Plan Your Trip
Good things come in small packages, and nowhere is this more so than in El Salvador. Though the smallest country in area in all of the Americas, it is a country that attracts travelers in search of the natural beauty offered by this nation’s active volcanoes, pristine forests and its sparkling lakes. This whirlwind 8-day/7-night tour of the country begins in the capital city of San Salvador, whose wide avenues and boulevards bustle with energy. Discover the city’s rich Spanish and indigenous heritage as you visit some of the interesting buildings, the new cathedral, the National Palace and the National Theatre. From there you will travel throughout the country, experiencing destinations that include Joya de Ceren (a UNESCO protected town and archeological site known as the “Pompeii of the Americas”), the quaint arts towns of La Palma and Suchitoto, and the former guerilla base and Museum of the Revolution in Perquin. Plus, you will have a chance to kick back, relax and literally smell the flowers when you travel to Las Flores Beach on the Pacific coast and when you venture into the Bahia de Jiquilisco Biosphere Reserve. Because of these experiences and others, El Salvador is quickly becoming a popular destination for travelers looking for something new. If you too are looking for a new travel experience, consider a trip to El Salvador today!
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You will start your tour in the capital city of San Salvador, where we will first go to the city’s historic district to visit the El Rosario church, the National Palace, the National Theater and the Metropolitan Cathedral, where the remains of Monsignor Romero rest (he was assassinated by the former dictatorship). From here, we will visit the David J. Guzman Anthropology Museum, which has archeological displays that give a good idea of El Salvador’s ancient history. From there, we go to a small handicrafts market before heading to Los Planes de Renderos, where you will have a spectacular view of San Salvador and can try a local dish called “Pupusas.” You will spend the night at your selected hotel.
Today we will visit El Salvador's second largest city, Santa Ana, whose architecture is unmatched anywhere else in the country. City highlights we will visit include Santa Ana's Neo-Gothic Cathedral, the Theater and the Palacio Municipal. We will then travel to Nahizalco, a town predominantly made up of the indigenous Pipil people, who occasionally wear their traditional clothing. Once there, we will visit a wooden furniture workshop.
This third day of your tour starts at the Joya de Ceren archaeological site, which in 1993 was declared a “World Heritage Site” by UNESCO. This pre-Columbian Maya farming village is so well preserved that it is the only place where you can appreciate the day-to-day life styles of those former inhabitants. Then will we take off to one of El Salvador’s principal Mayan ruins, the San Andres acropolis, which was inhabited by Maya between 600 and 900 AD; there is also a small museum on site. In the afternoon we will have lunch at a restaurant on Lake Coatepeque, where you will have an amazing view over that body of water. We will then travel to the colonial town of Suchitoto, where you will spend the night at your selected hotel.
This morning, we will drive to the small town of La Palma, where the artist Fernando Llort has had a major influence on the visual culture. His colorful images have been placed all over the town, and mass production of his work can be seen in all the local art shops. We will take an easy 1-1/2 hour hike up to the highest point of El Salvador, El Pital, which has a spectacular view! If you have any energy left, we will also walk to the Miramundo lookout point, which has more breathtaking views. We will then return to Suchitoto to see all the colonial building that this little town offers. We will have dinner at a restaurant that has a great view of Lake Suchitlan.
Today we will travel to the town of Perquin, which was the main base of the guerrilla fighters of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) during the 1979-1992 war against the dictatorship. There, you can still find the remaining bunkers and bomb craters of that fascinating and traumatic history. Perquin is also the site of the Museum of the Revolution, which provides photos, posters and displays of weapons from the civil war period. We will then drive up to Rio Sapo for a swim in the country's cleanest river! You will spend the night at a mountain village lodge.
This morning, we will travel to the Pacific coast’s Las Flores Beach, where you can spend a day relaxing on the black volcanic sand. You will stay at either the Hotel Miraflores or Hotel Los Mangos, which both offer the chance to unwind at the pool, kick back in a hammock, and enjoy the sound of the ocean. You will spend the night at your chosen hotel.
Early in the morning we will take off to Bahia de Jiquilisco Biosphere Reserve, which is the country’s largest coastal estuary, with a mangrove-lined series of inlets and canals. We will kayak or motorboat (depending on your choice) through the rainforest waterways and travel deep into the mangrove swamps to spot some of the many creatures there, including various birds, different colored crabs and fish. At the end of this full day tour, you will spend the night at a local 3-star hotel located there in the rainforest.
After breakfast, we will drive you back to the San Salvador airport in plenty of time to catch your flight home or onward.
| 2 Persons | Persons | |
| Hotel Category | Double | Single Supplement |
| First-Class Superior or Luxury | US$ 1,799 PP | US$ 614 PP |
| First Class | US$ 1,479 PP | US$ 294 PP |
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