Joya de Ceren and El Boqueron National Park Tour From San Salvador
San Salvador, El Salvador
Rating: 
Trip Type: Day Trips
Duration: 4 hours
A volcano, ash-covered ruins, and tree-flanked trails await on this 4-hour San Salvador tour to El Boquerón National Park and the Joya de Cerén. Discover the San Salvador's rock star volcano, affectionately known as Big Mouth, on a hike on the forested trails of El Boquerón National Park with your guide. Follow that up with a visit to the archaeological ruins of Joya de Cerén, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to learn what life was like in the 6th century.
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A volcano, ash-covered ruins, and tree-flanked trails await on this 4-hour San Salvador tour to El Boquerón National Park and the Joya de Cerén. Discover the San Salvador's rock star volcano, affectionately known as Big Mouth, on a hike on the forested trails of El Boquerón National Park with your guide. Follow that up with a visit to the archaeological ruins of Joya de Cerén, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to learn what life was like in the 6th century.
In the morning, you'll be picked up from your a 15-mile (25-kilometer) drive to the imposing Boqueron (Big Mouth in Spanish) volcano. The volcano’s crater was formed approximately 800 years ago in a violent explosion. It boasts a height of 6,210 feet (1,893 meters) above sea level and beautiful views out over the landscape below.
Enjoy a short hike through the natural, forested trails of the El Boquerón National Park with your guide. The park sits on top of the San Salvador volcano and is home to a spectacular range of animal and plant life. Armadillos, deer and raccoons roam freely, and flowers such as hydrangeas, begonias and wild sultanas thrive.
Take in panoramic views of the Black Lake, a sea of molten lava which gushed forth from the volcano’s belly and turned, as it cooled, to volcanic rock. Capture the spectacular scenery of camera before heading back to your vehicle to continue your tour.
Next, visit Joya de Cerén, an archaeological site near San Salvador. In the 6th century, Joya de Cerén was an agricultural community living and working off the land. That all changed when the nearby Loma Caldera volcano erupted, billowing layers of hot ash down on the land below. The inhabitants had time to flee, but the settlement of Joya de Cerén was locked in time by the thick layers of ash.
Today, Joya de Cerén is a UNESCO World Heritage site and offers a fascinating glimpse into the pre-Hispanic civilization's storehouses, homes and workshops with your guide, and learn of the insights they’ve given archaeologists since their discovery.
After four hours discovering the El Boquerón National Park and Joya de Cerén, travel back to your San Salvador hotel where your tour will come to an end.
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