Central American Adventure - Overland Trip

4 weeks: Cancun to Cancun (IMT-LACA)

Intro

A combination of our Mayan Explorer and The Mayan Road tours. Starting at the Caribbean coastal ruins at Tulum near Playa del Carmen and visiting Chichen Itza, Palenque and the Lacandon jungle in Mexico, the colourful market at Chichicastenango, the colonial city of Antigua and the Mayan ruins at Tikal amidst the Peten jungle in Guatemala before returning to the Caribbean coast at Belize and the tropical island of Caye Caulker.

Group Size

Max 18

Trek Grade

  B - Moderate

Fully Escorted

By Imaginative Traveller tour leader, services of local guide and crew on jungle trek

Transport

Public bus, boat, foot

Activities

Extensive walking at sites, Peten jungle trek, many optional activities in Caye Caulker and San Ignacio

Accommodation

21 nights simple hotels, 2 nights cabins, 3 nights camping, 1 night overnight bus

Itineraries

Day 1,CANCUN

Arrive in Cancun. Transfer to the nearby town of Playa del Carmen.

Day 2,PLAYA DEL CARMEN

Free day to relax on the beach or visit the ruins of Tulum. This Mayan temple complex overlooks the Atlantic Ocean in a dramatic setting. In the evening we board the overnight bus to the Belizean border.

Day 3,CAYE CAULKER

We head on to the tiny country of Belize, stopping in colourful Belize City before taking a boat ride to Caye Caulker, an idyllic island fringed with palm trees, where we spend two nights.

Day 4,CAYE CAULKER

Free day to relax on Caye Caulker. From here you can arrange a variety of excursions, including snorkelling and boat trips out to the endangered manatee.

Day 5,CAYE CAULKER - SAN IGNACIO

Today we travel back to the mainland and head inland to San Ignacio, a small town situated within the Belize jungle, where we stay in simple wooden cabins.

Day 6,SAN IGNACIO

A free day in San Ignacio. The town is a great base for exploring the surrounding area and there are plenty of options to choose from, including horse-riding, jungle trekking, caving, canoeing and visiting some of the excellent Mayan sites in the area, such as Caracol.

Day 7,SAN IGNACIO - FLORES

A free morning in San Ignacio. We take the afternoon bus to Flores, a pleasant island town on Lake Peten Itza in Guatemala, where we spend the night.

Day 8 to Day 10,PETEN JUNGLE TREK

We embark on our trek into the thick jungle of the Peten region, spending our nights camping near little-visited Mayan ruins and looking for some of the area's superb wildlife. On day 10 we arrive at Tikal and we spend the night in the National Park, giving us the chance of watching the sunset over the ruins from the top of one of the pyramids. (Day 8 - LD, Days 9 - BLD, Day 10 - BL)

Day 11,TIKAL

We visit Tikal, perhaps the most impressive of all the Mayan sites, set amidst thick jungle. We spend the morning exploring the ruins before returning to Flores.

Day 12,FLORES - LIVINGSTON

We leave the jungle behind and drive to the Rio Dulce, boarding a boat to Livingston, home to Guatemala’s Garifuna population.

Day 13,LIVINGSTON - ANTIGUA

Drive to Antigua, one of the most beautiful of Central America’s cities. Surrounded by volcanoes and full of picturesque colonial architecture, Antigua is a delight to explore. Antigua. The energetic can take a hike up one of the nearby volcanoes for fantastic views over the city.

Day 14 to Day 15,ANTIGUA

Two full free days in Antigua. For the energetic, try a hike up one of the nearby volcanoes for fantastic views over the city. (B)

Day 16,ANTIGUA - PANAJACHEL

Drive to Panajachel, a relaxed village on the shores of the impressive Lake Atitlan. On the way we stop to visit Chichicastenango, home to Guatemala's most colourful market. (B)

Day 17,PANAJACHEL

A free day in Panajachel. There's the chance to take an optional boat ride to visit some of the fascinating nearby villages, and find Maximon, the mysterious Mayan God that lives in one of the houses.

Day 18,PANAJACHEL - SAN CRISTOBAL

Moving on, we cross the border into Mexico and head to the interesting town of San Cristobal, home to a large proportion of Mexico's indigenous population and with a character all of its own.

Day 19 to Day 20,SAN CRISTOBAL

Free time in San Cristobal. You can visit the nearby Sumidero Canyon, a series of cliffs that reach an impressive 1,500m in height. Alternatively, you could take a horse and ride into some of the nearby villages.

Day 21,SAN CRISTOBAL - PALENQUE

We drive to the impressive site of Palenque.

Day 22,PALENQUE

A free day to visit the amazing Mayan ruins at Palenque, set amidst stunning rainforest. We also have the option of visiting Agua Azul, an area of beautiful jungle scenery and superb waterfalls.

Day 23,PALENQUE - CAMPECHE

Drive to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Campeche, a delightful place filled with brightly painted houses.

Day 24,CAMPECHE - MERIDA

Travel to Merida, capital of the Yucatan state and packed full of markets and old colonial buildings.

Day 25,MERIDA

A free day in Merida. Nearby are the ruins of Uxmal and the Celestun National Park, home to huge flocks of flamingos.

Day 26,MERIDA - CHICHEN ITZA

In the afternoon we drive to Chichen Itza. We have plenty of time to visit the magnificent Mayan site and spend time exploring its temples and pyramids, as we spend the night near the ruins.

Day 27,CHICHEN ITZA

After having time for a last visit to the ruins before the crowds arrive, we then head to the lively resort of Cancun.

Day 28,CANCUN

Tour ends.



Last updated: 2nd December 2008

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