La Carrera Veragua

A classic touring rally through Central America that is genuinely non-competitive, and the operator is unusually clear about what that means: no logbooks, no map work, no night driving and no competition licence. Thirteen nights and around 2,768 kilometres, in a classic car or motorbike from the operator’s own fleet.

It starts and finishes at Hacienda Equis, the operator’s own private residence near Aserri in Costa Rica, which rather sets the tone for the whole trip. The route works north through the Costa Rican highlands and into Nicaragua, where it circles Lake Nicaragua and Lake Managua, the two great freshwater lakes that dominate the country.

The colonial cities are the highlight. Leon and Granada were founded in the 1520s and have been rivals ever since, both full of painted stucco, cathedral squares and courtyards, and both a long way off the usual classic rally map. The return leg runs down the Pacific coast beaches before crossing back into Costa Rica.

Equis supply the rally vehicle for the whole trip, so no shipping is required, along with accommodation in boutique hotels and lodges throughout and a personal rally leader. Staff work in German, English and Spanish. Flights, fuel and some meals are separate. The price is per person based on two sharing a car and a room, using the operator’s own vehicle in the green season. Departures are very limited, currently one confirmed date for 2027 with a second pencilled in, so this is one to enquire about early rather than plan around.