NICARAGUA,COSTARICA,PANAMA
Each country is a unique discovery on its own. Nicaragua with its volcanoes, culture, and architecture; Costa Rica with adrenaline adventures and incredible natural beauty; and Panama with its Caribbean rhythm of life.
We begin our journey in Panama City. The city boasts a strikingly modern business district right on the coast, thanks to its role as a trade and industrial hub. We will explore Casco Antiguo, the historic colonial area of Panama City, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. We’ll view exceptional architectural remnants that are fascinating due to their blend of French, Italian, and Spanish styles.
Of course, the city and the country are renowned for the famous Panama Canal—a true engineering marvel connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. From the viewpoint, we will get a great perspective on how the locks and dams work and how large ships navigate one of the world’s most important transport routes.
Next, we fly to Bocas del Toro. We will spend two days enjoying the Caribbean Sea, take a boat tour around the archipelago, relax under the palm trees, snorkel on the coral reef, and almost certainly spot numerous dolphins in Dolphin Bay while waiting for a spectacular sunset.
We then travel to another national park, Tortuguero, by water taxi. Here, we’ll admire crocodiles, monkeys, and many other animals along the riverbanks. Our journey continues west to Lake Arenal. Time to relax in the hot springs and enjoy a beautiful view of the active Arenal Volcano. We then proceed towards the Nicaragua border, with a full day of travel, including a stretch on the famous Pan-American Highway, to the city of Leon. In Leon, Nicaragua’s second-largest city, we will explore all the vibrant colors of this beautiful colonial town. From here, we head to the Cerro Negro volcano. We will hike up and descend the black sand slopes on special sleds into the valley.
The next day, we drive to the Miraflor Natural Reserve. Miraflor is an exceptional place of stunning natural beauty, with wonderful flora and fauna. We then move to San Jorge, the starting point for the island of Ometepe in Lake Nicaragua. The lake has over 400 islands, with Ometepe being the largest, consisting of two volcanoes. We will explore this picturesque island, which is a paradise for hikers, swimmers, and archaeology enthusiasts, as it has many petroglyphs and stone statues. We will spend the night on the island.
The final stop of the trip is the charming coastal town of San Juan del Sur, known as Nicaragua’s main beach resort. Afterward, we will either fly home or, if desired, extend our stay to the Caribbean island of Corn Island to enjoy relaxing under the palm trees, snorkeling, and other activities.
We recommend the program to those who want an adventurous, traveling and free way to discover the world. Since we have multiple versions of the program, please read the day-by-day itinerary.
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 €10)
- Insurance
- Optional activities (e.g., cocoa plantation tour €10, surfing with instructor €50, snorkeling €10, canoeing €10, rafting)
- Single room supplement (approximately €10-15 per night)
- Transfer to Venice or Munich airports (€40-80)
- Evening entertainment
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: €70 for 12-9 travelers and €100 for 8-6 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