Anxious to get out into the great outdoors? Below is a 2-week itinerary for adrenaline addicts and nature lovers who are shy of cities, museums, and art galleries.
Days 1 & 2: Surfing the Balsamo Coast
Arrive in San Salvador and transfer to the surfers' stretch of coves and inlets known as the Balsamo Coast. Here, you'll find some of the best surf breaks in Central America, including the legendary Punta Roca.
Days 3 & 4: Kayaking in Barra de Santiago
Head up the coast and stay at the amazing ecolodge La Cocotera in Barra de Santiago. Take a boat tour of the surrounding estuary and mangrove swamps, and release baby turtles into the sea.
Day 4: Trekking in Parque Nacional El Imposible
Take a day trip from La Cocotera to visit the huge, lush Parque Imposible on the Guatemalan border, home to some of the country's largest and most diverse wildlife.
Days 5 & 6: Volcano Hopping in León, Nicaragua
A row of dark, volcanic cones sits in the northern lowlands of Nicaragua. Fly into Managua and transfer by taxi directly to the university city of León, staying at the sumptuous Hotel La Perla. You'll appreciate its cool, blue pool after a hot and sweaty day slogging up a smoking mound with astounding views. While there, why not try the latest action thrill sport and surf down the black slopes of a volcano at 60kmph (37 mph)?
Days 7 & 8: Trekking and Zip-Lining Around Masaya and Mombacho
Base yourself at the colonial splendor of Hotel La Gran Francia in Granada for 2 days while stepping up to the smoking gates of hell at Masaya Volcano. Then, take a canopy run along the slopes of Mombacho Volcano.
Day 9: Kayaking on Lago Nicaragua
Get up early and kayak the far reaches of the jungle archipelago known as Las Isletas or take a boat across to the mysterious islands of Zapatera and explore their many ancient petroglyphs and ceremonial stones.
Days 10 & 11: Sailing down the Río San Juan
Sign up with a tour company that flies you out of Managua and into the scruffy river town of San Carlos near the Costa Rican border. From here, catch a launch down the wide majestic expanse of the Río San Juan, visiting Los Guatuzos Wildlife Reserve and the mammoth rainforest known as Indio-Maíz, staying at the birder's paradise Montecristo River Lodge.
Days 12, 13 & 14: Diving & Snorkeling on the Corn Islands
Back in Managua, catch a connecting flight to the Caribbean's best-kept diving secret. The Corn Islands offer coral reefs, shipwrecks, and luminous shallows teeming with multicolored sea creatures.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
