playa del Carmen, Caye Caulker, and Antigua, Granada, Ometepe, Monteverde, and La Fortuna
  • All transport between destinations and to/from included activities

Accommodations

Simple hotels/hostels (40 nts, most multi-share), overnight bus (1 nt), local homestay (3 nts).

Meals

3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 3 dinners
Allow USD1115-1450 for meals not included.

Transportation

Local bus, private vehicle, overnight bus, boat, ferry, taxi, walking.

Staff & experts

Chief Experience Officer (CEO) throughout, local guides.

Make it a private tour

Book this tour as a private departure, with your own CEO and all the benefits of a G Adventures group tour.

Epic Central America: Seven Countries & the Softest Sand Ever

| 45 days - Mexico City to San José - from $4649 USD