Guatemala with its tropical climate, giant mountains and vast lakes, is known for its natural wonders. This trip begins in Antigua, home to the Santa Catalina Arch and the Hill of the Cross. This Guatemalan city is famous for being one of the best places to study Spanish and has gorgeous scenery, including views of volcanoes. From there, travelers will head East to Honduras, a country full of Mayan ruins and beautiful beaches. Travelers' first stop in Honduras are the ruins of Copan, a historic Mayan town. Here, they can visit the Luna Jaguar hot springs or go on a tour of the ruins. Travelers will then cross into El Salvador, visit Suchitoto, and then head to La Libertad Region, an area full of beach towns where the group can relax or take a surf lesson. After this, travelers will venture into Leon, Nicaragua’s commercial and agricultural center. The next stop in Nicaragua is Granada, a city full of colorful buildings and one of the oldest occupied colonial cities. Here, travelers can hike and explore, go on a day excursion to Masaya Volcano, visit Mi Museo Cultural Museum, or visit Laguna de Apoyo. Travelers will then enter Costa Rica, a country known for its biodiversity with features such as beaches, volcanoes and rainforests. They will visit Isla de Ometepe here, which is known for its petroglyphs and stone idols. Travelers can go to Ojo de Agua swimming hole, visit beaches or go hiking. Next, travelers will visit Monteverde and its cloud forests. The mountainous Monteverde is home to the highest concentration of orchids on Earth. While here, travelers can go zip lining, visit a butterfly garden, go horseback riding or take a coffee plantation tour. Before the trip concludes, travelers will see La Fortuna. They can participate in a Venado Caves Exploration, go on a wildlife refuge tour, or swim in La Fortuna waterfalls. This trip ends in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, where travelers can explore the city and even go rafting on the Sarapiqui River before departure.
This is a 17 day trip and costs $1499. This trip is a G Adventures’ 18-Thirtysomethings trip geared toward young, budget minded travelers. G Adventures is a sustainable, small-group tour company that has been leading travelers for 35+ years. They have been pioneers in community tourism, and their trips directly benefit the local communities they visit. They have a responsible travel effort called G For Good and partner with the nonprofit Planeterra, dedicated to ensuring communities touched by tourism benefit from it. They were rated one of CATALYST PLANET’s 8 Best Sustainable Travel Companies.