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An Adventure through Central America
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- Overview
- Itinerary
- What's Included
- Dates
- Just You
This tour, which takes you through six countries in Central America, is the adventure of a lifetime. Dense rainforests and smouldering volcanoes, exotic wildlife and iconic Mayan treasures – all are yours to discover as you head from Panama to Guatemala.
Excursions Included
- Scenic cruise on Gatun Lake
- Visit the fortified city of Portobelo
- A thrilling journey on the Panama Canal Railway
- Tour of Panama City & Miraflores Locks
- Visit Irazu Volcano National Park, the tallest volcano in Costa Rica
- Lankester Gardens & Orosi Valley
- Aerial tram ride over primary rainforest & visit to the Earth University
- Visit La Selva Biological Station
- Tour of Cano Negro Wetlands & farm visit
- Walking tour of Granada
- Discover the Granada Islets and the White Villages
- Tour of Managua
- San Salvador tour
- The archaeological site of Joya de Ceren
- Visit the Maya ruins at Copan
- Quirigua, famous for its stone carvings
- Tour of the Caribbean town of Livingston
- Boat trip to Cano Dulce & visit to San Felipe Fort
- The incredible site of Tikal
Accommodation
- Eurostars Panama City
- The Eurostars Panama City Hotel is located in the Downtown area of Panama City, close to 2 large shopping malls - perfect for grabbing anything you may have forgotten. A buffet breakfast is served daily, that offers a fantastic view of Panama''s skyline.
- Double Tree by Hilton Hotel Cariari San Jose
- 4-star Double Tree Cariari Hotel by Hilton, located in typical colonial hacienda is a sustainable hotel and offers spacious and comfortable guest rooms with en-suite facilities. Guests can enjoy various drinks at Bar Chiquiri or some local Costa-Rican meals at Las Tejas Restaurant. At the same time, breakfast can be enjoyed in the many poolside shaded areas. In addition to all luxurious facilities featured in the hotel, Double Tree Cariari also offers a casino and a beauty salon.
- Selva Verde
- The Selva Verde is located in the midst of the 500 acre Sarapiqui Rainforest Preservation Area. The rainforest is home to over 300 bird species and over 100 species of mammals. Hotel facilities include a bar and restaurant that sits alongside the Sarapiqui River, swimming pool and gift shop.
- Natural Lodge Cano Negro
- As per many of the lodges within Costa Rica, the hotel is surrounded with beautiful grounds, don’t be surprised if a monkey suddenly appears! Hotel facilities include a bar, restaurant and pool. The hotel has also been awarded an incredible 3 leaves award for their sustainability projects.
- Paraiso Granada Hotel
- Globales Camino Real
- The Globale Camino Real is a relatively large hotel in Managua. Hotel facilities include; a large pool with poolside restaurant. Room facilities include; complimentary Wi-Fi, alarm clock, desk and safe deposit box.
- Hotel Mirador Plaza
- Located in El Salvador next to Torre Futura, World Trade Centre, restaurants and shopping centres. Hotels facilities include breakfast buffet, restaurant and bar.
- Hotel Marina Copan
- The 3-star Hotel Marina Copan is situated overlooking the Central Plaza of Copan. Hotel facilities include a restaurant, bar and a swimming pool. Bedrooms have private facilities and air-conditioning.
- Hotel Villa Caribe
- The Villa Caribe is located in the beautiful Livingston, famed for its Garifuna culture in Guatemala. Hotel facilities include; a restaurant, pool, safety deposit box and also a lovely private beach
- Villa Maya
- Villa Maya is 45 minutes' drive from Tikal National Park, providing the perfect base for the area's exploration. Hotel facilities include private bathrooms, hot water and air conditioning. The hotel has numerous facilities, including two outdoor swimming pools, outdoor jacuzzi, sun beds and beautifully kept gardens
- Barcelo Premium
- The Barceló Guatemala City is a large modern hotel with elegantly furnished rooms. Hotel facilities include a swimming pool and fitness studio. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.
Destinations
- Costa Rica
- North America
- Nicaragua
- Tikal
- Panama City
- Granada
- Central America
Tour Types
- Classic Touring
- Tours
- Singles
- Adventure
- Cultural
- History
- Scenic
- DAY 1 UK to Panama City
- Depart on your scheduled flight to Panama City today via Newark. You'll stay for two nights in Panama's cosmopolitan capital. Get to know your travelling companions over a welcome drink.
- DAY 2 Panama City
- We'll start our explorations of Panama with a visit to Gatun Lake, an artificial lake which forms a major part of the Panama Canal. On a scenic cruise you'll sail past lush rainforest, so keep a lookout for thrilling wildlife including capuchin and howler monkeys, threetoed sloth and many species of tropical birds, including toucans. Our next stop is the fortified city of Portobelo, discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1502 and once the only port of entry and exit for the whole of South America.
Our final highlight of the day is a ride on the Panama Canal Railway, an incredibly scenic route which takes us from the Pacific to the Atlantic following the banks of the famous canal.
- DAY 3 Heredia, Costa Rica
- This morning's guided tour will introduce you to both sides of Panama City. The modern district's skyline is dominated by towering skyscrapers, while the UNESCO-listed Old Town is home to architecture dating back to the days of the Spanish Conquest. We'll also see the Miraflores Locks, which form part of the Panama Canal, before we fly to Costa Rica, for a two-night stay.
- DAY 4 Heredia, Costa Rica
-
We'll discover some of the incredible natural wonders of Costa Rica on today's included tour. First we'll head to Irazu Volcano National Park, to see the country's tallest volcano which resides in an area of primary, secondary and cloud forest. We'll then head to Lankester Botanical Garden, where more than 3,000 plants, including 1,000 species of orchid, offer a year-round display of colour. Our tour ends in the Orosi Valley where we'll visit a traditional village whose colonial church was built by Franciscan missionaries.
- DAY 5 Sarapiqui, Costa Rica
- An exciting highlight today is an aerial tram ride through the rainforest. This trip takes us through the treetops of primary forest in the company of a naturalist guide. After this we'll visit the Earth University, where we'll learn about the country's biodiversity as we tour a banana plantation and a forest reserve. During a 1.2-mile trek, we'll see, hear and smell many species of native plants. The forest is also home to three of the four types of monkey found in Costa Rica, many types of insect and more than 150 species of birds.
- DAY 6 Caño Negro, Costa Rica
-
Today we head to Caño Negro, where we'll stay for two nights. En route we'll stop at La Selva Biological Station, an ecology research facility where we'll see some of the country's most immaculate primary tropical rainforest. We'll enjoy dinner at the hotel this evening.
- DAY 7 Caño Negro, Costa Rica
- On this day of discovery we'll start with a boat tour of Caño Negro's wetlands. The area is home to more than 350 species of birds including the great blue heron, wood storks, black-bellied whistling duck and the endangered jabiru, as well as caimans, sloths and monkeys. We'll also visit a farm to learn about the growing and harvesting of medicinal plants. We'll gather again this evening for dinner at the hotel.
- DAY 8 Laguna de Apoyo, Nicaragua
- Today we'll journey by road into Nicaragua, where we'll stay in Laguna de Apoyo for two nights. Before checking into our hotel we'll visit Granada, the oldest city in the country, for a guided tour. We'll see the striking blue San Francisco Church and its convent, which is home to a fascinating museum.
- DAY 9 Laguna de Apoyo, Nicaragua
- Thousands of years ago the Mombacho Volcano erupted, throwing huge rocks into Lake Nicaragua. These are now known as the Granada Islets. We'll enjoy a cruise here today. Some of the islets are uninhabited and some feature grand houses. Birdlife is plentiful here, so look out for cormorants, herons, parrots, vultures and many more species.
Our tour concludes as we head to the White Villages – picturesque rural communities scattered amongst the hillsides whose buildings were constructed using volcanic rock and limestone. Each village specialises in a different traditional craft, and, with an average elevation of around 1,600 feet, the view from each is spectacular.
- DAY 10 Managua
- After breakfast our tour continues as we head to Nicaragua's capital Managua, where we stay tonight. Badly damaged by earthquakes in 1931 and 1972, much of the city centre has never been rebuilt, so the dilapidated buildings we'll see here are a haunting reminder of nature's power. Perhaps pick up a locally crafted souvenir in Roberto Huembes Market.
- DAY 11 San Salvador, El Salvador
- This morning we head to the airport for our flight to El Salvador, Central America's smallest country. On arrival we include a tour of its capital San Salvador and a visit to the Military Museum of El Salvador which is located in former barracks. Later, we visit the town of Suchitoto before returning to our hotel.
- DAY 12 Copan, Honduras
- Today's journey by road takes us to Copan in Honduras. En route we'll make a stop at Joya de Ceren, an ancient Maya farming community which was buried by volcanic ash, preserving it incredibly well. We'll stay in Copan for two nights.
- DAY 13 Copan, Honduras
- The archaeological site of Copan is the most studied Mayan site in the world, and we'll visit this morning. Among the incredible stone sculptures here we'll discover the Great Plaza and the huge pyramidal Acropolis. The rest of the day is free for you to spend at leisure.
- DAY 14 Livingston, Guatemala
- Our day begins with a drive to Puerto Barrios, Guatemala's main Caribbean Sea port, where we board a boat for our journey to Livingston. En route to our hotel, where we'll stay for two nights, we'll visit the UNESCO-listed site of Quirigua. Here we'll admire its famous stelae, or stone carvings, the largest of which is 35 feet high, five feet wide and carved from a single piece of stone.
- DAY 15 Livingston, Guatemala
- The enchanting Caribbean town of Livingston was founded by the Garifuna people in around 1795. Today their local traditions, customs, cuisine and music set the town apart from the rest of Guatemala and we'll discover it on an included tour. An afternoon at leisure gives you the chance to explore further with your travelling companions or to relax and enjoy the facilities at your hotel, which enjoys a lovely position overlooking the Caribbean Sea.
- DAY 16 Flores, Guatemala
- After breakfast we embark on a boat trip on the Dulce River to the Ak'Tenamit co-operative, a social development organisation that supports local community projects. We'll also visit the San Felipe Fort, built to stop pirates entering the region from the Caribbean.
- DAY 17 Tikal & Guatemala City
- UNESCO-listed Tikal is one of the most fascinating archaeological sites of the Americas and we will enjoy a guided tour here this morning. At its peak, the city was one of the most powerful Mayan kingdoms. The extensive ruins of temples, palaces and plazas lie among the tropical rainforests of northern Guatemala. This afternoon we'll fly to Guatemala City for an overnight stay.
- DAYS 18 & 19 Guatemala City to UK
On day 18 we fly back to the UK, arriving on day 19.
- Just You Tour Manager as your host
- Return flights from Heathrow with United Airlines via Newark
- Use of an airport lounge in the UK
- 17 nights in 3 and 4-star hotels plus 1 night in flight
- 21 meals: 17 breakfast, 2 lunches, 2 dinners
- All excursions included
PLUS…
- Specialist Local Guide
- Welcome drink
- Overseas transfers & other transportation
- Porterage
- Dedicated Just You representative to greet you at all UK airports
You will have the option to book your own flights independently with the operator.
Touring with Just You
Just You are an award winning singles touring holiday specialist. They provide amazing touring experiences for singles, groups of friends travelling on their own who want single rooms and also those who have to travel independently from their partners, but don’t want to travel alone.
Travelling solo is liberating and with the right ingredients it’s the perfect way to see the world. Just You mix everything together to create the ideal travel experience for independent globe trotters. They think it’s a bit like making a cake. A sprinkle of culture, a good pinch of fun, a dash of freedom and a drop of adventure, with your Tour Manager and fellow travellers providing the icing on top.
They’ve been developing itineraries for single travellers for almost a decade. Every trip is hosted by an experienced Tour Manager, while Local Guides add extra insight. They stick to this formula because they know it works. Their customers score them nearly 100% for their knowledge and tell them they’re second to none – an A* in anyone’s book!
With single rooms at no supplement; a meet and greet at the airport; flights or rail included; overseas transfers and other transportation; many meals, exciting excursions, and the option to join in as much or as little as you like, you can’t ask for more.
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