Top Nicaragua Budget Trips & Packages In 2025/2026

Highlights

• The stars of this trip are the dramatic and varied landscapes of lush Central America. Active volcanoes, ancient ruins, idyllic beaches and emerald jungles – this trip has got you covered.
• Escape the Mexican heat in the highlands of San Cristobal de las Casas. This old-world town is surrounded by indigenous villages that have retained their traditional customs and roots.
• Get to know contemporary Maya life during a homestay in San Juan La Laguna, a village sitting on the shores of Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, where you can share meals and conversation with a local family.
• Clear sea perfect for swimming, shacks serving cold cerveza and sandy shores covered in starfish are waiting in Panama's Bocas del Toro, where you spend three nights on Isla Colon.
• Hike, cycle or zip-line through the steamy cloud forests of Monteverde in Costa Rica – there’s so many ways to experience the lush canopies and unique Central American wildlife.

Highlights

• Drive up through the cloud forest at Mombacho Volcano Natural Reserve and head on a hike to one of the crater lakes with an expert local guide.
• Take a guided tour of the Copan ruins and archaeological site – a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most important sites of the Maya civilisation.
• Hop on a scenic boat ride on Lake Atitlan to Santiago Atitlan, with 95% of the population of Maya descent, and meet the shamanic keepers of Maximon.
• Gaze in wonder at the jungle-shrouded limestone temples of Tikal National Park – one of Central America's most impressive Maya sites, as howler monkeys call from the canopy.
• Relax and recharge on the white sands of Caye Caulker, a tiny Belizean island made for beach BBQs, snorkel trips and lazy afternoons spent swinging in a hammock.

Highlights

• Take a guided tour of the Copan ruins and archaeological site – a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most important sites of the Mayan civilisation.  
• Visit an Indigenous artists’ village in Nicaragua to meet with a local artist who makes traditional masks – an important part of the history of the country's revolution. 
• Drive up through the cloud forest at Mombacho Volcano Natural Reserve and head on a hike to one of the crater lakes with an expert local guide.
• Visit Chichicastenango market – known as Chichi for short – and pick up your very own huipils (a traditional Mayan garment worn by women and girls) or some handmade jade jewellery. 
• Take a scenic boat ride on Lake Atitlan to Santiago Atitlan, with 95% of the population of Mayan descent, and meet the shamanic keepers of Maximon and share a bottle of local spirits with them as they tell you stories of local life.

Highlights

• Soak in the dramatic and varied landscapes of lush Central America. If you’re thinking active volcanoes, historic cities and emerald jungles – this trip has you covered. Nature lovers rejoice!
• Wind your way through the otherworldly ruins of Copan in Honduras, famous for the numerous elaborate stelae. These Maya ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a perfect spot for some great pics.
• Take part in an indigo-dying demonstration in Suchitoto (the best place to produce indigo in the world) at a local enterprise that supports working mothers in the community.
• Join a local guide (with specialist spotting equipment) on a walk through the steamy cloud forests of Monteverde, exploring the lush canopies and seeing unique Central American wildlife in this natural haven.
• Try out your Nicaragua sign language skills when you order breakfast at an atmospheric cafe housed in a historic building managed and staffed by members of the local deaf community.

Highlights

• Experience the multiple sides of Central America, whether slumbering on the sands of Caye Caulker and Bocas del Toro, gazing at the pyramids of Tikal or shopping in the vibrant markets of Chichicastenango.
• Get to know contemporary Maya life during a homestay in San Juan La Laguna, a village on the shores of Lake Atitlan, where you can share meals and conversation with a local family.
• Hike, cycle or zip-line through Costa Rica’s steamy cloud forests of Monteverde – there’s so many ways to experience the lush canopies and unique Central American wildlife.
• Cruise up the Rio Dulce to your waterfront jungle lodge, then maybe grab a beer and relax while the sounds of nature fill the air.
• Put your chef hat on and help prepare a traditional Caribbean dinner in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.

Highlights

• This is one of our most extensive trips in Central America, hitting more than 20 destinations and introducing you to the cities, villages and myriad cultures of seven countries.
• Your local craft fair just won’t feel the same after you’ve experienced Chichicastenango, a colourful Guatemalan market that draws thousands of vendors from the surrounding mountain villages.
• Chichen Itza is one the New Seven Wonders of the World – find out why. Strolling around the ancient Maya ruins feels pretty wondrous.
• A few days on Caye Caulker provides the perfect opportunity to enjoy Belizean island vibes, beachside beers and optional snorkelling, the perfect (almost) halfway point for this epic adventure.
• Discover the jungle Costa Rica is famous for during a stay in Monteverde, a misty rainforest area home to sloths, hummingbirds, white-faced monkeys and tapirs among hundreds more animal species.

Highlights

• Take a guided tour of the Copan ruins and archaeological site, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most important sites of the Maya civilisation.
• Visit an Indigenous artists’ village in Nicaragua to meet with a local artist who makes traditional masks – an important part of the history of the country's revolution.
• Drive up through the cloud forest at Mombacho Volcano Natural Reserve and head on a hike to one of the crater lakes with an expert local guide.
• Don your chef hat and taste the local cuisine with a traditional Salvadorian pupusa-making class in a local home in Suchitoto, El Salvador.
• Head into Cinquera Forest to visit a small mountain community, learning about the area’s importance during a tour with a former guerilla fighter.

Highlights

• Take a cooking class in Los Ramos – an Indigenous community in the middle of Ometepe Island’s volcanos – and learn traditional techniques used to make Nicaraguan dishes like nacatamales.
• Enjoy a full day at leisure in one of El Salvador’s most beautiful national parks – Cerro Verde. Get up close and personal to a volcanic crater or take the plunge in a pristine lake. The choice is yours!
• Have breakfast at Cafe de las Sonrisas – a local café run entirely by deaf people. The café's owner is aiming to bridge the gap and inspire other business owners to employ local people living with disabilities.
• Island life doesn’t get much better than Ometepe in Nicaragua – volcanoes, wildlife-rich rainforests, stunning beaches, ancient rock carvings and a massive lake are all at your disposal.
• Get a taste of four different countries in Central America on an epic Latin adventure that takes in the sights and offers a whole heap of optional activities too! You’ll have loads of free time to choose your own hike, kayak, swimming or dancing adventure.