Central America & the Caribbean Budget Culture Trips & Packages Tours & Trips

Highlights

• Laze on the sandy shores of Caye Caulker off the coast of Belize. Swim in the warm waters of the Caribbean and snorkel through shallow reefs and atolls surrounding the cayes.
• Join a group of local women at a co-operative in San Ignacio, where they’ll show you how to cook up some traditional recipes and talk about the organisation they founded.
• Discover the remains of a once thriving Mayan city at the Lamanai Archaeological Site, reached by a boat trip that reveals some of Belize’s most colourful birdlife.
• Take a day trip to the impressive Tikal National Park, just a hop, skip and a jump across the border into Guatemala. These Maya ruins have become one of the most important archaeological sites in Maya history.
• Uncover the secrets of crystallised skeletons and crumbling palaces near San Ignacio that have been preserved in their natural glory.

Highlights

• Discover the rich history and exciting nightlife of Havana – this city is like nowhere else on Earth! See the difference between city life and coastal life on a guided walking tour of the old capital.
• Receive a fascinating insight into the rise and fall of the charismatic and highly celebrated Cuban revolutionary – Che Guevara – at his mausoleum and museum in Santa Clara.
• Bust out some moves in Santiago de Cuba – with its vibrant music scene and Afro-Cuban roots, this place is the perfect spot to hit the dance floor with the locals.
• Experience old-world charm in the colourful coastal town of Trinidad. Delve into the city’s sultry Latin rhythms with a salsa class and enjoy plenty of free time for seaside relaxation.
• Take inspiration from the locals and mix things up with a bicycle-taxi tour of Camaguey – roll through the winding streets on two-wheels, visiting markets, plazas and an art gallery.

Highlights

• Swap the concrete jungle for real jungle on this journey into the rainforests, waterways, hot springs and the palm-lined beaches of Costa Rica.
• Spot long-nosed tapirs, white-faced capuchin monkeys, ocelots and three-toed sloths on this wildlife adventure – Costa Rica is home to many exotic animals, and this trip puts you in the perfect position to see them all.
• Go deeper than the average tourist with a homestay in a quiet agricultural community – the perfect opportunity to experience local life and practice your Spanish. You’ll even have an informal cooking lesson with the locals to make dinner!
• Refresh yourself after jungle hikes, spotting wildlife in the rejuvenating hot springs of volcanic La Fortuna.
• Visit the indigenous Maleku community to share a traditional meal and learn about their way of life – this small tribe has big ambitions for regenerating local forests and natural habitats.

Highlights

• Gaze in wonder at the jungle-shrouded limestone temples of Tikal, one of the most impressive Mayan sites in the whole of Central America, 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.
• Explore Livingston: a one-of-a-kind riverside town where the local culture is heavily influenced by the Afro-Caribbean Garifuna population.
• Walk along cobblestone streets and shop for local handicrafts in the tiny inland island town of Flores.
• Dig deeper into Mayan history – visiting lesser-known ruins and a mystical Mayan cave complex – around San Ignacio, a vibrant market town near the Belize-Guatemala border.

Highlights

• Cycle through the culture-soaked streets of Old Havana and immerse yourself in the eclectic history of Cuba’s capital on a half-day walking tour of the city.
• Venture to the village of Vinales, where the small-town charms are many. Spend your time smoking fat cigars with locals and exploring hidden caves in the mountains.
• Enjoy loads of free time – perfectly balanced with included activities and local insight – to kick back on the white sands of Trinidad, go snorkelling among tropical fish or hike the Sierra del Escambray mountains.
• Sip on Cuba’s famous liquor on a visit to a local bar for a rum tasting – as far as the rum world is concerned, Cuba is home to some of the best out there!
• Wander cobblestone streets alongside cowboys, vintage cars and farmers and clock the best-preserved buildings in Cuba – Trinidad is the best spot for photos whether you’re an amateur film photographer or just love taking photos on your phone!

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.

Highlights

• Join a small group of like-minded adventurers to discover the best of Belize
• Stay within the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, home to birds, crocs and monkeys
• Travel into Guatemala for a sunrise tour around the jungle ruins of Tikal
• Float along the Caves Branch River in an inflatable tube to see the Mayan underworld
• Enjoy the laid-back island life of Caye Caulker and the Belize Barrier Reef - the largest coral reef in the Northern Hemisphere