Visas
British passport holders can enter El Salvador for up to 90 days without a visa and your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the date of entry into El Salvador. EU, USA, Canadian, and Australian citizens can also stay for up to 90 days, but nationals of Australia must buy a 30-day tourist card on entry for US$10. Other nationalities should check with their nearest embassy.
British nationals can visit Nicaragua for up to 3 months without a visa, obtaining a tourist card for $10 upon entry. However, you may be refused entry if you don’t have an onward ticket out of Nicaragua. Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the date of entry into Nicaragua. The same applies to EU, Australian, Canadian and USA nationals. Other nationalities should check with their nearest embassy.
Visa regulations can change however and so we recommend that you contact your nearest embassy for the most up to date information.
Health and vaccinations
We are not medically qualified and so we recommend that you speak to your doctor or nearest health professional for advice concerning recommended vaccinations. For more advice on vaccinations, you can also visit www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk.
Insurance
It is a condition of joining our tours that you have suitable travel insurance in place, and we cannot accept travellers without insurance. All policies differ in terms of what they will cover, but as a minimum you need medical and health cover, which will cover you for the whole time that you are away. Most policies will also include cancellation cover, which will cover you if an unforeseen circumstance obliges you to cancel your trip. We recommend that you obtain your insurance as soon as you book your trip.
Please note that government travel warnings often affect the validity of your travel insurance, and you should check this with your insurance company.
Arrival and departure taxes
There is a US$32 departure tax for El Salvador, which is usually included in the price of your air ticket. Check with your airline if unsure.
There is a US$10 arrival tax for all tourists entering Nicaragua, which should be paid in cash. There is also a US$35 departure tax, but this is usually included in the price of your air ticket. If unsure check with your airline.
Money
El Salvador’s official currency is the US dollar. ATM’s are plentiful and credit cards are widely accepted.
The currency in Nicaragua is the Córdoba (C$). ATM’s are widespread in most midsize towns and credit cards are widely accepted in the larger towns but are rarely accepted in rural areas. We advise stocking up on cash before heading to rural areas. US dollars are also widely accepted in Nicaragua, but it is easier to use córdobas when paying for smaller items.
Local conditions
When travelling to some of the destinations we offer you need to bear in mind that things won’t always work here as we’re used to them working at home. Travelling in underdeveloped and untouristed destinations requires both patience and a sense of humour. There may be problems with infrastructure, attitudes may be different, and maintenance may not be as high a standard as we would always like, but this is very much part and parcel of travelling in such a place. We aim to resolve any issues as quickly as possible, and thank you for your patience.
Travel advice
We keep a very close eye on the travel advice issued by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office so that we can keep you up to date with any warnings. At the time of writing the FCO does not advise against travel to any of the areas we visit in El Salvador or Nicaragua.
We work very closely with our local team and are fully confident that we can operate tours safely in both El Salvador and Nicaragua. Should you have any concerns over safety please do not hesitate to contact us and we can address your concerns.
This relates to advice from the British government – other nationalities need to check the stance of their own governments.
Please note that the information contained above is highly susceptible to change, and while we endeavour to keep up to date we recommend that you use this as a guide only. Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Updated May 2019