YPT Tours to El Salvador 

Join us in our carefully crafted El Salvador tours that will give you a new perspective on this small central American country and take you to key sites that bear witness to the nation’s tragic history, including the civil war that ravaged the country from 1979 to 1992.

Uncovering the secrets and stories that shaped a nation, from the iconic murals of San Salvador to the historic clandestine sites of Morazán, our tours will let you engage with former guerrilleros who will provide invaluable insights into the complexities of El Salvador’s revolutionary past and controversial present.

With YPT, you’ll also connect with the vibrant culture and warm hospitality of the Salvadoran people, savour delicious traditional cuisine, experience the rhythms of the local life and discover its stunning nature.

Group Tours to El Salvador

We are currently working on offering you tours to El Salvador  and other Central America countries, so check this page and our social media accounts regularly to get all the news.

Independent Tours to El Salvador

Young Pioneer Tours has close connections to a network of local partners and guides. As such we can arrange independent and bespoke travel packages, no matter what you’re looking for, from budget tours to more luxurious ones, focusing on the essentials or going in depth, with hiking, volcano excursions, political and historical tours, archaeological expeditions or beach retreats.

Prices depend on the number of people and what level of accommodation you desire, but YPT can arrange everything you need for perfect independent El Salvador tours.

Below is an example El Salvador itinerary. This can be extended to other countries, such as Belize, Guatemala, Honduras or Nicaragua, or combined with other activities to create independent El Salvador tours. 

Example of a El Salvador Itinerary (7 days)

Day 1 – San Salvador

• Arrival at your leisure in San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador. The airport is well connected to the United States and other capital cities in Central America.
• Self-transfer to our hotel in San Salvador.
• We’ll head out for dinner and drinks. We recommend trying the delicious pupusas, the national food of El Salvador, thick corn tortillas stuffed with many ingredients, such as cheese, beans or meat.
• Overnight in San Salvador.

Day 2 – San Salvador – Suchitoto – Cinquera

• After breakfast in our hotel, we will drive around 2 hours to the picturesque village of Suchitoto.
• In Suchitoto, we will start learning about the guerrillas in El Salvador. In the late 1970s, tensions between the government and the Salvadorian working class increased, which resulted in the formation of various guerrilla groups. The most important one, the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) was supported by Cuba and the Soviet Union. This region one where the presence of the guerrilla was strongest.
• Apart from its rich history, Suchitoto is famous for its well-preserved colonial architecture and cobblestone roads that provide a sense of Spanish colonial living.
• We will do a tour in Cinquera, a nearby little village that was a former base for guerrilla bands during the civil war and is now a serene conservation area. We’ll visit the main square, with its war trophies, and the revolution museum. 
• We will have the opportunity to chat with one of the founders of the Cinquera Guerrilla. He’ll tell us about how they resisted in the forest, and how they even managed to take down US helicopters.
• We do a 3 km hike in the mountains, where we will see a lot of remains of the guerrilla camps, such as the rebel hospital and kitchen. Don’t forget your comfy shoes!
• We’ll have BBQ by a waterfall in the Cinquera national park, with the opportunity to swim and refresh.
• Drive back to Suchitoto for a well-deserved rest.
• Dinner and drinks.
• Overnight in Suchitoto.

Day 3 – Suchitoto – Guazapa – Suchitoto

• After breakfast in our hotel, we will head to Guazapa, a key town during the salvadoran civil war fought between the government and the guerrilla.
• During the civil war of the 1980s, Guazapa was one of the main strongholds of the FMLN guerillas and the surrounding mountains had clandestine bomb shelters, guerilla camps, and makeshift hospitals. Thus, Guazapa was the most bombarded area during the war, and also the most bombarded city in all Americas, in an attempt of the government to recover it from the rebels.
• We will do a city tour, during which we’ll visit the Revolution museum and talk with a former guerrilla fighter about his experiences during that complex time.
• We will walk the Guerrillero path, a stunning 4km trek where we will witness the scars of war left in this beautiful natural scenery.
• We will drive back to Suchitoto, stopping on the way to eat some pupusas. 
• In the afternoon, we’ll have some free time in Suchitoto to walk around the town or relax.
• Dinner and drinks. 
• Overnight in Suchitoto.

Day 4 – Suchitoto – Perquín

• Rise up early for a morning 4-hour-long drive to Morazán, one of the least visited departments of El Salvador and a major stronghold of the guerrilla movement during the civil war.
• We will visit the town of Perquín and its Revolutionary museum, accompanied by a former guerrillero. We will have the opportunity to pose with some weapons in a recreated guerrilla camp for some cool photos.

Afternoon

• Traditional lunch in Perquín. 
• In the afternoon, you’ll have free time to rest in the hotel or explore the town on your own.  Perquín is surrounded by coffee plantations and green pinegroves, making it a beautiful and relaxing place to visit.
• We will walk to the Perquín hill, a 15-minutes climb from the Revolutionary Museum, which offers a beautiful panorama over the Sierra de Nahuaterique. We’ll witness the sunset from here.
• Dinner and drinks.
• Overnight in Perquín. 

Day 5 – Morazán department – San Salvador

• After breakfast, we will head to explore the rest of the Morazán department.
• We will start in El Mozote, a small village where the most gruesome massacre of the Civil War, and the largest in the Americas in modern times, took place. In December 1981, nearly 1,000 civilians were killed in the span of three days by a Salvadoran Army unit known as the Atlácatl Battalion. After raping and killing the entire population of the village, the soldiers set fire to the buildings. We will be able to talk with guerrilla fighters and survivors of this event. 
• We will explore Guacamaya, visiting the peace and reconciliation monument.
•  ** TRIP HIGHLIGHT** We will visit the cave where Radio Venceremos, a civil war-era pirate radio station, was broadcasted. We’ll also visit the very first guerrilla camp in El Salvador.
• We will have lunch in the area before we drive around 4 hours to San Salvador. 
• Dinner and drinks.
• Overnight in San Salvador.

Day 6 – San Salvador

• Breakfast in our hotel.
• City tour of San Salvador. What once was one of the most dangerous cities in the world has now changed completely under the controversial current president Bukele, who claims to have turned El Salvador into the safest country in Latin America after getting rid of the gangs by militarising the country.
• We will visit the city centre highlights, such as the tombs of the martyrs of the revolution, including the tomb of Monseñor Romero, a catholic prelate, defender of human rights and very critical of the salvadoran government, who was shot by an assassin while celebrating Mass in 1980.
• We will walk around the main squares of the city and visit the cathedral. We will also visit the Museum of the Revolution of San Salvador, our last revolutionary stop.
• Lunch in the city and free time to explore San Salvador or relax in our hotel.
• Dinner and farewell drinks.
• Overnight in San Salvador. 

Day 7 – San Salvador

• After breakfast in our hotel
• Tour concludes, YPT can help you arrange transportation to the airport or to any city in Central America.

Bespoke El Salvador Tours 

As part of our travel packages within Central and Latin America, we can offer bespoke and independent El Salvador tours. These can be done as full El Salvador tours or be combined with other countries. 

For more information on the following programs, simply get in touch. 

Mayan culture and archeological sites

El Salvador is not as famous as it’s neighbouring countries Guatemala and Honduras, but it also has its ancient heritage: Joya de Cerén, Tazumal, San Andrés, Coatepe are examples of the Mayan presence in Cuzcatlán, the ancient name of El Salvador that can be translated to “place of diamonds” or “place of beautiful things”.

Santa Ana and the Flower route

Santa Ana is the second largest city in the country, with a well preserved historical centre and beautiful nature around. It is a nice place to visit, especially if going towards Guatemala. 

The Santa Ana volcano located in the Cerro verde national park has an easy-medium hike with stunning views to its crater full of bright turquoise sulfuric water, as well as great views of lake Coatepeque. 

Next to it stands Izalco volcano, less crowded but with a bit more demanding hike, but beautiful views as reward.

From Santa Ana, you can also visit the towns of Nahuizalco, Salcoatitán, Juayua, Apaneca, Concepción de Ataco and Ahuachapán. These cute little villages make up the so-called Ruta de las Flores, with colourful walls, ancient traditions, smell of coffee, and a tragic guerrilla past.

Pacific Coast

The shores of El Salvador are famous for its perfect conditions for surfing. El Tunco, La Libertad and El Zonte are the 3 most popular destinations for surfing and nightlife. If you want to relax, the Costa del Sol and El Cuco are good options. From November to March, it’s possible to observe whales. La Unión, a coastal town with views to the Fonseca gulf, is home to Conchagua volcano, with some of the best views to the gulf. Also, from La Unión it is possible to take a Ferry to Nicaragua to continue your Central American adventure.

Overland tours to other central american countries

From El Salvador you can extend your trip to Guatemala, Honduras or Nicaragua, for a complete central american adventure!

Filming in El Salvador

Through our media arm Pioneer Media we can make arrangements for productions, journalists, or others to film within El Salvador from big budget to guerrilla productions. We can also arrange meetings in country, as well as correct visas for journalist wishing to do projects within El Salvador.

Frequently asked questions about travel to El Salvador

Gallery