Exploring the best of Honduras, Guatemala and Belize
Mayan Paths
15 days and 14 nights
Day 1: Arrival (Unguided)
Our team will greet you at Guatemala International Airport and will transfer you to Guatemala City, (30 minutes)
Lodging at Guatemala City
Day 2: Copan / Horseback Riding
7:00 a.m. We will depart for Copan through the east part of the country, through a changing landscape with the mild weather of Antigua and Guatemala City and arriving at dry and warm Chiquimula. We will then head towards El Florido where we will cross the border to enter Honduras and head to our hotel to rest awhile (5 hrs).
In the afternoon you will horseback riding from the town of Copan, along the river until reach Hacienda San Lucas
Lodging in Copan (B)
Day 3: Copan Ruins and Macaw Mountain Bird Park
In the morning you will make the tour to Copan, accompanied by our expert guides who will lead you through the ceremonial center, the ball court, the hieroglyphic stairway and the acropolis where you will be astonished by the revelation of one of Copan’s best kept secret: the discovery of the Rosalila Temple which was hidden for centuries.
In the afternoon you will visit Macaw Mountain Bird Park; this is an innovative tropical bird reserve in western Honduras that cares for rescued and endangered birds of the American tropics.
Lodging in Copan (B)
Day 4: Quirigua / Antigua
After breakfast we travel to Antigua, A journey through colorful villages will lead us to the ancient Maya city of Quiriguá, located in the department of Izabal, Guatemala. This site is characterized by its great sculptures, considered to be masterpieces of the Maya Culture. After our tour to Quiriguá we will go to Antigua (5 hrs)
Lodging in Antigua Guatemala (B)
Day 5: Pacaya Volcano
Our tour starts with a morning transfer (1hr) to the foothills of the active Pacaya volcano. The hike begins with a fairly strenuous hike through a wonderful pine forest, continues with a more tricky volcanic ash section and then finally to the sulfur smoking cone. On occasions you can even see small eruptions and lava flow depending on the activity of the volcano. From the summit we can enjoy great views to the northern volcanoes, the pacific lowlands and all the way to El Salvador. Back at the base of the volcano, our support vehicle awaits us for our transfer back to Antigua.
Lodging in Antigua (B,L)
Day 6: Cultural Walking Tour / Lake Atitlan
After breakfast it is time for our journey of to the ruins, churches and museums that combined with the old cobbled streets keep the stories and legends of those colonial times. After our tour we will have the opportunity to enjoy the great taste of Guatemalan cuisine.
In the afternoon you will be transferred to Lake Atitlán
Lodging in Panajachel (B)
Day 7: Chichicastenango / Flores
Today you will enjoy the multicolored market and their traditions (1 hr). The magic that surrounds the ancient, indigenous commercial process in a mixture of flower scents and incense turn the event into a magical moment. In the afternoon we will board our bus and head to Guatemala Airport (3 hrs)
18:00 hrs, flight to Flores
19:00 hrs, meet & greet in Flores and transfer to your hotel
Lodging in Flores Island (B)
Day 8: Tikal
After breakfast we depart for Tikal National Park, where we will be guided along the paths of the most important city in the Mayan world. Abundant wild life, the Mayan forest, temples millennial silent witness of the birth and splendor as well as of the collapse of one of the most important civilizations in the planet, all of this is in our visit to Tikal, the City of the Voices.
Lodging in Flores Island (B,L)
Day 9: Yaxha / Xunantunich / San Ignacio
After breakfast we will board our vehicle and we will be transported towards Yaxhá National Park (1.5 hrs), where the Survivor series “The Mayan Empire” were filmed. Yaxhá archaeological site is located in the shores of the lake with the same name. Here we will walk through the causeways under the exuberant tropical forest where howling monkeys flood the environment with their roars to impress the females or to warn a male intruder in their herd. We will climb some temples that are accomplices of the photographers and offer wonderful views from the top.
After lunch you will continue to Belize border and to Xunantunich (1.5 hr), this archaeological site is composed of six major plazas with more than twenty-five temples and palaces. "El Castillo" (the Castle), the largest pyramid at 130 feet above the plaza, has such carved friezes on the east and west sides. The frieze on the east has been preserved and covered with a fiberglass replica of the central mask representing the sun god flanked the moon, Venus, and different days. Afterwards we go on to the village San Ignacio (30 minutes).
Lodging in San Ignacio (B,L)
Day 10: Actun Tunichil Muknal
Located 1hour drive from San Ignacio and a 45-minute hike through the beautiful Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve, with numerous jungle stream crossings, visitors find a crystal-clear stream flowing from the cave opening. After gearing up with professional cave helmets, lights and waterproof bags, we venture to explore the underworld of the Maya.
At the cave entrance you will have a short swim through crystal cave water, into passages filled with cave formations. We then follow the flowstone that leads into a hidden dry chamber. Here we start the tour of the Maya rituals and ceremonies, explore the remnants left and evidence of their activities. We reach the end of the cave; from here we make our way out of the main chamber and back again to the town of San Ignacio.
Lodging in San Ignacio (B,L)
Day 11: Caracol
The day starts off departing of your hotel. We set off at 8:30 a.m., driving through the Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve, moving into subtropical rainforest where wildlife is abundant. The drive to Caracol is a jungle experience of its own. There is a strong possibility of sighting a Jaguar, Tapir or any of Belize's amazing wildlife. Upon reaching the site of Caracol, you will receive a guided tour where you will learn about the ancient Maya. After touring the excavated portion of the site, we have a hearty healthy lunch at one of the picnic sheds provided by the park. We then make our way back through the Mountain Pine Ridge where, if time permits, we stop at the Rio on pools for a refreshing swim. From here we return to San Ignacio at around 5:30 p.m.
Lodging in San Ignacio (B,L)
Day 12: San Pedro Ambergris
After breakfast you will be transferred to Belize City and then continue by boat to San Pedro Ambergris
Lodging in San Pedro (B)
Day 13 and 14: San Pedro Ambergris
Free days to enjoy and relax on the beach, snorkeling and scuba diving along the barrier reef tours will be available
Lodging in San Pedro (B)
Day 15: Back Home
Breakfast and boat transfer to Belize City on time to catch your international flight out from Belize
