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Antigua to San Jose
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Length
20 Days
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Quality
This indicates the overall quality of the tour operator's products. A low rating does not mean it is not good - it just means that it does not include as much, or perhaps is of a more standard quality than the higher quality tours. For example, a 3 star quality rating means that it is a more standard/economical tour, while 5 stars is a very luxurious tour that often includes a lot of amenities. -
Starts in
Antigua Guatemala (Guatemala)
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Ends in
San Jose (Costa Rica)
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Available Tour Start Dates
JAN 30, 2027 to JAN 8, 2028
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Activity Level
No Rating Provided
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Language
English
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Guaranteed Date(s)
Yes means that there is at least one tour date that the vendor guarantees will occur. No means that there is not at least one tour date that the vendor guarantees will occur, which usually means that the vendor wants a certain amount of reservations on each tour in order for each one to occur. Of course, the terms and conditions of the vendor do allow for the vendor to cancel guaranteed tour dates for certain reasons (for example, a natural disaster).No
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Special Interest(s)
18-to-Thirtysomethings
Contiki tours are only available for 18- to 35-year olds.
Overview
From Antigua’s volcano views to Costa Rica’s cloud forests, this 20-day trip keeps things simple. You’ll move through El Salvador and Nicaragua before reaching Costa Rica, mixing colonial cities, Pacific beaches, lakes, volcanoes and laid-back towns. There’s time for island life, local experiences and big outdoor moments, balanced with free days to explore how you want. Expect simple stays, a mix of local and private transport, and plenty of freedom to do things your way.
Visited During Tour
Antigua Guatemala (Guatemala) | Arenal Volcano National Park (Costa Rica) | El Salvador | Granada (Spain) | La Libertad Region | La Union | Leon | Monteverde (Costa Rica) | Nicaragua | Ometepe | Potosi | San Jorge | San Jose | San Juan Del Sur | Santa Ana (California)
Dates, Offers & Prices
Tour Itinerary
More Details
Dates, Offers & Prices
The following are Antigua to San Jose tour dates available from Contiki. Select a bonus offer graphic to view its details, including its terms.
Tour Itinerary
Contiki Tour Code 815-2623
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Day
1Antigua
Welcome to Antigua! Meet your Trip Manager and fellow travellers and head out into town to grab dinner wherever you like.
Accommodations: Central Hostal San Sebastian (Or Similar) -
Day
2Antigua
Explore Antigua your way today. Wander the cobbled streets, check out churches and plazas, shop for local crafts, or find a cafe with a volcano view. There’ll also be the option to join a Pacaya hike, an Antigua bike ride and plantation visit, or the Acatenango overnight hike if you’re up for something bigger.
Accommodations: Central Hostal San Sebastian (Or Similar) -
Day
3Antigua
Another free day in Antigua. Keep exploring the city, take it slow in a cafe, or join an optional visit to the Native Chocolate Museum for a closer look at one of Guatemala’s best-known local flavours.
Accommodations: Central Hostal San Sebastian (Or Similar) -
Day
4Antigua to Santa Ana
Leave Antigua this morning and travel by private shuttle across the border into El Salvador, with mountain views and coffee-country scenery along the way.Once you arrive in Santa Ana, your Trip Manager will give you an orientation of the town. After that, the rest of the day will be free to relax, head out for dinner, or settle into your new surroundings.
Accommodations: Urban Nest Hostel (Or Similar) -
Day
5Santa Ana
Enjoy a free day in Santa Ana to explore your way — cathedral, central plaza, local eats, the lot. Feeling extra? Visit nearby lakes and hot springs, or take on the Ruta de las Flores.
Accommodations: Urban Nest Hostel (Or Similar) -
Day
6Santa Ana to La Libertad Region
Leave Santa Ana behind this morning and travel by private shuttle towards the coast, swapping city streets for sea views.The rest of the day is free to relax. This is your chance to slow things down a bit — whether that means pool time, ocean time, or both.
Accommodations: Lagarza Hostel (Or Similar) -
Day
7La Libertad Region
Today's yours to enjoy La Libertad however you like. You can stretch out on the black-sand beaches, explore more of the coastline, or keep things easy and lean into the laid-back pace. If you’re keen to get in the water, there’ll also be the option to join a surf lesson with local instructors.
Accommodations: Lagarza Hostel (Or Similar) -
Day
8La Libertad Region to Leon via La Union and Potosi
Leaving the coast behind early this morning, you'll set off by private shuttle towards La Unión.From here, you’ll board a public boat across the Gulf of Fonseca, trading the road for a more scenic route between countries.On arrival in Nicaragua, we'll clear immigration in Potosi before continuing the journey by private shuttle bus.Later, you’ll arrive in León and check in at your accommodation. It's a big travel day, so the rest of the afternoon and evening will be free to relax or head out and explore.
Accommodations: Poco a Poco Hostel (Or Similar) -
Day
9Leon
You’ll have the day free to explore León at your own pace. Visit the cathedral, wander the colourful streets, or head up to the cathedral rooftop for wide views over the city. If you’re after something more active, there’ll also be the option to take on the Cerro Negro volcano hiking and boarding adventure.
Accommodations: Poco a Poco Hostel (Or Similar) -
Day
10Leon to Granada
Time to travel by shuttle to Granada, arriving around midday.After check-in, the rest of the day will be free to explore Granada at your own pace. You can wander the colourful streets, relax in a cafe or plaza, or check out Cafe de las Sonrisas — a social enterprise spot with a great story behind it. There’ll also be the option to join an Isletas boat tour if you want to get out on the water.
Accommodations: Hostal De Boca en Boca (Or Similar) -
Day
11Granada to Ometepe via San Jorge
You’ll leave Granada this morning and travel by shuttle to San Jorge.From here, you’ll board the public ferry across to Ometepe, with lake and volcano views setting the scene on the way over.Once you arrive, a Local Guide will meet you and take you to your homestay. Settle in for the start of your island stay, with dinner included and a more local, day-to-day side of Ometepe ahead.
- Meals Included:
- Dinner
Accommodations: Puesta Del Sol Homestay (Or Similar) -
Day
12Ometepe
A free day to experience Ometepe your way. If you’re up for a challenge, there’ll be the option to join a hiking experience and take on more of the island’s volcanic landscape.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Accommodations: Puesta Del Sol Homestay (Or Similar) -
Day
13Ometepe to San Juan del Sur via San Jorge
Leave Ometepe today and make your way back to the port, saying goodbye to island life as you head off towards the mainland.From here, you’ll board the ferry back to San Jorge before continuing by road.Later, we'll travel by private shuttle to San Juan del Sur and check in on arrival. The rest of the day will then be free to settle in and enjoy your first look at this easygoing beach town.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Nalu Nalu Hostel (Or Similar) -
Day
14San Juan del Sur
Enjoy a free day to enjoy San Juan del Sur however you like. Keep it easy with beach time, cafes, and sunset views, or head out and explore more of the coastline. Plus, there's an option to join a scientific whale and dolphin boat tour if you want to get out on the water and see a different side of this part of Nicaragua.
Accommodations: Nalu Nalu Hostel (Or Similar) -
Day
15San Juan del Sur to Monteverde
Today, we'll travel south by private shuttle, crossing the border into Costa Rica and heading for the cooler mountain air of Monteverde.By late afternoon, you’ll arrive in Monteverde and settle into Santa Elena, the gateway to the cloud forest. The rest of the evening will be free to grab dinner, explore the town, and ease into your first taste of Costa Rica.
Accommodations: Hotel Quetzal Inn (Or Similar) -
Day
16Monteverde
You've got a few ways to take on the cloud forest today. Go big with an optional zipline through the treetops, keep it slower with a walk across the hanging bridges, or get involved in a tree-planting experience that gives back to the local environment. After dark, opt in for a guided night walk and see a different side of Monteverde.
Accommodations: Hotel Quetzal Inn (Or Similar) -
Day
17Monteverde to Arenal
Travel by shared shuttle, with a bus-boat-bus journey taking you from the cloud forest down towards your next stop.By early afternoon, you’ll arrive in La Fortuna, where rainforest scenery, waterfalls, trails, and plenty of adventure all come into play. Once you’ve settled in, there’ll also be the option to head to the Arenal Hot Springs later on.
Accommodations: Viajero Arenal Hostel (Or Similar) -
Day
18Arenal
You have the option to start the day with canyoneering for a proper adrenaline hit in the rainforest. Or, if you’re after something more grounded, you can join a nature walk and tortilla-making experience with the Solano-Oviedo family, with a closer look at local life and conservation efforts around Arenal.
Accommodations: Viajero Arenal Hostel (Or Similar) -
Day
19Arenal to San Jose
Jump on a public bus and travel to San José with mountain views and small towns rolling by as you make your way into Costa Rica’s Central Valley.After arriving around late afternoon, we'll head straight to the hostel to check in. Later on, there’ll be the option to come together for a farewell dinner and round off the trip as a group.
Accommodations: Viajero San José Hostel (Or Similar) -
Day
20San Jose
And just like that, 20 days of non-stop Central America's colours, culture and chaos has officially come to an end.
More Details
Contiki is informing us of the following additional details regarding their Antigua to San Jose tour:
Travelers Notes
* START/END TIMES: Trip starts in Antigua at 6:00pm and ends in San Jose at 10:00am. Please note that you should fly into Guatemala City, Guatemala (GUA) which is approximately 30 minutes from Antigua. One way to get to the hotel in Antigua from Guatemala City is by taxi and costs between US$35-$60. Uber will cost between US$30-55 on average. Please join your trip at the start accommodation outlined in your trip documents. Hotels are subject to change. Check your travel documents for How To Get There & Kick-Start Meeting information.* TRANSFERS: Chargeable arrival transfers are available from Guatemala City (GUA) to Tulum. Departure transfers are not available. Full Flight Information must be provided if transfers are required to be booked. Flights details must be advised min. 14 days prior to departure.* PASSPORT: A passport is needed to enter Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica for all passengers unless they are residents or citizens of these countries. Passport details are required for all Latin America trips. The clients name as it appears on their passport, date of birth, gender, passport number, expiry date with 6 months validity, and nationality is required.* VISAS: Visas may be required for this trip. It is the client's responsibility to obtain the necessary documentation. Guatemala has a mandatory online immigration form to complete before arrival.* BORDER FEES: The following Border Fees will need to be paid locally while on trip: entry fee for Guatemala US$3. There is a US$12 tourist card fee to enter El Salvador, and a US$10 tourist card fee (plus US$3 processing fee) in Nicaragua. Have US$15 in cash in clean, crisp condition, as Nicaragua may refuse bills in poor condition and there is no ATM on arrival in Potosi. USD Fees are subject to change and are approximate based on exchange rates.* GROUND HANDLER: This trip is operated on behalf of Contiki by our trusted third party supplier Be Mexico and led by one of our own wonderful Contiki Trip Managers.* CONTRABAND: Nicaragua does not allow drones and may also confiscate VR headsets. If you plan to travel with high-quality cameras or binoculars, please reference the packing section of your Essential Trip Information for details about Nicaragua's restrictions and regulations on these items as they are often confiscated. * FREE TIME ADD ON: Final counts for the Acatenago Hike will be needed a few days before the tour starts. Travellers will need to secure their spot before arriving in Antigua by using the WeTravel link that will be sent by their Trip Manager ahead of time.
Pricing listed above for tours is per person, in US Dollars, and is based on multi-share. Pricing may change for other occupancy types. Pricing is based on the last time the vendor electronically sent us pricing data, which varies by vendor (usually occurs overnight or multiple times throughout each day).
Pricing and availability are subject to change and must be confirmed by one of our travel advisors, who can contact the vendor to do so. Intra-vacation air (also referred to as internal air) is usually based on economy class seating (do not assume otherwise, unless explicity noted otherwise) and may be 100% non-refundable at time of final payment. Air quotes (including intra-vacation airfare) may be subject to change until final payment has been received by the vendor. Flight confirmation may be based on availability. Air reservations may not be able to be confirmed until a passport copy is received by the vendor. The following charges are not included in the vacation price unless otherwise noted: airfare to and from the start of your vacation; airline baggage fees including checked and/or excess baggage fees; Federal inspection fees for the Federal U.S. Customs and Immigrations; International Air Transportation tax; agricultural tax; other per person taxes imposed by government entities; airport taxes and fees, including the September 11th Security fee, passenger facility charges, Federal domestic flight segment fees, and U.S. and international arrival and departure and other government-imposed fees added by the airline and applicable at time of booking; port taxes; passports; visas and vaccinations; tips to your Cruise Director, Local Host, driver, Local Guides, and/or ship's crew; gratuities on ferries, trains, and cruise ships; laundry; telephone; minibar; alcohol, beverages, and food outside of the contracted menu as presented at a hotel or restaurant or onboard your vessel (these extra items will be billed to you before leaving the hotel, ship, or restaurant); airport transfers on non-qualifying flights; optional excursions; additional activities and excursions purchased online; porterage at airports and train stations; Travel Protection; and all other items of a personal nature. Itinerary details are provided by the vendor. Vendors may reserve the right to change itineraries, even on existing reservations. There may be instances where the name of a tour contains a tour length in it, but where there is a version of the tour that is a different number of days in length. You can check the true length of a tour by referring to the length value listed in association with that tour. Destination images displayed on this web page, some which are supplied by the related vendor and some which are not, are intended to simply give a general representation of the region of the world being visited during the tour. Such images are not necessarily of the exact areas being visited during the tour. Hotel details (including, but not limited to: rating/class, descriptions, images, amenities and addresses) are provided by Contiki. Hotel amenities may be communicated in shorthand by Contiki (for example, if "Laundry" is listed that may only mean that the hotel has an optional fee-based service that would allow for your laundry to be done by their staff). We reserve the right to correct errors.