El Salvador: Essentials
Highlights
- Get to know San Salvador– explore its galleries and museums, dive into the teeming markets, where travelers are greeted with typical guanaco hospitality.
- Go kayaking on the lake, take a boat tour with local fishermen or visit impressive waterfalls and caves in Suchitoto.
- Visit captivating UNESCO-declared ruins of Joya de Ceren – known as the Pompeii of the Americas.
- Relax in one of Ahuachapan’s popular hot springs.
- Learn/practice surfing in El Tunco – a little village on the Pacific known for its vibrant weekend party scene, beautiful black-sandy beaches, and significant international crowd.
Overview
Join our 8-day “El Salvador: Essentials Tour” to explore la Ruta de las Flores prior to arrival to the surfing hub of El Tunco, spending the last days enjoying the waves or swinging in a hammock on the beach. Situated between Guatemala and Honduras, El Salvador is often bypassed by travelers focused on other more famous Central American attractions. Despite this fact, the country has plenty of offerings to a curious visitor. Our journey starts in a beautiful capital city of San Salvador and leads to the whitewashed village of Suchitoto and further to ancient Mesoamerican ruins carefully hidden in the lush nature reserve of Ahuachapan.
- Day 1 - San Salvador
Welcome to San Salvador – a handsome Central American capital surrounded by green-tipped volcanoes, pleasant leafy suburbs, and filled with outstanding galleries and museums. Arrive at any time and take a taxi/shuttle bus to your accommodation. Take your time to rest or explore the city before meeting your Tour Leader and the rest of the group for a welcome meeting followed by an optional dinner in one of the local restaurants in the evening.
Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guesthouse in San Salvador
Activities Included: welcome meeting - Day 2 - San Salvador – Suchitoto
Start your day with a walking tour around the historic center before going to a beautiful town of Suchitoto in the afternoon. Architecture buffs will love its colonial buildings, while outdoor types can choose between numerous hikes to waterfalls, caves, and Suchitlán Lake, with trails beginning just meters from the town. Suchitoto is also a bird migration zone with over 200 species: thousands of hawks and falcons fill the skies as the season’s change and birds of all sorts nest in the relative safety of the lake islands. After arrival and visit to impressive basaltic prisms of nearby Cascada Los Tercios, join a walking tour around the town followed optional dinner & get-together with a group in one of the local restaurants in the evening.
Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guesthouse in Suchitoto
Meals Included: breakfast
Activities Included: walking tours in San Salvador & Suchitoto; visit of la Cascada Los Tercios - Day 3 - Suchitoto
After a boat trip on the lake and Market Food Tour in the morning, choose either to explore the town or do some other outdoor activities: hike in the Cinquera Forest, kayak on Suchitlan Lake, tour the Guazapa Volcano or visit nearby Cihuatan Ruins.
Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guesthouse in Suchitoto
Meals Included: breakfast
Activities Included: boat trip on the Suchitlan Lake; Market Food Tour (Suchitoto) - Day 4 - Suchitoto – Joya de Ceren – Tazumal Ruins – Ahuachapan
In the morning, continue our “El Salvador: Essentials Tour” heading to Ahuachapan. On your way visit captivating UNESCO-listed ruins of Joya de Ceren known as the Pompeii of the Americas, enjoy the beauty of Lake Coatepeque, then stop again to explore impressive Tazumal Ruins. Situated at the beginning of the Ruta de las Flores, Ahuachapán is a prosperous, small provincial capital that supplies 15% of the country’s electrical power thanks to the wonders of geothermal energy. The town has a pretty colonial center and it is also a jumping-off point for some of the highlights of western El Salvador. In the evening explore its vibrant streets before an optional dinner & get-together with your group at one of the local restaurants.
Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guesthouse in Ahuachapán
Meals Included: breakfast
Activities Included: guided visits to Joya de Ceren Archaeological Site & Tazumal Ruins; panoramic stop at Lake Coatepeque; walking tour in Ahuachapan - Day 5 - Ahuachapan
Spend your day exploring la Ruta de las Flores – a 36 km-long serene and verdant route perfect for hiking, village-hopping, and food experimentation. Traveling by private vehicle, visit its brightly colored colonial towns, hike to impressive waterfalls and see one of the country’s first coffee plantations. After a long day of exploration, relax in one of Ahuachapan’s hot springs.
Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guesthouse in Ahuachapan
Meals Included: breakfast
Activities Included: day trip via la Ruta de las Flores; visit of hot springs (Ahuachapan) - Day 6 - Ahuachapan – El Tunco
In the morning, leave for El Tunco – a little village on the Pacific whose nearby Sunzal beach is considered one of the best 10 in the world for surfing. This place is known for its vibrant weekend party scene, beautiful black-sandy beaches, and significant international crowd. If you prefer a quieter atmosphere just move a bit to nearby villages where you will find wild and windswept beaches with sea turtles hatching along.
Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guesthouse in El Tunco
Meals Included: breakfast
Activities Included: walking tour in El Tunco - Day 7 - El Tunco
Free program: rent a surfing board and enjoy the waves, relax on the beach sipping a refreshing cocktail, or explore nearby caves at low tide. In the evening, experience local party vibes or join locals down from El Salvador at the bar.
Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guesthouse in El Tunco
Meals Included: breakfast - Day 8 - El Tunco
Last day of our “El Salvador: Essentials Tour”: depart at any time by a private taxi/group shuttle directly to the airport (35 km) or extend your vacations and stay longer!
Meals Included: breakfast
- Transportation: private vehicle
- Accommodation: 7x nights in conveniently located, locally-owned hotels/B&Bs/guesthouses
- Walking tours/orientation walks: San Salvador, Suchitoto, Ahuachapan, El Tunco.
- Meals: 7x breakfasts
- Service of a Tour Leader
- Flights; airport pick-up & drop-off; other activities & meals; travel insurance; personal expenses & tips