depending on departure day, services might be shared with Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American travellers
Itinerary
Day 1 — Mexico City
Welcome upon arrival and transfer to the hotel, free evening and night,
Day 2 — Mexico City
American breakfast, departure to Mexico City, accommodation, Antigua is one of the most charming colonial cities in America. Its many churches, convents and mansions speak for the key role of Antigua during the Spanish Conquest, and the surrounding landscape, with the volcanoes Agua, Fuego and Acatenago, is not less beautiful. The highlights of the visit include the Plaza de Armas, the convent of Las Capucinas, and the church of La Merced., free evening and night,
Flight
Day 3 — Mexico City → Guatemala City
American breakfast, departure to Guatemala City, Afternoon boat tour on the lake and visit of one of the villages., accommodation, The major tourist attraction around the lake is Panajachel: a starting point for visits and boat tours., Surrounded by volcanoes and steep hills, the lake is one of the most scenic in the world. The locals still take pride in their time-honoured Mayan tradition: examples of this can be found in the villages of San Antonio Palopó, Santiago Atitlán, and Sololá, where the men still wear the “traje” – a colourful, hand-woven folk costume. Maya dialects are still widely spoken in the area., Afternoon boat tour on the lake and visit of one of the villages., free evening and night,
Car
Day 4 — Guatemala City → Antigua Guatemala
American breakfast, departure to, Less than 50 km from Chichicastenango there’s Atitlan. Leaving the Inter-American Highway behind at the crossing leading to Los Encuentros, the road bends down into a deep valley, then climbs up along a winding, steep path. It take more than one hour to cover the distance., visit the city (on foot), lunch at a restaurant, continue to Antigua Guatemala, accommodation, free evening and night,
Car
Day 5 — Antigua Guatemala → Atitlan
American breakfast, early morning transfer to the airport, Flight to, From Flores, a narrow, tarred road runs for 70 km across the jungle, leading to the archaeological site. The UNESCO-listed ruins of Tikal are the most famous, and arguably the most spectacular, Mayan site in the world. The site encompasses five colossal pyramid-temples, overlooking the rainforest from a height of 60 m. Most of the ruins still lie buried beneath the vegetation. The outstanding number of pyramids and stelae suggests that Tikal was the most important Maya city of the 8th century. The view of the Peten jungle from the top of Temple V is beyond description., lunch at a restaurant, return to Atitlan, accommodation,
Car
Day 6 — Atitlan → Guatemala City
American breakfast, At 6.30 am, departure to Bethel, (with the spanish speaking driver only) at the border between Guatemala and Mexico. The journey lasts 3.5 hours and it takes place across the luxuriant Petèn forest. Embark on a motor launch for a 30-minutes cruise on the Usumacinta river. Arrival in Corozal, a frontier town between Guatemala and Mexico. Custom checks. Continue by motorboat for an hour to the remote archaeological site of Yaxchilian, set scenically between the river and the steep hills, in the shadow of tall trees. Only the shrieks of the howler monkeys and the cries of the birds break the silence of the forest. Most of the ruins are still buried beneath the vegetation. The visit of Yaxchilan lasts about two hours; after that, return to Corozal by boat. Lunch at a small, rustic restaurant by the Usumacinta river., continue to Guatemala City, The journey lasts 2 and a half hours, and it will lead you across the wild Lacandon Jungle: enjoy an outstandingly beautiful landscape as you cross this 20 km-long dirt track morphing into a 150 km-long lonely road, inaugurated as late as in 2000., accommodation, free evening and night,
Car
Day 7 — Guatemala City → Flores
American breakfast, morning visit to the archaeological site of Flores, Palenque, at the heart of the forest, is considered the most beautiful Maya city state of the Archaic period. Excavation brought to light just a minor portion of this huge site; however, the magnificence of what has been dug out will inevitably leave the beholder speechless, awestruck at the splendour of this ancient religious and military centre. The civilisation of Palenque was outstandingly advanced in terms of architecture and engineering, and its artistic refinement was unmatched in the Pre-Columbian world. One example of this are the grave goods of Pakal, discovered in the Temple of the Inscriptions. Palenque is a UNESCO World Heritage Site., continue to Flores, lunch en route, Campeche – whose name is derived from the Maya name of “Ah-Kin-Pech”, “the place of snakes and ticks” – is a colonial seaside town, with matte-painted houses and massive walls built around the port: in the 17th century it used to be a sitting target to French, Dutch and English pirates. Its historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site., accommodation, free evening and night,
Car
Day 8 — Flores → Palenque
American breakfast, departure to Palenque, En route visit to the archaeological site of, The UNESCO-listed ceremonial centre of Uxmal is one of the most important archaeological sites of Maya culture. Its highlights are the Pyramid of the Magician and the Governor's Palace – two impressive edifices, wondrously decorated., lunch at a restaurant, Lunch will be served in the old, charming Hacienda San Pedro Ochil, halfway between Uxmal and Merida., afternoon visit of Palenque, The capital of the Yucatán, Merida is a colonial town, full of pleasant parks and humming streets, and lively with its several open air concerts and its rich craft market. Stop off at the main square, overlooked by the Cathedral, the Government Palace, the Palacio Municipal, and the Casa de Montejo., accommodation, free evening and night,
Car
Day 9 — Palenque → Campeche
American breakfast, departure to Campeche, En route visit to the archaeological site of, The UNESCO-listed Chichen Itza, halfway between Merida and Cancun, is one of the largest and most intact archaeological sites in Mexico. It is estimated that, at the time of its apex (10th-12th century), this Mayan-Toltec site was home to half a million people. Its magnificence shows in the colossal size of its famous structures, rising on the neatly-cut grass of the archaeological area: the El Castillo pyramid; the Ballcourt; the Sacred Cenote, a human sacrificial site; the Observatory; and the Temple of the Warriors., lunch at a restaurant, The visit includes a stop off at the Samaal cenote: enjoy a swim in this beautiful natural pit of karst origin., arrival at Campeche in the evening, accommodation, all inclusive treatment,
Car
Day 10 — Campeche → Merida
American breakfast, transfer to Cancun airport, end of the tour,
Notes
ROOMS: rooms only have one or two beds. “Triple”, “quadruple”, “family” room refers to the number of the guests, who will sleep in the beds provided (max. 2). The possibility of adding a rollaway bed – even if requested at the time of reservation – is subject to availability, with a supplement to be paid on site. Likewise, special requests for double or separate beds; adjoining, high-floor, low-floor rooms etc. are always upon request and these services can never be considered as granted.
DISABLED PEOPLE: disabled travellers can take part to the tour as long as they are self-sufficient. This is because means of transport are not equipped with a wheelchair platform; in addiction, due to insurance and security reasons, neither the guide nor the driver are allowed to help passengers getting on board. Disabled passengers must thus travel with an assistant of their own, to provide them all the help they might need during the tour. All bookings are on request.
HOTEL / ITINERARY, CHANGES: The Organizing Body reserves the right to substitute the itinerary and/or the hotels to alternative of a similar or superior category in the event of unplanned circumstances, and if the safe and normal proceeding of the tour is threatened. Furthermore, when in the impossibility for all of the travellers to stay at the same hotel, the group will be split amidst several hotels of the same category.,
Starts from
Start: Mexico City End: Riviera Maya,
Price includes
Accommodation at the scheduled hotel (or similar), daily American breakfast; lunch and dinner as per program, domestic flights (when specified), bilingual (English-speaking) local courier / guide, admissions, visits and excursions: as scheduled, airport and hotel porterage, 1 piece per person,
Price does not include
Meals that have not been specified; beverage; any extra, tips, tourist tax for every entry into Mexico, air travel and taxes, administration fees and “no-risk” coverage, trip cancellation, medical expense & baggage coverage,
Important notes
Starting from March 2017, you must provide your passport number at the time of reservation in order to enter the archaeological site of Tikal,
