Central American Journey: Rainforests & Ruins (Self-Launched)

Fly into Cancún (ADL) and take an ADO bus or colectivo down the coast to Playa del Carmen (~1hr, £5-7). Check into a hostel a few blocks off 5th Avenue to keep prices sane. Day one is just settling in: swim, stock up on pesos at a bank ATM, and head to 12th Street in the evening for cheap tacos and a beer.

🚌ADO bus Cancún airport to Playa del Carmen ~£6

🛏Hostel dorm in Playa del Carmen (£12-16)

• →Settle in and explore 5th Avenue
• →Evening out on 12th Street

Take a colectivo or ADO bus south to Tulum (~1hr, £3-4). Entry to the Tulum ruins is about £6 — go early to beat the heat and crowds, then walk down to the beach below the clifftop Castillo. On the way back, stop at a cenote (Gran Cenote or Dos Ojos, £10-15 entry plus taxi) for a swim. Alternative: ferry to Cozumel (£12 return) if you'd rather snorkel.

🚌Colectivo/ADO to Tulum and back ~£7

🛏Hostel dorm in Playa del Carmen (£12-16)

• →Tulum ruins (£6)
• →Cenote swim (£12)
• →Playa del Carmen beach time

Bus south to Chetumal on the Belize border (£10-12, ~4hrs), cross immigration on foot, then take a water taxi from Belize City to Caye Caulker (£15-18, ~45mins). Book the water taxi at the dock or via the Belize Water Taxi site. Note the ~£45 Mexican exit/tourist tax situation — check whether it's already in your air ticket. Once on the island, everything is golf carts and bicycles.

🚌ADO bus to Chetumal ~£11 + water taxi ~£17

🛏Guesthouse or hostel dorm on Caye Caulker (£12-18)

• →Border crossing into Belize
• →Water taxi to Caye Caulker
• →Sunset at the Split

Book a half- or full-day Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley snorkel trip directly with one of the many local operators on Front Street (£30-40, often including gear and a stop at Ambergris Caye). Expect nurse sharks, stingrays, angelfish and coral. Afternoon is for hammocks and ceviche — Caye Caulker runs on island time.

🚌Walking / bicycle hire ~£4

🛏Guesthouse or hostel dorm on Caye Caulker (£12-18)

• →Hol Chan & Shark Ray Alley snorkel trip (£35)
• →Beach and hammock time

Optional second snorkel/dive day, a sunset sailing trip (£45-50), or sea kayak rental. Diving the Blue Hole is possible as a day trip (£150+) if you're certified. Otherwise: bike the island, eat fry jacks for breakfast and grilled lobster if it's in season.

🚌Walking / bike hire ~£4

🛏Guesthouse or hostel dorm on Caye Caulker (£12-18)

• →Optional sunset sail (£48)
• →Optional diving
• →Island cycling

Water taxi back to Belize City (£17), then a local bus or shared shuttle west to San Ignacio (£8-12, ~2.5hrs). In the afternoon visit the San Antonio Women's Pottery Cooperative — the community project G Adventures supports — for a pottery demonstration and a local lunch (£10-15 donation/lunch). It's bookable through local guesthouses or the Cornerstone Foundation in town.

🚌Water taxi ~£17 + bus/shuttle to San Ignacio ~£10

🛏Guesthouse in San Ignacio (£12-16)

• →Women's pottery cooperative visit and lunch (~£12)
• →San Ignacio town wander

Big decision day. Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) cave is the standout — a guided wade-and-swim through a sacred Maya cave with crystallised remains (£105-115 including guide, gear and lunch; book through any San Ignacio tour office, numbers are limited so reserve a day ahead). Cheaper alternative: Xunantunich ruins with the hand-cranked ferry crossing (£5-8 entry, taxi/collectivo £10).

🚌Shared transport to cave or ruins ~£10

🛏Guesthouse in San Ignacio (£12-16)

• →ATM Cave guided tour (£110) OR Xunantunich ruins (£15 all-in)

Cross at Benque Viejo del Carmen / Melchor de Mencos (small border fees, ~£3), then head to Tikal. Join a shared guided tour of Tikal (£40-50 including transport, guide and entry) — climb Temple IV for the jungle canopy view and listen for howler monkeys. Continue to Flores on Lake Petén Itzá in the evening for sunset from the island's hilltop.

🚌Border crossing + shared shuttle/van ~£12

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Flores (£12-16)

• →Guided Tikal ruins tour (£45)
• →Flores lakefront sunset

Local bus or shuttle from Flores/Santa Elena to Río Dulce (£10-12, ~4hrs). Base yourself in Fronteras or take a short lancha to one of the riverside hostels built over the water. Afternoon is for swimming in the warm river and watching the boats go by — this is one of Guatemala's most underrated stops.

🚌Shuttle/bus Flores to Río Dulce ~£11

🛏Riverside hostel or guesthouse (£10-15)

• →River swim
• →Riverside walk

Take the scenic public lancha down the Río Dulce gorge to Livingston (£8-10 each way, ~1.5hrs) — the route passes hot springs and birdlife. In Livingston, visit El Manglar, the women-led community restaurant supported by G Adventures' Planeterra project, for a Garifuna lunch (£10). Wander the Caribbean-Afro-Garifuna town on foot (no cars), then boat back to Río Dulce.

🚌Public lancha Río Dulce–Livingston return ~£18

🛏Riverside hostel or guesthouse (£10-15)

• →Río Dulce gorge boat trip
• →El Manglar community lunch (£10)
• →Livingston walkabout

Long travel day: shuttle from Río Dulce to Antigua (£20-25, 7-8hrs) — book through your hostel the night before. Arrive in the colonial capital in the afternoon, do a self-guided orientation wander of the cobblestone grid and the Santa Catalina arch, then take an evening salsa lesson (£8-10 at one of several schools around town).

🚌Shuttle Río Dulce to Antigua ~£22

🛏Hostel dorm in Antigua (£10-15)

• →Self-guided colonial town walk
• →Salsa lesson (£9)

Pick from: a ChocoMuseo chocolate-making workshop (£20), the ChocoMuseo cacao-farm tour, a Pacaya volcano hike leaving mid-afternoon to toast marshmallows on lava (£25-35 with guide and transport), a coffee farm tour at Finca Filidelfia (£20), or a massage (£25). Cheap street food and café culture in between. Optionally visit the Open Windows Foundation education project in nearby San Miguel Dueñas (donation-based, arrange locally).

🚌Local chicken bus/tuk-tuk ~£5

🛏Hostel dorm in Antigua (£10-15)

• →ChocoMuseo workshop (£20)
• →Pacaya volcano hike (£30) — choose one or both
• →Café hopping

Chicken bus or shuttle to Panajachel on Lake Atitlán (£6-12, ~2.5-3hrs). Settle in, then take a public lancha across the lake. Consider staying in San Juan La Laguna or San Pedro La Laguna rather than Pana — smaller, cheaper, more traveller-friendly.

🚌Chicken bus/shuttle ~£9 + lake lancha ~£5

🛏Lakefront hostel or guesthouse (£10-14)

• →Lake Atitlán arrival and swim
• →Sunset over the volcanoes

The travellers' highlight: a night with a Tz'utujil Maya family in San Juan La Laguna (£15-25 including meals — arrange through local hostels, Homestay San Juan or Maya community tourism offices). Spend the day visiting the women's weaving and natural-dye cooperatives, the honey and coffee co-ops, and paint-your-own-naïf-art studios. Boat between villages in the afternoon.

🚌Public lancha between villages ~£6

🛏Maya family homestay, San Juan La Laguna (£20 incl. meals)

• →Weaving and natural-dye cooperative visits
• →Village boat-hopping
• →Homestay dinner with local family

Morning kayak or swim off the dock (£5-8), then a shuttle or chicken bus back to Antigua (£9). Pick up supplies for the Honduras border run tomorrow. Optional: ChocoMuseo workshop if you skipped it on Day 12.

🚌Shuttle/shuttle bus back to Antigua ~£9

🛏Hostel dorm in Antigua (£10-15)

• →Lake kayaking (£6)
• →Market browsing

Shuttle or local buses via Chiquimula and the El Florido border to Copán Ruinas (£15-22, ~6hrs). Complete the Honduras pre-check form online at least 2 days ahead if required, and check UK passport visa rules well in advance. Evening in the cobbled little town, which is genuinely lovely.

🚌Shuttle Antigua–Copán ~£18

🛏Guesthouse in Copán Ruinas (£10-14)

• →Border crossing
• →Copán Ruinas town evening

Walk 1km to the Copán ruins (£12-15 entry) — hire a local guide at the gate (£15) for the hieroglyphic stairway and stelae, arguably the finest Maya sculpture in the region. Afternoon: tuk-tuk to Luna Jaguar hot springs (£30-40 including transport and entry) for a soak in the river-fed pools.

🚌Walking + tuk-tuk ~£5

🛏Guesthouse in Copán Ruinas (£10-14)

• →Copán ruins with local guide (£25)
• →Luna Jaguar hot springs (£35)

Long border-hop day: shuttles/buses via El Florido or La Hachadura down to the Pacific surf village of El Tunco (£20-25, 7-8hrs). El Tunco is one bar strip, one black-sand beach and the best cheap surf in Central America. Arrive for sunset and pupusas (£1 each).

🚌Multi-leg bus/shuttle ~£22

🛏Hostel dorm in El Tunco (£10-14)

• →Border crossings
• →Sunset on the black sand

Surf lesson and board rental (£20-25 for lesson, £5-8/day for a board — the break at El Sunzal is forgiving for beginners). Spend the rest of the day in the water, eating seafood and avoiding sunburn. Optional: day trip to the Ruta de las Flores or the Joya de Cerén Maya site.

🚌Walking

🛏Hostel dorm in El Tunco (£10-14)

• →Surf lesson (£22)
• →Beach time

Another travel day: bus/shuttle up to the El Amatillo or Las Manos border and on to León (£25-30, 8-10hrs). Check Nicaragua's current visa rules — some nationalities (including Australian and NZ passport holders) now need a visa, so verify with the consulate well ahead. Arrive in León in the evening, do an orientation wander around the cathedral and the revolutionary murals.

🚌Multi-leg bus/shuttle ~£27

🛏Hostel dorm in León (£8-12)

• →Orientation walk of León
• →Cathedral rooftop at sunset (£2)

Book volcano boarding on Cerro Negro (£25-30 including board, suit, goggles and transport) — hike 45 minutes up, then slide down a black-ash slope at speed. Afternoon: ice cream and shade, then a free walking tour of León's churches and revolutionary history (tip-based).

🚌Shared 4x4 to Cerro Negro included in tour

🛏Hostel dorm in León (£8-12)

• →Volcano boarding (£28)
• →Free walking tour
• →León cathedral rooftop

Bus to Granada (£3-5, 2hrs), drop bags, then take a late-afternoon trip to Masaya Volcano (£20-25 with a local operator) to peer into the smoking crater and, if timing works, the bat flight at dusk. Granada itself is pastel colonial streets and a huge lakefront.

🚌Bus to Granada ~£4 + Masaya tour transport

🛏Hostel dorm in Granada (£8-12)

• →Masaya Volcano sunset tour (£22)
• →Granada orientation walk

Morning market browse and coffee on the Parque Central. Afternoon shuttle to Laguna de Apoyo crater lake (£20-25 including entry and transport) for warm, clear water and kayaking. Or just stay in Granada and explore the churches and the San Francisco convent.

🚌Shared shuttle to Laguna de Apoyo ~£8

🛏Hostel dorm in Granada (£8-12)

• →Laguna de Apoyo crater lake (£22)
• →Granada market

Bus or shuttle to San Jorge port (£3-5), then the ferry across Lake Nicaragua to Moyogalpa on Ometepe (£5-6, ~1hr). Stay at one of the community guesthouses on the island (Puesta del Sol area is the spot G Adventures uses; lots of small family hospedajes exist for £8-15). Rent a scooter or bike and find the Ojo de Agua spring.

🚌Bus to port ~£4 + ferry ~£6

🛏Community guesthouse on Ometepe (£10-15)

• →Ferry across Lake Nicaragua
• →Ojo de Agua swim (£4)
• →Sunset over the volcano

Two options: guided hike up Volcán Concepción (£35-45 with guide, 8-10hrs, steep and hot) or the gentler cultural and pre-Columbian petroglyph tour (£35-45 including transport, guide and lunch). Either way, finish with a swim and a plate of gallo pinto.

🚌Local transport/scooter hire ~£8

🛏Community guesthouse on Ometepe (£10-15)

• →Concepción volcano hike OR petroglyph cultural tour (£40)

Ferry back to San Jorge, bus to the Peñas Blancas border, cross into Costa Rica and continue to Monteverde (£30-40, 9-11hrs — book a through-shuttle if you'd rather not juggle buses). Note Costa Rica's exit tax (~£23) if flying out later. Arrive to cool mountain air and cloud forest.

🚌Ferry + multi-leg bus/shuttle ~£34

🛏Hostel dorm in Santa Elena, Monteverde (£12-16)

• →Border crossing to Costa Rica
• →Santa Elena town evening

Early start for the cloud forest: either the Santa Elena Reserve (£12 entry, cheaper, wilder) or the Monteverde Reserve (£15 entry) with a local naturalist guide (£20) — the guide is worth every penny for finding quetzals and sloths. Afternoon options: Sky Walk suspension bridges (£40-45), the Butterfly Garden (£17), or a coffee plantation tour (£32).

🚌Shared van to reserve ~£6

🛏Hostel dorm in Santa Elena, Monteverde (£12-16)

• →Cloud forest guided walk (£35)
• →Sky Walk bridges (£42)

Morning zipline over the cloud forest canopy (£45-55, book direct with Selvatura, Sky Trek or similar). Then a jeep-boat-jeep transfer across Lake Arenal to La Fortuna (£20-25, ~4hrs) — a beautiful and cheap way to cross. Watch Arenal volcano glow at dusk (it's usually cloud-capped, but the hot springs are always open).

🚌Jeep-boat-jeep La Fortuna transfer ~£22

🛏Hostel dorm in La Fortuna (£12-16)

• →Ziplining over the cloud forest (£50)
• →Arenal volcano viewpoint

Book the canyoning and waterfall rappelling tour — rappel, down-climb and river-trace through Lost Canyon (£60-75 including gear and guides, direct with local operators). Cheaper alternative: swim at the free Río Fortuna waterfall bend (£12 entry) or the paid La Fortuna Waterfall (£15). Evening at the Ecotermales or Baldi hot springs (£35-40).

🚌Tour transport included / local taxi ~£5

🛏Hostel dorm in La Fortuna (£12-16)

• →Canyoning and rappelling (£68)
• →Hot springs (£38)

Half-day boat tour into the Caño Negro wetlands (£50-60 including transport and guide) — caimans, basilisk lizards, howler monkeys and a huge bird list along a jungle river. Back in La Fortuna by late afternoon for a cheap soda dinner.

🚌Included in tour

🛏Hostel dorm in La Fortuna (£12-16)

• →Caño Negro boat tour (£55)

Bus or tourist shuttle to San José (£10-15, ~4hrs). The capital gets a bad rap but the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum and the Mercado Central (try a casado or a Churchill) are worth the afternoon. Do your last souvenir shopping here — it's cheaper than the beach towns.

🚌Bus/shuttle to San José ~£12

🛏Hostel dorm in San José (£12-16)

• →Pre-Columbian Gold Museum (£10)
• →Mercado Central food crawl

Last breakfast, then a local bus or taxi to Juan Santamaría airport (£1-5). Pay the Costa Rican airport exit tax if your airline doesn't include it (~£23). Depending on your flight, consider a final stop in Alajuela rather than downtown San José — it's closer to the airport and cheaper.

🚌Local bus/taxi to airport ~£4

🛏None — departure day

• →Airport transfer
• →Last coffee and gallo pinto