An Adventure through Central America

• 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
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  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
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  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
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  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