[vc_row][vc_column][trx_section][vc_tta_tabs][vc_tta_section title=”Highlights” tab_id=”1449208778331-f30d2fa3-c18c”][vc_column_text]
Highlights Include:
- Exploring tropical forest ecologies, flora and fauna, and conservation issues
- Kayaking through mangroves searching for wildlife
- Interacting with local children and students
- Learning about sea turtles through a conservation project
- Participating in a community service project (projects may vary)
- Creating your own scarf and learning about traditional indigo dying process
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Itinerary” tab_id=”1449208778879-fcec8e78-e9ba”][vc_column_text]
Day 1 San Salvador to El Cuco (-,-,D)
Arrival San Salvador airport and transfer to the little town El Cuco.
Overnight Hotel Miraflores
Day 2 ll El Cuco (B,L,D)
In the morning you will visit the mangroves of Esteron – 3km from the hotel. Here you find a local community providing very well organized kayak excursions through the mangroves. On a 1.5 – 2 hour guided kayaking trip, you will see all the surrounding wildlife, birds, crab, fish and, if you are lucky, some caimans.
In the afternoon, if you are up for it you will have a surf lesson, 1.5 hour (strong swimmers ONLY) intensive classes by local bilingual instructor teaching you how to stand up on the perfect waves in the pacific ocean!
Overnight Hotel Miraflores
Day 3 El Cuco (B,L.D)
In the morning you will go off to our local project, rural school close to the hotel – 20 minutes ride on dirt road. You will get to know the local kids from 1st till 5th grade at the community of Agua Fria. Students have the opportunity to play with them, get to know them, and practice Spanish with them!
Overnight Hotel Miraflores
Day 4, 5 & 6 El Cuco (B,L,D)
Together with the local students’ parents we will start a project to provide a small playground for the kids, a concrete court where they can play football or basketball. It could also be used for meetings in front of the class rooms. During the project the mothers of the kids will provide lunches where help is needed as well.
Overnight Hotel Miraflores
Day 7 Bay of Jiquilisco (B,L.D)
Transfer from El Cuco to the Jiquilisco Bay, a natural treasure in the Eastern part of the country that is home to abundant biodiversity, declared a RAMSAR site and a Biosphere Reserve.
Visit to Puerto Barillas Marine where you visit Central America’s largest cacao plantation (approximately 175 acres) in San Jose Real de La Carrera just 1 km away from Puerto Barillas. Discover the chocolate making process from drying methods and its fermentation, for exporting one of the finest cacao seeds in the world, acriollado.
Students will be able to taste the fruit of cacao, toast cacao after the drying process and back in our restaurant, you can taste a cup of hot chocolate (at breakfast, lunch or dinner time).
Optional take a kayak tour or boat ride through the mangroves to see all different species of birds, sea life and, if you are lucky, Caimans. Optional visit to the monkey sanctuary, cocoa plantation or turtle farm tour.
Overnight: Puerto Barillas Lodge – Bungalow
Day 8 Bay of Jiquilisco (B,L,D)
Participate in this amazing tour capturing and releasing giant turtles (Hawksbill or Black Turtles). Learn about what ICAPO (hawksbill.org) project does to protect sea turtles. Tours are done for sustainability of the 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 tour is guided by professionals: vets or biologist who work directly with the conservation program.
Afternoon of at the lodge
Overnight: Puerto Barillas lodge – Bungalow
Day 9 ll Bay of Jiquilisco – El Tunco (B,L,D)
Transfer to the beach of El Tunco located at the west side of El Salvador, a charming bohemian town. You will stay here the next 3 nights.
Overnight: El Tunco Hotel
Day 10 Cerro Verde (B,L,D)
You will get up early to drive to the National park “Los Volcanes”. Here come together the volcanoes of Izalco, Santa Ana and Cerro Verde. The volcanoes are located within beautiful scenery and have a wide biodiversity. You will be able to spot some 300 year old trees climbing to 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 path ‘The Orchids’, where you can see the beauty of these exotic plants that grow wild in the region.
At 11 am you will hike up Volcano Ilamatepec (Santa Ana) 2,381 meters above sea level, the tallest volcano in El Salvador. The volcano has four craters and one of them held a sulfur lagoon. It’s most recent eruption was on the morning of October 1st. 2005. The volcano is located within the hills of Apaneca, surrounded by cloud forests, in region full of coffee plantations. You will have a great view to Lake Coatepeque, a beautiful, clean, and sparkling blue crater-shaped lake.
Overnight: El Tunco Hotel
Day 11 Suchitoto (B,L,D)
Suchitoto dates back from the pre-Columbian times and on the arrival of the Spanish it was one of the area’s most densely populated by the Pipiles. Walking through the narrow streets of the city of Suchitoto, learn its history and its conservation by seeing all of the full colonial buildings and cobblestone streets, and visit the cultural treasures of the Church of Santa Lucia on the main plaza, panoramic streets, old houses, and the “theater of the ruins”.
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 all about the process and enjoy designing your own scarf!
Overnight: El Tunco Hotel
Day 12 Departure Day (B,-,-)
Bid farewell to beautiful little El Salvador and the friends you’ve met along the way. Transfer to the airport
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Student Projects” tab_id=”1516927303712-ea0bf163-670d”][vc_column_text]
Service Work
Together with the local students’ parents we will start a project to provide a small playground for the kids, a concrete court where they can play football or basketball. It could also be used for meetings in front of the class rooms. During the project the mothers of the kids will provide lunches where help is needed as well.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Inclusion & Exclusion” tab_id=”1449208780765-5fd2d40a-5e8d”][vc_column_text]Tour Inclusions
Trip Inclusions
Accommodation in triple, quadruple or dorm, occupancy, in mentioned hotels, camps or similar
Services of an Experienced Tour Leader
Applicable taxes
All meals while in El Salvador (not on travel days – airports, flights, etc)
Tours, park entrance fees, and permits according to the itinerary, with English-speaking guide
Transportation as mentioned in the itinerary
Tips for staff for guide, driver, local guides and service providers
Pre-trip information package and comprehensive pre-trip support
Tour Exclusions
- Extras at hotels (telephone calls, room service, porterage, laundry, etc.)
- International Flights (quoted separately)
- Mandatory Travel Medical Insurance (contact nicola@finisterra.ca for more information)
- Meals, snacks or drinks not specified in the itinerary
- Any additional/extra tours or park fees
- Personal and/or medical expenses
- Departure taxes or immigration fees (to be paid at some airports or land borders)
- Costs associated with changes to your itinerary for reasons beyond our control
- Any other service not mentioned in the “included” list or the itinerary
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Request Custom Quote” tab_id=”1450636013406-74147471-0e7d”][vc_column_text]
Start Planning Now!
Prices from: $2175USD per student. Please note that prices are subject to change and will fluctuate with the student/chaperone ratio.
We can accommodate groups of 10-24 students + chaperones
Contact: info@finisterra.ca
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_tabs][/trx_section][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.