Mayan Jewels - Honduras, Guatemala & Belize

7 days / 6 nights from San Pedro Sula to Belize City
guaranteed and daily departures with 2 passengers only

Day 1: San Pedro Sula - Copán Ruinas (Honduras)
Your guide meets you at the hotel reception. Together you start a city tour through San Pedro Sula, known as the industrial capital of Honduras. Among other sites we visit the Guamilito Market where you can find vegetables, flowers, handcrafts and the famous corn tortillas. Later we continue driving to the west of Honduras until we reach our first destination Copán Ruins. During the 3-hours drive you have the chance to obtain first information about Mayan trade routes, social and political organization, and theories on their mysterious demise. After the arrival you have enough time for a stroll through the romantic colonial town. 2 overnights in Copán Ruinas.

Day 2: Copán Ruinas
Today we visit the archeological park of Copán. There is enough time to gain insight into the history of Copan and take some great pictures. In the afternoon we take a deeper look at the "Sepulturas ", a residential and burial site of the Mayan nobles. Apart from Tikal, Copán is recognized as one of the best excavated archeological sites. Although Copán was much smaller than Tikal, it stood out due to its artistry. Learn about the impressive 63-step stairway with over 2,500 hieroglyphs and masterfully carved stelae. By now it is the longest Maya text that has been discovered.

Day 3: Copán Ruinas - Quirigua - Rio Dulce (Guatemala)
Today we leave Honduras in direction of Guatemala. Our first destination in Guatemala is the Mayan site Quirigua. This middle-sized archaeological site is a small oasis in the middle of a banana plantation. The greatest attractions in Quirigua are the exceptionally high stelae, which are artistically among the most valuable ones in the Mayan world. One of them is 10 meters high and weighs 60 tons. The stelae constitute a remarkable and unique source of the history of the social, political and economic events of the Mayan civilization. Later we drive to the small bustling town of Río Dulce, located at the estuary of the river Río Dulce and Lake Izabal. 2 overnights in a hotel located directly on the banks of Río Dulce. 

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Day 4: Rio Dulce - Livingston - Rio Dulce
This morning our means of transportation are a bit different as Livingston is only accessible by boat. During the 3-hours drive we pass among others the Chocon Machacas Biotope, which is a refugee for the rare manatees. The small village of Livingston is located at the Guatemalan Caribbean coast and famous for its exclusive mixture of cultures such as Garifuna, Maya and Latino. After an interesting excursion we return to our hotel in the afternoon, where you can relax at the pool or enjoy the view onto the river.

Day 5: Rio Dulce - Tikal - Flores
Early in the morning we leave Rio Dulce towards Tikal. On our way we pass the unsettled forest regions of Peten and the Lake Itza. The National Park Tikal is a beautiful archeological site that had its height from 250 to 900 A.D. It has conserved its unique charm until today. The giant pyramids are much higher than the trees and of such elegance and mysticism that you will never forget them. We discover interesting places and buildings; amongst others you can see five temple structures, palaces, baths as well as the north, center and south acropolis. During our tour we are accompanied by the shouts of numerous parrots and howler monkeys. In the late afternoon we arrive at Flores where you have enough time for a walk through the friendly island village. 1 overnight in Flores.

Day 6: Flores - San Ignacio (Belize)
In the morning we set out for San Ignacio in Belize. After having crossed the border, we visit the Mayan site Xunantunich, which lies just a few kilometers behind the border. It's present-day name, Xunantunich, means "Stone Woman" in the Maya language and refers to the ghost of a woman claimed by several people to inhabit the site. She is dressed completely in white, and has fire-red glowing eyes. The ancient name of this Mayan site is currently unknown. One of Xunantunich's best known structures is the pyramid "El Castillo", that is with its 40 m still the second highest building in Belize. After the exploration of this archaeological site we check-in in our hotel located in the nearby town of San Ignacio. 1 overnight in San Ignacio.

Day 7: San Ignacio - Belize City
In the morning we set out to our last stage to Belize City. Depending on your departure flight we might have time for a short city-tour. Until today, Belize City is Belize's biggest city, although it hasn't been capital anymore since 1970. We transfer you to the international airport where our program ends. Optional we transfer you back to Guatemala or Honduras (for a small additional charge).

Remarks:
* For a small additional charge we transfer you back to San Pedro Sula in Honduras.
* You can book this tour in the opposite direction without additional costs. You can also extend or shorten it or propose program changes.
* We suggest extension stays at La Lancha Lodge at the Lake Petén Itzá, the Ambergris Cays (Belize) or the Bay Islands (Honduras).

Services Included 6 nights lodging including breakfast Mesoamerica Travel Guide Transfers and entrance fees according to itinerary Local taxes Prices valid until 15.12.2013

Price Per Person 2 persons U$ 1664.- 3 persons U$ 1349.- 4 persons U$ 1226.- 5 persons U$ 1117.- 6 persons U$ 1039.-