Trip through Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua - INTI Tours    

Reception at La Aurora International Airport and transfer to the city hotel.

In the morning, city tour of Guatemala City, visiting the Cathedral and the National Palace. Visit to the archaeological museum. After the guided tour of the museum we continue to Antigua (UNESCO World Heritage Site). Overnight stay at the hotel.

Morning city tour of the colonial centre of Antigua, the former capital of all Central America, founded in 1543 and almost completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1737. Visit to the main square with cathedral and city administration. Visit to a monastery and a jade-cutting factory. In the afternoon, continue to Panajachel.

Directly after breakfast, we visit the most beautiful and colourful market of the highland Indígenas with typical fabrics and carvings. In Chichicastenango, in the over 400-year-old church of Santo Tomás, Christian beliefs and ancient Mayan rites merge into a mystical syncretism. In the afternoon, return to Panajachel on Lake Atitlán, one of the most beautiful lakes in Latin America, surrounded by Mayan villages and volcanoes.

In the morning, boat trip to the Mayan village of Santiago Atitlán, surrounded by three volcanoes on the opposite shore of the lake. Visit the traditional market and the church. Centuries-old Mayan traditions are still alive in Santiago Atitlán. Return to Panajachel at noon and continue to Guatemala City.

Early morning transfer to the airport and flight to Flores. Then bus ride and visit to the ruins of Tikal, the most important Mayan site in Central America, located in the middle of the tropical rainforest. Lunch at the "Restaurante del Parque". Visit to the Sylvanus G. Morley Museum with its jade and ceramic finds. Return to Flores airport and flight to Guatemala City.

In the morning flight from Guatemala City to Managua, the capital of Nicaragua. Reception at the airport, followed by a tour of Managua. Then continue to the former capital León, along Lake Managua with a magnificent view of the Momotombo volcano. On the way we visit the ruins of old León (León Viejo). In the afternoon, walk in the historic centre of León with a visit to the famous cathedral, the bishop's palace and the small museum of Ruben Darío.

After breakfast, visit more sights of León and continue to Masaya Volcano National Park with a visit to the active crater Santiago. In the ecological museum you will receive interesting information about the volcanic activity of Central America. The town of Masaya is famous for its handicraft market, which we visit afterwards. Before we reach our destination for the day, Granada, we enjoy a unique view of the Apoyo Lagoon in the village of Catarina and visit a plant breeder who will tell you a lot of interesting facts about the flora of Central America.

In the morning, city tour of colonial Granada on Lake Nicaragua. On foot you explore the historic centre of the oldest city on the American continent with its most important monuments, such as the Franciscan monastery with its collection of pre-Columbian finds. At noon, boat trip to the "Isletas", an offshore archipelago of over 350 small islands of volcanic origin. After lunch on one of the idyllic islands, we return to Granada for more sightseeing.

In the morning, drive to the port town of San Jorge, from where we take the ferry to the volcanic island of Ometepe. Via the island capital Moyogalpa we continue to our accommodation at Playa Santo Domingo with a magnificent lake view. Continue through original villages and banana plantations to Finca El Porvenir, situated on the flanks of the Maderas volcano. Lunch with a view of the Concepción volcano and Lake Nicaragua. Afterwards, we make a short hiking stop to the petroglyphs; the prehistoric stone drawings.

From Moyogalpa, a ferry takes us to the mainland. Our route takes us south along the legendary Panamericana to the Peñas Blancas border station. On the way to our destination, the active volcano Arenal, we cross the weather divide at Tilarán and the idyllic Lake Arenal.

Enjoy the rest day in the hotel swimming pool or go on an optional excursion to the surrounding area, e.g. the nearby Caño Negro protected area or to an idyllic waterfall. Your tour guide for Nicaragua will leave you this morning, in the afternoon you will meet other participants and your new tour guide for Costa Rica. In the evening visit the thermal baths Ecotermales La Fortuna or Baldí Therme with dinner. Return to the hotel and overnight stay.

After breakfast, drive to the volcano and hike across lava fields in Arenal National Park. The backdrop of the majestic volcano as well as the view over Lake Arenal are a very special experience. Afterwards visit of the Ecocentro Danaus, a small nature reserve and 2-hour round trip to Sarapiquí. Accommodation at Hotel La Quinta de Sarapiquí**(*), a simple, clean and typical hotel and exemplary example of sustainable tourism. The hotel has an interesting insect museum, which you will visit on a tour of the grounds. Finally, you will have the opportunity to plant trees in the hotel's own reforestation project.

Today we first visit the village school where the children have prepared a short performance for the guests (not applicable on weekends, public holidays and during school holidays). Then drive to the Tirimbina Rainforest Reserve for a 2-hour hike. Then learn all about cocoa and chocolate making. In the afternoon visit a pineapple plantation.

Departure before breakfast to Guápiles, where we have a traditional breakfast in a restaurant. Continue to the area of Matina; here bananas are grown on a large scale. By boat we travel northwards through canals and rivers to Tortuguero, where you will check into your room in a jungle lodge and enjoy lunch. The afternoon is at your leisure. Between July and September, we recommend an optional night excursion with a walk to the Atlantic beach to observe sea turtles laying their eggs. This excursion to Tortuguero National Park (15th, 16th and 17th day) is also attended by other guests besides our group.

In the morning hours shortly after sunrise optional boat trip for early risers through the national park, one of the most exotic and beautiful landscapes of Costa Rica with an incomparable variety of flora and fauna. After breakfast at the lodge, you can join a second excursion by boat. With a bit of luck you can observe crocodiles, caimans, freshwater turtles, iguanas, bats and certainly a large number of birds. In the afternoon walk along the beach to the village of Tortuguero and optional visit to the information centre about the sea turtles. Return to the lodge, dinner and overnight.

Return by boat to Matina and continue by bus towards San José, passing the lush flora of Braulio Carillo National Park. The evening is at leisure.

Depending on departure time, transfer to the airport and journey home.