The Mayan Empire: Guatemala & Mexico

Antigua
Upon arrival in Guatemala City you will be met by a representative and transferred to your hotel in Antigua 45 kms away.

Once the third largest city in all of Spanish America, Antigua served as Guatemala's capital city for more than two hundred years until it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1773. Antigua today is a peaceful, partially restored colonial city that is a pleasure to explore.

Antigua City Tour
Volcan Fuego rises to the roof of the world above the streets of Antigua. Once the capital of Guatemala and all Central America, Antigua resembles a living ruin. Mammoth churches and palaces tell the story of Antigua's past glory, and restored facades speak of a bright future for this wonderful city. This morning we’ll tour the city and admire Antigua's gilded cathedrals. The afternoon is yours to rent mountain bikes to explore the countryside, visit a coffee finca or macadamia nut plantation, or simply people watch in the main plaza.

Tour departs: approximately 9:00am.

Breakfast included.

Antigua to Lake Atitlán
We’ll travel into the heart of the Guatemalan Highlands to Lake Atitlán, located in the western highlands of Guatemala and often called one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. Located at over 1500 metres above sea level, the lake reaches depths of 324 metres and is surrounded by three majestic volcanoes - Tolimán, Atitlán and San Pedro. We’ll spend a night in beautiful Panajachel, considered the jewel of the highlands and inhabited by the Cachikel people for over eight hundred years. As we wander around Panajachel and its surrounding villages, you will observe the daily lives of these people and the skill of the women weavers.

Breakfast included.

Boat Trip San Juan La Laguna
Today you’ll take a small passenger boat that takes across the azure-coloured waters of the lake to the charming village of San Juan la Laguna, a very calm village with a Tzutujil population. Here you can find dozens of female-run weaving Co-Operatives, producing beautiful textiles according to time-honored methods passed down through generations, often using organic local cotton and natural dyes. You will also find delicious chocolate.

Breakfast included.

Chichicastenango Markets – Antigua
A visit to Guatemala would not be complete without the chance to visit the famous market of Chichicastenango. This beautiful town, surrounded by valleys and shadowed by mountains, has many shamanistic and ceremonial overtones. Its large market brings villagers from throughout the region who often arrive the night before and sleep on blankets in the market square. Rising early, they set out their colourful fruits, vegetables and handicrafts. The market disperses in the early afternoon, so we will then travel back to Antigua where we’ll spend the night.

Tour departs: approximately 8:00am.

*Take note that market days are Thursdays and Sundays, however we can rearrange this itinerary to make sure you’re there on the correct day.

Breakfast included.

Depart
Pick up is at 3:30am and a boxed lunch is included. Our representative will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.

Arrival at Flores and Tikal Ruins Tour
An early morning flight takes you to Flores in the tropical lowlands of the Petén Jungle and the home of the ancient Maya. After meeting up with your guide, you'll continue on to the ruins of Tikal and check in to your hotel located in the national park.

After lunch at your hotel you will enjoy a guided tour of the Tikal site, where you'll encounter towering pyramids rising above the thick jungle canopy and learn how the city thrived as an important religious, scientific, and political centre for fifteen hundred years. Today, the pristine forest engulfing the ruined city is home to howler and spider monkeys, white-lipped peccary, brocket deer, coatimundis, toucans, scarlet macaws, parrots, ocelots and the seldom seen jaguar.

The sheer scale of the ruins at Tikal may at first seem daunting; however by staying within the park you will have the opportunity to further explore the ruins beyond the central area. Wander endlessly into the maze of smaller structures and outlying complexes hidden in the jungle growth, and if your energy levels are high enough to make it to the top of Temple IV you won’t be disappointed! Amazing views of the surrounding jungle canopy will greet you from the top of the highest structure within the complex, and once the crowds have left the jungle animals comes to life.

Dinner is at your own expense either at your hotel or one of the other nearby alternatives.

Lunch included.

Breakfast and Lunch included.

Transfer to Border
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel very early in the morning (around 4am) and transfer you from Tikal to Bethel, you will have a boat trip to Corozal and then our Mexico supplier will pick you up.

Corozal Border - Palenque
Arrival at the border town of Corozal, your guide will welcome you and take you to Yaxchilan for a private visit of this archaeological site. After de visit you will continue to Palenque.

Arrival at your hotel and the rest of the evening is at leisure.

Breakfast included.

Palenque Archeological Site Tour
Today we will visit the archaeological site of Palenque, a World Heritage Site, located 7km outside of the town of Palenque overlooking the swampy plains that stretch northward all the way to the Gulf coast. Palenque flourished between AD600 and 800, when its influence extended throughout the basin of the Usumacinta River. The site, surrounded by rainforest where toucans and howler monkeys live, is made up of some five hundred buildings spread over 15 sq. km, of which only a few have been excavated. We will explore the magnificent ruins, including the Temple of the Inscriptions – the tallest and stateliest of Palenque’s buildings, the Temple of the Sun – crowned with a prominent roof comb, The Palace – with its maze of corridors and rooms, and many other beautiful buildings. Return to your hotel where the evening is spent at your leisure.

*If you’d like to explore the rainforest ruins of Chiapas in more detail then we recommend adding an extra day and taking a tour of Yaxchilan and Bonampak located deep in the rainforest.

Breakfast included.

Palenque - Isla Aguada - Edzna - Campeche
A representative will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to Campeche. On the way stop at the Natural Reserve of Laguna de Terminos and at the small fishing village of Isla Aguada take a boat tour through the lagoon (aprox1,5hrs). On this trip, you will see plenty of Dolphins and if you are very lucky even the very shy manatees. Stop at an Island in the Lagoon and see the local flora and fauna. Continue towards Edzná, with its remarkable main temple and the large ball court. Continue towards Campeche and walking city tour of the historical center.

Breakfast included.

Drive to Merida
A representative will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to Merida (3-4 hours approx.), known as the "White City" for its white-painted buildings and the "City of Parks" due to its abundance of green areas, Merida is a city full of history, culture and architectural beauty. Discover the majesty of the Plaza Grande, surrounded by the San Ildefonso Cathedral and the Government Palace. Explore the cobblestone streets and admire the colonial architecture of the old houses and mansions.

Breakfast included.

Merida - Kabah - Uxmal
We will visit the archaeological site of Uxmal, a World Heritage Site, located 80km south of Merida. Its architecture is characterized by low, horizontal palaces set around courtyards, decorated with a profusion of symbolic motifs and sculptures depicting the long-nosed rain god Chaac. We will explore the magnificent buildings, including the Nunnery, the House of Turtles, and the House of the Magician, which dominates the site. We’ll continue to Kabah, with its amazing Palace of the Masks, covered in nearly three hundred masks of Chaac, before heading to Merida.

Breakfast and Lunch included.

Merida - Chichen Itza - Merida
Today will be one of the highlights of your Mexican adventure as you enjoy a visit to the archaeological site of Chichen Itza, located 120km east of Merida. One of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Chichen Itza is the best restored of Yucatan’s Mayan sites. While here we will explore, the magnificent ruins set in a dense jungle, including:
- Pyramid of Kukulcan, its height and striking geometric design the most prominent of this site.
- The Great Ball Court, the largest and most impressive in Mesoamerica.
- The Sacred Cenote, a natural well used for human sacrifice.

We’ll also see many other beautiful temples. From Chichén Itzá, we will head back to the Merida International Airport to board your flight back home. Please note that you will arrive at the airport around 7pm. Therefore, you should allow for 3 hours in advance for an international flight, or 2 hours in advance for a domestic flight.

Yucatan Peninsula options
One of the advantages of our tailormade itineraries is the ability to change things to create your perfect holiday. You can choose to visit several destinations such as Tulum, Cancun, Playa del Carmen or head back to Merida. If you are thinking about Tulum, please be aware that you can stay at a beach resort or in town which is 20min drive from the beach. Speak to your travel designer for more information.

Breakfast and Lunch included.