Honduras Vacation
10 days
Honduras is an oft-overlooked country in Central America, but it has a lot to offer. From stunning landscapes, towering mountains, and fascinating Mayan ruins, there’s something for everyone on this Honduras vacation. You’ll have a chance to get to know the country as you experience the best of each location.
You’ll enjoy hiking through the jungle, spotting wildlife in the rainforest, bathing beneath a waterfall, and snorkeling on a barrier reef. Explore Mayan ruins and learn about the Garifuna culture that abounds here, while you explore the country and all it has to offer.
Copan Ruins
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Pico Bonito
Cangrejal river
Copan
Colonial town
Roatan Island
The Barrier Reef
Highlights
Your Honduras vacation will take you from the picturesque town of Copan and its nearby ruins to Roatan Island. You’ll visit animal sanctuaries, swim with sharks, and snorkel in some of the most beautiful places on earth off the northern coast of Honduras. The country is truly gorgeous, with a natural bounty many people associate with countries like Costa Rica. It’s also less frequented by tourists, so you get a purer experience.
Enjoy dancing with the Garifunas and take a horseback ride through El Cisne farm where you’ll learn about coffee and cattle. Taste coffee that was picked just a few feet away from where you sit, relax on the white sand beach of El Cocalito and hike through El Pico Bonito Nature Reserve. And don’t forget to get up close and personal with sloths and iguanas at Roatan’s animal sanctuaries! This is a trip you won’t soon forget.
Itinerary
Once you land at the Ramon Villeda Morales International Airport (SAP), you’ll be picked up by our driver and taken to the beautiful town of Copan. You can rest and recover from traveling for the remainder of the day or spend some time walking around Copan.
This sweet little town is worth exploring. You’ll find little coffee shops and cafes along its tidy streets and the locals are quite friendly. If you have the energy after your flight, you won’t regret doing a little exploring.
- Three nights in Copan.
The town of Copan is named after the Mayan ruins ten minutes away. Today, we’ll head to the Archeological Park of Copan Ruins where you can see how the Mayan people once lived. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Copan ruins are what remains of an ancient city that flourished between 250 and 900 AD. It was once home to 20,000 people and was ruled by at least 16 different kings.
While the entire Copan site covers 250 acres, 54 acres comprise the central district which is where the most structures have been uncovered. Here, we’ll explore a variety of stone temples, plazas, a ball court, and two stunning pyramids. You’ll definitely want to check out the Hieroglyphic Stairway, which has more than 1,2560 hieroglyphics depicting the stories of five kings who ruled in Copan. It’s one of the longest Maya inscriptions found.
After exploring the Copan ruins in the morning, you’ll enjoy a traditional lunch and then tour Copan proper. This town has a quaint, colonial feel with cobbled streets, adobe buildings, and friendly locals. The vibrant community features plenty of excellent places to eat and a market square where you’ll find artisan-made crafts to take home. We’ll finish our tour at the Tea and Chocolate Place, overlooking the town and sipping delicious hot chocolate.
Today begins with an enjoyable trip through amazing landscapes to El Cisne, a farm that will give you a chance to get up close and personal with nature. You’ll mount one of the farm’s horses and take a horseback tour through some of Honduras’ most beautiful areas, Copan Valley. The trail ride will take you through the family-run farm’s coffee fields and avocado trees before returning to a home-cooked meal made from the farm’s produce.
While chatting with the farmer and his family, you’ll taste some fresh coffee that was grown, harvested, and roasted right there. Next, you’ll take a stroll through the coffee and cardamom plants while learning about how cattle keep the farm sustainable.
On your way back to Copan, we’ll stop at Luna Jaguar Hot Springs. The hot springs are warmed by volcanic activity and there are more than a dozen pools to soak in, with a different temperature in each one. It’s the perfect way to relax and ease your muscles after a morning of horseback riding in Honduras.
Today, you’ll leave Copan behind and transfer to the seaside town of Tela. Originally built in 1534 to serve the banana industry, the town is located on the Bay of Tela. It’s known for its incredibly fresh and flavorful seafood, as well as its unique Garifuna culture.
We’ll arrive with plenty of time for an excursion in the afternoon. You may choose one of the following two options:
Lancetilla Botanical Garden: One of the largest botanical gardens in Latin America, Lancetilla Botanical Garden covers 1,681 hectares. It was started by Dr. Wilson Popenoe as a test garden and grew to become a rather important research center. You can hike miles of trails here, including one through a bamboo tunnel that leads to a medicinal plant garden. There are over 1,200 species of plants here and a large variety of birds, as well.
Garifuna Villages: If you’re interested in learning more about the Garifunas, take this opportunity to visit several of the villages.The Garifuna people are descendants of African slaves and indigenous people of the area. They speak their own language, which blends Arawakan, Carib, and African languages, as well as Spanish and English. You’ll see some of their beautiful art and may have a chance to see the local Garifuna dance, the punta dance.
- Two nights in Tela.
After a tasty breakfast, it’s time to hop on a boat and check out the crystal clear waters of the Bay of Tela. It’s a half hour boat ride to Jeanette Kawas National Park, so keep your eyes peeled for marine life. Dolphins often like to jump in the boat’s wake and there are some interesting birds along the way.
Once you reach the park, you’ll hike through the mangroves and the tropical forests. This nature preserve is full of wildlife who make their home here, including jaguars, howler monkeys, boa constrictors, and several species of endangered sea turtles. Named for the environmental activist, Jeannette Kawas, who died in her attempt to save the park from palm oil plantations, the reserve has become a conservation project with stunning biodiversity.
After the hike, there’s plenty of time to enjoy the water. The area is popular for its coral reefs and tropical fish, so snorkeling is a fun pastime here. A Garifuna lunch will be served at noon, then you can relax on the white sand beach of Cocalito.
Today’s adventure takes place at the Pico Bonito National Park, a couple of hours from Tela. From Pico Bonito, you’ll take a Jeep ride to Cangrejal River and then wade across the river to Pico Bonito National Park. El Bejuco Creek will lead us through the lush jungle to a waterfall that has formed a pool at its base.
Cool off by taking a dip in the water and stand under the falls for a relaxing massage. Once you’re thoroughly refreshed, we’ll walk further into the jungle to El Bejuco Falls. This 80 meter waterfall is stunning to look at and the surrounding vegetation makes it feel like you’re in paradise. This is the perfect time to stop and enjoy a picnic lunch.
After eating, we’ll return to the Jeep via a different path that includes a suspension bridge. Keep an eye out for some of the forest creatures, including toucans, frogs, monkeys, armadillos, and a variety of lizards. You may even spot an elusive jaguar.
Back across the river, it’s time to head to your hotel for the evening and get some well-deserved rest.
- Two nights in Pico Bonito.
The Cayos Cochinos archipelago is made up of 13 small cays and two main islands, Cayo Menor and Cayo Grande. The area is known for its rich biodiversity and is a Marine Protected Area to keep the coral reefs safe. The reefs are part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the second largest coral reef in the world. You’ll take a 30 minute boat ride to the small coral island of Cayo Chahahuate, settled by Caribbean locals who welcome visitors with fresh seafood and fun stories.
We’ll take a tour of the island’s science station where you’ll learn more about the research they’re doing here. You then have the option of snorkeling in the pristine waters which features nurse sharks, spotted eagle rays, and tropical fish or hiking through the jungle to see if you can spot a rare pink boa before settling in for lunch. You’ll enjoy amazing fresh fried fish and slices of fried green banana, a local dish, then head back to the mainland.
A Honduras vacation wouldn’t be complete without a trip to its Bay Islands. Roatan Island is located 40 miles off the north coast of Honduras, the island is about 48 miles long and 5 miles wide. It’s part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, which means snorkeling and scuba diving is out of this world.
We’ll take a ferry to reach Roatan Island, where you can kayak through the mangroves, snorkel over the coral reef, or just sunbathe on the beautiful beach. The island is a popular tourist destination for a reason . . . it’s natural beauty attracts those who love the outdoors. You won’t want to waste time inside your hotel room when you have palm trees, surf, and sand waiting for you.
- Two nights in Roatan.
In the morning, you’ll visit Daniel Johnson’s Monkey and Sloth Hangout. This family-run animal sanctuary is a place where you can interact with the animals, including sloths, monkeys, and a variety of birds. It’s a unique chance to see these creatures up close, in a safe environment.
The helpful staff will happily explain the sanctuary’s inner workings and answer any questions you may have. They’re a big part of the visit and provide a fun, educational experience for all. The facility is an important part of the community and helps improve wildlife protection in the area.
Next, we’ll visit The Arch’s Iguana and Marine Park, where you can see the green iguanas that live in this sanctuary. While there are some monkeys here, the vast majority of the animals in the sanctuary are turtles, fish, and iguanas. More than 4,000 of the creatures live freely on the 12 acres of tropical forest.
Take a stroll down to the docks at the reserve and check out the tarpon fish and exotic birds. All of these have been rescued or donated to the reserve and they take wonderful care of them.
Finally, finish out your day with snorkeling along a sandbar in an area where marine life abounds. You’ll have plenty of beach time after that, to make the most of your last day in Honduras.
Not ready to give up the sun and fun yet? If you want to relax and enjoy more time on Roatan Island, we’re happy to add some days onto your vacation. Just let us know how long you want to stay.
Use your extra time to relax on the beach, explore the island, or learn to scuba dive. The island is full of fun activities you can choose from.
Your Honduras vacation has come to an end and today, your driver will take you to the Juan Manuel Galvez International Airport (RTB) to fly home.
map, expenses & price
Honduras Vacation
Expenses included:
-All private transportation
-Nine nights of hotel accommodation
-Professional local guides
-All park entrance fees
-Tours and excursions as listed
-Daily breakfast
