All images ©2006
Keblawben Photo Index Trip Index
This spectacular and comprehensive journey took us through the heart of Central America, a land of mystery, legend and rich natural diversity, where ancient Mayan temples and magnificent colonial cities rub shoulders with lush jungle, island hideaways and active volcanoes.
We began in Panama City, at the southern end of our odyssey, where we visited the colonial capital and enjoyed visiting the magnificent Panama Canal, one of the most incredible feats of human engineering anywhere in the world.
Then we headed to the Caribbean coast and the beautiful Bocas de Toro archipelago, where we relaxed on the beach, went dolphin watching and sailed out to one of the forested islands.
Crossing into Costa Rica we headed for the Monteverde Cloud Forest in search of the elusive Quetzal and visited the volcanic sites of Arenal and Rincon, where hot springs and boiling mud pools bubbled and spouted from the rich fertile earth.
On the spectacular volcanic island of Ometepe we searched for ancient petroglyphs amongst the jungle and listened to the distinctive sounds of howler monkeys and parrots, whilst the majestic colonial cities of Granada and Leon allowed us a glimpse of Nicaragua’smore recent past.
Sailing out to the stunning reefs of Roatan Island we enjoyed some time relaxing by the turquoise waters of the Caribbean amongst one of the finest marine environments anywhere in the world.
We had the chance to dive and snorkel, swim and hike on an island paradise, before returning to the mainland and continuing our journey to the spectacular Meso-American site of Copan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the delightful Guatemalan town of Antigua, without doubt one of the most charming and picturesque in all Central America.
Basing ourselves in Antigua for three nights we had the opportunity to visit the magnificent Mayan ruins of Tikal and Iximche, as well as paying a visit to the beautiful lakeside town of Panajachel. This twas ruly is a journey of discovery in every sense of the word, through lands steeped in history and with a cultural and natural diversity to equal anywhere.
