Description

CODE: PSALMAB
OPERATES: Package may start any day except Friday. Joya de ceren is closed on Monday.
SERVICE: Private services (Vehicle and driver)
DIFFICULTY: Easy
LODGING
•    2 nights in San Salvador City.
•    2 nights in Flower Route.
•    2 nights in Suchitoto.
•    1 night in La Unión.
HIGHLIGHTS
•    Learn how to make your own Pupusas (National typical food) and tortillas.
•    Share with a group of local tour guides who are sponsored
 
Meaningful and Beautiful

 
Break piñatas with local children! A wonderful trip that combines the beauties of El Salvador with the meaningful experience of sharing time with local communities through our own nonprofit organization. Volcano craters, archaeological sites, a child smile, coffee plantations, sharing experiences with local guides, colonial towns… In this package you will enjoy exploring El Salvador while at the same time support the work done by our local non-profit organizations that support ecological projects such as sea turtle conservation programs and educational projects at rural schools.
 
by our nonprofit organization.
•    Immerse in the culture of Nahuizalco, Juayua, Apaneca and Ataco Charming towns in Flower Route.
•    Pick up coffee with locals (if in season) and learn about the coffee process at a mill tour.
•    Walk to the edge of the crater of San Salvador Volcano.
•    Visit Joya de Cerén archaeological site, a World Heritage Site.
•    Walk around the cobblestone streets of Suchitoto Colonial Town.
•    Dye your own scarf in an indigo workshop: a Mayan natural colorant.
•    Interactive Monkey Tour.
•    Learn about Criollo Cacao from the lead farmer. Criollo is considered of the highest quality in the world.
•    Release your own Sea Turtle into the Pacific Ocean.
•    Visit a rural school and enjoy quality time with local kids.

DAY 1: TRANSFER TO SAN SALVADOR
Arrival to El Salvador International Airport. Transfer to San Salvador hotel.

Lodging in San Salvador.

DAY 2: VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK – FLOWER ROUTE (B, L)

Today we will visit Volcanoes National Park, where three amazing volcanoes (Izalco Volcano, Santa Ana Volcano and Cerro Verde) embrace beautiful  Coatepeque  Lake  which  fills a crater of another volcano. Izalco Volcano is one of the youngest volcanoes in America given that it was born in the 1700's, whereas Santa Ana Volcano is thousands of years old. Izalco Volcano was known as the “Lighthouse of the Pacific” since its lava guided the ships on the Pacific Ocean Coast. No lava is currently flowing, but both volcanoes are still active since constant fumaroles are present. In Cerro Verde, located in the middle of the other two volcanoes, we will walk around its extinct crater providing breathtaking views of Izalco and Santa Ana Volcanoes and Coatepeque Lake.

Here we will enjoy of a typical world famous dish: pupusas. Also, you will learn how to make your own pupusa! We will also Share with local children of our nonprofit organization (break a piñata for example) as well as with a group of local tour guides who are sponsored by our nonprofit organization.In the afternoon we will continue to the Flower Route. Lodging at Flower Route.
     Coatepeque Lake

     Hiking Santa Ana volcano
 

DAY 3: GORDINFLONAS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE - COFFEE TOUR - COFFE TOUR. (B, L)

The Flower Route is a coffee plantation area in Western El Salvador and composed by four main towns: Nahuizalco, Juayua, Apaneca and Ataco. The region offers amazing views of mountains and volcanoes offering crafts, coffee tours, charming towns, markets, and adventure options.

Today we will start our day visiting what may very well be the origins of the Mayan Civilization: Santa Leticia archaeological site, which goes back 600 years B.C. The most significant aspects of this area are three monuments “gordinflonas” or “potbelly” which resembles the face and body of a woman. The smallest one weighs 14,000 pounds and the biggest one weighs 21,000 pounds.

Then we will visit a coffee plantation, where during coffee season (Dec
- Mar), you will be able to collect coffee along with the locals. After this experience, a guided tour will explain each step of the coffee process at the “beneficio” (mill). Then, you will participate in a table of coffee cupping; you will learn the basics of this important profession. At the end of the tour you will enjoy a delicious cup of coffee, prepared with the "Chorreador" method and you will receive a pound of gourmet coffee. After lunch, enjoy free afternoon to explore the charming towns.

Return to hotel.

Lodging at Flower Route.
 
DAY 4: BOQUERON VOLCANO- JOYA DE CEREN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE – SUCHITOTO (B, L)

El Salvador is the country with more volcanoes per square kilometers in the world. This is because there are many volcanoes in a very small country, (20,000 square kilometers). Today we will visit El Boquerón which is the name of the crater of San Salvador’s Volcano. Locals   say that it has this name since the crater resembles a big mouth (boqueron = Big Mouth). At approximately 1,700 meters above sea level, it provides a cool climate in between 15 – 23 ºC. We will be able to walk to the edge of the crater and admire its beauty. Then we will enjoy lunch in a charming restaurant with amazing views where the owner is the great grand daughter of Mr. Álvarez who established the first coffee mill in El Salvador. We will also see the original machinery that was used. We will also enjoy a Corn tour and we will make our own tortillas.
 
Then we will continue to the archaeological site of Joya de Cerén, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993. This agricultural community was buried by the ashes of Volcano Caldera back in 600 AD for which it is also known as the“Pompeii of the Americas”, even though no bodies were found, a sign that its inhabitants received prompt warning of the eruption. Thanks to the excellent preservation, this site allows us to witness the everyday lives of the Mesoamerican agricultures of such time period; we can witness their homes, beds, crop fields and even saunas. This makes it a unique place within the Mayan World. There is also a comprehensive museum on site where you can witness the oldest cacao seeds known in the world.

Then continue to Suchitoto. Lodging at Suchitoto.
 

DAY 5: SUCHITOTO - INDIGO WORKSHOP- SUCHITOTO. (B, L)

Suchitoto town is one of El Salvador's colonial towns. Its name means the place of the Flower Bird. We will walk along the charming cobblestone streets surrounded by lovely old colonial homes. Suchitoto is home to Santa Lucia Church, built in 1853, majestically situated in the town's central square.

We will experience an Indigo Workshop. Indigo is a natural colorant extracted from the Xiquilite plant. It was a very important element for the Mayans since they used it for magical/religious rituals, as a medical plant, for pottery, and for painting. When the Spanish “Conquistadores” arrived to El Salvador in 1524, Indigo became the new source of wealth in the region. Pedro de Alvarado noticed how the Indians used several shades of blue in their clothes. In 1558, the Habsburg King Charles I ordered the territories of Guatemala and Cuscatlán (El Salvador), to produce indigo for Spain. The commercial route was through Granada, then to Cartagena de Indias from where it travelled to Spain.

In the XVII century, the ounce of indigo was as valuable as gold. El Salvador indigo, has always been recognized as top quality worldwide. We will learn the process of indigo as well as art techniques used on clothing as we experiment in designing our own scarf.

Lodging at Suchitoto.
 

DAY 6: EASTERN EL SALVADOR – JIQUILISCO MONKEY TOUR - CACAO TOUR - LA UNIÓN. (B, L)

Today we will start our trip to Eastern El Salvador. On the way,  will stop in Jiquilisco Bay, a UNESCO Biosphere reserve (one of     in all Central America). It is El Salvador´s largest and most impor wetland and the largest mangrove estuarine system in Nort Mesoamerica, being composed of mangrove forests, estuaries, s bars, beaches, 27 islands of varying size, fresh water lagoons a seasonally flooded forests. Its 637 square kilometers, represent transit point to at least 87 species of migratory birds.

 
In here we will visit a Monkey Community, learn about Cacao wi the plantation and also enjoy a boat tour within Jiquilisco Bay.    a monkey's tour, we will walk through a forest until we reach t home. After calling their names, the monkeys come down the t and interact with the visitors.

Then continue to La Unión.

      Monkey Tour
 

DAY 7: ICACAL BEACH – SEA TURTLE TOUR – LOCAL SCHOOL - SAN SALVADOR. (B, L)

In the morning we will depart to El Icacal beach, considered one of the best beaches in El Salvador. El Salvador only has coasts on the Pacific Ocean, and most of them are of volcanic origin. A small
community of about 40 families lives in El Icacal. We will head to the sea turtle nursery where the administrators will provide a general presentation on sea turtles and will explain the whole process on how they are protecting them in El Icacal. Four species of sea turtles nest in El Icacal: Leatherback, Hawksbill, Green and Olive Ridley; all of them considered endangered species. After the explanation, you will participate in the release of sea turtles into the Pacific Ocean. If in season, it is common to release about 100 sea turtles per day. We
will also visit a local school and learn how our nonprofit organization is working in order to keep children in school as well as teach them about the importance of protecting the environment. We will then have a boat tour guided by locals through the beautiful mangroves where we will be able to spot several species of birds. Then some free time to enjoy the beach.

Afternoon, return to San Salvador. Lodging in San Salvador

DAY 8: TRANSFER TO AIRPORT FOR DEPARTURE FLIGHT. END OF SERVICES (B)