El Salvador Adventure Tour Package
10 Days - 9 Nights
- Based on Double Occupancy
Explore Joya de Ceren, Apaneca, Cerro Verde National Park, Lake Coatepeque, Suchitoto, Bahia de Jiquilisco, and El Cuco for 10D/9N starting at $1,930.00 per person.
This ten-day adventure tour of El Salvador with Lost World Adventures packs outdoor challenge and hands-on exploration into every stage.
It’s built for travelers who prefer trail dust to museum floors and discovery through direct experience.
The journey begins in San Salvador, then launches into action with a deep dive into history at Joya de Cerén and San Andrés, two extraordinary Mayan sites preserved by volcanic eruptions. From there, the route climbs into the highlands along the Ruta de las Flores, where biking or hiking around Laguna Verde sets the pace. A zipline ride through the Apaneca coffee canopy delivers an early adrenaline hit and a literal new perspective on the landscape.
At Cerro Verde National Park, you’ll hike beneath towering trees and up Santa Ana Volcano, the country’s highest peak, to stare into a sulfur lagoon crater. Sweeping views of Lake Coatepeque and the volcanic chain reward every step. The adventure then turns cultural in Suchitoto, where active exploration continues through horseback rides into former guerrilla zones, rainforest hikes in Cinquera, and hands-on indigo dyeing workshops with local artisans.
From the mountains, the expedition heads to the Bahía de Jiquilisco mangrove reserve for a different kind of action—kayaking quiet waterways and assisting conservation biologists in the monitoring and release of endangered sea turtles. It’s physical work with a direct environmental impact.
The tour ends on the Pacific at El Cuco, a surfing hub where professional instructors help you ride the waves, and where leisure still carries a pulse of adventure. Every day balances exertion with immersion—mountain climbs, canopy flights, jungle treks, and ocean rides—all threaded through by the precision and support of the Lost World Adventures team.
Lost World Adventures itineraries can be tailor-made according to your plans and preferences: budget, hotel selections, travel dates, optional excursions, length of trip, etc.
Day 1 : San Salvador
Arrive San Salvador Airport. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel in the capital of San Salvador.
Overnight Hotel Arbol de Fuego (3-star), Hotel Sal y Luz (4-star). Breakfast included.
Day 2 : Joya de Ceren – Ataco
Breakfast at your hotel. Depart with your guide for a drive to Joya de Ceren, declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993 for being the only location in the entire Mayan culture where you can appreciate the day-to-day living styles of the popular pre-Columbian inhabitants.
Joya de Ceren was buried by several volcanic eruptions. The villagers were apparently able to escape in time – no bodies have been found – although they left behind utensils, ceramics, furniture, and even half-eaten food in their haste to escape.
Then off to one of El Salvador’s Mayan ruins, San Andres, which was inhabited by Maya between AD 600 and 900. There is small museum on site. Afternoon transfer to the mountains of the Ruta de Las Flores, famous for its abundance of wild growing flowers.
This region has beautiful panoramic views of the mountainside coffee plantations, lagoons and dense cloud forests. Take a look around the little town of Ataco, colorfully decorated with authentic arts and crafts shops.
Overnight in Ataco at Hotel Fleur de Lis (3-star), Hotel Casa Degraciela (4-star). Breakfast included.
Day 3 : Laguna Verde / Apaneca
Today’s adventure starts at Laguna Verde (Green Lagoon) and the surrounding cloud forest. You have the option of mountain biking or hiking. The bike tour ascends the mountains of Apaneca to Laguna Verde Crater Lake. From there a downhill ride takes you all the way to a colonial town. The hiking trail travels around the lagoon and through coffee plantations.
In the afternoon you will experience the marvelous sensation of flying through the skies along a zipline through a coffee plantation in the Apaneca region. You will slide down more than 2000 meters of cable by way of fourteen platforms suspended from the canopy trees, up to 150 meters per section.
Overnight in Ataco at Hotel Fleur de Lis (3-star), Hotel Casa Degraciela (4-star). Breakfast included.
Day 4 : Cerro Verde National Park and Lake Coatepeque
You will depart the hotel early for a drive to Los Volcanes National Park, home to Izalco, Santa Ana and Cerro Verde volcanoes. The park is graced with beautiful scenery and a wide biodiversity.
You will walk beneath 300-year-old trees reaching amazing heights. There are many species of animals living inside the park, among them are many types of hummingbirds and the black birds known as “chara” which feed other birds such as toucans, during their mating season.
On ‘The Orchids’ path you can see the beauty of exotic tropical plants that grow wild in the region. Later in the morning you will hike up Volcano Ilamatepec (Santa Ana), at 2,381 meters above sea level, the highest volcano in El Salvador.
The volcano has four craters, one of them a sulfur lagoon. The most recent eruption was on the morning of October 1st, 2005. The volcano is located in the mountainous cloud forest region of Apaneca, home to many coffee plantations.
You will have a great view to Lake Coatepeque, a beautiful and sparkling blue crater-shaped lake, 6 kms wide and 120 meters deep and surrounded by the steep green slopes of Izalco and Santa Ana volcanoes. In the afternoon there will be an optional late lunch at Lake Coatepeque with an amazing view over the lake.
Transfer to the colonial town of Suchitoto.
Overnight in Suchitoto at the Hotel El Tejado (3-star) or Hotel Los Almendros de San Lorenzo (4-star), breakfast included – 3 nights.
Day 5 : Suchitoto
Suchitoto is home to a church, colonial houses and art galleries. The town is close to Lake Suchitlan, a dammed river with an ecosystem with a variety of species including pelicans, herons and storks.
There will be an historical city tour to all the interesting points in town. The guided walk in Suchitoto visits the church, market and corn mill. Indigo is a natural colorant extracted from the Xiquilite plant. It was a very important element for the Mayans since they used it for magic/religious rituals, as a medical plant, for pottery and for painting.
During an Indigo workshop you will learn about the process and enjoy designing your own scarf. Finish the day with sunset at Lake Suchitlan.
Overnight in Suchitoto.
Day 6 : Suchitoto
Get up early for morning activities around Suchitoto.
You can go horseback riding to Guazapa with a local guide, an ex-guerrilla who will show you former combat zones, campsites, trenches and bomb holes. Guazapa was the scene of multiple bombings and military raids as it was a strategic bastion of the rebels for twelve years and in a repeated attempt by the army to retake the territory.
Or visit Cinquera, a small and picturesque rural community located in the Salvadorian Department of Cabañas. Cinquera is a post-war community and a great example of how to work together for a better life.
Here, the establishment and sustainability of a nature preserve are a high priority. The history of this community has changed from being a ghost town during El Salvador’s civil war to a well-organized and peaceful community. You will visit their natural reserve for a hike through the rainforest with a local guide.
In the afternoon you will visit the Los Tercios waterfalls.
Overnight in Suchitoto.
Day 7 : Suchitoto – Bahia de Jiquilisco
Early morning departure for Bahia de Jiquilisco where you will spend the night. The Jiquilisco Bay, a natural treasure on the Pacific coast that is home to abundant biodiversity, has been declared a RAMSAR site and a Biosphere Reserve. Bahia de Jiquilisco is home for more than 17 wildlife species that live in the mangrove forest full with natural resources.
You can paddle through the channels by kayak and enter the deep mangrove swamps where you can observe birds, colorful crabs and fish. Learn about what the ICAPO Project (hawksbill.org) does in order to protect sea turtles as well as participate in the capture and release of giant turtles (Hawksbill or Black Turtles).
Tours are in the interest of the sustainability of the local conservation project. By taking this tour you will be supporting the continuous research for the conservation project.
Expect to weigh and measure the turtles, take a skin sample and place a plate on the turtle. These tours are guided by professionals: veterinarians and biologists who work directly with the conservation program. Lunch is included today.
Overnight Puerto Barillas Lodge, breakfast included.
Day 8 : El Cuco
Transfer to the Pacific coast, in and around the town of El Cuco and most beautiful beaches in El Salvador. Here you will find world class surf breaks. There will be an optional surfing lesson from a professional surfer.
The sandy beaches on the coast of El Salvador are excellent for beginners to learn to surf – not too powerful, best at high tide. The surfing instructors will help you to ride your first waves. You will have the board for the rest day for practicing on your own
Overnight Hotel Miraflores (3-star) or Hotel Los Mangos (4-star), breakfast included – 2 nights.
Day 9 : El Cuco
Day at leisure, with another surfing lesson if you’re up for it.
Overnight Hotel Miraflores (3-star) or Hotel Los Mangos (4-star), breakfast included.
Day 10 : El Cuco – San Salvador
You will be met at your hotel and transferred to the airport.
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Pre-Departure Frequently Asked Questions
Your transfer guide will be in the Arrivals Hall holding a sign with your name clearly on it. In most airports the arrivals hall is the room just after exiting baggage claim (or Customs & Immigration at international airports).
