Central America Tours
- Ometepe Island (Nicaragua)
- Bay Islands (Honduras)
- Antigua (Guatemala)
- Bocas del Toro (Panama)
- Lake Atitlan/Panajachel (Guatemala)
- Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave (Belize)
- Havana (Cuba)
- Tikal (Guatemala)
- Palenque (Mexico)
- Playa Hermosa (Costa Rica)
Diversity. The word sums up Central America travel. So geographically close to the frenzy of North America, yet a million miles away in culture and lifestyle, this small area changes colours as quickly as a chameleon. Each country is so different that a simple border crossing will bring a whole new mix of surprises and cultural experiences. If beach life and water activities are your thing then a Central America tour is perfect for you. Snorkeling, sailing, SCUBA diving, surfing, parasailing, swimming and windsurfing are all possible in virtually any Central American country. For history and culture buffs the archaeological ruins of Tikal in Guatemala or Copan in Honduras are fascinating reminders of the ancient Mayan civilization. Whether you have just a week or a full month to travel, Central America has something for you.
Backroads of Central America (CRBR)
Take the road less travelled through Central America with other travellers your own age—so you can be sure to get down with other adventurers that’ll keep up. This is one of our most exciting trips, filled with breathtaking scenery—from tropical rainforests alive with jungle melodies to colonial cities bouncing to a decidedly more human beat. You'll blaze your own path as you discover a region of volcanoes, craters, beaches and lush forests. Sticking to budget accommodation and public transport will keep costs down and you rooted in local life.
Highlights: Connecting with your hosts in an Ometepe homestay experience, laughing with the locals during a journey on a chicken bus, blissing out on a stretch of remote Nicaraguan beach, strolling through Antigua's colonial streets, exploring Mayan ruins, hiking through a cloud forest, sampling local cuisine.
Basic Costa Rica (CRCR)
Stay flexible in Costa Rica on this unique 2-week adventure. You'll hit the volcanoes, a cloud forest and both of the incredible coasts. Chill out on white sand beaches and explore pristine wildlife reserves. Best of all, this trip gives you the flexibility to create the adventure of a lifetime, so you can soar across the treetops by zipline, rappel down a waterfall or learn to surf the Pacific breaks. Take a trip that's packed with just the essentials—everything you need to explore the diversity and beauty of Costa Rica.
Highlights: Chilling out on the Caribbean and Pacific, cruising across Lake Arenal with beautiful views of Arenal Volcano, opportunities to go whitewater rafting, horseback riding along the beach or flying through the cloud forest canopy.
- Trip Style:
- Classic
- Trip Type:
- Small Group
- Service Level:
- Basic
- Physical Grading:
- 2
Belize & Tikal Adventure (BHH)
Follow in the footsteps of Mayan warriors to lost cities cloaked in jungle mists. This adventure offers an intriguing mix of ruins, beaches, wildlife and the rich cultures of Belize and Guatemala. A perfect blend of activity and relaxation—spend three days canoeing deep in the jungle and snorkelling the crystal-clear turquoise-blue waters before easing into the laidback Belizean lifestyle while sipping on a rum cocktail. As pioneers of canoeing in the region, we are pleased to offer this classic trip—one you won’t find anywhere else.
Highlights: River canoeing in central Belize, spotting tropical sea life while snorkelling the barrier reef, exploring the jungle-set ruins of Tikal, listening to reggae music as you walk down Caye Caulker's sandy main street.
- Trip Style:
- Classic
- Trip Type:
- Small Group
- Service Level:
- Standard
- Physical Grading:
- 3
Best of Central America (CRBO)
From ancient ruins to active volcanoes, get off the beaten track and discover extraordinary Central America—on a shoestring. Make sure your passport has space because this exciting 32-day trip hits most of Central America as it covers tropical rainforests, volcanoes, colonial cities and all the breathtaking scenery in between. Explore indigenous Mayan villages and soak in the region's incredible culture. Our CEOs will ensure your accommodation and transportation are covered—so you can choose the activities and sights that interest you—the adventure is yours to choose!
Highlights: Bargaining at local markets, exploring a misty cloud forest in Monteverde, taking in breathtaking Ometepe Island, blissing out on a stretch of remote Nicaraguan beach, walking the colonial streets of colourful Granada and Antigua, snorkelling coral reefs, spending the night at Guatemalan and Nicaraguan homestays, exploring Mayan ruins of Copán and Tikal.
Central American Journey (JCS)
Escape the resorts and discover something extraordinary in Central America. Visit six countries on this classic adventure and experience mighty ruins, clear Caribbean waters, rainforests and breathtaking scenery along the way. Explore indigenous Mayan villages and meet locals for an immersive experience that few travellers get to know. While you're free to choose your own adventure, your accommodation and transportation are included and our expert CEOs will help you make the most of your time. Take a trip that's packed with all the things you need and nothing you don't—32 days of maximum adventure at minimum cost.
Highlights: Relaxing on white sand beaches, exploring the ruins of Copán and Tikal, bargaining at the local markets of colourful colonial Antigua and Granada, experiencing an overnight homestay in Guatemala and Nicaragua, interacting with the locals on chicken buses, experiencing the misty Monteverde cloud forest.
Central Cuba Adventure (CCCA)
Enjoy the sights and sounds of central Cuba on this week-long adventure to some of the famous sites that have drawn outsiders to this magical island over the last several decades. Journey through history-infused Havana and the cobblestone streets of Trinidad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then head to Cienfuegos for some relaxing at the beach and a tour of its impressive bay. Visit monuments to the icons of the revolution and experience a side of Cuba few rarely get to see by foregoing your hotel a few nights for a local homestay.
Highlights: Experiencing life as a local in a homestay, cruising along the Bay of Cienfuegos, dancing salsa and enjoying live music, exploring colonial Havana's alleyways.
Classic Costa Rica (CRCRD)
Connect with nature’s best in Costa Rica. Explore the lush rainforests full of exotic flora and fauna. Relax in the hot springs near Arenal Volcano and later enjoy a tortilla-making lesson and lunch with a local family. Learn how chocolate is made on a tour at La Tirimbina Rainforest Center and then enjoy a bird’s-eye view of Monteverde’s cloud forest atop a treetop canopy. Costa Rica is a world famous destination known for beautiful landscapes from the ground up.
Highlights: Learning about the Sarapiqui rainforest and Monteverde cloudforest with local naturalists, Partaking in demonstrations by experts on how chocolate and coffee get from the forest to your table, Sharing lunch and a cooking demonstration in a local family's home
- Trip Style:
- Discovery Adventures
- Trip Type:
- Small Group
- Service Level:
- Comfort
- Physical Grading:
- 2
Costa Rica Active Adventure (CRSM)
Trekking, biking, horseback riding, kayaking, ziplining… Costa Rica really is the 'Adventure Capital of the Americas'. Thrill-seekers will find more than enough to keep themselves busy over this trip’s 13 action-packed days. After landing in San José, you’ll raft down the mighty Pacuare river before crossing over to our remote rainforest lodge, surrounded on all sides by the thick, enveloping jungle. From there, you’ll embark on four days of cycling and hiking around Monteverde and the Arenal Volcano, before heading down to the beach at Manuel Antonio National Park. Phew! Tired yet? No? Time to book!
Highlights: Traversing streams and jungle hiking in Sarapiquí Rainforest, paddling through world-class rapids, mountain biking along breathtaking Arenal Lake, chilling to the sounds of crashing Pacific waves.
Costa Rica Adventure (CRA)
If you’re looking for a taste of Costa Rica’s world-class highlights but want to keep things spicy with a sampling of hidden treasures, this action-packed adventure tops the menu. In spite of its small size, Costa Rica is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world—explore its volcanoes, wildlife, rainforests and beaches. This adventure offers a great balance of guided excursions and free time. Optional activities abound—choose to get your adrenaline pumping or take it easy with a stroll through a butterfly garden.
Highlights: Spotting wildlife while cruising through canals, searching for the elusive quetzal bird, hiking through jungles, chilling on the gorgeous Pacific coast, Searching for dolphins on a sunset sail or going whitewater rafting.
Costa Rica Explorer (CRE)
Costa Rica has as many microclimates as it does opportunities for active adventures—and this 2-week journey will bring you the best of both. There's a visit to a cloud forest, but for a bigger jolt, try rappelling down waterfalls or flying across ziplines above the treetops. For a different pace, float through the canals of the Tortuguero National Park and visit turtle nesting grounds if you choose. From the Caribbean beaches to the Pacific, this stunning tour embodies some of the best that Costa Rica has to offer.
Highlights: Spotting wildlife while cruising the canals of Tortuguero, enjoying spectacular volcano views, hiking the trails of reserves and national parks, relaxing on the Pacific beaches.
Costa Rica Family Experience (CRFS)
Nothing brings learning to life like real-world experience. This week-long trip’s engaging lesson plan gives your kids an education in biology and ecology they’ll never get in a textbook. Here, you’ll spend five life-changing days studying the flora and fauna that inhabit the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve and Manuel Antonio National Park. Elsewhere, you’ll get in touch with the land by rappelling, rafting, swimming, horseback-riding and even surfing all over it. Science + gym? You do the math.
Highlights: Learning to surf on Costa Rica's pristine beaches, visiting a local family to learn to make tortillas, Spotting nature in dense cloud forest, enjoying the natural beauty of Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge.
Costa Rica Kayaking Adventure (CRKA)
Glide straight into the core of the Costa Rican experience when you hit two of Costa Rica’s hot spots in a kayak. Beginners and more experienced kayakers are welcome—for the nature lover, the scenery’s the point, not the sweat! Cruise through the canals of Tortuguero in search of monkeys and sloths, and then get really wild at Lake Arenal, the centre of adventure sports like paddleboarding. Experience lush greenery and Caribbean flavour from a whole different level when you kayak Costa Rica.
Highlights: Glide through the canals of Tortuguero by kayak, search for wildlife in the dense green forest canopy, view the beautiful vistas from your kayak on Lake Arenal, try your hand at stand-up paddleboarding
Costa Rica on a Shoestring (CRBC)
Hit two of Costa Rica's famed features—volcanoes and beaches—on this exciting trip that isn't too hard on the wallet. Get the adrenaline pumping in La Fortuna, then soak up the hippie spirit of Montezuma and relax on the beach. While you're free to choose your own adventure and optional adrenaline-inducing activities like waterfall rappelling, your accommodation and transportation are included and our expert CEOs will help you make the most of your time. Take a trip that's packed with just the essentials—eight days of maximum Costa Rica at minimum cost.
Highlights: Trying adrenaline sports like whitewater rafting and waterfall rappelling, taking in the views of Arenal Volcano towering over La Fortuna, chilling out on the Pacific, trying to catch some waves.
Costa Rica Quest (CRQ)
Nature called you to Costa Rica—now here you are, suspended in the jungle canopy, locking eyes with a curious monkey. This action-packed tour of Costa Rica’s highlights is perfect for the adventurer with limited time who wants to explore the region’s diversity. Get your adrenaline pumping, follow a trail to the base of a waterfall, melt away in thermal springs or bliss out on a beach—our CEOs will help you find the secluded spots only the locals know.
Highlights: Soaking in the thermal hot springs of Arenal Volcano, searching for the elusive quetzal bird in the cloud forest, watching the sunset over the Pacific.
Costa Rica Volcanoes & Surf (CRVS)
Mountain bike along Lake Arenal with breathtaking volcanic views and catch a wave on this action-packed 9-day tour of Costa Rica. Get your adrenaline pumping with optional extreme sports like whitewater rafting, rappelling and ziplining through the lush jungle canopy. Learn to surf the famous Pacific breaks at Playa Hermosa and enjoy plenty of time to relax on tropical beaches. Throw in the opportunity to see incredible rainforest wildlife and you've got a unique adventure you'll be talking about for years.
Highlights: Surfing the waves of one of the best breaks in the country, Catching views of Arenal Volcano from a lakeside mountain bike ride, Searching for the elusive quetzal bird in the cloud forest, Watching the sunset over the Pacific.
- Trip Style:
- Classic
- Trip Type:
- Small Group
- Service Level:
- Standard
- Physical Grading:
- 3
Cuba Colonial (CCC)
The melody of horns floating through the air, classic cars parked in colonial squares and revolutionary statues—get over the resort wall and discover the real Cuba! Travel east to Santiago de Cuba and Baracoa and encounter the birthplace of Cuban rhythms and revolutionary fervour. Soak in Spanish heritage while exploring churches, forts and cobblestone streets. Overnight in homestays for an immersive Cuban experience few travellers get to experience. Don't just walk down the road less travelled—dance down it. Viva la Revolución!
Highlights: Dancing salsa with the locals, walking in Che Guevara's footsteps, bonding with your host family in a homestay, exploring breathtaking beaches.
Cuba Explorer (CCCE)
Explore a side of Cuba that few rarely get to experience on this 9-day adventure. Cruise Havana’s history-infused streets in a classic car and stroll along Trinidad’s cobblestone avenues to the rhythms of music floating from open windows. Tour a tobacco plantation for a taste of iconic Cuban culture and luxuriate in the view of the island’s rolling western hills. Travel by private air-conditioned van is well-paced, so you're refreshed and ready to explore the island’s vibrant culture and incredible Caribbean beaches.
Highlights: Cruising through Havana in a vintage automobile, watching the making of the famous Cuban cigar at a local factory, blissing out on a beautiful beach overlooking the blue Caribbean.
- Trip Style:
- G-Plus
- Trip Type:
- Small Group
- Service Level:
- Comfort
- Physical Grading:
- 2
Cuba Family Adventure (CCFA)
Cuba’s past is well-known, but what of its present? Take the family and find out for yourself on this jam-packed 12-day adventure that celebrates the island’s colonial past and vibrant modern-day culture. Here, you’ll learn to salsa in Havana, go swimming in Cueva de los Peces, explore colonial Trinidad and learn about the revolution in historic Santa Clara. Blessed with history, culture and unspoiled natural splendour, Cuba is captivating, indoors and out.
Highlights: Cruising through Havana in a vintage automobile, Blissing out on a beautiful beach overlooking the Caribbean, Exploring Indian Cave by boat, Walking among karst peaks, visiting a crocodile farm, learning about fascinating Cuban history.
Cuba Libre (CCL)
Walking through the pincushion hills, wandering amongst orchids and lush mountain coffee plantations—see another side of the island on this week-long tour through the ‘Garden Province’ of Cuba. Tour a tobacco plantation, snorkel crystal clear waters full of colourful coral and search for the pirates of lore along the Guanahacabibes Peninsula. Soak up local culture in a homestay for an immersive experience that travellers rarely get to know. Let our experienced CEO lead you off the beaten path and discover the cultural treasures of Cuba.
Highlights: Blissing out on the beautiful beaches, Experiencing Cuban hospitality during a homestay overnight, visiting a factory that produces world famous Cuban cigars.
Cuban Rhythms (CCCR)
For too many people, Cuba is nothing more than a beach resort. That’s crazy; the island practically buzzes with energy and you should do likewise—get moving. Journey through the culture-soaked streets of Trinidad and Old Havana for your fill of drinking and dancing. The music here pours out of open windows. Hit the beach and explore the outdoors then connect with the locals in homestays and make friends for life as you hit the sites with other young people like yourself. Boring? Impossible!
Highlights: Dancing the night away with other young travellers in Old Havana, mingling with the locals at overnight homestays, sampling the local rum and cigars, connecting to the salsa culture on the dance floor, moving those hips to incredible live music, exploring colonial Havana's alleyways, lazing under the Caribbean sun.
| Trip | Length | Style | Service Level | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backroads of Central America (CRBR) | 17 days | Yolo | Basic |
From
$1449
USD
|
| Basic Costa Rica (CRCR) | 14 days | Classic | Basic |
From
$990
USD
Promotions Available!
Was
$1099
|
| Belize & Tikal Adventure (BHH) | 15 days | Classic | Standard |
From
$1402
USD
Promotions Available!
Was
$1649
|
| Best of Central America (CRBO) | 32 days | Yolo | Basic |
From
$2599
USD
|
| Central American Journey (JCS) | 32 days | Yolo | Basic |
From
$2499
USD
|
| Central Cuba Adventure (CCCA) | 8 days | Classic | Standard |
From
$899
USD
|
| Classic Costa Rica (CRCRD) | 9 days | Discovery Adventures | Comfort |
From
$1240
USD
Promotions Available!
Was
$1549
|
| Costa Rica Active Adventure (CRSM) | 13 days | Active | Standard |
From
$1299
USD
|
| Costa Rica Adventure (CRA) | 16 days | Classic | Standard |
From
$1449
USD
|
| Costa Rica Explorer (CRE) | 14 days | G-Plus | Comfort |
From
$1799
USD
|
| Costa Rica Family Experience (CRFS) | 8 days | Family | Comfort |
From
$999
USD
|
| Costa Rica Kayaking Adventure (CRKA) | 9 days | Active | Standard |
From
$699
USD
|
| Costa Rica on a Shoestring (CRBC) | 8 days | Yolo | Basic |
From
$649
USD
|
| Costa Rica Quest (CRQ) | 9 days | Classic | Standard |
From
$999
USD
|
| Costa Rica Volcanoes & Surf (CRVS) | 9 days | Classic | Standard |
From
$1215
USD
Promotions Available!
Was
$1349
|
| Cuba Colonial (CCC) | 15 days | Classic | Standard |
From
$1599
USD
|
| Cuba Explorer (CCCE) | 9 days | G-Plus | Comfort |
From
$1530
USD
Promotions Available!
Was
$1699
|
| Cuba Family Adventure (CCFA) | 12 days | Family | Comfort |
From
$1099
USD
|
| Cuba Libre (CCL) | 8 days | Classic | Standard |
From
$899
USD
|
| Cuban Rhythms (CCCR) | 8 days | Yolo | Basic |
From
$649
USD
|
