Coffee Country and Ruta de las Flores. A day full of fun!
Description
Ruta de las Flores is a series of colorful villages sitting across the Apaneca mountain range, a belt formed by 14 volcanoes and the heart of COFFEE COUNTRY in El Salvador. This was the first tourist circuit developed here after the Peace Agreements of 1992. Nowadays is one of the top tourist destinations and must-go in our country. The perfect mix of volcanic minerals, elevation and climate makes this mountain range the most important coffee growing region in El Salvador. Around this crop many traditions, stories and history had been loomed over the years to offer a very special and interesting destination. Dare to talk with the locals, eat what they eat. You'll explore, taste, learn and discover... El Salvador is so diverse that will make your day. There's plenty of optional activities (upon request): - Zipline - ATVs rides - Coffee Cupping (plus a supplement to your Coffee Experience) - Hot springs and thermal pools - Reptile House NOTE: some attractions may run on weekends only.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Nahuizalco has some of the largest indigenous populations in the Western region and is home of ancient traditions as the colorful weekends street market when farmers come to sell their fresh products: flowers, greens, seasonal fruits, cooked goods and handcrafts. Interesting fact, despite there's an indoor market, the street market is a women business. The John the Baptist church is one of the best preserved colonial churches of El Salvador. Don't forget to check the the diverse handcrafts, locally made. The signature crafts are weaved products (such as baskets, table mats, lamp shades, etc). Many of this are made by single mothers at home, so they can care their children and make a living.
According the pre-hispanic tradition Salcoatitán was The Sacred Place of Quetzacoatl, the mythical Feathered Serpent deity. An ancient ceiba tree (also sacred for the Mesoamerican cultures) grows magnificent by the road and the mosaic to Quetzalcóatl
Juayúa is famous for the high quality coffee and for the weekends FOOD FEST, the ultimate street food experience in El Salvador! In the ancient Nahua language, Juayúa stands for "Place of Purple Orchids" and is a small city, surrounded by volcanic slopes where grows world-class quality coffee. Yes, yes... you heard about the Food Fest (Festival Gastronómico) and want to know about. This runs every weekend (and major holidays) when locals set food stalls along the streets around main square, cooking fresh, local and exotic delicacies. From fresh seafood ceviches, mix khababs, smoked pork ribs, garlic prawns... all selections served with different sides (cheese, avocado, pickled vegetables, rice and beans, etc) to desserts for a great value. Here you eat what locals eat! Upon request: - Walk to Chorros de la Calera springs. - FOR THE KIDS: come and visit the Reptile House with tens of species such as snakes, lizards, dragons, tarantulas and other creepy creatures. Very cool!
Apaneca is the village at the highest elevation in El Salvador ( ~ 1700 mt / 5580 ft) and sits in between two (volcanic) peaks. This is the origin of its ancient name: "River of Winds". On the slopes of this hills, surrounded by vast coffee fields, runs a state of the art coffee mill. Here you'll learn about the milling process and the complexity and human impact that takes to turn a cherry into part of your morning ritual. Taste a cup of fresh ground, locally grown coffee with the expert, the 5th generation of a family of farmers and traders. And, yes, you can get coffee -ground or whole bean- packed and ready to take home.
One of the most charming mountain villages in the country. Cobblestoned streets, bright colored facades, colorful murals makes Ataco a must go for any traveler. Explore for yourself this top destination: the Inmaculate Concpetion church, Cielito Lindo lookout, traditional looms or the diverse handcraft and coffee shops.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pick up outside San Salvador available (e.g. airports, international borders, bus stations, beach resorts, etc) a supplement may apply.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- No minimum age. All minor with adult supervision.
- Coffee harvest season in this region normally runs from mid November to late January (maybe longer on lower elevations and depending on weather conditions along the season). That's the busiest time of the year
- Weather conditions may change in any moment especially in mountainous areas such as this. Be aware and prepared.
- The schedule may be altered depending on factors such as traffic, weather, day of the week, etc. You'll be informed in advance.
- All passengers must follow local COVID19 safety protocols in any moment.
Reviews(10)
Francisco was absolutely fantastic! He is a wealth of knowledge and really made the people and places we visited so much more enjoyable and interesting. When we spotted a printing museum in one of the towns we visited, he didn't hesitate to go off schedule and let us check it out (I'm a printmaker and got to geek out for a bit). When I got carsick on the way home (not uncommon for me), he was super patient and stopped when I needed a break. My friend and I can not recommend him enough!
Our guide Alfredo was fantastic. He explained and showed us a lot. Every question about everything was answered. The tour is a must-have-seen. It was a long day, but worth it all. Thanks.
Alfredo is amazing! I sent him a list of all the activities we wanted to do in the six days we were there and he arranged the itinerary for us. He was very flexible and after we hiked the Santa Ana volcano and realized that one of the other tours we had wanted to do was even more challenging, we decided to switch from that to another activity, and Alfredo was very helpful. He was wonderful about suggesting places to stay, restaurants, foods to try, and things to do. He was great at answering questions and giving us a history and insight into El Salvador‘s past and present. He was even kind enough to let another tourist join our volcano hike when we asked because her partner’s knee was bothering him and he had to return before making it to the top. He is a great driver, and I felt safe and thankful that none of us was not doing any of the driving! He has a great sense of humor and was very flexible, which is good for us because we are a little bit fly by the seat of our pants and spontaneous. My daughter is a birder and when we were in Suchitoto, we let him know that we wanted to do a boat trip to see birds at sunset at 3 o’clock on the day that we went, and he arranged it beautifully! We visited many of the Mayan sites with him as well as several volcanoes. Wonderful trip and I would highly recommend him for any of the activities that you are likely to want to do in El Salvador.
Hi Beth, Thanks so much for your wonderful review—it was a pleasure exploring El Salvador with you and the whole pack! OMG, such a fun pack all you are! I’m always happy to adjust the itinerary to fit your pace and interests, especially setting the boat ride and birding trip in Suchitoto. You all were such great company, and I loved sharing our history, food, and landscapes with you. Hope to see you again for another adventure someday! Cheers to all
Amazing! By far the best tour guide ever! If you take take coming to El Salvador, you need to hire him. He will work with you, take you where you want to go and make your trip so enjoyable. Knowledgeable, speaks great English and his van is very comfortable and awesome. 👏
Thank you for the kind words—I’m really glad you enjoyed your time in El Salvador! It was a pleasure showing you around and making sure your trip was just what you wanted. Hope you take some great memories home with you, and if you’re ever back in El Salvador, I’d love to explore more with you!
Great experience! Francisco was an amazing guy and offered us a lot of information on the way! The food market was amazing and the sites were beautiful. Would definitely recommend!
Dear Shanae, Thanks so much for your words. We are happy that you enjoyed your experience. We will let Francisco know of your kind review. Thanks for calling us. All the best
Alfredo our tour guide was very knowledgeable and patient. We love to take photos, and he was like our personal photographer. We enjoyed the Food Fest in Juayúa and the variety, taste and price of the food (very economical for the portion of the plates). We learned a lot on the coffee tour and enjoyed the cup of coffee. ☕️ The market in Nahuizalco was an amazing experience and learning about the indigenous history of El Salvador. Alfredo even took us to a yucca place in Salcoatitán to try yucca with all the fixings since Salcoatitán is known for their yucca. Don’t miss one of El Salvador’s most popular tours. Great for avid coffee lovers!
Cecilia, thank you very much for your review. It means a lot for me. Such a fun day along Ruta de las Flores we had. No matter the rain it was memorable. I am happy yo and your family enjoyed it as much I did. I'm honored to be one of your hots to explore my beautiful country. I hope to see you back soon.
Alfredo is a wonderful and deeply knowledgable tour guide who has created such a cool experience. I was born in ES and even I learned so much about my rich history and my boyfriend (from the US) had a blast learning about the coffee culture out here. I cant recommend this trip to Ruta de las Flores enough if you want to visit our beautiful country and experience it through the lens of locals who are passionate and kind like Alfredo. ¡Que chivo!
Alfredo is just incredible! I am very thankful to have ran into his profile while researching for tours in El Salvador. He is, trustworthy, reliable and extremely educated. He gave us a clear historical background of El Salvador, the customs, traditions and values of the locals. Aside from the educational aspect of this tour, Alfredo was able to show us several gems that were not part of our tour books. My partner and I are confident in rebooking with Alfredo, for future tours. If anyone is looking for a personal tour that feels educational, unbelievably unique and exclusive- look no further- Alfredo is your guy! Much love, Zoey and Alex :)
Dear Alex, thank you very much for choosing me as your personal tour guide and local expert in El Salvador. It was a very fun, memorable and caffeine-filled Tour we had. But above all, thank you very much for your kind words. Don't hesitate to call me on your next visit to El Salvador. I will be happy to see you and Zoey again.
For the greatest experience and to maximize every minute of your El Salvador trip, call Alfredo. Get him gate to gate! My wife and I took our daughter who was almost 2 years old for week trip to El Salvador. The country is one of a kind world class natural beauty, extraordinary architecture new and old! Don’t let the “smallest country in Central America” title fool you, there are endless possibilities. That’s where Alfredo comes in he drives, guides, translates and everything in between. He is a master trekker volcano exert, historian and coffee expert, oh and his mom and Dad have the best pappusaria in the country. Alfredo showed us calderas, volcanos, code plantation, cathedrals, old town San Salvador, gave us history lessons, showed us companion crop farming, and lined up the grand finale, releasing a whole litter of baby sea turtles into the pacific. When I tell people El Salvador is the best place they can go in Central America, I mean it but I also tell them to just call Alfredo tell him what they like then listen to all of his suggestions, and they will have an experience of a life time.
Hey Joe! Thank you very much for such wonderful words. That's more than a review! I really, really enjoyed those days with you and the 2 girls. Thank you also for all your tips but, above all, for the great moments exploring my beloved country. All the best, Alfredo
Alfredo took us on much more than just a tour of the country. He was an incredible guide full of historical information and knowledge on the local communities. Alfredo made our trip easy and fun while also taking us on exciting adventures such as ziplining and indigo dying. As surfers we are so stuck on just staying by the Ocean, but we were so gifted in learning about the heart of the country of El Salvador. Not to mention Alfredo is extremely professional, safe, and truly puts his client first. Because when we did want to surf he rearranged out schedule to accommodate our needs. Thank you again Alfredo!
Such wonderful words! I really appreciate it. Actually I had great day with all the fun stuff we did: from the zip lining, riding ATVs, dying with indigo, the food... Thanks for making me part of those incredible memories. Cheers
