Individual tour in Central America transnational - INTI Tours

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

In the morning, city tour of Guatemala City. You will visit the Cathedral and the National Palace, visit the archaeological museum. After the guided tour of the museum, continue to Antigua - UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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 as well as a religious convent. This is followed by a visit to a coffee finca. After the city tour, your journey continues through the highlands to Lake Atitlán. Aldous Huxley described this lake as the most beautiful lake in Latin America. Fertile hills and three mighty volcanoes give the lake a fairytale atmosphere. You can enjoy this during an evening stroll around the lake and in the colourful and lively town of Panajachel.

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. Continue to the village of San Antonio Palopó, which is known for its textile production. To this day, the women use the traditional hip loom. The inhabitants continue to make a living by growing onions and aniseed. After this interesting insight, you can still visit the village of Santa Catarina Palopó and then return to Panajachel.

Your destination today is the famous highland market of Chichicastenango. "Chichi" - as it is also called by its inhabitants - is particularly famous in two respects: Not only was it and still is an important supra-regional marketplace, but it is also a place where pre-Christian, shamanistic rituals are practised, giving the town a mystique all its own. Once in Chichicastenango, you will have the opportunity to stroll through what is probably the most beautiful and colourful market of the highland Indians. An unbelievable variety of typical, handmade products are on offer. After the stroll, you can go to the over 400-year-old church of Santo Tomás. Here you have the opportunity to witness the mixture of Catholic and ancient Mayan rites, which merge into a mystical syncretism. Afterwards, drive to Quetzaltenango.

This morning you will first visit the nearby village of Almolonga. It is particularly known for its fine weaving and the largest vegetable market in Guatemala. After a stroll through the town, you will continue to Zunil, a pretty market town whose economy and appearance are dominated by agriculture. The village is situated in a beautiful valley, framed by steep slopes, which are surmounted by the Santa Maria volcano. The drive downhill from Almolonga offers a wonderful view of the whitewashed colonial church, which shines out of a sea of red-roofed houses. Another destination for today is the village and market in San Francisco El Alto. Once here, you will first enjoy an impressive panoramic view that stretches all the way to Quetzaltenango, 17 kilometres away, and the volcanoes Santa Maria (3,771 metres above sea level) and Chicabal (2,900 metres above sea level) behind it. To this day, San Francisco El Alto is Guatemala's textile stronghold. In every corner of the town you will find traders selling everything from socks, scarves, blouses, sweatshirts, etc. to blankets. On the day of the weekly market (Friday), horses, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and other domestic and farm animals are sold alongside everyday goods. Before returning to Guatemala City, visit the church of San Andrés Xecúl, painted in all colours.

Early morning transfer to the airport and flight to Flores. Afterwards, 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. You can have lunch at the "Restaurante El Mesón". Visit to the Sylvanus G. Morley Museum with its jade and ceramic finds. Afterwards, drive to your hotel in Flores/Santa Elena.

After breakfast, you set off in a southerly direction. Once at the Río Dulce, you will board your boat and head downstream. On the way, you will visit the "Fuerte San Felipe", which is located at the mouth of Lake Izabal to the Río Dulce. The task of this historically significant fortress from colonial days was to protect the entrance to the lake and thus to the interior from pirate raids. On the rest of the trip you can relax and enjoy the lush vegetation and variety of exotic birds. Particularly impressive are the water lily fields and mangrove forests, but also the houses of the local Mayan population, who make their living here mainly through subsistence farming. Before you reach the mouth of the river to the sea, we are offered another impressive natural spectacle: you drive through the canyon of the Río Dulce. Arriving at the Amatique Bay and thus the Caribbean, you reach the village of Livingston. The village is the cultural centre of the Garífunas, one of the few cultures in Guatemala not descended from the Mayas. UNESCO included the Garifuna culture in the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008 due to its uniqueness.

This morning you will first return by boat to Río Dulce. From here you will take the "Carretera al Atlántico" and drive west to Quiriguá, a small archaeological site located in the middle of a huge banana plantation. Its value comes from the tall, gigantic stelae made of brown sandstone and the so-called zoomorphs - huge sandstone blocks covered all around with relief work. The history of the Mayan site is closely linked to that of Copán. Quiriguá was under the control of Copán's rulers until the 8th century. The largest stele is a good ten metres high and weighs around 60,000 kg. Also interesting is the stele on which the creation of the universe can be traced in the Maya imagination, which for the Maya was in the year 3,114 BC. Your journey then continues towards Honduras. Use the drive to marvel at the beautiful and varied natural and cultural landscape of this region. At the Guatemalan-Honduran border station "El Florido" you will complete the entry formalities before reaching the small town of Copán Ruinas.

Along with Tikal, Chichen Itzá and Uxmal, the ruins of Copán are among the most outstanding buildings ever created by the Maya. These ruins are located in a beautiful, wide valley surrounded by extensive tobacco plantations. Here you will visit the acropolis, the ball court, the famous glyph staircase and the Plaza Central with its artistic stelae. The volcanic stone andesite present in Copán allowed the stonemasons of the time to produce exact glyphs, which are still so well preserved today that epigraphers can trace a 400-year history more precisely than in any other place. Before returning to your hotel, you will visit the sculpture museum in Copán.

Today return to Guatemala City and transfer to your hotel. The afternoon is at your leisure. Optionally, you can climb the Pacaya volcano, but the excursion is subject to current weather conditions and volcanic activity: after leaving the city behind, you will pass coffee and pacaya plantations. The pacaya palm is a type of palm whose flowers are eaten as a salad or vegetable, but which also gave its name to the volcano. Via San Vicente Pacaya you reach the departure point. Within two hours you climb through oak and pine forests to the active cone and on to the summit, weather and volcanic activity permitting. We walk over fresh lava scree and if the visibility is good you can see all the way to the Pacific coast. Back at the starting point return to Guatemala City.

Transfer to the airport and flight to Managua in Nicaragua. Reception at the airport and transfer to the hotel. The evening is at leisure.

Pick up a rental car and start your rental car tour. Suggestion: After breakfast, drive to Loma de Tiscapa, the former site of the presidential palace. From up here you have a great view of the crater lake Tiscapa, the city of Managua and the volcano Momotombo. Afterwards, you will make your way north. You will visit the ruins of León Viejo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and learn why the first settlers settled here. In the afternoon, you will take a boat tour through the Juan Venado Nature Reserve. Over a length of 20 kilometres, tropical forest with mangroves forms the habitat for a species-rich fauna. There are many different species of birds, turtles and, with a bit of luck, crocodiles to be seen. Before continuing on to León, you will experience - weather permitting - a dreamlike sunset on the Pacific beach of Las Peñitas.

Day at leisure. Enjoy the morning relaxing at your hotel and use the afternoon to explore León. León offers a variety of great museums. Visit the Ruben Dario Museum, where the poet spent his childhood and where many objects reveal details about his life story. Enjoy the flair of the city while strolling through the idyllic streets. Also take a trip to the Cerro Negro volcano. After a short climb, you can look inside the crater and enjoy the fantastic view. 
> Journey time approx. 1 hour
> Route: 53 km

Day at leisure. Enjoy the morning relaxing at your hotel and use the afternoon to explore León.

After breakfast, you will set off in the direction of northern Nicaragua and stop at the hot springs of San Jacinto. Here you can experience a natural spectacle of a special kind and be guided along the bubbling mud holes by the children of the village. On the way from León to your lodge, you leave the Pacific region and drive into the central highlands of Nicaragua with evergreen forest, many rivers and coffee and tobacco plantations. Especially the region around Estelí is known for tobacco cultivation and the production of excellent cigars. You can visit a cigar factory, where they will explain the different stations of the elaborate production on a tour. Afterwards, you will continue to Matagalpa and from there to your jungle lodge, where you will take a walk through the tropical rainforest. 
> Travel time approx. 3.5 hours
> Route: 225 km

Today you will go to Matagalpa, where you will visit the small chocolate factory "El Castillo". Chocolate is produced here that is 100% Nicaraguan and handmade. Then you leave the highlands and drive along the Panamericana to the Masaya Volcano National Park. Once there, you have the unique opportunity to look into the crater of an active volcano. Despite the sulphurous fumes that rise here, many birds have chosen the crater as their home. Afterwards, you will drive to the small town of Masaya, where you will visit the famous market. There are many opportunities to see Nicaraguan handicrafts and to buy them for a reasonable price. Before driving to the charming colonial city of Granada, you will visit the traditional village of Catarina, specialised in plant cultivation, from where you will have a magnificent view of Laguna Apoyo and the surrounding region. 
> Journey time approx. 3.5 hours
> Route: 200 km

Take a city tour of the charming colonial city of Granada. Visit the most important sights, such as the Convento & Museo San Francisco with statues from Zapatera Island, the church La Merced with a great view of the city and the Casa de los Tres Mundos. A visit to a small cigar factory is also worthwhile. Here you have the opportunity to roll a cigar yourself. A trip to the "Isletas" - an archipelago consisting of over 350 small islands of volcanic origin - and to the Mombacho volcano is also recommended. 
> Journey time approx. 9 minutes
> Distance: 10 km

This day is at leisure. Enjoy a beautiful day in Granada.

Today you will drive on the Panamericana past sugar cane, papaya and banana plantations to the small port town of San Jorge. Here you take the ferry and cross over to the island of Ometepe. From Moyogalpa - one of the capitals of the island - you continue to your hotel. On the way, you will visit the legendary Charco Verde - known for its dark green lake, lush vegetation and numerous birds. Afterwards, you will visit the natural spring "Ojo de Agua", where you can refresh yourself with a bath in the clear spring water. The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure at your accommodation.

The following day is at your leisure. Adventurers can climb to the top of Maderas, where a cloud forest, a lagoon, many birds and other animals can be seen. There are beautiful rivers and waterfalls to swim in on the island and visiting a coffee or banana plantation is also worthwhile. Ometepe is somewhat isolated from the rest of Nicaragua, which gives the island a certain mystery and charm. 
> Journey time approx. 15 minutes
> Distance: 12 km

This morning you will leave your hotel and drive back to Moyogalpa to catch the ferry to San Jorge. Then drive to San Juan del Sur. You will visit Rivas and San Juan del Sur Mirador, where you will have a magnificent view of the bay. Afterwards, the journey continues back to Managua. Drop off your rental car in the evening.

Transfer to the airport and flight to Panama City. Reception at the airport and transfer to the hotel. The remaining day is at leisure.

After breakfast, you will set off for the first sightseeing tour of this fascinating city founded in 1519. The ravishing scenery of skyscrapers, noble mansions and green hills will inspire you. First you will visit the Miraflores Locks of the Panama Canal. There you will get a good overview of how the huge ships manoeuvre in and out. Then it's off to the old town of Casco Antiguo. On a walking tour you will see unique 17th and 18th century buildings, the remarkable cathedral and the San José Church with its magnificent altar. Afterwards, you will visit Panama Viejo from the 16th century. After the historical journey through the city, you will reach your city hotel in the afternoon.

This day is at leisure.

Take a historic train ride from Panama City to Colón on the original preserved railway. The journey takes one hour and takes you through jungle areas and across Lake Gatun, always along the Panama Canal. The line was completed in 1855. The French Panama Canal Company acquired the railway line in 1880 to help build the canal. In 1904, the Americans bought the canal as well as the railway line and operated it until 1979. In 1998, the railway line became private property and was renovated. Since 2001, the line has been open to traffic again and is a unique attraction. After the train ride, we go from Colón to the port of San Lorenzo. The port, which dates back to the 15th century, was a collection point for the treasures coming from Peru, which were shipped from there to Spain. Located in the middle of the tropical jungle, the complex of ruins includes a series of forts, castle and palace buildings, fortifications and walls arranged in a line surrounding the bay. Before heading back to Panama City, you will visit the new Agua Clara locks. These are part of the canal expansion that was opened in June 2016.

In the morning you set off for a very special experience: the crossing of the Panama Canal, steeped in history. You will travel through part of this technical marvel, pass through various locks and receive interesting information about the history of the canal. You can watch the huge cargo ships manoeuvre and later enjoy lunch on the ship. Return to Panama City and last overnight stay. 
> The partial crossing is only possible on Fridays and Saturdays.

Transfer to the airport for the return flight to Germany.