El Salvador Itinerary: One Week In El Salvador 2023

Some links in this post contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission if you use the links at no extra cost to you! Happy reading 😀

One week in El Salvador is the perfect amount of time for first-time visitors in the country. In this El Salvador itinerary, you’ll get the chance to stay in one of El Salvador’s biggest cities, hike an active volcano, swim in waterfalls, relax on a black pebble beach and party in one of the country’s most popular beach towns.

El Salvador has so much to offer, and it should be on every backpacker’s Central America list. I’ll be honest, we were sceptical about visiting El Salvador at first. But I am so glad we didn’t skip it – it was two weeks we’ll never forget!

However, I do recommend following an itinerary and sticking to certain areas of El Salvador. Sadly, there are still some towns and cities that are not safe for tourists, so be sure to do your research about El Salvador before visiting.

In the following post, I outline the best areas to visit when travelling to El Salvador, what you should do, where you should stay and how to make your El Salvador trip once in a lifetime.

Other El Salvador posts:

• Backpacking El Salvador: Routes, Itinerary, Safety + More!
• BEST & Safest Hostels In El Tunco, El Salvador
• El Tunco El Salvador: COMPLETE Guide
• 21 EPIC Things To Do In Santa Ana, El Salvador

Related post: Backpacking El Salvador: everything you need to prepare for your first trip to El Salvador!

El Salvador Itinerary: One Week In El Salvador Route Summary

In this route, you will base yourself in two locations in El Salvador. As you only have seven days, this is the perfect split between two of the most exciting locations in the country.

🗺️ One week El Salvador route: Santa Ana > El Tunco > Onward travel

As you can see on the El Salvador map below, travelling from Santa Ana to El Tunco doesn’t take very long, even if you book a backpacker shuttle. Depending on where you are coming from, you can do this one-week El Salvador itinerary in reverse if needs be (especially if you are starting from the airport).

Worried you’re only visiting two locations on your trip? Don’t panic! Santa Ana is the adventure hub of El Salvador, and this will only be a base whilst you take day trips to other destinations in the country. This includes volcano hiking, lake swimming and even sliding down a 35m high rainbow slide!

Of course, there are other locations you could visit in El Salvador (such as El Cuco Beach, Suchitoto and San Salvador. However, they are not included in this particular one-week El Salvador itinerary.

I highly recommend getting travel insurance if you are backpacking El Salvador or Central America. SafetyWing is the best company to cover your trip, covering both medical and travel delays, lost checked luggage, emergency response, natural disasters and personal liability. ➡️ You can sign up for SafetyWing here.

⚠️ For more information about safety and staying safe in El Salvador, particularly on public buses, please read the following UK Government advice.

Getting from Antigua (Guatemala) to Santa Ana (El Salvador)

If you are travelling south through Central America, you will cross the border from Guatemala into El Salvador. One of the best options, if you are travelling from Guatemala, is to stop in Santa Ana first, as it is close to the border.

In summary, there are three ways to get from Antigua to Santa Ana:

• Shuttle (most common backpacker way)
• Public bus (cheapest option but with the longest duration)
• Private transfer (most expensive but quickest option)

If you’re backpacking El Salvador, the most common, safest and easiest way to travel between Santa Ana and El Tunco is by shuttle. The shuttles hold around 16 people and are full of other backpackers.

🚎 If you are travelling from Antigua to Santa Ana by public bus, check out my full in-depth guide here.

Getting from Santa Ana to El Tunco

The options for travelling between Santa Ana and El Tunco are:

• Shuttle bus (easiest, recommended option)
• Public bus (cheapest option)
• Private transfer (most expensive but the quickest option)
• Hiring a car and driving yourself

If you’re backpacking El Salvador, the most common, safest and easiest way to travel between Santa Ana and El Tunco is by shuttle. The shuttles hold around 16 people and are full of other backpackers.

🚎 For the public bus from Santa Ana to El Tunco, please check out my in-depth guide here.

🚕 Alternatively, you can hire a car and drive yourself, or hire a private driver. If you would like a private driver in El Salvador, you can check out prices here.

For more information on how to get to and from El Tunco, check out my complete El Tunco guide!

Getting from El Tunco to the airport

El Tunco is just 50 minutes from El Salvador’s International Airport. From the airport, you can either hire a private driver, hire a car yourself or get a public bus.

🚎 Getting the public bus from El Salvador airport to El Tunco? The public bus will take around 2-3 hours, and you will need to:

➡️ From the airport, get the 183 micro-bus to San Luis Talpa. This is a 10-minute journey.

➡️ At San Luis Talpa, get the 166 bus to La Libertad. This should take just over an hour, and La Libertad is just 15 minutes away from El Tunco. It is a large beach town.

➡️ From La Libertad, catch a bus to El Tunco. There are many public buses in this area, and you can get one from where you were dropped off. This journey should not take more than 20 minutes.

🚕 Alternatively, you can hire a car and drive yourself, or hire a private driver. If you would like a private driver in El Salvador, you can check out prices here.

For more information on how to get to and from El Tunco, check out my complete El Tunco guide!

El Salvador Itinerary Day 1-4: Santa Ana

🛌 Stay: Santa Ana (Casa Verde, Casa Vieja Guest House or Hostel Velvet)

⏰ Nights: 3-4, depending on your itinerary

🚗 Day trips from Santa Ana: Lake Coatepeque, Santa Ana volcano, the Rainbow Slide and the Rutas de las Flores

✈️ Distance from the airport: 2 hours (108km)

For your first stop on your El Salvador itinerary, I recommend staying in Santa Ana. Santa Ana is one of the biggest and busiest cities in El Salvador and is known to be safer than the capital, San Salvador.

Santa Ana is also a great base for any adventure activities in El Salvador. Lake Coatepeque, the Santa Ana volcano and Cerro Verde National Park, the Rainbow Slide and the Rutas de las Flores are all accessible from Santa Ana.

If you base yourself in Santa Ana, you can tick off bucket-list activities easily in the first few days. Either hire a car or book tours to see some of the best attractions in the country.

🇸🇻 TOP TIP: You do not need to stay in Lake Coatepeque, or in any of the cities along the Ruta de las Flores. This is a personal choice, but all of the areas can be accessed as a day trip from Santa Ana.

Related post: 21 EPIC Things To Do In Santa Ana, El Salvador | Backpacking El Salvador: everything you need to prepare for your first trip to El Salvador!

Where to stay in Santa Ana

Unfortunately, there aren’t many accommodations for tourists in Santa Ana (yet). We found finding accommodation here quite hard! It’s also a large city, and some areas are nicer than others, so be sure to check out the following hostels and hotels in some of the best areas.

If you are a backpacker in Santa Ana, I recommend checking out the following hostels:

• Casa Verde: for all kinds of backpackers in Santa Ana
• Casa Vieja Guest House: a family run guest house that also runs tours all over Santa Ana
• Hostel Velvet is also a great place for backpackers or digital nomads to stay in Santa Ana.

For somewhere a little nicer in Santa Ana:

• Remfort Hotel: A ten-minute walk to the main downtown area of Santa Ana, with an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness centre and a terrace. ➡ Check prices now!
• Villa Napoli: Large, spacious and bright rooms in a hotel with an outdoor swimming pool, garden, a shared lounge and terrace in Santa Ana. ➡ Check prices now!

🌈 Recommended tour in El Salvador: The Rainbow Slide! Slide down a colourful rainbow slide – a must-do for any adrenaline junkies in El Salvador! ➡ Check prices now!

Best things to do in Santa Ana

When you are in Santa Ana, I recommend using it as a base to travel out of the city and visit some of the areas nearby. Some of the best things to do when in Santa Ana include:

• Drive the Ruta De Las Flores (including a visit to the towns of Juayua, Concepcion de Ataco and Apaneca)
• Slide down the famous Rainbow Slide at Cafe Albania
• Zipline across the jungle at Cafe Albania
• Walk the streets of Santa Ana, visiting the local markets and stalls
• Eat pupusas in a local pupuseria
• Take an overnight trip to Suchitoto
• Do a coffee tour, including drinking coffee in the Axul Cafe in Ataco
• Walk the streets of Apaneca
• Visit the weekly food festival in Juayua
• Do the seven waterfalls hike (Chorros De La Calera is the prettiest)
• Visit and swim in Lake Coatepeque
• Hike the Santa Ana volcano (tours start from Cerro Verde National Park)
• Stay at the Captain Morgan backpacker hostel on Lake Coatepeque

Related post: 21 EPIC Things To Do In Santa Ana, El Salvador

El Salvador Itinerary Day 4-7: El Tunco

🛌 Stay: El Tunco (Papaya Lodge or Canuck’s Guest House)

⏰ Nights: 3-4, depending on your itinerary

🏄🏼‍♀️ Do: surfing, relaxing, partying, exploring

🚗 Day trips from El Tunco: El Zonte, Playa San Blas, La Libertad (incl. La Paz and Punta Roca)

✈️ Distance from airport: 50 minutes (42km)

For the last 3 days of your El Salvador one-week trip, I recommend heading to a small beach town on the Pacific Coast, El Tunco. El Tunco is one of the busiest tourist areas in El Salvador, but it’s still quiet compared to other popular beach towns in Central America such as Puerto Escondido or Caye Caulker.

El Tunco is beautiful. With a black sand and pebble beach, this coastline is one of the best in the country. You can expect blood-orange sunsets on a nightly basis, and rippling waves perfect for any budding surfer.

Related post: El Tunco Beach El Salvador Complete Guide: what to do, where to stay, what to eat and how to make the most out of your trip to one of El Salvador’s prettiest beaches! 🏖️

Where to stay in El Tunco

El Tunco is a small, sleepy beach town on the Pacific coast of El Salvador. It’s really important to know where to stay when booking a trip to El Tunco, as some of the surrounding areas aren’t as nice, and aren’t as great for tourists.

If you are a backpacker in El Tunco, I recommend staying in one of the following. Both of these hostels are in a safe area in El Tunco and are within walking distance of the beach.

• Papaya Lodge: for solo backpackers and couples
• Canuck’s Guest House: for digital nomads, solo travellers and couples.

If you’re looking for a bit of a nicer stay in El Tunco, I recommend the following hotels:

• Boca Olas Resort Villas: 450 yards away from El Tunco Beach. A 4-star hotel with an outdoor swimming pool, free private parking, a garden and a terrace, free WiFi, a restaurant and a bar. ➡ Check prices now!
• Hotel & Bar La Guitarra: this hotel is actually on El Tunco beach, and has easy access to all of El Tunco’s attractions. ➡ Check prices now!
• Eco Del Mar: a beautiful eco-friendly hotel located in the heart of El Tunco surrounded by tropical forest. ➡ Check prices now!

Related post: The best and safest hostels to stay in El Tunco, El Salvador | Complete guide to visiting El Tunco for the first time

Best things to do in El Tunco

Whilst you’re in El Tunco, I recommend trying some of the following activities and tours.

• Relax on the black sand and pebble beaches
• Eat traditional Salvadorian food
• Party in El Tunco (full El Tunco nightlife guide here!)
• Listen to the Salvadorian street musicians
• Surf on El Tunco beach
• Have a beach club day at Monkey Lala
• Explore the sea caves at El Zonte
• Visit the Atami Resort to swim in the ocean pools
• Watch the sunset from El Tunco beach
• Visit the Tamanique Waterfalls
• Watch the sunrise at El Zonte

Related post: El Tunco Beach El Salvador Complete Guide: more information on visiting El Tunco for the first time!

Getting around El Salvador

You can travel around El Salvador in multiple ways, depending on how much time you have, your budget and where you want to visit. The most common way for backpackers to travel around El Salvador is via rental car or shuttle. 

🚗 GETTING AROUND EL SALVADOR BY CAR

One of the easiest and most popular way to travel around El Salvador is by rental car. Driving in El Salvador is safe, straightforward and easy. Driving in between towns like El Tunco and Santa Ana will save a lot of time on shuttles. You can also drive the Rutas De Flores at your own pace if you have your own car.

➡ Check car hire prices in El Salvador now!

🚖 GETTING AROUND EL SALVADOR BY A PRIVATE DRIVER

Hiring a private driver to get around El Salvador is one of the most popular and safest ways to see the country. Private drivers can be hired for different amounts of time.

➡ Check prices and bookings for your own private driver in El Salvador here.

🚌 GETTING AROUND EL SALVADOR BY SHUTTLE BUS

If you aren’t hiring a car in El Salvador, you can travel via shuttle bus. This is another easy and safe way to travel around El Salvador. Shuttles in El Salvador will be with other backpackers, and can either be booked online or via your hostel. I recommend pre-booking your shuttles in advance.

➡ Check shuttles in El Salvador now!

Bucket list tours in El Salvador 

Looking to book a tour in El Salvador? Tours are one of the best and safest ways to see the hidden gems of El Salvador. If you’re travelling during peak season, I highly recommend pre-booking your tours to ensure you don’t miss out!

When travelling, we use this company to book our tours. Tours include skip-the-line tickets to the world’s most iconic attractions, walking tours by top local experts, immersive food and beverage tours, cooking and craft classes, bucket list experiences, and niche offerings you won’t find anywhere else! 

Some of the best tours in El Salvador include: 

• Santa Ana Volcano, Full Day Tour 🌋 ➡ check prices here!
• Rainbow Slide Experience 🌈 ➡ check prices here!
• Tamanique Waterfalls and El Tunco Beaches ➡ check prices here!
• Day trip to Honduras, Copan Ruins 🇭🇳 ➡ check prices here
• Half-Day San Salvador City Tour ➡ check prices here!

➡ Check out more tours for your trip here!

Local foods to try on your one-week El Salvador trip

If you only have one week in El Salvador, I highly recommend trying pupusas. Pupusas quickly became one of our favourite foods when in El Salvador, and we may have become a little obsessed with them!

Pupusas are similar to pancakes and can be served either savoury or sweet. They are thick corn tortillas made from flour or maize and egg, which are then stuffed with everything from chicken, pork, beans, avocado, cheese and even chocolate!

Pupusas can be found all over El Salvador, and are sold for as little as 80p ($1) for one. For a main meal, you’ll need around 3-4 pupusas to feel full. That’s a pretty cheap meal!

🚗 One of the easiest and most popular ways to travel around El Salvador is by rental car. Driving in El Salvador is safe, straightforward and easy. ➡ Check car hire prices in El Salvador now!

Where to go AFTER El Salvador

After visiting El Salvador, most backpackers do one of the following.

🇬🇹 Travel NORTH to Guatemala. You can easily get to Antigua (Guatemala) from Santa Ana (El Salvador). ➡️ For a full guide on travelling from Santa Ana to Anitgua, click here.

🇳🇮 Travel SOUTH to Nicaragua. Another option is to travel to Leon, south of El Salvador. There are direct shuttles from El Tunco to Leon, Nicaragua. Bear in mind – this takes around 19-20 hours! ➡️ Full how-to get from El Tunco to Leon guide here!

🇭🇳 Travel EAST to Honduras. You can travel to Honduras easily from El Salvador. Most backpackers visit the Copan Ruins and Utila in Honduras.

✈️ Fly out of the country to another destination. There is an international airport in El Salvador, just 50 minutes from El Tunco. If you want to avoid the 20-hour shuttle journey from El Tunco to Leon, this is a great option! ➡️ Check flight prices now.

📲 Don’t forget to download your eSim for El Salvador! ESIMs are easy to download and ready to use within a few minutes of purchasing, so there’s no longer a need to hunt down free Wifi! ➡ You can check out the prices and packages for eSIMs here!

El Salvador Itinerary: One Week In El Salvador: FAQs

1) Is El Salvador safe for tourists?

Yes, El Salvador is safe for tourists and backpackers, but you still need to stick to busy and well-known areas. Whilst most trips will be trouble-free, there is still violence and crime in certain areas, and some cities and towns are less safe than others.

The truth is, the past 40 years for El Salvador were hard. They had a civil war that lasted for 12 years, as well as consistent violent gang-related crimes, affecting both gang members and innocent civilians.

El Salvador was sadly one of the most dangerous countries in the world in 2015 and 2016 (outside of a warzone), with almost 18 murders a day. Whilst this may sound frightening, the new president (who was elected in 2019) has gone above and beyond to make sure El Salvador is safer for both innocent locals and tourists.

If you’re visiting El Salvador, stick to the main backpacker locations (such as Santa Ana and El Tunco). To add extra safety precautions, stay in the main backpacker hostels or tourist hotels in these areas.

As a reminder, these are:

Santa Ana: Casa Verde, Casa Vieja Guest House or Velvet Hostal

El Tunco: Canuck’s Guest House or Papaya Lodge

Lake Coatepeque: Captain Morgan

Related post: Check out my honest opinion about safety in El Salvador here 🇸🇻

2) When is the best time to visit El Salvador?

You can visit and do this one-week El Salvador itinerary 365 days a year and still be able to do some of the bucket list activities and trips.

But, if you’d prefer to avoid the afternoon rainy downpours, head to El Salvador during the dry season (November – May), but expect to pay a little more than the wet season (May – November).

Related post: Best time to visit El Salvador for backpackers: weather, humidity, rainfall, wildlife and more! ☀️

3) Is El Salvador worth going to?

Yes! El Salvador is a great place to backpack that is a little off the beaten track. It’s not a well-known holiday destination (especially if you’re from the UK), so visiting whilst backpacking Central America is a great idea.

If you’re looking for bucket list activities, El Salvador has a lot to offer. From hiking the Santa Ana volcano, sliding down the famous Rainbow Slide, swimming in Lake Coatapeque and jumping in waterfalls at Tamanique. 

El Salvador is also well-known for its surfing, and El Tunco is a great location for advanced surfers. If you’re a keen (and good) surfer, El Salvador is worth visiting for the waves. 

Related post: El Tunco Beach El Salvador Complete Guide: what to do, where to stay, what to eat and how to make the most out of your trip to one of El Salvador’s prettiest beaches! 🏖️

4) Do I need a SIM card to travel around El Salvador? 

Yes, I highly recommend downloading an eSIM on your phone to ensure you can use it for directions and safety in El Salvador. We found most of the cities to be chaotic and difficult to find local SIM cards.

ESIMs are easy to download and ready to use within a few minutes of purchasing, so there’s no longer a need to hunt down free Wifi! ➡ You can check out the prices and packages for eSIMs here!

5) Do I need a car to travel around El Salvador?

This is down to personal preference. We found El Salvador easy enough to travel around via buses and shuttles, but one of the preferred modes of most backpackers is hiring a car. 

You can hire a car and drive around the entire country at your own pace. Driving in El Salvador is safe and straightforward. Some of the main towns and cities are a distance away from each other, so to maximise your time in the country, you may want to hire a car. 

🇸🇻 If you’re looking to hire a car in El Salvador, we rent our cars from this company. They’re reliable, cheap and have car rentals all over the world!  ➡ You can check out the prices for car hire in El Salvador now!

Related post: Backpacking El Salvador: everything you need to prepare for your first trip to El Salvador!

El Salvador Itinerary – One Week in El Salvador: In A Nutshell

So, there you have it! Everything you need to know for an El Salvador itinerary of one week. When you’re planning a trip to El Salvador, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below!

If you haven’t seen my blog before, I write posts aimed at first-time backpackers on a budget. I’m currently travelling around the world with my boyfriend (read more here!), creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!

Keep an eye out for more El Salvador content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!

As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!

Happy travelling 🙂

Jennie x

🇸🇻 Where to next in El Salvador?

• Backpacking El Salvador: Routes, Itinerary, Safety + More!
• BEST & Safest Hostels In El Tunco, El Salvador
• El Tunco El Salvador: COMPLETE Guide
• How To Get From Santa Ana To El Tunco: COMPLETE Guide
• Best Time to Visit El Salvador: Complete Guide
• Antigua To Santa Ana El Salvador COMPLETE Guide!