Experience Overview
Often overshadowed by its neighbours, El Salvador is a hidden gem in Central America. From turtle nesting on the peaceful coastline, to volcanoes concealing deep crater lakes and colonial villages dishing up delicious food, this country has earned a spot on our Latin America bucket list.
Jiquilisco Bay - Take part in a turtle-monitoring project with a local biologist.
Santa Ana Volcano - Hike up El Salvador's highest volcano for views of the surrounding valley.
Suchitoto - Learn to make traditional pupusas like a local in this charming village.
Highlights
Experience the hidden gem of El Salvador, from towering volcanoes to colonial villages|Feast on tasty Salvadoran delicacies during a cooking class|Explore the cobbled streets of tranquil SuchitotoTrip Details
Product Code: 20413
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Moderate
Transport: BusBoat
Guide Language: English
Tour Operator: Explore Worldwide
Supplier Code: HES
Starts: El Salvador
Finishes: El Salvador
Duration: 11 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating: Easy
Includes
- Explore Tour Leader
- Activity Guide(s)
- Driver(s)
- Naturalist(s)
Accommodation
- Villa Terra Hotel
- Hotel Puerto Barillas
- Hotel El Tejado
- Campo Bello
- Fleur De Lis
- Hotel Atami
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $2,710 ($246 /day)
Itinerary
Our trip starts today in San Salvador, El Salvador's capital. After some major regeneration works, the leafy plazas and pedestrianized central zones of El Salvador's main city have never been safer and more pleasant to explore. Encircled as it is by volcanoes, San Salvador is a pretty capital, which is rare by Central American standards.
Due to the number of evening flights into El Salvador, our tour leader will meet us for a welcome meeting on the morning of day 2. They will leave a poster in reception with details on timings and everything else that you'll need for the day. If there are no evening pick-ups, our tour leader will suggest meeting for dinner, for those who wish.
There are no activities planned today, so you can arrive in El Salvador at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into El Salvador International Airport (SAL), which is around a 40-minute drive from the hotel.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Villa Terra Hotel
- Grade - Comfortable
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - No
- Breakfast Provided - No
- Dinner Provided - No
- Lunch Provided - No
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: None
This morning we drive to Jiquilisco Bay, a biosphere reserve and large network of canals and mangrove-lined inlets that are largely undeveloped, hosting over 200 species of bird and playing an important role in turtle conservation efforts within the country. Today we will have a boat trip through the mangrove canals, with the aim of monitoring the population of hawksbill marine turtle. This project, run by the Eastern Pacific Hawksbill Initiative (known in Spanish as ICAPO), has many facets and our task today will be to help measure, weigh and tag the turtles in order to monitor their healthy growth. We'll be accompanied by a biologist from the project who will explain more about what they do to protect this endangered species. During the course of the trip, we'll also be passing through some small communities, giving us a more in-depth view on rural El Salvador. The excursion lasts for approximately 2 and a half hours.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Hotel Puerto Barillas
- Grade - Comfortable
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - No
- Lunch Provided - No
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast
Today has been left free for you to explore the local surroundings. One optional activity on offer is kayaking through the mangroves, searching for crocodiles and marine birds. There will also be the opportunity to participate in the optional visit to the local cacao farm, where you can see how chocolate is produced.
Alternatively you can choose to relax at the lodge - perhaps bird watching from the grounds, or heading down to the marina to watch the fishermen.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Hotel Puerto Barillas
- Grade - Comfortable
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - No
- Lunch Provided - No
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast
The drive from our coastal location to the colonial town of Suchitoto is only three hours, giving us plenty of time to explore El Salvador's countryside en route. Our first stop will be Laguna de Alegria (Happiness Lagoon), located within the crater of the dormant volcano Tecapa. The lagoon glows a brilliant green colour due to the sulphur and other minerals within, and it is favourite spot for local Salvadorans. We'll soak up the views and drive through the neighbouring colourful mountain town of Pueblo Alegria before arriving in the town of Berlin where we make a lunch stop.
Arriving into the peaceful lakeside town of Suchitoto this evening, we set out for a dinner with a twist. During your last four days in El Salvador, you may have noticed a distinct clapping sound in the street - the sound of ladies patting down big circles of corn dough, stuffed with mixtures of black beans, vegetables, cheese and meats before being cooked on a hot plate and served up to hungry locals. These delicious snacks are called pupusas, and are El Salvador's national dish. This evening we'll learn to make them before sitting down together for a well-deserved meal.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Hotel El Tejado
- Grade - Premium
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - Yes
- Lunch Provided - No
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast & Dinner
Just a short ride out of Suchitoto is the rainforest community of La Cinquera, a former FMLN stronghold (the FMLN were the main left-wing guerrilla faction during El Salvador's civil war, and is now one of the country's major political parties). This small village has emerged from the brutality of the civil war, which raged throughout the 1980s, and has established a grassroots tourism project that serves as a living museum of the wartime era, with the ex-guerrillas and their families acting as guides. The community's aim is not only to educate people about this important part of El Salvador's history, but also to protect the forest from illegal logging - the trees are a haven for birdlife, and there are numerous swimming holes and waterfalls hidden within. We take a hike through part of the reserve and spend some time with a former guerrilla fighter learning about his experiences. The tour will take approximately 2 hours, with some of the walking steep and hilly in parts.
On our return to Suchitoto, we have the afternoon free. The village seems timeless, with cobbled streets, whitewashed buildings and an impressive colonial church in a leafy plaza. It was once at the heart of the country's indigo trade, and we have the opportunity to take part in an indigo workshop in the afternoon. Alternatively, you may take a boat trip out onto Lake Suchitlan, where over 200 bird species have been recorded including hawks and falcons.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Hotel El Tejado
- Grade - Premium
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - No
- Lunch Provided - No
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast
We drive west this morning making a stop at San Salvador for a walking tour of the city, visiting the main attractions including the Iglesia El Rosario. This enormous concrete church looks nondescript from the outside, but the architects have cleverly designed a spectacular arched roof, covered completely in fanned-out windows of coloured stained glass that cast a rainbow of natural light through to the tiled floor. This unusual and abstract piece of art contrasts sharply with the colonial and classical architecture that we'll see elsewhere in the city, for example at the grand National Palace.
We continue to the Joya de Ceren, a UNESCO-listed archaeological site that can be likened to Pompeii. This Maya farming community was covered by an eruption of the Loma caldera in the 7th century, and while we now know that an earthquake just prior to the eruption caused the villagers to flee, their possessions were immaculately preserved by ash, from pottery to garden tools. It wasn't found again until the 1970s and is one of the best and most complete records of pre-hispanic life in Central America.
Following our visit, we drive to the volcano-laden Los Volcanoes National Park, via the immense and beautiful crater lake of Coatepeque. The shores of this lake are dotted with houses of the rich and famous (well, in Salvadoran terms!), while there are small restaurants with views over the lake. Time permitting, we aim to have lunch here before driving on to Cerro Verde in anticipation of our volcano hike tomorrow. This evening we will be camping in the national park - our campsite is made up of large fixed tents, each on a wooden base, and with two full single beds inside. Sheets, duvets, pillows and towels are provided, and there is a nightstand with an electric lamp. Bathrooms are shared, with showers available.
Accommodation:
- Type - Camping
- Accommodation Name - Campo Bello
- Grade - Simple
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - Yes
- Lunch Provided - No
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast & Dinner
The Santa Ana volcano is El Salvador's highest, at approximately 2300m high. Our campsite is already at 1800m, and the ascent is only a moderate grade as we start our hike through forest, slowly ascending for approximately 1 hour 15 minutes. The landscape begins to change as the overgrowth becomes more barren, and a rocky, volcanic terrain takes over with red-black rocks cracking underfoot. It's about a one-hour hike up to the summit and to our big pay off - the Llamatepec crater lake, its milky-green colour contrasting starkly against the black rock that encloses it. Looking out into the distance, the volcano Izalco sticks out of the valley, with the enormous Coatepeque lake spreading out to the east and small villages dotted around the impressive landscape.
Our descent is quicker than the climb, and in total the trip should take around 3-4 hours. After our return we drive to the ancient Mayan site of Tazumal, one of the main pre-Columbian set of ruins in El Salvador. Dating from 1200BC, the site has only been formally researched since the mid-1900s, and there are plenty of interesting finds in the small museum, as well as the views from the main pyramid. From Tazumal, we continue to the small colonial town of Ataco, on El Salvador's Ruta de las Flores (Flower Route).
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Fleur De Lis
- Grade - Comfortable
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - No
- Lunch Provided - Yes
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast & Lunch
El Salvador's Ruta de las Flores is a beautiful, meandering set of small villages, each with an array of different colonial-era buildings. It is designed to be visited slowly, savouring the food and the ambiance. Ataco, where we are staying, is one of the main villages - particularly well known for the bright and colourful street art that adorns most of the buildings in town. Juayua, another of the main towns on the route, is famous for its weekend food festival - luckily our trip happens to pass by at this time! The festival is made up of countless street food stalls, with typical foods including barbecued meats or huge prawns, even fried frog skewers and guinea pigs being sold at some stalls. The desserts are also worth a look - piles of ice creams or sweet buns with a cup of locally produced coffee.
Our day will involve travelling along the Ruta de las Flores, stopping at the different villages to take in their varied character and enjoying the delicious food. As part of the day, most likely in the morning, we'll also visit the Cascadas de Don Juan, where we can take a swim. We return to our hotel in Ataco this evening.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Fleur De Lis
- Grade - Comfortable
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - No
- Lunch Provided - No
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast
Before we leave Ataco this morning, we'll visit one of the area's small coffee 'fincas' (or farms). We'll stop for a drink here, and find out more about the farm's small scale coffee production, which is still a growing industry here in El Salvador. From the farm we continue our drive to the coast. Los Cobanos is a protected marine area just 90km away from the capital, well known in El Salvador for its coral reef and the sandy beach that locals regularly frequent on the weekends. We'll take a walk along the beach today, spotting marine life such as heron and crab, and watching the fishermen in action. We'll also have the opportunity to swim off the beach.
Later this afternoon, we drive down the coast to La Libertad, widely regarded as one of the best surfing surfing spots in the Americas. Our hotel is set on a cliff overlooking the ocean, with outdoor swimming pools and access to one of the areas striking black sand beaches.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Hotel Atami
- Grade - Comfortable
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - No
- Lunch Provided - No
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast
Our final full day in El Salvador is free to spend as we choose. The beaches on this coastline are rugged, with great surf, and one of our options today is a surfing lesson to make the most of this. Alternatively, take a drive outside La Libertad to the San Antonio Waterfalls, where depending on the season you can bathe in the refreshing pool underneath the long drop. On your return, visit the Mercado del Mar fish market, and maybe choose to stay here for a freshly caught lunch.
Accommodation:
- Type - Hotel
- Accommodation Name - Hotel Atami
- Grade - Comfortable
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - No
- Lunch Provided - No
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast
The trip ends after breakfast this morning in La Libertad.
There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart from La Libertad at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from El Salvador International Airport (SAL), which is a one-hour drive from our hotel.
Accommodation:
- Type -
- Accommodation Name -
- Grade -
- All Inclusive - No
- Any Meal Provided - Yes
- Breakfast Provided - Yes
- Dinner Provided - No
- Lunch Provided - No
- Meal Name - Meals Provided: Breakfast
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Tour Operator
Explore Worldwide
A prominent adventure travel company with over four decades of experience, this business that offers a comprehensive array of unique and thrilling experiences worldwide. Catering to various interests, they provide small group journeys, walking and cycling trips, solo holidays, and family adventures.
In Business Since 1981
Reviews
Antbridge - Traveled, March 2025
El Salvador is a beautiful country and the people are wonderful. We saw a lot of wildlife. The cacao and coffee processing plants were fascinating. Our tour guide was knowledgeable, helpful and worked hard. The food was varied and interesting.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/10/2025
Anonymous - Traveled, March 2025
El Salvador is a beautiful country that is just coming into its own regarding tourism. Our guide Dio was incredibly knowledgeable - I honestly feel that one of the highlights of this trip was just how much I learned about the country - its history, culture, etc. The accommodations were all characteristic as well as being extremely comfortable. The itinerary was a good mix of nature, villages and beach relaxation.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/09/2025
- Traveled, April 2025
A fabulous trip. I haven’t been with Explore for about 20 years, but it was as wonderful an experience as ever. A good combo of activities, walking, and interacting with local communities. I enjoyed the healthy and mostly light local food tremendously. I was lucky again to be part of a great group - a perfect combo of adventurous Brits and Americans - exactly the tonic I needed. In my Explore review I failed to mention how grateful I was for the sessions regarding the civil war and also the turtle research. Most of the accommodation was spectacular. I thoroughly enjoyed every experience to swim! We were also lucky to have an amazing, patient, and knowledgeable guide, and a prudent, skilled and smiley expert driver. I highly recommend this trip. Whilst I personally might have made a few changes to the itinerary, I was very happy with 99.9% of the trip. Most grateful. Thank you.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/14/2025
Anonymous - Traveled, March 2025
Great country with friendly people. Varied itinerary which provided a fabulous introduction to El Salvador
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/14/2025
Anonymous - Traveled, March 2025
The highlight of the trip was our Tour Leader Dionisio who was fantastic. The hotel selection needs improvement. The only hotel I enjoyed was the igloos by Santa Ana Volcano. The rest of the hotels were below average. Two of them had no hot water, it was always lukewarm. Another one had a large gap under the front door which allowed a scorpion to crawl under it and give me a scare. One was super damp, like the room was always humid, even with the AC on. Another one, the room was dirty, not like dirty as in, not cleaned after the last occupant, but dirty as in, lacking in deep clean - dirty baseboards, discolored grout in the shower, water stains on the walls. These are just older, tired hotels. I would pay more for a trip with nicer accommodations. I had zero views from any of the hotel rooms other than igloos. Overall, I enjoyed the trip, the group was fun, the guide was fun, the bus was clean, it was a good time.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/07/2025
Anonymous - Traveled, February 2025
Thanks to the expertise and dedication of the tour leader, this tour was unforgettable adventure through a beautiful country.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 02/12/2025
Anonymous - Traveled, December 2024
Our tour leader, Dionisio, was fantastic--super friendly, knowledgeable, immediately took care of any issues that came up. It was a small group of 6 so we were very comfortably transported in a van with 2 extra seats which was nice. The hotels varied from fairly basic to actual resorts. I was pleased that several had large swimming pools so I could do laps. The itinerary was excellent and we got to see the highlights of El Salvador including climbing a volcano, learning how to make pupusas, and spending an hour talking with a former civil war rebel! As to the sea turtle research, it was very interesting to watch but we tourists didn't do anything--our "help" was simply that our financial input enabled them to do more research. There were a few optional activities offered (small additional cost); I really enjoyed the indigo dyeing (essentially tie dyeing).
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/14/2024
Lesley - Traveled, November 2024
Well organised and a good standard of hotels. Varied itinerary at an easy pace allowing free time to use the hotel swimming pools and other facilities. A colourful and interesting country, beautiful scenery and very safe and friendly people. Our guide Dionisio was excellent. Friendly, informative and very helpful, ensuring everyone had a wonderful time, making the most of our travels in El Salvador.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/13/2024
Doreen - Traveled, December 2024
Excellent insight into life in El Salvador.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/16/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, May 2024
I thought the last two days were boring. We stayed in a family resort with nowhere to go and only swimming to occupy our time. Plus the room was like a cell as the window looked out on the garbage cans and parking lot so did not feel comfortable with curtains open as lots of people were walking by.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/11/2024
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