We've given each of our tours a comfort rating and a tour pace, walking or cycling grade to give you a general idea about the level of activity on each tour and the standard of accommodation you will be staying in at the end of your day's adventure.
Often you'll stay in different styles of accommodation during your tour; so we make an average rating across the entire tour. For more information on where you'll stay each night, please refer to the day by day tour itinerary.
The following excursions and/or activities are usually available and may be arranged locally. Estimated costs are provided below for guidance only, are on a per person basis unless shown otherwise, and may depend on the number of participants. Prices quoted are correct as of the date these trip notes were originally issued but may change at any time due to currency fluctuations.
Local Costs
| |
UK |
Costa Rica |
Guatemala |
Honduras |
Nicaragua |
Panama |
| Tea/Coffee |
£1.50 |
$2.00 |
$2.00 |
$1.00 |
$0.70 |
$1.00 |
| Soft Drink |
£1.50 |
$2.00 |
$2.00 |
$2.00 |
$0.70 |
$0.50 |
| Bottled Water |
£1.50 |
$2.00 |
$1.00 |
$3.00 |
$1.20 |
$1.00 |
| Bottle of Beer |
£3.50 |
$3.00 |
$2.50 |
$2.00 |
$1.20 |
$2.00 |
| 2 Course Meal* |
£15.00 |
$15.00 |
$14.00 |
$10.00 |
$7.00 |
$10.00 |
| 3 Course Meal** |
£20.00 |
$20.00 |
$25.00 |
$15.00 |
$12.00 |
$15.00 |
| Bottle of Wine |
£14.50 |
$20.00 |
$14.00 |
$15.00 |
$16.00 |
$18.00 |
| Breakfast |
£5.00 |
$10.00 |
$10.00 |
$8.00 |
$8.00 |
$10.00 |
*Cheap local fare in a small cafe or restaurant.
**Typical food in a simple, reasonably comfortable mid-range restaurant.
Important Information
Travel Insurance
It is a condition of joining any of our tours that you must have valid travel insurance. It must indicate that you have cover for (at least) medical expenses and emergency repatriation in the event of illness or injury. We also strongly recommend your policy includes cancellation protection as all deposit paid are non-refundable.
If you require travel insurance for your tour, Explore Worldwide is an appointed representative of Campbell Irvine Limited, who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services authority. Our travel insurance policy is specially tailored to the needs of the adventure traveller and will cover you for any included activity on any Explore trip. You can either purchase this at the time of booking or call us 0844 499 0901 after you have booked.
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Visa Requirements
Panama: UK, CAN, USA, NZ and AUS citizens do not require a visa for a stay up to 30 days. Panama requires 500USD in cash or a credit card to be shown on entry.
Costa Rica: UK, CAN, USA and most EU citizens do not currently require a visa for a stay up to 90 days. Citizens of AUS,NZ and IRE can stay for up to 30 days without a visa. But these requirements change rapidly, so check with your embassy.
Nicaragua: Visas not required for citizens of UK, and USA, CAN, NZ and AUS.
Honduras: Most western nationals, including those of the UK, USA and CAN citizens do not need a visa.
Guatemala: Entry visas not required by UK, AUS, NZ, USA and CAN citizens.
All nationalities should consult the relevant consulate.
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All visa information is subject to change. You should confirm all visa related issues with the relevant Embassy prior to departure.
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Please note: Please note that flights on the tour may transit through the USA. According to US law, passengers will have to disembark, collect luggage and clear immigration before re-boarding for the onward flight.
Holders of the UK, AUS, NZ, CAN and several EU country passports can enter the United States without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) if they hold a machine readable passport. They must also be entering the country by sea or air on a carrier participating in the visa waiver scheme, holding a return/onward ticket. As well as being machine readable, if your passport was issued on or after 26 October 2005, it must contain both a digital photograph of the holder and also an integrated circuit chip that stores biographic information.
All passengers travelling to the USA under the Visa Waiver Programme must provide their details online no later than 72 hours prior to travel. British travellers who have not registered before their trip are likely to be detained and sent home. In addition to passport information, you must also supply the full address of your first night’s accommodation in the USA. This information can be obtained from your joining instructions which are sent out approximately 3 weeks before travel.
Anyone applying for ESTA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) to travel under the Visa Waiver system will be charged a fee of 14USD (9GBP).
For more information, and to apply online, please visit the following website at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov. Once obtained, the application will be valid for a period of two years, or for the validity of your passport (whichever is shorter).
For more information about who is eligible for the VWP, or any other questions you may have regarding your eligibility, or machine readable passports, please contact your local consular office, or visit www.usembassy.org.uk
Other nationalities should consult the relevant consulate.
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Vaccinations & Protection
Please note: If you are entering from any of the following countries (Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, French Guyana, Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Gambia and Sudan) are now required to produce an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis documenting yelllow fever vaccination before entry to Costa Rica will be granted. Certificates are valid 10 days after the date of vaccination.
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All passengers please note: Foreign Office now advise that from the 01 Nov 2008 yellow fever certificates will only be required for those entering Panama from an ‘At Risk’ country for yellow fever transmission.
Nothing else is compulsory, but we recommend protection against typhoid, infectious hepatitis and polio. Consult your travel clinic for latest advice on malaria.
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The above is not an exhaustive list. Further information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice can be found by following the NHS and NaTHNaC links at http://www.explore.co.uk/Travelhealth/ and from your local healthcare provider.
Visa and vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed before departure.
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Know before you go
We strongly recommend that you check your government’s travel advisory for up-to-date information and advice about your destination: safety and security, entry requirements, health, local laws and customs, including advice re: the legality of and local attitudes towards same-sex relationships. For UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Advice follow the link at http://www.explore.co.uk/Traveladvice/
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Preparing for your tour
Climate
Panama: Has a tropical climate with high temperature and humidity, the average temperature 30°C. The rainy season is from May to November and the summer from December to April. The rainfall is of a tropical nature, falling for 1-2 hours in the afternoon.
Costa Rica: Has a tropical climate with high temperature humidity and rainfall. The average temperature is 21°C in the highlands and variable in the lowlands. The rainy season is from May to November and the summer from December to April, but it does still tend to rain, usually in short bursts. Bear in mind that Costa Rica has 12 microclimates and weather can vary significantly in one day.
Nicaragua: Tropical, with little seasonal variation in temperature. The heavy rainy season is May to October but it can rain at any time along the Caribbean coast of Rio San Juan. There are 3 main climactic zones, the hot tropical lowlands and the cooler hill region, which has a larger range of daily temperature.
Honduras: Climate change varies depending upon altitude. Mid range temperatures reach about 28°C. Rainfall is low to moderate with May to October being the wettest season. Temperature ranges in the lower reaches of the slopes and along the coast are more constant, with less rainfall.
Guatemala: In the high plains (1524m-1981m) the climate is temperate all year round. In lower areas the climate is semi-tropical. The mountains can be cool especially at night. In general, the dry season in Guatemala lasts from Nov – April. From May to October there are often fine mornings and clear evenings but afternoon rains tend to be heavy. The Peten lowlands tend to be rainy all year round though less so from February to April.
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Seasonal weather patterns can be unpredictable. For up-to-date information on the weather worldwide please visit www.bbc.co.uk/weather.
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Packing for your tour
To assist with packing for your tour, we have detailed some of the essential items you should take with you.
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Luggage
One main piece of luggage and a daysac. Total allowance 44lbs/20kgs. Remember, you are expected to carry your own luggage – don’t overload yourself.
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Trek Kit Bag
For an exclusively designed Explore Trek Bag, follow the relevant link at www.nomadtravel.co.uk/explore
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Clothing
Lightweight clothing is essential though a warmer sweater is advisable for cooler evenings in the highlands. A waterproof is essential.
The jungle lowlands are hot and muggy, and it can rain at any time of year. Long trousers and long-sleeved shirts are recommended on jungle walks.
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Footwear
Comfortable walking boots or shoes and trainers or sandals.
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Equipment
A torch, water bottle, insect repellent, high factor sunscreen, beach towel, camera film, waterproof bag for camera and motion sickness tablets/patches for the boat. If intending to snorkel you may wish to bring your own equipment and anyone intending to dive on Roatan will need to bring log books and certification. Binoculars are very useful for bird and animal spotting. An umbrella can be useful in short downpours.
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Personal First Aid Kit
For an exclusively designed Explore Medical Kit, visit www.nomadtravel.co.uk/explore
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Need help on Clothing or Equipment?
Then we suggest you contact Nomad Travel, our equipment partner, who specialise in kitting people out for adventurous travel. You receive a special 10% discount in-store or online. Visit one of their stores, phone 0845 260 0044, or visit their website www.nomadtravel.co.uk/explore for further information.
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General Information
General Information
Please note: Participation in canoeing, kayaking, or rafting (including white-water) requires that you are able to swim 25 metres unaided.
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Country info
Area: Panama: 78,200 sq km. Costa Rica: 51,100 sq km. Nicaragua: 129,494 sq km. Honduras: 112,090 sq km. Guatemala: 108,890 sq km.
Population: Panama: 3 million. Costa Rica: 4.1 million. Nicaragua: 5.2 million Honduras: 6.7 million. Guatemala: 13.9 million
Language: Panama, Costa Rica & Nicaragua: Spanish, English. Honduras: Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Carib. Guatemala: Spanish.
Religion: Panama: Catholic (85%), Protestant (10%), Muslim and Jewish (1%). Costa Rica: Catholic (75%), Protestant (14%). Nicaragua: Catholic (85%), Protestant (16%). Honduras: Predominately Catholic, some other Christian & indigenous. Guatemala: Predominantly Catholic, Pentecostal, Mayan-Catholic mix.
Local Time: Panama: GMT -5. Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras & Guatemala: -6.
Electric Supply & Plugs: Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua & Guatemala: 120V 60Hz. Honduras: 110/220V 60Hz.
Bring an adaptor for recharging cameras etc.
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Electric Supply & Plugs
For comprehensive information regarding voltages and plug types in use in the countries visited, follow the relevant link at http://www.explore.co.uk/Traveladvice/
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Maps & Books
Recommended Maps: ITMB: Travellers Reference Map of Central America.
Recommended Books:Rough Guide to Central America, Hector Perez-Brignoli: A Brief History of Central America, John L. Stephens: Incidents of Travel in Central America, Michael D. Coe: The Maya.
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