•   Within a group setting, North Americans often tend to 'isolate' from the actual experience, remaining within the comfort of the group.  You may end up going home knowing folks from Denver and the Honduras travel guide and miss the whole Honduras experience.

•   Once you are part of a tour group, you are committed.  You go through Honduras when and where the Honduras travel guide goes.  You eat and sleep wherever the travel guide has the best arrangements for themselves in Honduras.

•   Little is left to chance and while using a travel agent from home may assure more predictability, spontaneity and serendipity are totally taken out of the equation. 

•   Some North Americans are very insensitive to other cultures.  This can become a real 'trip buster.'  Travel guides are reluctant to speak up about inappropriate behavior.

•   Complete tours are often a tour of the inside of a Mercedes-Benz bus and a view of Honduras out the window.  Encounters with Honduran people are rare and at a distance.  You totally rely on the Honduras travel guide for interaction.

•  Honduras Travel Guides:   Once in Honduras, meet the local Honduras travel guides and learn of their services.  Their knowledge of Honduras and things to do may well be the best use of your time.  They offer the best picture of Honduras.  Talk to the Honduras travel guides once in country and take time to use at least one of their services.

Though my wife and I are not good group-tourists, in Honduras we found a gem of a way to see the southwest mountain villages:  Meet Max Elvir.

Max, of Lenca Land Trails (email:  Lenca at hondutel.hn - phone 504-662-1375), operates out of the Hotel Elvir in Santa Rosa de Copan.  He is bi-lingual, his prices are reasonable and he works very hard to meet your needs.  If you don’t reach Max ahead of time, drop into the hotel and ask them to ring Max for you.  Max has my highest recommendation.

Omega Tours (slow loading site) also comes highly recommended by folks who have sent emails along after using Omega.  Omega covers local tours along the north coast/La Ceiba area/Pico Bonito area as a Honduras travel guide.  German owner Udo has a lodge (within the Pico Bonito National Park) on the Rio Cangrejal, along the road to Yaruca.  If you are a nature or rafting enthusiast, you will want to be in touch with Udo and his crew as possible Honduras travel guides for you.

The Tela area is so rich in preserves and parks that it is a shame that the area is relatively under-publicized.  The local tour company is Garifuna Tours.  Visit them and determine for yourself if they present value to you (I have no first-hand knowledge of their work nor have readers contacted me about them).  If eco-tourism does surge in Honduras, the Tela area has so much to offer and a Honduras travel guide can enhance that visit and experience.

Travel to the Mosquitia is a whole different ballgame and does require advance planning before you leave home.  If headed to the Mosquitia, use a Honduras travel guide.   Moon Handbook and site visitors have recommended La Moskitia Eco-Aventuras if you are considering a visit to the Mosquitia area.  This is an area where you will definitely benefit from using a Honduras tour guide.  For a wonderful taste of the area, visit Derek Parent's site on the Mosquitia.

When is the best time to travel to Honduras?  That's next.

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