El Salvador Discovery | Trip Itinerary

Day 1:  Arrival and transfer to San Salvador – 35 Mins. – 49Kms/29.4 M
Welcome at the airport by one of our representatives, transfer to San Salvador City, located  49 kms away (35 mins) from the airport. Spend the next four nights at your select San Salvador hotel.  Optional: Nightlife Tour - visit the main bars and restaurants areas of San Salvador (5hrs)

Day 2:  San Salvador City Tour and Volcano visit
Visit the main avenues and monuments of San Salvador, the primary residential zones of the Capital City, the Historical Centre with is majestic Metropolitan Cathedral, beautiful National Palace and characteristic National Theatre of a French Renaissance style declared a national monument in 1979, El Rosario Church, Plaza Libertad, San Salvador handicraft market and the municipal market of Antiguo Cuscatlán.

In the afternoon, visit San Salvador´s Volcano at only 25 kms from the city. This Volcano is also known as “El Boquerón” and it is a national park where you will enjoy a refreshing eco walk through the natural trails and a panoramic view to the crater with its particular “volcancito” or “little volcano” inside. The sightseeings are just Impressive! When returning, you will be able to see the beautiful city of San Salvador in the late afternoon. Then, delight yourself with a warm and tasting cup of coffee or a delicious typical dish at a local restaurant in the area, where you will also be able to taste the famous salvadorean dishes: “Las Pupusas”. At the end, visit Santa Tecla City and sightseeing tour around the main streets and avenues of the area including the famous “Paseo del Carmen”, El Carmen Church and the local Palace. This tour is a real natural, cultural and historic approach that characterizes El Salvador.  Overnight in San Salvador. (B)

Day 3:  Mayan Route Tour
Your first stop is Joya de Ceren (35mins) Known as the “Pompeii of the Americas” for its valuable contribution to modern understanding of the Mayan Civilization, this archeological site is the only UNESCO protected of the country since 1993. It is a unique destination in all the Mayan World where you will discover the preserved houses of these ancestors covered by several explosions that allowed the conservation of the city. This is with no doubt a must when you visit El Salvador. Then visit San Andrés archeological site, a very important political and religious center with diverse structures for the use of the governors during that period.

After the local tour through the archeological sites, transfer to Santa Ana City, the second most important city of the country (35 mins). Santa Ana holds one of the best-preserved historic centers in the country. Its main buildings are: The Cathedral, The National Theater, and The Municipal Palace. The cathedral was damaged by a lightning and when began its reconstruction (1905) changed its architectural style to Neo Gothic. The church was then declared a Cathedral by Pope’s decision. Finally yet importantly, visit the archeological site of Tazumal with the largest pyramid in El Salvador a sophisticated and important Mayan settlement. Overnight at Flowers Route. (B)

Day 4: Colonial & Volcano Route
Quick visit to the colorful colonial towns with beautiful mountainous vegetation: of Nahuizalco, where you will enjoy a guided tour by the local community, and Ataco, to observe the elaboration of looms and handicrafts of the area. The Flower´s Route is one of the most popular tourist destinations and named for its abundance of flowers on the picturesque road.

Cataloged as the “2nd 8th Wonder of the World for 2013″, the Lake and Volcano Complex is one of the most popular tourist destinations of the country. It bring together one of the most beautiful lakes in the world and a group of the most amazing volcanoes of El Salvador: The Izalco Volcano, The Santa Ana Volcano and Cerro Verde Volcano. Visit the Natural Protected Area of Cerro Verde and take a refreshing sightseeing tour through the eco trails of the park (45 minutes approximately). Cerro Verde is an inactive volcano located at an altitude of 2035 meters and length of 500 hectares of nature it has a cloud forest in and around the crater with a temperature of between 12 and 18 degrees centigrade. From here you will enjoy panoramic views of Izalco Volcano better know as the “Lighthouse of the Pacific” because the boats were oriented with the red glow of the lava to reach the Acajutla port, the Santa Ana Volcano or “Ilamatepec Volcano” being the biggest volcano of the area, and the beauty of the nature in the surroundings of this National Park. It is a place where you will be surrounded by the wilderness or “dwarf forest”, where you can find pasture and some low-lying bushes, giant agaves, among others. The landscape is unique in Mesoamerica and it definitely worth the visit. Overnight at Suchitoto. (B)

Day 5:  Suchitoto
The Suchitoto day tour is a beautiful visit to the enchanting city of Suchitoto, also known as the “Place of Flower Bird” for its name in Nahuatl. Suchitoto offers an essence of ancient city with colonial architecture that seems like the time has stopped. Visit its beautiful cobbled streets, art galleries, crafts and home of one of the main attractions of the city for its structure and historical importance: the Santa Lucia church, built in 1853. The founding of Suchitoto is attributed to the Pipiles, who settled in the present Salvadoran territory of Cuscatlán halfway through the 11th century and were one of the most veteran indigenous tribes that fought against the Spanish conquistadors in the beginning of the 17th century. The city is known as the “Cradle of History and Culture” for all the wealth it contains.

Later you can also visit Suchitlán Lake, the largest artificial lake surface water in the country. (note this is an optional tour and must be reserved in advance).   Its natural scenic beauty makes it an ideal destination to enjoy an artisan boat ride with one of the local boaters. During the boat ride you will be able to visit the different islands that surround the lake, home of migratory birds and native animals. Overnight at Suchitoto. (B)

Day 6:  Chihuatan and La Palma 
The city of Cihuatán is the largest known archaeological site in El Salvador and has long remained Central America's least known and most spectacular treasure. Its name means "Place of women" and has one of the greatest historic ball games found in the country. Later, transfer to the mountains of Chalatenango in the north of the country; visit the artisan village of La Palma, where you can watch the craftsmen of the place, hand-paint typical crafts of the area with designs by the famous Salvadoran painter Fernando Llort. Overnight Suchitoto.  (B)

Day 7:  Peace Route
Very early in the morning transfer to to Perkin town in the mountains of Morazán, in the northeast of the country. The “Peace Route” day tour is a journey through the past of El Salvador during the late 70´s and 80´s that many salvadorans are not proud with. During this tour you will visit the Eastern part of the country, less developped than the Western part but it is the area that keeps in secret some of the most beautiful natural scenery of El Salvador. Visit a precious treasure recognized as National Heritage and considered El Salvador´s main cave painting the "Corinto Cave" or "Holy Spirit Cave". At the War Museum you will be guided by the local ex guerillas and its surroundings that will allow you learn about the daily life of the people in this area during the civil war. El Mozote town, a very small but important site to be discover that keeps the evidence of the magnitude of the war in El Salvador. Late afternoon return to San Salvador for an overnight stay. (B)

Day 8:   Transfer to Airport
Three hours before flight you’ll be picked up at your hotel for transfer to the airport of El Salvador to check-in for your international flight departure. (B)

B=Breakfast; L=Lunch; D=Dinner