Classic Belize & Tikal In Latin America Journey

Day 1: Belize City

Welcome to Belize. We will transfer you to your hotel on your arrival. If you reach early, we can make arrangement for you to explore the city, or you can take rest before joining the evening welcome meeting. Feel free to explore before your welcome meeting starts, but make sure you return in time to join the group. After introductions, your tour leader will brief the details of your tour. The adventure begins now.

Day 2: Belize City/Flores

Today morning we will head towards south-west to cross the border into Guatemala and proceed on to Flores.

Here you will notice the difference in culture, with the strong influence of Mayan and Spanish language.

Step into Guatemala at the northeast jungle of Peten region. The descendants of the Maya of Chichen Itza moved to the Peten area many centuries after the fall of the great Mayan cities in the Yucatan.

Day 3: Flores

Start your day with a guided tour of the Tikal archaeological site. After returning to Flores, you can Grab your bathing suit and go for refreshing swimming in Lake Peten Itza or hire a boat for a relaxing day on the water. There are various size boats that you can hire for Lake Peten Itza tour, The total price will be per boat, not per person but will vary depending on what size of the boat is required for your group. You can opt to have a cooler on board and bring your own refreshments.

If you feel extra energetic, put on your walking shoes and head out for a tiring but exceptional day walking through history at the majestic site of Tikal. The Mayan site is placed in the center of the jungle, in Tikal National Park, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Our bilingual guide will take you to view some of the temples, plazas, sculpted stone monuments and public squares, more than 3,000 houses in all, dating from as far back as 600 BC. Ascend to the top of Temple IV, catch your breath, click photos, and then sit and ponder the majesty of the site and the tropical rainforest beyond. You can spot anteaters, armadillos, monkeys, and deer, as well as snakes, macaws, spiders, and eagle.

Day 4: Flores/San Ignacio

Today we will travel back into Belize and reach the town of San Ignacio. On arrival, you can opt to visit the Mayan ruins of Xunantunich. Hike to the top of this awesome 9th-century Maya center placed high on a natural limestone hill, and cherish the view of the Mopan River, Cayo District, and Guatemalan countryside along the border. The tallest temple, El Castillo, is partly excavated and explored and there’s a unique concrete frieze on the east side of the house. Learn why Xunantunich is Belize’s most famous site with intricately sculpted stelae, 25 temples, and well-preserved palaces.

Another exciting activity is horseback riding. Pick from one of the 45 horses at Hannah's Stables and ride over farm ways and forested paths, all the way along the river to the Mayan site of Xunantunich. Experience a short guided tour of the site before taking a different way back to the stables. View for native birds, including parrots and toucans, listen for howler monkeys, adore orchids and fruit trees and breathe some fresh air of the Belize countryside.

Day 5: San Ignacio

Today is a free day you can enjoy visiting the sacred Mayan caves of Actun Tunichil Muknal or Crystal Cave. Opt to check out Mountain Pine Ridge, Barton Creek Cave, and Caracol.

Band on a headlamp, step in the canoe and paddle along an ancient Mayan waterway inside the Barton Creek Cave. Get your camera ready to take exceptional photos of stalactites, stalagmites and cathedral rock chambers. Upon return, you can enjoy swimming at Big Rock Falls.

Hike through the dense subtropical forest to the ways of striking limestone caves within the mountains. Dive into crystal blue waters in a natural pool created between two cave entrances, tube downstream, enjoy a cool swim in refreshing healing cave waters, float through some rapids, view shimmering cave formations and learn of cave geology and Maya history during the tour.

Be prepared to be triumphed by Caracol ruins, placed within the Chiquibul Forest Reserve. Once home to an estimated 180,000 people, It’s the largest known Maya site in Belize. The site was discovered in the 1920s by a rafter looking for mahogany. One of its pyramids, Canada or “Sky Place”, constructed in 800 AD and standing 43m (143 ft), continues to be the tallest man-made structure in the country. Bring your walking shoes, water, and a sunhat because there are lots to view here. Tombs, temples, altars, sculpted stelae and other stone monuments. It’s well worth the effort and easy to be fascinated.

Day 6: Caye Caulker

Enjoy your free time, snorkeling in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, go for a dive in Blue Hole National Park, take a flight over the Blue Hole and coral reef, or just chill out, Belizean style.

Slather on the sunscreen and head out on a snorkel adventure of a lifetime. Check at the coral gardens, shark and ray alley, and the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Snorkel three different spots along the Belize reef in this preserved channel. View hundreds of varieties of tropical fish in this natural aquarium including nurse sharks, angelfish, green, stingrays, and moray eels. Be sure to check out the Coral Gardens to view a rainbow of colors – red, purple, pink and green – and depending on the season, float past manatees while you wonder at nature’s underwater artistry.

Lead your inner Jacques Cousteau and dive the exceptional Blue Hole, listed by the Discovery Channel as their top favorite for “most amazing place on earth”. This enormous limestone sinkhole, 300m (1000 ft) in diameter and 124m (407 ft) deep, was created more than a million years ago and is now part of the greater Reserve System of Belize Barrier Reef, listed in  UNESCO World Heritage Site. Challenge the open water, ideal expert divers, watch Caribbean reef, Midnight Parrotfish, sharks and exotic rock formations, including stalactites which built before the area was engulfed by the sea.

Day 7: Caye Caulker-Departure

Your Latin America journey comes to an end this morning, we will transfer you to the airport for your home flight. Return your home safely with a heart full of beautiful memories.