Colorful markets, smoking volcanoes, mysterious traditions, and warm hospitality define the Guatemalan highlands and the experiences on this trip. Visit beautiful Lake Atitlan and the magnificent ruins of Tikal in Guatemala before crossing into Belize to explore cathedral-shaped caves and winding trails along the Roaring River. This is a unique journey for the culturally adventurous - an opportunity to experience the highlights of Guatemala and Belize in one trip!
Highlights
Tour the city of Antigua and admire the gilded cathedrals
Visit a women's textile cooperative to see hand weaving & the dye process
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
The Fuego Volcano rises like the roof of the world above the streets of Antigua. Once the capital of Guatemala and all of Central America, Antigua is a living history museum. 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, tour the city and admire Antigua's gilded cathedrals. The afternoon is yours to rent mountain bikes and explore the countryside, visit a coffee farm or macadamia nut plantation, or just people watch in the main plaza.
This morning you'll drive about an hour before arriving to San Juan de Comalapa. Enjoy the bustle of the lively market not frequently visited by tourists. Vendors set out their handicrafts, vegetables, and animals to sell. Explore the market and see the local painters who continue the tradition of Naif paintings. See the famous mural painted by school children in 1996 depicting Guatemala's recent civil war events. Explore the town and try the bread in one of the local "panaderias" (bakeries) before you leave.
Next, visit the Maya site of Iximché, a pre-Columbian Mesoamerican archaeological site abandoned in 1524. Walk among several pyramid temples, palaces, and two ball fields, and observe the painted murals on the sides of some complexes. Sculptures and ceramics are also on display in the small on-site museum. Drive to the shores of beautiful Lake Atitlan, a deep caldera lake flanked by three majestic volcanoes. Settle into your charming lakeside hotel near the town of Panajachel.
Today you will take a passenger ferry across the azure waters of Lake Atitlan to the village of San Juan La Laguna. Here you will visit the women's textile cooperative to see the hand weaving and natural dyeing process of their famous petates, woven mats made from lake reeds. You can also visit the home studios of the famous Naif painters.
Continue to the village of Santiago, where villagers still live the traditional Tz'utuhil Maya lifestyle, and you will see many people dressed in colorful hand-woven clothing as you walk. Along Santiago's main street are art galleries filled with oil paintings depicting bustling market scenes and typical highland life. Scholars tell us that the ancient Maya mysteriously disappeared a thousand years ago, but anyone who has explored this fascinating region knows that the Maya continue to thrive in the highlands of Guatemala. Visit Maximòn and leave an offering to this curious and revered deity. Return to Panajachel this afternoon and enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.
Get up early to visit the famous market of Chichicastenango. This beautiful town, surrounded by valleys and shaded by mountains, has many shamanistic and ceremonial overtones. Its large market attracts villagers from all over the region, who often arrive the night before and sleep on blankets in the marketplace. They rise early to display their colorful fruits, vegetables, and handicrafts. The market disperses in the early afternoon and you return to Guatemala City in time for an early evening flight north to the tropical lowlands of Peten and the home of the ancient Maya. Overnight near Flores.
This morning, join a group of other adventurers for a half-day tour of Tikal. Here you will see towering pyramids rising above the dense jungle canopy and learn how the city flourished as an important religious, scientific, and political center for 1500 years. Today, the pristine forest surrounding the ruined city is home to howler and spider monkeys, white-lipped peccaries, brocket deer, coatimundis, toucans, scarlet macaws, parrots, ocelots, and the seldom seen jaguar. After lunch, the day is yours to explore the ruins before returning to your hotel near Flores.
This morning you will be picked up for the 3-hour land transfer to your Belizean retreat. Your jungle lodge is nestled next to the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve and the Roaring River. Surrounded by pristine forest, your days at the lodge will be filled with nature exploration, exploring the lush vegetation of the Maya Mountains and the mysteries that lie beneath.
Spend the day relaxing and settling into your jungle lodge. The day is yours to explore the many trails and rivers that flow through your jungle lodge property. Take a guided hike in old growth forest, float down a jungle river, or just relax and listen to the wildlife that surrounds you.
Today continue your exploration of the ancient Maya with a visit to the ruins of Caracol. Surrounded by the breathtaking Belizean jungle, a visit to the ruins offers you massive structures, haunting tombs and burial sites, and intriguing carvings that tell stories of the people who lived and worked in this fantastic Maya city. There is still much to be discovered at Caracol and archaeologists continue to dig and preserve the site. With time to stop at Rio On Pools and Rio Frio Cave. A stop at the pools makes for an inviting dip, especially after spending the afternoon hiking under the hot Belizean sun. The smooth granite rocks make for great slides, but watch your step. Even for those who prefer to stay dry, the beauty of the pools is well worth the stop. Not far from the pools is Rio Frio Cave, the largest cave in Belize. Approaching the huge mouth of the cave is a magical, almost frighteningly fantastic sensation. Long ago the cave was used as a ceremonial site for the Maya, but while the artifacts are gone, the cave still retains its mystique.
Alternative: Barton Creek Cave
Rise early for an unforgettable adventure into the Maya underworld. Begin your journey from your lodge doors, crossing creeks and traveling deep into the Belizean jungle to the opening of the sacred Actun Tunichil Muknal - the Cave of the Stone Tomb. At the entrance, you will be equipped with helmets and waterproof headlamps, then wade into the emerald waters that flow from the cave's gaping mouth. Your journey follows the flow of the river through wet and dry caverns surrounded by hanging stalactites and towering stalagmites. Your final destination is the spectacular Primary Chamber, where ancient kings and priests made blood sacrifices to appease the Mayan gods. Your lights illuminate the ghostly outlines of skeletal ritual victims and scattered ceramic shards from ancient rituals. Tunichil is an active archaeological site, so be careful not to disturb the sleeping skeletons and ceramic shards before returning to the light above ground. Those who prefer life above ground can choose from a variety of alternative excursions.
Day 11: Return Home
1 Breakfast
After breakfast, transfer to Belize City and catch your international flight home.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
Initial deposit is $600 plus the cost of internal airfare, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 days (10 weeks) prior to departure by bank transfer, check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
Everything was amazing! The planning with Adventure Life went smoothly. The actual trip was fantastic! One of the best trips I have experienced. The cruise staff members were knowledgeable and attentive. I will be writing more about this on the blog!
Rachel is wonderful! She is very responsive and has great suggestions without any pressure.
Jules4775
1 month ago
Everything about our Guatemala trip was amazing. Everything was on time. The guides were personable, knowledgeable on all aspects of history, culture and nature. The destinations were great. It was truly a great week in a wonderful destination.
Chris Carrigee
4 months ago
Very good, efficient and helpful.
CaBaba
11 months ago
First class all the way. Enjoyed our Guide, Karla, Driver Mark so much. Personalized tour of Antigua during Easter was like a National Geographic in person. Trip of the Lifetime. Such a spiritual and magical tour. Many Thanks.
Ben Shaver
Ben Shaver, Jr.
1 year ago
Rachel is wonderful! She is very responsive and has great suggestions without any pressure.
Jules4775
1 month ago
Everything about our Guatemala trip was amazing. Everything was on time. The guides were personable, knowledgeable on all aspects of history, culture and nature. The destinations were great. It was truly a great week in a wonderful destination.
Chris Carrigee
4 months ago
Very good, efficient and helpful.
CaBaba
11 months ago
First class all the way. Enjoyed our Guide, Karla, Driver Mark so much. Personalized tour of Antigua during Easter was like a National Geographic in person. Trip of the Lifetime. Such a spiritual and magical tour. Many Thanks.
Ben Shaver
Ben Shaver, Jr.
1 year ago
Rachel is wonderful! She is very responsive and has great suggestions without any pressure.
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