This is a trip to one of the more spectacular regions of Mesoamerica. It provides the opportunity to enjoy the beauty and solitude of some of the most pristine protected areas remaining in our hemisphere. For the experienced tropical traveler or for those looking for an unusual itinerary, this trip offers some of the best kept natural and cultural secrets that Mesoamerica has to offer.

We begin in El Salvador, visiting three high quality national parks - Cerro Verde, El Imposible and Barra de Santiago. These natural areas take us from cloud forest, to the rare deciduous Pacific Slope dry forest, to coastal mangroves. The variety and natural quality of these areas is unique. The wonderful Salvadorans are friendly and creative as you will see when we visit an artisan village near the Honduran border. You will also see Joya de Ceren, an Ancient Maya village similar to Pompeii in that it was buried under 18 feet of ash.

On day 5 we will cross the border into Honduras and make our way to the beautiful colonial town of Gracias. Founded in 1539, Gracias was the capital for the short lived Central American Republic. It's fallen off the mass tourism routes and is a delightful stop over. The Honduras portion of the trip will also feature a visit to the architectural site of Copan and an exploration of the cloud forest ecosystem of Celaque National Park.

Bay Island or Rio Platano extensions are available on request.

Day 1: San Salvador to Jayaque
Participants should plan to arrive by 3:00 PM. A MEA representative will meet you outside of Customs for the 1 hour drive to Jayaque. We will be staying in a refurbished hacienda that is surrounded by 3 acres of gardens. The décor and meals are fabulous and provide a wonderful introduction to El Salvador. Night: El Carmen, Jayaque.

Day 2: Cerro Verde - El Imposible
El Carmen is about forty-five minutes by car from the entrance road to Cerro Verde National Park. As you ascend 2000 feet, the air becomes crisper and the views spectacular. With Lake Coatepeque to the northeast and the huge Santa Ana Volcano to the north, you will get your first feeling of exhilaration and excitement of exploring a new country. We think this is a great first day activity because we drive to the top and have basically level trails in the cloud forest. Blooming orchids, bromeliads, and other epiphytes load the trees, with lots of cloud forest specialist butterflies and birds. From Cerro Verde we depart for the largest national park in El Salvador - El Imposible. Night: Hostal El Imposible.

Day 3: El Imposible
The forests of El Imposible host more species of plants and wildlife than any other place in the country. Over half of the 529 bird species found in El Salvador have been recorded in El Imposible. There are three primary forest types found in the park, all with excellent examples of old-growth habitat. The three types are middle semi-evergreen deciduous forest (at the highest elevation); lowland deciduous forest (mid-elevation); and coastal plain evergreen forest. El Imposible hosts one of the last remnants of Mesoamerican Pacific coastal forests anywhere in the region. One of the many things that make this visit so enjoyable is the great trail system developed by our local partner SalvaNatura and the Salvadoran government. Depending on how ambitious you are, there will be options for easy, moderate, or strenuous day hikes. Our cabanas are nestled into a hillside with spectacular views. There is a natural spring with overhanging mango trees on the property. It's a great place for night hike and with luck we should be able to call some owls and other nocturnal species. Night: Hostal El Imposible.

Day 4: El Imposible - Barra de Santiago - Joya de Ceren - Entre Pinos
It's a good thing El Salvador is such a small country because today you are going to see a good cross-section of it! From El Imposible, we drive to the coast to explore the coastal protected area of Barra de Santiago, which features wonderfully healthy mangroves loaded with shore birds - particularly prevalent are Pygmy Kingfishers. From the coast we begin our trek to the highlands, with a lunch stop at Joya de Ceren, an Ancient Maya village that was buried under 18 feet of ash over a thousand years ago. Ancient corn, lilies, houses, tools, and other every day objects are remarkably preserved. From Ceren we drive to the mountains and our Resort Hotel Entre Pinos. You will finish the day off with a shopping opportunity in the artisan village of La Palma. Night: Entre Pinos.

Day 5: Entre Pinos - Gracias
After our optional birding walk and breakfast, we will cross the border into Honduras and make our way to the beautiful colonial town of Gracias. Founded in 1539, Gracias was the capital for the short-lived Central American Republic. It's fallen off the mass tourism routes and is a delightful stop over. Surrounded by mountains, the views from Gracias are spectacular. The town name comes from the time the Spanish found a flat spot to settle and they exclaimed, "Gracias a Dios!". On our drive from the border there are two different protected areas we will choose from to visit depending on local conditions and weather. Night: Hotel Guancascos, Gracias.

Day 6: Celaque National Park
Considered the best cloud forest reserve in the country, Celaque National Park has the countries highest peak, Cerro de las Minas, at 2849 meters (9,348 ft.). At approximately 2,500 meters there is a plateau where the true cloud forest begins. This area is perfect for hiking and exploring the rich flora and fauna of the high elevation cloud forests. Eleven major rivers begin on the flanks of Celaque. We will spend the entire day exploring this area. Night: Hotel Guancascos, Gracias.

Day 7: Copan Archeology Site
We will depart Gracias and arrive at Copan mid-morning. Copan is one of the most impressive sites of the Ancient Maya. The detailed stone work and monumental structures are spectacular. We will have a guided tour that lasts about 3 hours. You will then be able to spend more time exploring the site on your own or return to our Bed & Breakfast - Casa de Café. For those returning, you can relax on the veranda overlooking the Copan Valley or wander into the colonial town of Copan Ruins. Night: Casa de Café, Copan.

Day 8: Las Sepulturas - Malcote Private Reserve
Las Sepulturas archeology site is a small site and ideal for a morning birding walk. There will be an option for an afternoon hike in the Malcote Private Reserve. A must-see is the Copan Nature Center which has an amazing butterfly and orchid house. Night: Casa de Café, Copan.

Day 9: Copan/San Pedro Sula/San Salvador
We depart 6:00 AM for the three hour drive to catch our 10:20 AM flight from San Pedro Sula to San Salvador and your flight home. Connecting flights should not be earlier than 1:00 PM.

Accommodations Listing
Ecolodge El Imposible, 2 Star, as good as it gets in the middle of nowhere, brand new facility, beautiful hillside design with restaurant.
Entre Pinos, La Palma, 3 Star, mountain resort with swimming pool, great bar & restaurant, trails, great location.
Hotel Guancascos, Gracias, 1.5 Star, by far the best accommodations in town with nice views from the restaurant. Rooms are clean but very basic.
Casa de Café, Copan, 3 Star, great bed & breakfast with beautiful views from the veranda and a few blocks from central plaza.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
The Road Less Traveled is not a particularly rigorous trip but will involve some moderate walking and hill climbing. El Imposible and Celaque National Parks have extensive trail systems and there will be options for strenuous hikes. The trails are in very good condition. Loose rocks, however, are common. Light weight hiking boots with strong ankle support are recommended. This tour should only be taken by persons who are in good health.

This trip will have a general interest interpretive component focusing on birds, butterflies, conservation efforts, mammals, and tropical plants and ecosystems. Culturally, we will be hosted by in-country partners.

El Salvador and Honduras are developing countries and basic infrastructure is often at a level less than what we are used to in the United States. While our accommodations are very good, all with air-conditioning, ceiling fans, hot water, and in spectacular locations; there will be limited access to international phone service, faxes and e-mails. Meal service is leisurely, arrival and departure times subject to change, and everything can be subject to an overall inefficiency we do not encounter in the US. It is, however, a wonderful, vibrant culture and people are extremely friendly and will go out of their way to make you feel welcome. Relax! You're on vacation.

WEATHER:
The weather, depending on our location, will vary from warm and sunny to cloudy, misty, foggy or rainy. We can expect daytime temperature highs in the mid 80s to low 90s in the lowlands, and the highlands around Copan can be a bit cooler, with highs in the low 80s and 60s at night. Precipitation is one of the key factors in creating the rainforest ecosystem and we can expect heavy rain any day even in the dry season.

TOUR SIZE:
This tour will be limited to a maximum of 16 participants and a minimum of 8 participants.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS:
A US passport valid beyond your anticipated date of return to the US is required. Currently no visas or immunization certificates are required. Those with foreign passports should contact the Embassy of Honduras and El Salvador for details.

FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS:
The fee for the tour is $2,298 per person based on double occupancy from San Salvador. Single rates are an additional $350. This includes all food, three meals per day, from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 9; all lodging for 8 nights during the tour; ground transportation; and guide services provided by the tour leaders and local conservation professionals. It does not include trip leader(s) tips, international airfare, departure tax, alcoholic beverages, special gratuities, phone calls, passport fees, or items of a personal nature. Rates are based upon group tariffs; if the group does not have sufficient registration a small party supplement may have to be charged. An additional pick-up/drop-off fee may be charged for arrivals and departures from regularly scheduled international flights.

HEALTH PRECAUTIONS:
For comprehensive information please contact the Center for Disease Control and Prevention on the Internet at www.cdc.gov or by phone at 404-332-4559. The CDC information is a comprehensive listing of any disease reported in a particular region or state. El Salvador and Honduras are included with Central America. We have not had any problems with diseases. Please consult a health care professional with any questions.

STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL ADVISORIES:
Currently there are no travel advisories for traveling in Honduras or El Salvador. You will be updated on any significant developments that pertain to our trip. http://travel.state.gov

CANCELLATION POLICY:
Refunds are made according to the following schedule: If cancellation is made eighty days or more before departure date, the deposit less $150 is refundable. If cancellation is made between seventy-nine and sixty days before departure date, the deposit is not refundable, but any payments covering the balance of the fee will be refunded. If cancellation is made fifty-nine days or less before departure date, no refund is available except for amounts recoverable through our agents. We recommend that you purchase trip cancellation insurance which you will receive upon registration.

If the Mesoamerican Ecotourism Alliance (MEA) cancels the tour or the tour must be postponed during a time period starting seven days before tour departure and /or through the duration of the tour, MEA will refund all money recoverable through our agents, not yet spent and/or all refundable deposits. MEA reserves the right to cancel, postpone or suspend any tour based on the judgment of MEA, its staff and representatives, in order to insure the safety of our guests.

RESPONSIBILITY:
MEA, and/or their Agents act only as agents for the passenger in regard to travel, whether by railroad, motorcar, motorcoach, boat, or airplane and assume no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay, or irregularity which may be occasioned either by reason of defect in any vehicle or for any reason whatsoever, or through the acts or default of any company or person engaged in conveying the passenger or in carrying out the arrangements of the tour. They can accept no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air or other services, sickness, weather, strike, war, quarantine, or other causes. All such losses or expenses will have to be borne by the passenger as tour rates provide for arrangements only for the time stated. The right is reserved to substitute hotels of similar category for those indicated and to make any changes in the itinerary where deemed necessary or caused by changes in air schedules. No refund will be made for any unused portion of the tour. The right is reserved to decline, to accept, or to retain any person as a member of the tour. Baggage is at owner's risk.