Discover Cuscatlan - El Salvador Multi-Sport Tour
Day 1
San Salvador
Our TTC professional staff will greet you upon your arrival at the El Salvador Comalapa International Airport and transport you in our Mercedes Benz van to your hotel. This van will provide transportation throughout the trip. You will be spending your first night in El Salvador at the 5 star Radisson Hotel (or similar) that is located in the Escalon district of San Salvador. You will enjoy the view of the San Salvador Volcano from your room or from the outdoor eating venue featured at this hotel.
The TTC staff will provide a welcome reception at the hotel. No worries; we will make sure you have time to relax and enjoy the many amenities your hotel offers as you anticipate the start to your adventure-filled week!
Our TTC staff will escort you on this evening to the plaza of 'La Gran Via' where you may choose from the many restaurants found in this area. You will have time to enjoy your meal at your leisure or grab a quick bite and spend time shopping at the many stores this area offers. Enjoy! (Please note: dinner on this evening is not included in the price of the tour.)
DAY 2
Apeneca
Following a delicious breakfast at the hotel, we will travel to Apaneca – an area
world renowned for producing El Salvador’s finest coffee. Its name means “River Winds” and it is the highest town in El Salvador at 5,523 feet above sea level.
Here we will stay at the El Jardin de Celeste (the Celestial Garden Hotel) that features colonial style cabins. The grounds are lovely and the staff is very friendly. Each room has a working fireplace that may be nice as the nights can be very cool.
The morning will begin in the small town of Juayua. In our native language of Nahuat, “Xuayuat” translates as the place of orchids and purple flowers. We will discover an extraordinary town that comes alive on Sunday with an international market/food festival – A Gastronomic Festival! Here we will enter the door of El Salvador by tasting Salvador’s finest and by becoming part of this delicious and colorful Sunday ritual.
After lunch we drive up into the hills of Apaneca (over 6000 ft.) to begin our “Canopy Tour”. There is no better way to see these mountains than by zip-line. The zip-line flight will take about two hours as we fly from platform to platform traveling through the air suspended by cable over the forest below. This high-end view of Apaneca is unforgettable!
That evening will find us back at the El Jardin de Celeste for a quiet, intimate, candle light dinner followed by a peaceful night in front of the fireplace.
DAY 3
Monte CristoFollowing a delicious breakfast, day three will begin with a journey from the coffee fields to the gates of Monte Cristo National Park – described by some as an enchanted forest. During this 2.5 hour scenic drive, our guides will share with you the rich history of El Salvador and the interesting facts about sites you pass.
Monte Cristo is a 2600-acre cloud forest where the borders of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras converge. It is the largest protected area in the country.
Monte Cristo is known for having the tallest pines in the country as well as having hundreds of species of orchids. In the forest we will find rivers, paths, and many scenic lookouts as our vehicles climb over 7200 ft. on rugged paths and roads. While in the park you will have the opportunity to hike to 'El Trifinio' – the highest point of these mountains where you can view three countries at one time! Relax and enjoy the picnic lunch packed and carried by your TTC guides while absorbing the phenomenal views from this magnificent vantage point.
We will be spending the night inside of the park in a rustic cabin powered by solar energy. We will enjoy the glow of an open fire as our TTC chef prepares a wonderful meal while we enjoy the mountain night air and the glorious star filled skies.
DAY 4
Cycling into CitalaArise early so you can view the magnificent rainbows often seen when the sun burns off the cloud mist in the early morning. While in awe of this picturesque site, your TTC staff will be busy making you a hearty breakfast including fabulous Salvadoran coffee from the Santa Catalina Plantation we visited on day two. Our morning drive will be just over ninety minutes as we travel through Metapan into the high mountain range between Metapan and Citala, Chalatenango.
A day of cycling will begin in the pines in the small village of Pinar. We will ride with full view of the largest mountain in El Salvador, el Pital (8600 ft) that a year ago recorded snowfall. From this isolated mountain rode we can also view the beautiful Lake Gujia that is just over the Guatemalan border. Our ride will cover 15 km. (just over 9 miles) over a mountain rode of mostly dirt, sand, and rock. We will conclude our ride before the historic, colonial church of Citala.
We will then proceed to Hotel La Palma for a late lunch, some afternoon shopping, and swimming in the hotel pool -- if you can handle the cold water. We will meet for dinner at the hotel to discuss our day five itinerary, and then it will be off to bed to enjoy a good night's sleep in the mountain air.
DAY 5
Suchitoto
After breakfast at the hotel, day five is full of surprises. The morning will begin with a 90-minute drive down the mountain from La Palma to the Cerron Grande Lake in lower Chalatenango. Today is really our resting day, but I’m sure you will want to make the 3 miles ride along the lake down to the town of San Francisco Lempa.
At San Francisco Lempa we will board the Ferry, 'La Luna'. Don Benedicto and his crew will take us across the lake to the town of Suchitoto. In the Nahuat language, Suchitoto means “Place of Birds and Flowers.” Long ago Suchitoto was an indigo producing town. Today it offers us a look back in time. This colonial city with its warm climate, architectural beauty, and rich cultural heritage provides for us a number of interesting attractions.
You will stay at one of the two five-star gems that are located in Suchitoto. These hotels are rich in colonial beauty and comfort that you have earned. Since this is your day to rest, after lunch, you are on your own to discover this delightful village. If you are in the mood to relax, you may choose to visit the colonial church, stroll through some of Suchitoto’s many art galleries dotted along the cobbled-stoned streets, or simply choose to enjoy a glass of wine while lounging at the pool. If you are interested in some more adventure, the area is perfect for biking and hiking. Your TTC guides would be happy to accompany you while you set out to discover this area. We also recommend the art museum that is surrounded by beautiful grounds that are worth taking the time to meander. It’s your day, enjoy!
We will rendezvous at the hotel lobby before venturing out on the town for dinner at one of the many fine restaurants in Suchitoto.
DAY 6
KayakingAfter breakfast at the hotel, we will load up and travel to the Pacific Coast -- El Salvador’s acclaimed Coast of the Sun -- Costa del Sol.
Our destination is one of the beachfront hotels along the coast offering ocean views from your balcony, and miles of beach at your doorstep. After checking in, we will head out to the estuary of Jaltepeque where we will kayak between the mangrove trees of the Lempa River and the great Pacific Ocean in our Hobie pedal kayaks. Here, it is not uncommon to paddle along side of large sea turtles that bury their eggs along the beaches of Costa del Sol.
We will lunch at the dockside restaurant of Aqua Fun. They offer fresh fish as well as other national and international dishes. In the late afternoon we will cruise the estuary on TTC’s 25 ft. panga boat “Colocha” and enjoy the spectacular Pacific sunset. After sunset our boat will take us to the Bahia del Sol Marina for a terrific evening of food, boats, and conversation.�
DAY 7
Despedida…..FarewellAfter breakfast, the TTC team transports you 35 minutes to the El Salvador Comalapa International Airport.
*Tour Price Includes: Fully escorted tour with English speaking/bilingual guides. All accommodations, transfers, guide services, and taxes are included, as are meals unless otherwise indicated on the itinerary. Price does not include airfare, tips for guides, alcoholic drinks, passport expenses, and the $10 entrance fee required upon arrival at the San Salvador El Comalapa International Airport.
