Best of Guatemala & Belize In Latin America Adventure tour
Eccentric markets, smoking volcanoes, magical traditions, and warm hospitality describe the Guatemalan highlands and the discoveries on this tour. Visit the majestic ruins of Tikal before crossing into Belize to travel through cathedral-shaped caves and explore winding trails along the Roaring River. This 11-Day Latin America adventure brings an opportunity to encounter the highlights of Guatemala and Belize in one trip!
A tour at a glance
- Day 1: Arrive in Antigua
- Day 2: Antigua City tour
- Day 3: Arrive in San Juan de Comalapa
- Day 4: Lake Atitlan Villages
- Day 5: Chichicastenango Market | Fly Flores
- Day 6: Explore Tikal
- Day 7: Visiting the Mayan Mountains
- Day 8: Exploring The Belize Jungle
- Day 9: Caracol and Water Wonders
- Day 10: Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave
- Day 11: Return Home
Tour Price
Our private tours typically range from $500 - $1000 per person/per night depending on chosen hotels and room categories, vehicles used, types of tours, flight cost, time of year and other factors. Make an inquiry for a customized trip quote.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Antigua
On arrival at the airport, meet your private guide and get a transfer to your hotel in Antigua. Spend the rest of the day at leisure, exploring the vibrant neighborhoods and hitting the markets for some shopping.
Day 2: Antigua City tour
Start your day with a city tour of Antigua with your private tour guide. Once the capital of Guatemala and all of Central America, Antigua mirrors a living ruin. Mammoth churches and palaces share the story of Antigua's past grandeur, and rebuilt facades speak of a bright future for this fantastic city. This morning explore the city and admire Antigua's gilded cathedrals. Then stop by for lunch at a local restaurant and taste some traditional cuisine. In the evening, explore the countryside, and visit a Coffee Finca or macadamia nut plantation before returning to the hotel for dinner.
Day 3: Arrive in San Juan de Comalapa
Start your day early today and drive about an hour to arrive in San Juan de Comalapa. Enjoy the bustle of the vibrating market and the colorful sight they offer. Meet the local painters who maintain the tradition of nave paintings. View the famous mural painted by school children in 1996 describing Guatemala's recent civil war events. Explore the city and try the special bread in one of the local Panaderias before you leave. Next, travel to the Maya site of Iximche, a Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican archeological site abandoned in 1524. Stroll amongst several pyramid temples, palaces, and two ballcourts and view the painted murals on the sides of some complexes. Sculptures and ceramics are also put in the small on-site museum. Proceed next to the shores of charming Lake Atitlan, a deep caldera lake flanked by three high volcanoes. After enough exploration, settle into your cozy hotel near Panajachel's shores.
Day 4: Lake Atitlan Villages
Today you board a 2-hour private ferry ride and travel across the azure-colored waters of Lake Atitlan to the village of San Juan La Laguna. Here visit the women's textile cooperative to view hand weaving and the natural dye process used to create their popular plates, woven mats made from lake reeds. Then, proceed to the village of Santiago, where villagers still maintain the traditional lifestyle of the Tz'utuhil Maya. Along Santiago's main street are art galleries filled with oil paintings portraying busy market scenes and typical life in the highlands. Visit Maximon and leave an offering to a unique and revered deity. Return to Panajachel this afternoon and spend the rest of the at leisure.
Day 5: Chichicastenango Market | Fly Flores
Today you start early to visit the famous market of Chichicastenango, an hours drive away. This pretty town, surrounded by valleys and shadowed by mountains, has many shamanistic and ceremonial overtones. Its large market gathers villagers from throughout the region. The market disperses early in the afternoon, and you return to Guatemala City in time to catch an hours evening flight to the tropical lowlands of the Peten and the home of the ancient Maya- the Flores.
Day 6: Explore Tikal
This morning, prepare for a half-day Tikal tour (an hour and thirty minutes private drive from Flores). Here find towering pyramids above the thick jungle canopy, and learn how the city flourished as an important religious, scientific, and political center for 1500 years. Today, the pristine Tikal National forest covering the ruined city is home to howler and spider monkeys, white-lipped peccary, brocket deer, coatimundis, toucans, scarlet macaws, parrots, ocelots, and the seldom-seen jaguar. After lunch, the day is at your leisure to explore the ruins before returning to your hotel near Flores.
Day 7: Visiting the Mayan Mountains
This morning you are picked up by your private tour guide for the 3-hour land transfer to your Belizean retreat in the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve. Your jungle lodge is placed next to the reserve and roaring river. Surrounded by pristine forest, your days at the lodge are filled with natural wonders exploring the lush vegetation of the Maya Mountains and the mysteries beneath.
Day 8: Exploring The Belize Jungle
Spend today resting and settling into your jungle lodge. The day is your leisure to explore the many trails and rivers flowing through the property. Take a guided tour in old growth forest, swim along the jungle river, or relax and listen to the wildlife surrounding you. Enjoy a delicious lunch and dinner at the lodge alongside many other luxurious facilities.
Day 9: Caracol and Water Wonders
Today continue your journeys of the ancient Maya with a visit to the remains of Caracol. Surrounded by breathtaking Belizean jungle, a visit to the ruins offers massive structures and charming carvings that tell stories about the people who lived and worked in this beautiful Maya city. A stop at the pools makes for an attractive dip, especially after hiking in the afternoon under the hot Belize sun. Not situated far from the pools is the Rio Frio Cave, the largest cave in Belize. Return to the lodge for dinner.
Day 10: Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave
Start early for your memorable adventure into the Maya underworld. Start 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 Sepulcher. At the entrance of the caving, gear up with helmets and waterproof headlamps, then paddle into the emerald-colored water flowing from the cave's gaping mouth. Your way follows the river's flow through wet and dry caves encased in hanging stalactites and overlooking stalagmites- marveling at many breathtaking views. Return to your hotel to spend the rest of the evening at leisure and enjoy a delicious dinner.
Day 11: Return Home
Wrap up your adventure with a delicious breakfast and let your private guide escort you to the beautiful Belize City for your journey back home. Board your international flight and say goodbye to this tropical paradise.
