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Day 1: San Pedro Sula
Honduras' rich Maya heritage makes it the natural country to
begin your journey into the Mayan World, or Mundo Maya,
where “Man, Nature, and Time are One”. Upon arrival to San
Pedro Sula, you will be greeted by our tour guide and
transferred directly to your hotel. In the afternoon, you
may join an optional city tour to experience the old city
charm, views of the Spanish colonial grid work, and the
hustle and bustle of this cosmopolitan city. In the evening,
you will join your fellow passengers for a welcome dinner
and an orientation of the Mayan World, the known and the
unknown mysteries. Our expert tour leader will make you feel
welcomed and very excited about the days to come! (D)
Welcome Dinner
Day 2: San Pedro Sula - Copan Ruins
You will begin with a visit to the famous Guamilito Market
located only a few blocks from downtown. Honduran and other
Central American handicrafts are available, including
colorful hammocks, exotic flowers, ginger and other spices,
tropical fruits and vegetables. A stop across the street at
the Plazita for some home grown coffee is a must. A visit to
the San Pedro Sula historical museum will provide a good
introduction to the Maya Route and fascinating civilization,
followed by a typical Honduran lunch at the museum's gazebo.
In the afternoon, you will depart to Copan Ruins, located
in a lush valley where coffee, corn and tobacco are grown,
about 100 miles from San Pedro Sula. A 2.5-hrs scenic ride
through mountains, valleys and small towns will take you to
this beautiful colonial town of the Mayan World. Upon
arrival, you will check-in at the hotel and have some
leisure time to rest or relax by the pool. Before dinner,
you will attend an introductory lecture with one of the
renowned archaeologists of Copan Maya excavation who has
been featured in National Geographic and has authored
numerous books and publications. In the evening you will
enjoy dinner at the hotel followed by a guided evening
stroll around the town's central plaza and park. (B,L,D)
Dinner at the Hotel
Day 3: Copan Ruins
After breakfast, you will visit the Copan Archaeological
Site, one of the most impressive of ancient Mayan cities,
where art and architecture reached their highest pinnacle of
achievement. Highlights include: the famed Great Plaza with
all its wonderful and mysterious stelae, the famous
Hieroglyphic Stairway, giant Ceiba trees, and the Copan
Sculptural Museum featuring Maya nobility and reconstructed
temples. A picnic lunch will be served onsite allowing an
unforgettable experience in this magical, mystical place!
The afternoon is at leisure to remain at the ruins; return
to the hotel to relax by the pool; take in some of the local
sites; or just explore the town. There are plenty of local
artisan shops and restaurants to enjoy or to sit in the
beautiful park where one can observe the daily life of
Copanecs. A poolside dinner barbeque completes the day. (B,L,D)
Dinner at the Hotel
Day 4: Copan Ruins
After breakfast, you will enjoy a modern Maya medicine
lecture followed by a walk to the Ceramic Museum. After
lunch, you will visit the Maya residential area known as the
ruins of Las Sepulturas, followed by any of these options: a
visit to the Maya built tunnels at the main site, a hike on
the nature trail, or time for personal reflection at the
main site. (B,D) Dinner in Town
Day 5: Copan Ruins - Guatemala City - Antigua
Today, you will drive across the border to Guatemala City.
Guatemala has an astonishing variety of landscapes ranging
from the northern rainforest of El Peten, rugged mountains
in the central region, and lowland coffee, banana and sugar
plantations. In Guatemala, the Maya World is not all
history. Maya customs and traditions live on in cuisine,
costume, religious practices, and language. Visitors are
bound to be enchanted by the living Maya. After lunch, you
will visit the National Palace Museum, one of the greatest
achievements of colonial Guatemalan architecture. A further
1-hr drive will take you to the beautiful and unique town of
Antigua, considered to be the “gem” of colonial architecture
with an abundance of historical and cultural values. You
will check-in at the hotel with a beautiful colonial style
and warm atmosphere for the next three nights. An
informative evening lecture on this charming colonial city
will be presented. (B,D) Dinner at the Hotel
Day 6: Antigua
After breakfast, you will join a walking tour of the main
plaza and center of Antigua including a visit to the Jade
Factory, the gems that were so precious and symbolic in the
Mayan World. The rest of the day is at leisure to take in
some of the historical monuments, historical churches,
continental restaurants and local charms unique to Antigua.
(B,D) Dinner at the Hotel
Day 7: Antigua
Today, you will travel a short distance to learn about the
impressive Maya textile industry presented at Casa de Artes.
Maya culture has left a multicolored legacy in Guatemala.
Regional dresses are full of life, and their reds, yellows,
blues, and greens, give wearers a festive look. Handmade
textiles and their decoration tell stories with symbolic
meanings relating to the earth, life, religion and Maya
traditions. In the afternoon, you will visit the Maya Music
Museum followed by a slide presentation on these handmade
instruments. Drive back to the hotel. In the evening, you
will walk to a local restaurant for dinner. (B,D) Dinner in
Town
Day 8: Antigua - Lake Atitlan
After breakfast, you will drive to Lake Atitlan, one of
Guatemala's most important natural attractions, in the heart
of the Guatemalan highlands, capturing the attention of
travelers since time immemorial. Formed 85,000 years ago
after a volcanic eruption left a gigantic crater; it has a
surface of 78 sq. miles and is located 1500 meters above sea
level. The lake offers a beautiful site surrounded by
picturesque volcanoes, beaches and lakeshore villages. You
will stop for lunch to enjoy the views followed by an
afternoon walking tour of Panajachel; the gateway to Lake
Atitlan, a Mayan village in the slow process of change,
which is host to many of the restaurants, hotels and
businesses in this region. Check-in at hotel situated on
Lake Atitlan. In the evening, you will enjoy a lecture of
this outstanding site followed by dinner. (B,D) Dinner at
the Hotel
Day 9: Lake Atitlan - Chichicastenango
After breakfast, you will go on a 2-hrs drive to the famous
and remarkable indigenous site known as Chichicastenango
Maya Market. Market Day is a memorable experience reflecting
the Mayan love for color, their creativity, their use of
natural material and their stories embedded in their crafts.
You will then visit the old Santo Tomas Church to witness
some of the interesting Mayan rituals that were once
performed along with current Maya-Christian rituals. The
afternoon is at leisure to explore Lake Atitlan on your own.
(B,D) Dinner at the Hotel
Day 10: Lake Atitlan - Guatemala City
A full morning ride will take you back to Guatemala City
where you will spend the night.
In the afternoon, you will visit Guatemala's Archaeological
Museum and the National Palace in La Plaza Central. In the
evening, you will go to dinner at a typical Guatemalan
restaurant, noticing the contrasts that abide in this busy,
colorful city, and admiring the blending of modern and
colonial architecture (B,D) Dinner in Town
Day 11: Guatemala City - El Peten - Flores
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for
your early morning flight to El Peten, the area in northern
Guatemala known as the cradle of the Mayan civilization; a
region of tropical rainforests encompassing Guatemala's
largest protected National Park and Maya Site, known as
Tikal. You will check-in to the hotel in the town of Flores
by Lake Peten Itza. You will enjoy a scenic and pleasant
walking tour through the town followed by leisure time.
Optional: Drive directly to Tikal and stay at a hotel
onsite, allowing to experience the sunset and sunrise in
famous Tikal. (B,D) Dinner at the Hotel
Day 12: Flores - Tikal - Flores
You will depart early morning, before sunrise, for a 1-hour
drive (a box breakfast will be given at the site after
arrival) to the famous Tikal Maya city. The largest and
perhaps greatest of the ancient Maya cities, the Tikal Maya
city is very magical in the early
morning when the birds are singing and the mist is rising
over the high temples. A full morning tour will tell some of
the stories of these temples, some which rise 45 meters
above the Great Plaza and which were built over 1,000 years
ago. In the afternoon, you will visit the Ceramic Museum and
explore Tikal independently, before returning to
Flores for dinner (B,D) Dinner at the Hotel
Day 13: Flores - Belize - San Ingacio - Placencia
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Belize, formerly
British Honduras, which is an anomaly in Central America
with its English traditions and large Creole population. You
will arrive to the Belize-Xunantunich Maya Site. You will
enjoy climbing its steep stones
for a panoramic view which will take your breath away. After
the visit, you will leave to Placencia Beach - a quaint
little coastal town which has many ecological attractions.
You will check-in at the hotel and after lunch, you will
have some leisure time to enjoy the beach and hotel
activities. In the evening, you will enjoy a typical
Belizean Caribbean dinner. (B,D) Dinner at the Hotel
Day 14: Placencia
Today, you will take a short boat ride to one of the little
Belizean Cays, where you will enjoy swimming and snorkeling
on Belize's barrier reef, the longest stretch of coral
formations in the western hemisphere. The rest of the
afternoon you can either enjoy
the beach and hotel grounds or you can take the hotel
shuttle for a quick visit to Placencia Town. A farewell
dinner celebration will bring this memorable journey to a
Closing (B,D) Farewell Dinner
Day 15: Placencia - Belize City
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Belize
Airport for your international flight (B)
End of the Program, |
Ball Court in Copan Archeological Site
Stelea at the Main Plaza in Copan Ruins
View of the Water Volcano in Antigua Guatemala
Tikal Archeological Site
Town of Flores, Peten |
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