OVERVIEW

Discover the historical importance of cacao in the Mayan culture and sample cacao-based beverages along with a traditional Salvadoran dish. This culinary immersion will take place at Finca Cuyancua, a family-owned plantation located in an area where for centuries the Maya have grown cacao – the raw seed from which chocolate is made. As you walk among the cacao trees, you will hear how the ancient Mayas used cacao as a food, in rituals and as a symbol of wealth. After picking some cacao pods, you will participate in a hands-on workshop during which you will concoct and sample a cacao beverage. You will also see how non-traditional crops and potential superfoods such as moringa are grown on the estate. Afterwards, you will snack on pupusas, the national dish of El Salvador. These maize-based tortillas are typically stuffed with meat and cheese and fried on a griddle. A local musician will play marimba music to enhance the experience.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Visit a plantation that grows cacao and discover its many uses among the Mayas.
• See other more unusual crops and superfoods that flourish on the plantation.
• Sample a traditional cacao-based drink after preparing it in a hands-on workshop.
• Listen to live marimba music while snacking on stuffed tortillas known as pupusas.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Bring a swimsuit, towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Look for wildlife while cruising the mangrove-lined channels of Zapatero Canal and enjoy the amenities of an eco-lodge overlooking the sea. You will get a genuine feel for the natural environment on the drive to the town of Barra de Santiago, where you will board a small boat and cruise through pristine waters amid the mangrove forests. The intertwined aerial roots of mangroves help to prevent erosion, filter toxins and provide shelter for wildlife. Chances are, you will spot crocodiles and water birds such as kingfishers, pelicans and herons. You will also likely see locals fishing in traditional ways. Later, you will dine on locally sourced seafood at La Cocotera Resort, a luxurious boutique ecolodge. It was built with natural materials such as sustainable teak and palm fronds and designed around the specimen trees that were already on the property. A bit of free time allows you to discover even more.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cruise through Zapatero Canal in an open-sided boat that is ideal for viewing wildlife.
• Keep an eye out for crocodiles and water birds in the shallow waters.
• Learn about the eco benefits of the mangroves that line Zapatero Canal.
• Dine at La Cocotera Resort, an environmentally friendly boutique hotel on the beach.
• Swim in the resort’s saltwater swimming pool and the sea, if you wish.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Bring a swimsuit, towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Learn to make an indigo-dyed scarf in a hands-on workshop and delve into the local culture while exploring the colonial village Izalco. As you will discover during the immersive class, the ancient Mayas extracted the natural blue pigment indigo from the xiquilite plant. Used for dye, indigo was so valuable that it was called “blue gold.” It remains an important crop. You will be provided with everything needed to dye a cotton scarf with indigo as a souvenir to take home. Local schoolchildren will perform a folkloric dance that will present another cultural perspective through graceful movements that depict an encounter between the ancient Mayas and the conquistadors. The influence of centuries of Spanish colonization is still evident throughout Izalco, a village that lies in the shadow several volcanoes. In the Nahuatl language, Izalzo means “house of obsidian,” a reference to the black volcanic glass that forms when lava rapidly cools.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Discover the cultural and economic significance of indigo dye to the Mayas.
• Dye a scarf with indigo in a hands-on workshop and keep your creation as a souvenir.
• Watch a folkloric dance that depicts the ancient Mayas meeting the Spanish conquistadors.
• View colonial architecture in Izalco that reflects the Spanish influence.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Bring a swimsuit, towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy the serenity of an environmentally protected beach for hours, during which you can relax however you please. A short drive through fertile farmland will bring you to Los Almendros Beach, a lovely stretch of sand known for its dramatic volcanic rock formations along the shore. The setting is incredibly peaceful as it is typically uncrowded and playing music or sound equipment is prohibited. Souvenir vendors aren’t allowed on the beach, either. Los Almendros earned a prestigious Blue Flag designation for the clarity and purity of its water, which is sheltered and typically calm. If you wish to swim, feel free. Or you may prefer just lounging about on a beach chair, basking in the sun and doing nothing more ambitious than watching the waves gently lapping the shore while you snack on the fresh fruit buffet. There is a backdrop of palm trees if you are looking for shade.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Relax for hours however you please on Los Almendros Beach.
• Swim in waters that earned a Blue Flag designation for their clarity and purity.
• Revel in the serenity of the protected beach environment.
• Snack on a buffet of fresh fruit while enjoying the beach setting.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Bring a swimsuit, towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Discover the culinary practices of the Mayas at an archaeological site and then learn to prepare an ancestral dish in a hands-on workshop. As an introduction to ancient life in El Salvador, you will visit Joya de Cerén, a Mayan farming community that was buried under ash after a volcanic eruption in the 7th century. When excavated 1,300 years later, petrified food was found among the ruins that revealed much about the Mayan diet. The Mayas lived in what is now Cerro Verde National Park, the setting for your cooking class at the Casa 1800 Cerro Verde hotel. The chef will show you step by step how to prepare pupusas, a traditional dish made with ingredients known to the Mayas. These thick griddle cakes stuffed with meat and cheese are so popular that they have become El Salvador’s national dish. While dining on your freshly made pupusas for lunch, you will understand their attraction.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Browse an archaeological site whose excavation revealed much about Mayan foods.
• Join a cooking class at a luxurious hotel in a national park where the Mayas once lived.
• Learn to prepare pupusas – the national dish of El Salvador – in class.
• Dine on pupusas served with horchata, a sweet milky beverage.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW
Enjoy an enlightening driving tour that offers different perspectives of western El Salvador, including its volcanic landscape and colonial towns. You will first have a Photo Stop alongside the road to admire the majestic Cerro Verde National Park from a distance, a natural wonderland between three lushly landscaped volcanoes. The youngest volcano is Izalco, which began erupting in the late 18th century and continued for more than 150 years. The town of Izalco now lies on the volcano’s slope. The harvesting of cocoa once fueled the economy, although Izalco was known more as a mystical setting, as its indigenous Nahuatl people practiced traditional healing. Following a driving tour of its landmarks, you will stop for photos in the colonial town of Nahuizalco, which translates to “four Izalcos” in the Nahuatl language. The name refers to the town once having four times the population of Izalco. Nahuizalco lies along El Salvador’s beautiful Flowers Route, a byway bordered by fields of wildflowers that you will surely find enchanting.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Take in the stunning natural beauty of Cerro Verde National Park and its nearby volcanoes.
• Drive through the town of Izalco, which lies on the slope of its namesake volcano.
• Admire the colonial town of Nahuizalco along the colorful, aptly named Flowers Route.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Hike through lushly forested Cerro Verde Volcano Natural Park and enjoy breathtaking views of its three volcanic peaks as the guide describes the park’s remarkable biodiversity. The hike to the summit of the extinct volcano Cerro Verde is considered moderately challenging but will be well worth the effort. As you ascend through the cloud forest that blankets the volcano, you will learn about the park’s geology, ecology and the Mayas that once lived there. Be sure to look for wildlife such as sloths, monkeys, hummingbirds and the torogoz, El Salvador’s national bird, which may be spotted foraging in the fruit trees. From lookouts along the flattened top of Cerro Verde, you will enjoy sweeping views of the other volcanoes – one of which most recently erupted in 2005 – and the ancient crater lake Coatepeque. Following the hike, you will enjoy coffee and dessert at the five-star hotel Casa 1800 Cerro Verde.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Hike through a cloud forest to the flattened summit of Cerro Verde volcano.
• Take in the stunning natural beauty of Cerro Verde National Park.
• Look for wildlife such as sloths, monkeys and birds in the cloud forest.
• Learn about the park’s extraordinary biodiversity as the guide describes the flora and fauna.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW
Travel to the colonial town of Nahuizalco, where you will view its most alluring attractions, including a popular market with exceptional handicrafts. While following the winding road to town, you will pass through fields of wildflowers, the reason the scenic highway is known as the Flowers Route. Many of the fence posts along the way are also brightly colored, which complement the various hues of the wildflowers. As an introduction to town, you may see colonial highlights such as the San Juan Bautista Chapel before watching a traditional dance performance and a demonstration of weaving with natural fibers. Nahuizalco boasts a large community of indigenous people. They are also exceptionally creative, as you will discover at a bustling handicrafts market. Most of the traditional products such as mats, baskets and handbags are skillfully made with wicker known as mimbre or the fiber-like stem tule.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Drive toward the colonial town of Nahuizalco along the naturally beautiful Flowers Route.
• Gain a cultural perspective of the indigenous people while touring Nahuizalco.
• Watch a traditional dance performance and a demonstration of weaving.
• Browse a market known for traditional handicrafts that the indigenous people make.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Hike to the rim of the Santa Ana Volcano for a peek at the emerald-green lake lying at the bottom of its crater. Better known locally as Ilamatepec, this massive stratovolcano in the Cerro Verde National Park is the highest in El Salvador, and the views will be spectacular throughout your hike. The volcano’s eruptions were first recorded in the 16th century, although more than 100 years passed before the last eruption in 2005. As you ascend the trail, you will notice the landscape changing dramatically from dense cloud forest at the bottom to barren rocky terrain near the top, which will allow for sweeping views in every direction. From the overlook near the volcanic rim, you will see the Pacific Ocean, Izalco Volcano and Lake Coatepeque. The descent will be just as picturesque. As you re-enter the cloud forest, look for wildlife in the area.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Hike to the top of El Salvador’s highest volcano and see the lake in its crater.
• Marvel at the ever-changing landscape, which ranges from cloud forest to rocky terrain.
• Take in the panoramic views in every direction from the top of the volcano.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW
Travel inland to San Salvador for a cultural immersion in the alluring capital of El Salvador. Spanish conquistador Pedro de Alvarado founded the city in 1525 but there isn’t a single colonial building left, as earthquakes have leveled them over the centuries. Even so, San Salvador is the country’s financial and commercial center and its cultural heart, as you will discover at venues such as the National Theater. The oldest theater in Central America, it is a French Renaissance-style architectural gem. The National Palace was also constructed around the same time in the early 20th century and instantly became a landmark. During free time, you can explore San Salvador further on you own, perhaps browsing a museum or shopping for clothing and Mayan-inspired merchandise.

HIGHLIGHTS
• View architectural landmarks throughout San Salvador, El Salvador’s capital.
• Gain a historical insight into how earthquakes have affected the urban landscape.
• Spend free time shopping or browsing cultural venues in the heart of downtown.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Walk through the excavated ruins of two of the important Mayan sites in El Salvador. To reach the communities, you will drive through beautiful volcanic terrain that shows how centuries of violent eruptions have shaped the countryside. Further evidence will be apparent in the Mayan agricultural community San Andrés, which volcanic debris covered during a 1658 eruption. As you wander through the excavated archaeological park, you will discover the ceremonial roles of the pyramids and how the palaces in San Andrés were constructed with adobe bricks, plaster and gravel. Hardened volcanic ash was also used. Nearby, you will find Joya de Cerén, a Mayan farming community that suffered a similar fate. Known as the Pompeii of the Americas, the World Heritage site features excavated religious buildings, residences and storehouses, all constructed with compressed clay. The many artifacts lend insight into the Mayan culture.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Meander through the excavated ruins in the ancient Mayan community San Andrés.
• Discover how centuries of volcanic activity have shaped the surrounding landscape.
• Learn even more while browsing the ruins in Joya de Cerén, the Pompeii of the Americas.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Tour an organic cacao plantation and discover how the raw seeds are processed to make chocolate much like the Maya once did. They drank chocolate for ceremonial and medicinal purposes as far back as 500 BC. The Maya also used cacao as currency and added chocolate to many of their traditional dishes. When the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the 16th century, they altered the Mayan recipe by adding sugar and milk to the cacao concoction. The resulting taste was closer to today’s chocolate. As you browse the plantation, you will observe how the organic cacao seeds are picked, dried, roasted and ground. The steps are fascinating and you may sample the cacao during various stages of production. You will then join a chocolate bar workshop, during which you will make your own version of chocolate. One taste, and you may understand why chocolate was once reserved for royalty.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Delve into the world of chocolate at a plantation that grows cacao, the main ingredient.
• Hear how the Mayas depicted cacao in their hieroglyphics and used the seeds as money.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.