NICARAGUA, COSTA RICA & PANAMA Tour
✈️ Adventure through Central America – Panama, Costa Rica & Nicaragua
Each country we visit is a discovery of its own. Nicaragua enchants with its volcanoes, culture, and colonial architecture, Costa Rica thrills with adrenaline and stunning nature, while Panama charms with its Caribbean rhythm and modern capital.
🏙️ Panama City – Modernity Meets Colonial Heritage
Our journey begins in Panama City, a vibrant metropolis with a modern business center located right on the coast. We explore Casco Antiguo, the city’s charming colonial quarter protected by UNESCO, where French, Italian, and Spanish architectural influences blend beautifully. No visit is complete without the world-famous Panama Canal, a true engineering marvel connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. From the viewpoint, we witness the fascinating operation of locks and watch massive ships navigate one of the world’s most important maritime routes.
🏝️ Bocas del Toro – Caribbean Bliss
We fly to the idyllic Bocas del Toro archipelago for two relaxing days by the Caribbean Sea. We take a boat trip around the islands, snorkel over vibrant coral reefs, relax in the shade of palm trees, and almost certainly spot dolphins in Dolphin Bay. Our days here end with breathtaking Caribbean sunsets.
🌿 Tortuguero – Rainforest Mysteries
We continue to Tortuguero National Park, which we reach by water taxi. Cruising along the jungle rivers, we spot crocodiles, monkeys, and numerous exotic birds, immersing ourselves in the wild and untouched beauty of the rainforest.
🌋 Arenal – Volcano Views and Natural Hot Springs
Our journey continues westward to Lake Arenal, where we unwind in natural hot springs while enjoying incredible views of the active Arenal Volcano. Part of our route follows the iconic Pan-American Highway, one of the longest road networks in the world.
🎨 León – Colonial Colors of Nicaragua
We cross the border into Nicaragua and travel to León, the country’s second-largest city. This colorful colonial town greets us with rich architecture and vibrant culture. A special adventure awaits as we hike up Cerro Negro Volcano and race down its black volcanic slopes on special wooden boards – a true adrenaline experience!
🍃 Miraflor – Hidden Natural Treasure
We then head to the Miraflor Nature Reserve, one of Nicaragua’s most beautiful yet lesser-known areas. Here, we are surrounded by lush greenery, rare plant species, and diverse wildlife in a tranquil and pristine setting.
🏞️ Ometepe Island – Volcanoes, Lake & Ancient Stones
From San Jorge, we take a boat to Ometepe Island, located in the middle of Lake Nicaragua. The island, formed by two volcanoes, is a haven for hikers, swimmers, and history lovers. Scattered around the island are petroglyphs and stone carvings, remnants of its rich heritage. We spend the night on the island, embraced by its peaceful atmosphere.
🌊 San Juan del Sur – Coastal Charm
Our final stop is the lively seaside town of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua’s main beach destination. It’s the perfect place to relax, enjoy local seafood, surf, and watch the sun dip into the ocean.
🏝️ Optional Extension: Corn Island Escape
For those who wish to extend their adventure, we offer an optional trip to Corn Island – a Caribbean paradise with palm trees, snorkeling, and island life at its best.
📅 Multiple Itineraries Available
We offer several versions of this itinerary. Be sure to check the day-by-day program, where you’ll find detailed options for longer or shorter journeys, all filled with unforgettable experiences.
🌍 Who Is This Trip For?
This trip is perfect for anyone seeking an adventurous, independent, and authentic way to explore the world. Get ready to be amazed with every step.
Highlights of the Trip
NICARAGUA
Leon: A colonial city that enchants with its colorful streets, churches, and art.
Cerro Negro: Hike up the volcano and slide down the black sand on special sleds.
Isla de Ometepe: An island formed by two volcanoes in the middle of the vast Ometepe Lake.
Miraflor: A paradise for nature and photography enthusiasts.
Corn Island: A Caribbean island with turquoise waters and white sandy beaches
COSTA RICA
Arenal: Views of the volcano, hanging bridges, zip lines, hot springs.
Tortuguero National Park: Navigate river channels by canoe and observe wildlife
PANAMA
Panama City: A cosmopolitan city of marvels.
Panama Canal: One of the greatest human engineering achievements
Accomodation
For this journey, we select hotels and apartments that are beautiful, authentic, friendly, and provide good service. We use double or triple rooms in hotels with private showers and toilets, and larger apartments in some places where options are limited. Accommodations vary in category, as nightly rates can be high. The key is to be centrally located, with main attractions within walking distance from the hotels.
Hotels
Why Travel With Us?
We recommend this trip to Central America to all travelers who love nature, animals, and wish to explore friendly countries. Each day will be active, exploratory, and full of new experiences. Throughout the journey, we will be in contact with locals and immersed in a welcoming and relaxing environment. This is a journey of excellence where you will experience and see many wonderful things in just 18 days in a relatively small space, making it a memorable trip for years to come.
We have designed the trip to be not too demanding, with minimal driving, and plenty of beautiful nature, wildlife, beaches, and colonial towns.
The hotels are carefully selected, with city stays in the heart of the action and island stays near beautiful beaches. The program includes the most beautiful highlights that the countries have to offer.
About the Countries
Costa Rica is described by the well-known slogan “pura vida,” which has been part of Costa Rican vernacular for over fifty years. Literally meaning “pure life,” it symbolizes a way of living and the idea of simply enjoying life and being happy. Geographically, Costa Rica can be divided into five parts: the volcanic Cordilleras, the central valley with the capital city San José, the Caribbean coasts, the Pacific coasts, and the Nicoya Peninsula in the northwest of the country. Costa Rica’s population consists of 65.8% whites, 13.65% mestizos, 9.03% immigrants, and about 60% of Costa Ricans live in cities. Two-thirds of the approximately four million inhabitants live in the more climate-friendly mountainous region, particularly in the Central Valley, where important cities like San José are located.
Visas and Vaccinations
Slovenian citizens do not require a visa for any of the three countries. However, a special fee is charged at border crossings. You can find information on necessary vaccinations for Central America here: www.zdravinapot.si
Group and Tour Leader
The exact itinerary can be checked by clicking on the route map. The group size is between 12 and 20 travelers. The group will be led by Andrej or Gregor. The entire trip requires 18 or 21 days.
Before the trip, we will have a mandatory meeting to avoid problems and ensure everyone is well-informed.
When to travel?
Travel to Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama is recommended during the spring months, which are the dry season with less rain and fewer tourists. Departures with Huda Tura are in January/February and July.
You can check the exact departure dates under the “PRICE” tab and on the right side of the page by clicking on “DEPARTURES.” Availability is limited!
💰 Price:
✅ Price Includes:
- Organization and Slovenian guiding
- International flight ticket to Panama City and return from Managua
- Domestic flight from Panama City to San José
- Accommodation in 2*-3* travel hotels and hostels (double rooms in hotels, multi-bed rooms in hostels)
- All hotel costs, transportation, and transfers
- All sea transport (boats, ferries)
- Excursion to the Cerro Negro volcano and Panama Canal visit
❌ Not Included in the Price:
- Meals outside the program
- Entrance fees (approximately €20)
- Insurance
- tickets cca 15-50€/ attraction, border crossing fees cca 20€
- Single room
- Transfer to airports (€45-85)
- Trips (excursions outside the program, bicycles or motorcycles, cocoa processing, snorkeling, canoeing)
📝 Payment method:
At the time of registration, a deposit of €100 is required, along with a registration fee of €10 per payment. The registration fee is non-refundable. The price is applicable for payments made via UPN transfer. By paying the deposit, you secure a spot in the group. The departure is confirmed once the minimum number of participants is reached. In case of fewer registrations, the trip may be canceled, or the price for organization and guiding may be proportionally increased. If there are 12 or fewer travelers, an additional fee will be charged for organization: €90 for 12-9 travelers and €120 for 6-8 travelers. If you cancel the trip, cancellation terms as stated in the general conditions will apply. Up to 60 days before departure or before the invoice is issued, you can use the amount paid towards any of our trips within one year. You can read more about the general conditions here. If the trip is canceled due to insufficient registrations, the deposit will, of course, be refunded. Before departure, costs for the flight, accompaniment, travel preparation, insurance with assistance, and transfer to the airport must be settled. All other expenses are to be paid locally, at the destination.
Destinations are travel-oriented and prices may vary. There may be minor deviations due to changes in prices or currencies, so we guarantee only the price for organization and the flight.
PHOTO MOMENTS
The route:
Difficulty:
The route:
POVEJ NAPREJ:
Impressions:
Impressions:
Pozdravljena Ekipa Chara
Potovanje je bil super, sicer sem bil prvič v srednji Ameriki ? v najlepšem spominu bom imel bocas del toro, želve, ometepe – motorji 2 dni ?
Podaljšek na Corn Islandu je bil odličen, hotel top, plaže najlepše ( razn majhnih muhc, ki so me grizle na plaži čez dan ? )
Vodič Andrej ? samo kapo dol, znajde se v vseh situacijah ?
Denarja na poti sem porabil točno 1350$, hrana, pijača, darila, vstopnine, darila, ….. Pa res nisem šparal ?
Nasljednja destinacija je Jordanija, velika želja je pa Tajska ?
Lp Grega
Zdravo.
Malo z zamudo pa vseeno bi podelila najina mnenja o potovanju s Charom.
Na splošno sva bila s potovanjem zelo zadovoljna. Težko rečem kaj mi je bilo najbolj všeč, vendar si bova vseeno najbolj zapomnila Bocas del Toro (ta karibski del Paname nama je bil zelo všeč), od Kostarike nama je v mislih ostal Tortuguero in izkušnja z želvamim ki sem jih jaz sicer že videla na Šri Lanki v zavetišču, vendar je izkušnja v Tortugueru veliko bolj pristna in res nekaj posebnega. Najbolj od vsega naju je navdušila Nikaragva, saj se nama je zdela res avtentična. Vsem bi seveda predlagala podaljšek na Corn Island-e, ker so zelo lepi in imaš res tri dni časa za počitek in branje knjige na plaži pred potjo domov 🙂 Zdelo se nama je vredno zapeljati tudi do Little Corn Island-a, ki je precej divji in plaže so krasne. Vse kar bi morda spremenila je (zgolj predlog), da bi iz Panama City-ja odpotovala že drugi večer popoldne proti Bocas del Toro in ne tretji dan zjutraj. Po ogledu Panamskega prekopa bi šla na letalo proti Bocasu in tam preživela en večer več.
Andrej je bil carski, občudujeva njegove sposobnosti vodenja skupine, saj smo imeli na poti veliko vprašanj in lastnih idej pa mislim, da je v vsakem trenutku ugodil vsakomur. Na potovanju sva zapravila vsak točno 1500 USD, točno toliko sva vzela denarja v Sloveniji in sva do Ljubljanskega letališča zapravila do centa natančno. To je celoten strošek poti brez letalskih prevozov, torej vse nočitve, vstopnine, transferji (bus, taxi, skuter, trajekt,…), vsa hrana, pijača, žuranje, darila …, torej vse. Skupaj z letalskimi kartami, tremi notranjimi leti in stroškom vodenja je po glavi prišlo okog 2700 €, kar se mi za potovanje po srednji Ameriki, kjer ni tako poceni, kot npr. v Aziji ne zdi veliko.
Prvič sva potovala z agencijo in vse skupaj naju je prepričalo, da bova ponovno potovala s Charom. Naslednje najino potovanje bo Avstralija ali južna Amerika (Argentina, Čile, Peru, Bolivija).
Hvala za vse in lep pozdrav,
Luka in Petra
z veseljem Vam odgovorim, ker je bilo več kot odlično 🙂
1. Celotno potovanje je bilo super. Res dobra ekipca in kar je najbolj pomembno odličen vodič Andrej. Sem prvič šla na takšno potovanje s skupino in me je vse res pozitivno presenetilo. Kot skupina smo se res dobro ujeli, se znali tudi prilagoditi, ko je bilo to potrebno in toliko kot sem se tukaj nasmejala, se že dolgo nisem 🙂
Najbolj mi je ostalo v spominu to, da nas je Andrej učil surfati in plaža Red frog beach v Bocas del Toru. Vse mi je bilo dobro predvsem narava v Kostariki in Nikaragvi. Spremenila bi mogoče samo to, da bi skrajšala en dan v mestu Panama in podaljšala Kostariko.
2. Boljšega vodiča ne bi mogli dobiti. Super je vodil, vedno prijazen in tudi pomagal, če smo ga kaj prosili. Je dober učitelj in zelo potrpežljiv predvsem pri učenju surfanja 🙂 Všeč mi je bilo, ker se rad heca, tako da smo se res veliko nasmejali.
3. Za to potovanje sem se odločila, ker me je v to prepričala moja mami, ker je z vami potovala že lansko leto in je bila zelo zadovoljna.
4. Porabila sem približno 600 evrov za hrano, pijačo in spominke.
5. V prihodnje se bom najverjetneje odločila za Kubo z vami. Bi bila pa zelo vesela, če bi imeli tudi opcijo Peru.
Lep pozdrav,
Maja
Pozdravljen/ni,
Z potepanjem po srednji Ameriki sem bila več, kod zadovoljna. Če boljše pogledam je razlog za to bil predvsem in izključno vodič Andrej. To je šolski primer kako je lahko potovanje prijetno in lepo, ali stresno in neprijetno.
Zakaj je vodič bil tako dober?
1. Prijazen, umirjen, nasmejan
2. Pozitiven v vsaki situaciji
3. družaben in pripravljen družiti se s skupino
4. prisluhniti vsakem predlogo
5. biti dober opazovalec in dober psiholog
6. delati v dobro celotne skupine
7. biti vseprisoten in diskretno odmaknjen
8. biti dobro pripravljen in interesantno razlagati o mestih, ki smo jih obiskali
9. znati ustvariti prijetno vzdušje, čeprav si v divjini
10. zahvala za prijetno, zanimivo potovanje, katero bi lahko bilo polomija, če Andrej ne bi bil vodič.
Veliko sem potovala, sama v lastni režiji z agencijami iz tujine in doma in prvič z agencijo Char. Zelo lepo in verjetno še kdaj. Rada bi šla v centralno Azijo – Uzbekistan, Tadžikistan.
Kaj mi je najbolj ostalo v spominu?
– verjetno že prvi dan – kolesarjenje, sankanje po vulkanu, hoja od ene meje do druge, dolar tu, dolar tam
– porabila sem okoli 1500 dol.
Corn Island je bil lep zaključek in prijetni oddih, tudi hrana je bila vrhunska (jastog, jastog in še jastog) Hotel je bil čist lep in res lep zaključek. “Pika na I”.
Čestitke za izjemen program in izjemnega vodiča. Bodite prepričani, da ste naredili veliki in pomembni vtis na mene.
Hvala in lep pozdrav
Karen Polimac