El Salvador
Experience the love and care of Salvadoreans who will show you their happiness and joy even though many have much less than what we have. El Salvador offers not only the warmth of a friendly people, but also a beautiful scenic country that is among the best in Central America. Its great advantage is that they are a small country where everything and everywhere is nearby and you do not have to travel long distances to “get there.”
We are privileged to partner with Fraternidad Misionera de ONUVA (Onuva´s Misionary Fraternity) to create a combination of traditional touring with participation in ONUVA including the renowned “A Bed for Every Child” program that assists children and their families who live in poverty in El Salvador.
In 1993 the “Fraternity of The Mother of God” was founded at Puebla del Río, Seville, Spain and began to expand its mission starting with its work in El Salvador, the smallest country in Central America. It was here where a great portion of its population lives in poor condition and difficult social situations. The legacy of a civil war, that lasted twelve years, left many social challenges that are now accentuated by the increase of the phenomenon of disintegrated families.
The ONUVA program that you will be participating in also features our “A Bed for every Child.” Many children in the poorer regions typically sleep on the floors of tiny dwellings made of tin and concrete blocks. Children are thus susceptible to all sorts of parasites and illness. ONUVA treats them with medicines to purge the parasites and then gives them a bed of their own so they will not be infected again.
Additionally, you will have a one-day Volunteer program with “Education Plus”, a program that works in the urban shanty towns to prevent school children from dropping out of school and becoming what is known as “street children.”
The tour ends with a special sightseeing excursion to the Montecristo Biosphere Reservoir Cloud Forest and Montecristo National Park which is said to be, perhaps, El Salvador’s most outstanding wildlife sanctuary and home to a fantastic diversity of flora and fauna.
Tour Includes:
- Round-trip international flights
- Round-trip transfers between airport and hotel
- Accommodations in 1st Class hotels
- U.S. airline and hotel taxes
- Service charges at hotels
- All meals included as per itinerary
- Local bilingual guides for sightseeing
- Sightseeing tours, as per itinerary, including entrance fees
- Pre-Paid Gratuities
Added Features:
- Special Cloud Forest Tour
- “A Bed for Every Child” program
- Foundation Humanitaria service program with Fraternidad Misionera de ONUVA
- “Dream Pillow” program
- Community Projects coordinated by the Fundacion Humanitaria’s ONUVA
- Community Projects coordinated by the government sponsored Education Plus
TOUR ITINERARY
Day 1. Sunday, San Salvador (D)
Depart on our international flight to San Salvador. Arrive same day. Clear Immigration, Baggage Claim and Customs. Meet our local tour representative. Transfer to your home base for this week at your hotel in San Salvador. Meet with Connie Vieytez, Director of Onuva´s Missionary Fraternity to discuss the upcoming three-day program with the CRHF. Free time before your group dinner. Overnight San San Salvador
Day 2. Monday: In San Salvador. Fraternidad Misionera de ONUVA/ Bed Program/Dream Pillow Program (B/L/D)
Breakfast will be followed by the start of the Fraternidad Misionera de ONUVA’s “Bed for Every Child” program featuring beds that are a standard, simple design. The pieces will be delivered unassembled and we will spend the morning putting them together. After a box lunch, we will personally deliver the beds to the children and their families. Experience the joy that touches the hearts of all involved. The bed is typically the best piece of furniture the proud family now owns. Return to the hotel in the afternoon. Time to relax before dinner. Overnight in San Salvador.
Day 3. Tuesday: In San Salvador. Fraternidad Misionera de ONUVA/ Bed Program (B/L/D)
Continuation of the Fraternidad Misionera de ONUVA with the Dream Pillow program as we depart for the local Day Care Center. Where we will have an opportunity to teach the children the value of dreaming: how important it is to have dreams, to wish for things, to have goals in our lives, and how to visualize their dreams. Using fabric paints and markers, the children can create designs and affirmations, as well as put their names on cloth (in Spanish of course). Each child will leave with two projects, a sort of decoration that they can hang in their homes. So, bring your loving and creative self and let’s give these children an experience that can affect them very positively for years to come. Return to the hotel for free time and dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in San Salvador.
Day 4. Wednesday: In San Salvador. Community Project (B/L/D)
After breakfast, everyone will participate in a local Community Service project, with Education Plus to include a round-table discussion with the various participants in the recently attended programs. After lunch, the group will be dropped off in San Salvador for some independent exploration and shopping before returning to the hotel for some R & R at the pool. Overnight and dinner at our hotel in San Salvador.
Day 5. Thursday: Full Day Excursion: Montecristo Biosphere Reservoir Cloud Forest Tour (B/L/D)
A day of Education AND FUN as we learn about the region’s environment. This is a cloud forests, evergreen and oak forests; and cypress plantations will be your backdrop as you explore along the trails, enjoying the cool temperatures and beautiful views. This property is beside Montecristo National Park which is said to be, perhaps, El Salvador’s most outstanding wildlife sanctuary and home to a fantastic diversity of flora and fauna. It was named Biosphere Reservoir by the UNESCO on 2011. You will learn about nature, about our life (lime is produce nearby, about coffee and sugarcane), but you will also have fun in a eight-deck zip line of the property and hiking to the waterfall. Lunch will be served in the main house, cooked in an old kitchen. Return to the hotel for dinner and our overnight in San Salvador
Day 6. Friday San Salvador/USA (B)
Transfer to the airport for your flight back home.
NOTE: This is a sample itinerary for group tour leaders.
It is a suggestion to assist teachers, religious leaders, organization heads, authors, speakers and other leaders who are planning a travel program for their group.
Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation is an organization serving children and their families living in severe poverty. The renowned service program you will be participating in is called “A Bed for Every Child.” The children, typically sleeping on the floors of tiny dwellings made of tin and concrete blocks, are susceptible to all sorts of parasites and illness. CRHF treats them with medicines to purge the parasites and then gives them a bed of their own so they will not be infected again. CRHF has a standard, simple design for the sturdy bunk beds that often have to be broken down and then reassembled on-site inside the tiny homes. The children and their families participate with us in these projects and the joy touches the hearts of all involved. The bed is typically the best piece of furniture the proud family now owns.
This morning after last minute completion of the bed deliveries we return to CRHF for lunch. After lunch, participate in CRHFrenowned Magic Dream Pillow Workshop. Here we’ll be paired with a student and together discuss the student’s dreams for this art project. We have found it to be a valuable opportunity to teach the children the value of dreaming: how important is to have dreams, to wish for things, to have goals in life…..and how visualizing ones dreams in this way and keeping them near you while you sleep helps dreams come true. Using fabric, non-toxic paints and markers (travelers will bring them), the children create designs and affirmations, as well as put their names on their pillowcases. Sayings such things as Sweet Dreams, Dreams Come True, etc. Each child will leave with a Dream Pillow. We have found that this program gives these children an experience that can affect them very positively for years to come. Dinner at our hotel. Overnight San Jose.
After breakfast the journey continues to the Arenal Volcano area as we travel through the Costa Rican countryside. The Arenal Volcano is considered one of the most active volcanoes in the world; it has been active since 1968 when it suddenly exploded. Nowadays, trees and vegetation are starting to regenerate in some areas of the volcanoes base. Soon you will see the Volcano hot spring, which are the result of rainwater heated in the Earth’s interior. Once heated, the waters rise to surface, taking with them minerals found in the earth’s rocky crust; this way, waters become very benefic to our bodies because of its temperature that helps to relax muscles, clean pores and rejuvenate the skin. We will make a stop for lunch along the way before arrival at Arenal. Relax this afternoon. Overnight and dinner in Arenal.
Day 7, Thursday: To Manuel Antonio – Catamaran Cruise (B/L/D)
A day of fun and fantastic touring as we have the opportunity to view Costa Rica’s ever-changing panorama. Arrival at the Hacienda Pozo Azul, to start your ZIP-LINE (perfectly safe) tour of the Sarapiqui area rain forest. The tour will feature 12 cables (that you hook into) and 17 platforms that are build from 60 to 90 feet above group as you “fly” through a canyon and over the Sarapiqui River Continue on your full day excursion as boat your Rover boat and navigate through the Sarapiqui River, with its beautiful scenery surrounded by lowlands of tropical rain forests and quiet farmland. As the boat passes through green waters and lush vegetation, you will also see a variety of Costa Rican plants, animals and birds. Lunch will be served during the cruise. Return to the hotel where you will have some time to relax. Meet in the lobby for dinner at the La Gallera Restaurant
