Day 1
Upon arrival in Guatemala City, transfer to your hotel in Antigua Guatemala (commonly referred to as La Antigua or just Antigua).
Day 2
Morning, private tour of Antigua. For more than 200 years, Antigua was the seat of the Spanish military in much of Central America. You will be met at your hotel at 9 a.m. by your private guide to begin a half-day walking tour of Antigua. Your tour will cover the architectural and historical highlights of this colonial city with a behind-the-scenes look at some of its many ruined churches, convents and cathedrals. Entrance fees are included to the Iglesia San Francisco, the Cathedral, Central Park and La Merced Church. This tour is flexible, and if you have specific places that you wish to see please, let us know. At the end of the tour, we will transfer you privately to your hotel in Lake Atitlán.
Day 3
Half-day tour to Santiago Atitlan You will be picked up from your hotel for a scenic boat ride across the lake, passing by the three impressive volcanoes of Toliman, Atitlán and San Pedro. Upon arrival in Santiago, you will walk with your guide to find the house where the Maya God Maximon is said to reside. Each year a different “brotherhood” has the privilege of taking care of their God, so his location changes. Once with Maximon, you may see local shamans performing rituals for local people. If you wish, you can ask your guide to help you hire the services of a shaman for a personal ceremony. Next, you will visit the local church and learn about the history of this very traditional town, and also see the market and learn about the distinctive textiles and the area’s famous primitive art. Take a ride in the back of a “flete” (a pickup truck in which people stand in the bed and are taken around town, often at high rates of speed) to get to Hotel Posada Santiago for lunch. After lunch, transfer to your hotel in Lake Atitlan.
Day 4
Private transfer to Chichicastenango. You will have time to shop and visit the colorful, outdoor Maya market in Chichicastenango (market operates only on Thursdays and Sundays). Once there, you will have time to mingle with people from several ethnic highlands Maya groups who gather to buy, sell and trade goods. In the afternoon, we will take you back to your hotel in Antigua.
Day 5
Day of leisure in Antigua. Optional hiking tour to Pacaya Volcano available.
Day 6
Early morning, transfer to Guatemala City airport to take the flight to Flores. Upon arrival, you will visit the impressive and mystical Maya city of Tikal. One of its largest buildings is the Temple of the Two-headed Serpent, which is 70 meters high. From its peak, you can hear the sounds of the rainforest: more than 300 species of birds, howler monkeys, ocelots, jaguars and toucans. Due to its immense value, Tikal was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. Overnight in Petén. Lunch included.
Day 7
Day of leisure in Flores. Optional guided canopy tour to Ixpanpajul and sunset tour to Yaxha.
Day 8
Transfer to Palenque and overnight there. Ground transfer from Flores to Palenque takes about 8 to 9 hours.
Day 9
Enjoy a visit to the archeological site of Palenque. Walk through the same paths as the great Mayan Lords, and feel the charm and mystery of this culture. The Mayan site of Palenque is located northwest of the Maya lowlands in Chiapas, Mexico. Surrounded by the jungle, it is considered one of the most important archeological sites of Mesoamerica, a ceremonial center and home to a number of Mayan Lords. There are religious temples, plazas, open courts and a ball court, but most of the structures are palaces. Artifacts discovered at this site tell us about the Mayan Lords and in particular of Pacal, one of the best-known Lords of the Mayan civilization. Overnight in Palenque.
Day 10
We will get back on the road, winding along mountain lanes to San Cristobal de las Casas. On the way, we will visit the Agua Azul waterfalls.
Day 11
Today you will enjoy a half-day tour of the Indian villages of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan. Each village has its own distinctive highland dress as well as a weekly market and numerous festivals honoring patron saints and other special religious days. Afterwards walk through the colonial streets of San Cristobal de las Casas, a jewel right in the heart of the Chiapas highlands. The indigenous soul of the town coexists harmoniously with its colonial charm, making it an enchanting place to visit.
Day 12
Depart San Cristobal de las Casas toward the Tuxtla Gutierrez airport. On the way, there is a visit to the enormous Sumidero Canyon, where we will enjoy a boat ride. Have an unforgettable experience sailing down the Grijalva River, across a geological fault formed millions of years ago with dramatic cliffs up to one kilometer high and the river’s depth of 100 meters. Take a flight to Mérida. Upon arrival in the “white city,” transfer to your hotel.
Day 13
You will enjoy today’s excursion to the wonderful archeological sites of Uxmal and Kabah. Uxmal was probably built around 700 A.D. The rich, green, fertile land provides a perfect setting for some of the most magnificent pyramids, buildings and temples of the ancient Mayan world. You can sense history here as you walk around and gaze at the stunning architecture and layout of this old city. The Piramide del Adivino (the Oracle’s Pyramid) stands majestically above other buildings, and a climb to its summit will reward you with spectacular views of the entire half-square-mile ancient city. Kabah is located south of Uxmal, as both archeological sites are connected by a grand 18-kilometer-long pedestrian causeway with monumental arches at each end. Kabah is the second largest ruin of the Puuc region, after Uxmal. The most famous structure at the Kabah ruins is the Palacio de las Mascaras (the Palace of the Masks), its facade decorated with hundreds of stone masks of the long-nosed rain god Chaac. The site also has a number of other palaces, low stone buildings, and step-pyramid temples you can discover and enjoy.
Day 14
After breakfast, leave Mérida on your way to the ancient archeological site of Chichen-Itza. The famous Mayan pyramids of Chichen-Itza are more than 1,500 years old. The site is divided into three sections. The north grouping of structures is distinctly Toltec in style. The central group appears to be from the early period. The southern group is known as “The Old Chichén.” You will find a large ball court where Mayan men played a game called pok ta pok, full of symbolism and drama. Overnight in Chichen-Itza.
Day 15
Transfer to Cancun airport for your flight back home or stay a few nights in a hotel in Cancun or the Riviera Maya.
Mexico and Central America Combined
Chichen-Itza
San Cristobal de las Casas
Tikal
