HONDURAS

Destination: The Mosquito Coast

Essence of the trip:

A trekking and rafting odyssey on the undiscovered Mosquito Coast, following the Rio Platano River all the way to the Caribbean Coast. The Mosquito Coast remains one of the least explored areas in the Americas making this Honduras adventure an exploration of epic proportions.

This trip will give you:

• The chance to raft through and explore a unique, isolated and pristine part of the world, left unscathed by modern man and witnessed by so few.

• Opportunities to master the skill of rafting and develop bush craft skills from spending time with indigenous guides.

• The opportunity to relax in the azure waters of the Caribbean sea having spent the previous ten days on an epic river adventure.

• Access into the dense jungle of the Rio Platano Reserve, reaching the isolated river and meeting the indigenous Miskito and Pech Indians that live alongside the water’s edge.

• The memories of seeing spectacular wildlife as you spent time living in the largest surviving area of undisturbed tropical rainforest in Honduras and one of the few remaining in Central America, with numerous endangered species.

Details:

Once arriving in Honduras, you will head by 4×4 to Rio Plantano Reserve and after an acclimatisation period will head into the jungle, trekking to the Waraska area (the headwaters of the Rio Plantano) passing near El Higerito, a large archaeological site.

You will be guided by your expedition leaders through the jungle terrain with mules carrying your packs and rafting gear until you reach the Rio Plantano River. Here you will transfer your kit from the mules to watertight barrels and spend the night preparing for your rafting adventure over the next seven days, where you’ll be immersed in the Central American heartland.

The following morning, after a briefing on the challenges of the Rio Platano, you will begin your seven day journey on the white waters as well as set foot in caves and subterranean creeks that line the river and hold evidence of ancient ritual activity.

The rafting here is unequalled for its stunning surroundings and undisturbed wildlife. Due to the difficultly of access to the area, it  has evolved an ecosystem which supports a wealth of reptiles, amphibians, birds, and insects, as well as 200 mammals such as river otters, jaguarondi, jaguars, pumas, ocelots, scarlet macaws and vampire bats, all rarely seen wild, in their natural habitat.  Over the course of the rafting journey you will overnight in wild camps on the sandy riverbanks. The experience of camping by the rivers’ edge in the remote heart of this wild rainforest is one of the outstanding memories you will take from this adventure.

The seven days of white water rafting, exploring, wildlife spotting and learning the cultures of the indigenous people concludes as you head to the Caribbean Ocean and by the end of it, you’ll have reached the end of the rafting section of your trip, within sight of the sea.

From here you will transfer to a hidden coastal retreat, where you will be able to snorkel and dive in the crystal clear waters. This is a fitting ending for unwinding after the demanding rafting adventure and gives you a chance to marvel in the wonders of this unscathed corner of the world.

If you are interested in taking this trip and would like to discuss it in more detail with our team of experts please enquire here or call us on 0207 426 9899 (UK) or 1-888 341 9663 (US).