Mayan Adventure: Mexico, Belize & Guatemala

Leave the resorts of the Mayan Riviera behind and explore the authentic Yucatán. From sunny beaches and lush jungles to the...

Guatemala, Belize, Mexico

Mayan Adventure: Mexico, Belize & Guatemala

DAY 1 Playa del Carmen

Arrive at any time. As travellers arrive throughout the day, there are no planned activities until the welcome meeting in the evening.

Administrative

Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group

Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.

Accommodation

Below is an example of the hotel we may use in this city. For the actual hotel your specific departure will be using, please check your voucher.

Hotel Nautilus

Hotel
DAY 2 Playa del Carmen/Mérida

Take a guided tour of Chichén Itzá and orientation walk around Mérida. Depart Playa del Carmen and head to the famous Mayan ruins of Chichén Itzá for a guided tour. Spend time exploring this famous site, known for its huge stepped pyramids and elaborate stone carvings. Continue on to Mérida, the capital of the Yucatán State, and take a short orientation walk. Also known as la ciudad blanca (the white city), Mérida offers the ideal opportunity to learn about Mexico’s fascinating mix of cultural influences.

Land Tour

Chichen Itzá Guided Tour

Chichén-Itzá- Chichen Itza2h-3h

Join up with a local expert and learn about the history of Chichén Itzá and the beliefs and rituals that defined this ancient Mayan civilization. This dramatic site includes a 30m (98 ft) high temple, known as the Pyramid of Kukulcan, famous for its balustrade of 91 stairs up each of the four sides, a ball court with a grandstand, and towering walls. Visit the highlights of the site including the famous Castillo, the ball court, the cenote, and the Nunnery.

Bus

Private Vehicle

Chichén-Itzá- Mérida1.25h-2h130km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Land Tour

Orientation With CEO

Enjoy a brief walk with your CEO. He/she will give you some tips on finding things like supermarkets, main squares, and ATMs. For more specific or in-depth information, an official guided tour is recommended.

Bus

Private Vehicle

Playa del Carmen- Chichén-Itzá3h190km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Accommodation

Hotel Santa Lucia by Kavia

Hotel
DAY 3 Mérida

Enjoy a free day to explore Merida and surroundings. Opt to visit the ruins of Uxmal or swim in cenotes in the Yucatán. Take a trip to the beach or soak in the history this city has to offer. The area surrounding Mérida has tons to offer. Choose to visit nearby cenotes (water sink holes) in the town of Cuzamá. Inside, swim in the massive crystal-clear sinkholes. Transportation to the cenotes is half the fun, taking small wooden horse-drawn carts along old rail tracks. Opt to visit ruins in Uxmal, ride the PUUC Route or go bird-watching. There's something for everyone.

Free Time

MéridaFULL_DAY

Enjoy free time in this fascinating area.

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Optional Activities - Day 3Show

Accommodation

Hotel Santa Lucia by Kavia

Hotel
DAY 4 Mérida/Palenque

After a long day of travel from the Yucatán to the jungles of Chiapas, arrive to Palenque and settle in for 2 nights.

Bus

First-class Bus

Mérida- Palenque9h-10h620km

First-class buses in Mexico have very strong air-conditioning. Bring a sweater.

Accommodation

Hotel Maya Tulipanes

Hotel
DAY 5 Palenque

Enjoy a guided tour of the Mayan ruins of Palenque. After, go for a swim in the pristine turquoise waters of Roberto Barrios waterfall.

Land Tour

Palenque Ruins Guided Tour

Palenque2h-3h

Experience the elegant jungle site of Palenque on a guided tour. See the highlights -- the Temple of the Cross Group, Temple of Inscriptions and the Grand Palace. Howler monkeys sound in the distance as the fog rolls in and out of this mystical site, one of the most important centres for trade and culture during the end of the Classic Maya period.

Water Tour

Roberto Barrios Waterfalls

Palenque

Visit the Zapatista community of Roberto Barrios and swim in stunning turquoise cascade waterfalls. Then, join an agroecological experience at the Pej'Pem Center you will support local entrepreneurship and the sustainable transformation of communities in Chiapas.

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Optional Activities - Day 5Show

Accommodation

Hotel Maya Tulipanes

Hotel
DAY 6 Palenque/San Cristóbal de Las Casas

Travel to San Cristóbal de Las Casas located in a high mountain valley at 2110m (6921 ft), via Villahermosa. Enjoy an orientation walk of the city, known for its 16th-century architecture.

Land Tour

Orientation With CEO

Enjoy a brief walk with your CEO. He/she will give you some tips on finding things like supermarkets, main squares, and ATMs. For more specific or in-depth information, an official guided tour is recommended.

Bus

Private Vehicle

Palenque- San Cristóbal de Las Casas8h220km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Accommodation

Baron de las Casas

Hotel
DAY 7 San Cristóbal de Las Casas

Opt to visit nearby indigenous Mayan villages to see their unique day-to-day life or journey to beautiful Sumidero Canyon for a relaxing boat ride.

Free Time

San Cristóbal de Las CasasFULL_DAY

Use a full free day to explore all this area has to offer.

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Optional Activities - Day 7Show

Accommodation

Baron de las Casas

Hotel
DAY 8 San Cristóbal de Las Casas/Panajachel

Journey from San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico to Panajachel, Guatemala. Opt to explore the town on arrival. The first stop in Guatemala is on beautiful Lake Atitlán. Stay in Panajachel, a lakeshore town surrounded by spectacular volcanoes and small villages.

Bus

Private Vehicle

San Cristóbal de Las Casas- Panajachel10h-12h380km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Administrative

Border Crossing (Mexico - Guatemala)

Ciudad Cuauhtémoc- La Mesilla0.5h-1.5h

Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list.

Accommodation

Hotel Chinimaya

Hotel
DAY 9 Panajachel/San Juan La Laguna

Embark on a boat ride across the lake before participating in a G Adventures-supported homestay with a local family. This area is known for stunning scenery and great shopping for Mayan handicrafts. Take part in a cultural tour of San Juan la Laguna where you can opt to bargain for colourful textiles and paintings from the local artisans.

Watercraft

Boat

Panajachel- San Juan La Laguna0.5h-0.75h25km

Climb aboard and get your float on.

People

San Juan La Laguna Village Visit

San Juan La Laguna1.5h

Visit the town of San Juan la Laguna and immerse yourself in the Tz’utujil culture for an afternoon. Focus on three different associations originating in San Juan la Laguna; textiles, medicinal plants, and paintings. See groups of women making textiles using natural dyes. Your guide will explain the dyeing techniques and observe the waist loom in action. Next, see how plants are used for their medicinal properties within these communities. Enjoy the sights of traditional paintings by local artists/painters who portray their traditional way of life, ceremonies, customs and traditions through large scale murals found throughout the town of San Juan la Laguna. Souvenirs/products from all points of this tour will be available for purchase if you'd like to bring something home and also support this village community.

Planeterra

Your G for Good Moment: Posadas Mayas Homestay

San Juan La Laguna

Submerge yourself in Mayan culture during this home stay run by a Planeterra community tourism project. Set on the northwest shore of Lake Atitlán, arrive by boat to the laid-back village of San Juan La Laguna and immediately feel at home. Meet your host family, stash your stuff, then set off to explore the area. Admire the paintings of local artists, watch weavers who use traditional techniques to dye wool, go for a hike and admire the view across the lake. Feel good knowing you are supporting local families eager to benefit from tourism in their community.

Accommodation

Rupalaj Kistalin Posada Homestay

Homestay
DAY 10 Antigua

Travel to Antigua and head out for an orientation walk. Opt for a night out in town. There is so much to do in this charming colonial city, optional activities for the area include a city tour, salsa dancing classes, a Guatemalan cooking class, or relaxing with a massage. Further afield you can rent bikes and ride through the hills, visit a macadamia nut farm or check out some nearby villages.

Bus

Private Vehicle

Panajachel- Antigua Guatemala3h-4h

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Land Tour

Orientation With CEO

Enjoy a brief walk with your CEO. He/she will give you some tips on finding things like supermarkets, main squares, and ATMs. For more specific or in-depth information, an official guided tour is recommended.

Free Time

Antigua GuatemalaAFTERNOON

Opt to check out more of the city with a little free time.

Watercraft

Boat

San Juan La Laguna- Panajachel0.5h-0.75h25km

Climb aboard and get your float on.

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Optional Activities - Day 10Show

Accommodation

Hotel Bucaros Express

Hotel
DAY 11 Antigua

Enjoy a free day exploring this charming colonial city. Try your hand at making some Guatemalan cuisine. Pre-book the Antigua Cooking Class on the checkout page to include this optional activity on your tour or ask your GCO or travel agent for assistance.

Free Time

Antigua GuatemalaFULL_DAY

Free time to explore all the area's options.

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Optional Activities - Day 11Show

Accommodation

Hotel Bucaros Express

Hotel
DAY 12 Antigua to Rio Dulce

Travel to Rio Dulce and enjoy free time to explore.

Bus

Private Vehicle

Antigua Guatemala- Rio Dulce6.5h-7.5h318km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle during this long travel day.

Free Time

Rio DulceEVENING

Enjoy free time to explore the town.

Accommodation

Hacienda Tijax

Hotel
DAY 13 Rio Dulce/Flores

Travel to the Caribbean town of Livingston by scenic boat ride from Rio Dulce. Enjoy a visit to the G Adventures–supported El Manglar Restaurant for an explanation of the women-led community initiative project here. Then, walk around the grounds before a sit-down lunch of delicious local flavours. Continue on to Flores. Located on Lake Petén Itzá, this is an excellent home base for exploring nearby Tikal.

Nature

Scenic Boat Ride to Livingston

Rio Dulce- Lívingston5h-6.5h55km

Take a boat down the Rio Dulce toward the Caribbean Sea passing through El Golfete and El Canyon before arriving to Livingston. Float past mangroves and lily pads and the Boquerón Canyon, where a sheer limestone cliff rises 122m (400 ft) out of the river, covered in vines, trees and moss. Arrive at the small fishing village of Livingston known for its unique Afro-Caribbean Garifuna population, with their unique art, music and delicious coconut seafood soup, “tapado”.

Cuisine

Your G for Good Moment: Caribbean Gastronomic Experience "El Manglar"

Lívingston1h-2h

El Manglar Restaurant in Guatemala is a women-led community tourism initiative founded by the Cayo Quemado Women's Committee with the aim of creating new job opportunities within the community. During your visit you will begin with a welcome given by the women of the committee and receive a brief introduction to the workshop. Then, there will be a short walk around the property, including a full explanation of the project, it's impact, and culture before you all sit down for lunch at the restaurant. Every traveler that visits Cayo Quemado has a direct impact on their community.

Bus

Private Vehicle

Lívingston- Flores

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Accommodation

Hotel Petén

Hotel
DAY 14 Flores

Enjoy a guided tour of the nearby Mayan ruins of Tikal. In the afternoon, opt to relax on the lake or hang out at a café in town.

Bus

Private Vehicle

Flores- Tikal1h-1.5h64km

Enjoy the ride out to Tikal and return the same way in the afternoon (1-1.5 hrs one way).

Land Tour

Tikal Ruins Guided Tour

Tikal3h-4h7km

Put on your walking shoes and prepare for a tiring but memorable day walking through history at the impressive site of Tikal. The Mayan site is set in the heart of the jungle, in Tikal National Park, now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Along with our bilingual guide, see some of the temples, plazas, carved stone monuments and public squares, more than 3,000 buildings in all, dating from as far back as 600 BC. Climb to the top of Temple IV, catch your breath, take photos, and then sit and contemplate the magnificence of the site and the tropical rainforest beyond. Look for monkeys, anteaters, armadillos, and deer, as well as macaws and eagles, snakes, and spiders.

Free Time

Flores

Explore the area anyway you like.

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Optional Activities - Day 14Show

Accommodation

Hotel Petén

Hotel
DAY 15 Flores/San Ignacio

Cross the border to Belize. Opt to visit the sacred Mayan cave Actun Tunichil Muknal, explore the Mountain Pine Ridge area, or see the lesser-known Mayan ruins of Xunantunich.

Bus

Private Vehicle

Flores- Melchor de Mencos2h-3h95km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Administrative

Border Crossing (Guatemala - Belize)

Melchor de Mencos- Benque Viejo del Carmen0.5h-1.5h

Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list.

Bus

Private Vehicle

Benque Viejo del Carmen- San Ignacio0.5h-0.75h13km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Free Time

San IgnacioAFTERNOON

Head out to start exploring this fun town. There's a full free day tomorrow for anything you can't get to this afternoon.

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Optional Activities - Day 15Show

Accommodation

Midas Resort

Hotel
DAY 16 San Ignacio

Enjoy a free day to explore. Opt to check out nearby caves, some more Mayan sites or a local conservation project.

Free Time

San IgnacioFULL_DAY

Enjoy a full day to head out and explore.

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Optional Activities - Day 16Show

Accommodation

Midas Resort

Hotel
DAY 17 San Ignacio/Caye Caulker

Travel to Belize City and catch a high-speed water taxi to Caye Caulker. Later, explore Caye Caulker on a G Adventures-supported Bike with Purpose tour. Spend a few days enjoying this island paradise. Caye Caulker is a relaxed and easy going island with friendly and welcoming local residents. There are dozens of activities around the island and surrounding coral reefs. Try your hand at fishing and barbecue your catch on the beach.

Bus

Local Bus

San Ignacio- Belize City3h-4h123km

Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.

Automobile

Taxi

Belize City- Caye Caulker0.75h-1h

Jump in the back and tell the driver to step on it, just like they do in the movies.

Landsport

Your G for Good Moment: Belize Bike with Purpose Tour

Caye Caulker2h

Take a leisurely bike tour around Caye Caulker with a guide from the G Adventures for Good supported Bike with Purpose project. See the island through the eyes of a local on this two-hour tour, and live the island's motto of 'Go Slow'. Feel the island breeze in you hair while knowing you're supporting a program that helps youth from Caye Caulker build skills for tourism jobs upon graduation from high school.

Accommodation

Enjoy Hotel

Hotel
DAY 18 Caye Caulker

Spend time enjoying this island paradise. Opt to go on a sailing trip to snorkel with stingrays, nurse sharks and green turtles at Hol Chan Marine Reserve. If the boats aren't your thing, just relax, Belizean-style.

Free Time

Caye CaulkerFULL_DAY

Spend two full days exploring this area any way you like.

3

Optional Activities - Day 18Show

Accommodation

Enjoy Hotel

Hotel
DAY 19 Caye Caulker

Jump for joy that you get another full day to explore Caye Caulker! Do what you didn't get to yesterday or take the day to just lay on the beach!

Free Time

Caye CaulkerFULL_DAY

Spend two full days exploring this area any way you like.

3

Optional Activities - Day 19Show

Accommodation

Enjoy Hotel

Hotel
DAY 20 Caye Caulker/Playa del Carmen

Say farewell to Belize, and travel by boat and private vehicle from Caye Caulker to Playa del Carmen, Mexico. With plenty of options nearby, Playa is an excellent hub for exploring.

Watercraft

Water Taxi

Caye Caulker- Belize City0.75h-1h39km

Jump in and cross the water to the next stop.

Bus

Private Vehicle

Belize City- Chetumal2.5h-3h150km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Administrative

Border Crossing (Belize - Mexico)

Chetumal

Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list.

Bus

Transport

Chetumal- Playa del Carmen4h-5h310km

Settle in and scan the scenery as you journey to your next destination.

Accommodation

Hotel Nautilus

Hotel
DAY 21 Playa del Carmen

Enjoy a free day to explore the Mayan ruins of Tulúm, or visit one of the many cenotes. Enjoy dinner at a G Adventures-supported community restaurant with a youth-focused art program.

Free Time

Playa del CarmenFULL_DAY

Do as much or as little as you want.

Cuisine

Your G for Good Moment: El Hongo Mexican Community Restaurant & Youth Art Program

Playa del Carmen

El Hongo (which means 'The Mushroom') is a volunteer-run restaurant started as a means to create income to support a youth art program in the 'real' Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Across the highway from the commercial beach strip is where most locals live – cross onto the unpaved roads and enjoy a delicious home-style meal at the restaurant, while learning more about this much-needed program for the community.

5

Optional Activities - Day 21Show

Accommodation

Hotel Nautilus

Hotel
DAY 22 Playa del Carmen

Depart at any time.

Administrative

Departure Day

Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.

Day
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