Cycle Nicaragua, Costa Rica & Panama

• 11 nights in comfortable hotels, three nights in standard hotels
• 12 days of cycling with full vehicle support
• Group normally 4 to 16, plus leader and staff. Minimum age: 16

Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama lie between 5 degrees and 15 degrees north of the equator and have an almost perfect tropical climate. Average annual temperatures are around 22C-26C (72F-79F) in the lowlands, dropping as low as 10C (50F) in the highest mountain regions.

There is a rainy season from May to November when there are often downpours, although these are usually quite short and there is still plenty of bright sunshine. The typical weather pattern during this time of year is bright, sunny conditions until 1pm-2pm and then a build-up of cloud from around 3pm resulting in afternoon rain (most likely showers between 3pm and 5pm). Usually, the sky has cleared by 6pm. Our cycling tours are scheduled to make the best of the weather and we aim to get on the bikes early in the morning so we have arrived at our overnight hotel prior to any rain. In our experience, June to August is one of the most pleasant times to visit Central America – following rainfall, the vegetation will be lush and green, and temperatures on the whole are more pleasant than at other times of the year.

December to April is the driest period and can get incredibly hot; on the Pacific side of Costa Rica, temperatures may exceed 37C (99F). If passing through areas of dry tropical forest it can be hot, dusty and dry. You should be prepared for some rain even during this time of year.

This trip is classified Road and Activity Level 4 (Moderate/Challenging). Please see the introductory pages of the cycling holidays brochure or our website for information on classification and grading.

Average daily distance: 27mi (44km)

Number of days cycling: 12

Vehicle support: 100 percent

Terrain and route: 91 percent paved, 9 percent unpaved track, some hills and generally rolling terrain

Our routes follow quiet backroads where possible. In Costa Rica, as we travel from the northwest to our exit at the southeast, there will be sections where we use roads with heavy traffic. This is because they are the only paved roads available in some regions.

This tour covers some remote parts of the region. Though many of the roads are in good condition, there can be potholes and poor road conditions in sections. The roads are generally free of heavy traffic until we reach towns. In the harder areas, there are some longish climbs that require good fitness (particularly as the region is invariably hot and humid) and some steep descents.

This is a busy itinerary as we cover three countries, but we do so in the comfort of a private air-conditioned minibus. There are some long journeys, the longest being on Day 13 (approximately five to six hours) and Day 9 (approximately four to five hours). The driving is broken up as much as possible with rest stops, and our wonderful tour leaders use this time to talk about everything and anything relating to their country.

Occasionally, it may not be possible to follow the itinerary exactly as planned. Leaders will always watch for hazardous traffic situations, road closures, ferry cancellations etc and look for alternate routes/solutions whenever required. In all such cases that involve shortening a cycling stage, every effort will be made to recover lost mileage (or missed visits) later in the trip.

Proof of a yellow fever vaccination is required in Nicaragua if arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever country, which includes a number of Latin American and African countries. It is compulsory to produce a yellow fever certificate if you spend more than 24 hours in Panama before flying into Nicaragua.