Belize & Guatemala holiday
| country: | Belize, Guatemala |
| departures: | 2008: 21 Nov, 19 Dec 2009: 16 Jan, 13 Feb, 13 Mar, 10 Apr, 8 May, 5 Jun, 3 Jul, 31 Jul, 28 Aug, 25 Sep, 23 Oct, 20 Nov, 18 Dec |
| price: | From £825 (15 days) excluding flights & transfers. Local payment US $265. We can arrange flights from the UK |
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the amazing things you'll be doing
Sailing the beautiful Belizean Cayes
Walking through the ruins of Tikal you can see the magnificent remains of ancient Mayan culture, echoes of which live on today in the villages around the stunning Lake Atitlan.
In the markets you'll see the evidence in the craftsmanship and artistic heritage, and get to know the people when you join a local family for dinner. The highlight of this journey is a magical sailing trip through Caribbean waters with colourful reefs and deserted tropical islands.
Antigua
A colourful town full of wonderful colonial architecture, beautiful churches and cobbled streets, Antigua is one of Guatemala’s most popular destinations. The centre of town is the Parque Central, where you might see locals in traditional dress. Antigua is the cultural centre of Guatemala, and is an ideal place to experience the traditional music, architecture and art of the country. Rich in ornate churches, convents, parks, plazas, cafés, restaurants, and colourful street markets, the town has many attractions.
Tikal
The Mayan pyramid ruins at Tikal are a paradise for archaeologists and naturalists alike. Proclaimed an UNESCO Heritage Site, with over 3000 structures ranging from ceremonial platforms to steam baths, the earliest buildings date from 600 BC, deep in the Pre-Classic period. With screeching howler monkeys and squawking macaws providing nature’s soundtrack to the sunrise over the ancient ruins, the site is full of extraordinary wildlife, such as the banana bill toucan, the coatimundi, and the occasional jaguar.
San Ignacio
A blend of languages, traditions and cultures, San Ignacio is affectionately known as ‘Cayo’ – meaning island – by the locals, alluding to the frontier mentality in what is the last outpost before the Guatemalan border. Colonial buildings line Burns Avenue, the main street of the town. On the outskirts of San Ignacio the Mayan archaeological site at Cahal Pech is a good example of the indigenous heritage. Various wildlife sanctuaries in the area are home to tropical fauna from iguanas to the blue morpho butterfly.
Caye Caulker
The typically Caribbean northern Cayes of Belize are renowned for the quality of aquatic activities on offer. Fringed with palm trees overlooking warm, white sand, the Cayes are an idyllic beach paradise. Prior to the British occupancy which only ended in 1981, the Cayes were home to fishermen and coconut pickers. Nestled between Ambergris Caye and the Turneffe Islands, the tropical reefs on Caye Caulker are visible up to a mile offshore through the clear water. The restaurants and bars of Caulker serve local specialities, and are renowned for seafood.
Placencia
A Creole fishing village at the end of a long spit of land, Placencia is an easy-going place of beautiful beaches and clear water. A network of footpaths link the small wooden houses that lie beneath the palm trees, ensuring that Placencia feels very much like the end of the road. The town has an annual lobster fest in June, but the main event is the migration of whale sharks - the world's largest fish, reaching up to 16m in length - which takes place between March and May.
Walking through the ruins of Tikal you can see the magnificent remains of ancient Mayan culture, echoes of which live on today in the villages around the stunning Lake Atitlan.
In the markets you'll see the evidence in the craftsmanship and artistic heritage, and get to know the people when you join a local family for dinner. The highlight of this journey is a magical sailing trip through Caribbean waters with colourful reefs and deserted tropical islands.
Antigua
A colourful town full of wonderful colonial architecture, beautiful churches and cobbled streets, Antigua is one of Guatemala’s most popular destinations. The centre of town is the Parque Central, where you might see locals in traditional dress. Antigua is the cultural centre of Guatemala, and is an ideal place to experience the traditional music, architecture and art of the country. Rich in ornate churches, convents, parks, plazas, cafés, restaurants, and colourful street markets, the town has many attractions.
Tikal
The Mayan pyramid ruins at Tikal are a paradise for archaeologists and naturalists alike. Proclaimed an UNESCO Heritage Site, with over 3000 structures ranging from ceremonial platforms to steam baths, the earliest buildings date from 600 BC, deep in the Pre-Classic period. With screeching howler monkeys and squawking macaws providing nature’s soundtrack to the sunrise over the ancient ruins, the site is full of extraordinary wildlife, such as the banana bill toucan, the coatimundi, and the occasional jaguar. San Ignacio
A blend of languages, traditions and cultures, San Ignacio is affectionately known as ‘Cayo’ – meaning island – by the locals, alluding to the frontier mentality in what is the last outpost before the Guatemalan border. Colonial buildings line Burns Avenue, the main street of the town. On the outskirts of San Ignacio the Mayan archaeological site at Cahal Pech is a good example of the indigenous heritage. Various wildlife sanctuaries in the area are home to tropical fauna from iguanas to the blue morpho butterfly.
Caye Caulker
The typically Caribbean northern Cayes of Belize are renowned for the quality of aquatic activities on offer. Fringed with palm trees overlooking warm, white sand, the Cayes are an idyllic beach paradise. Prior to the British occupancy which only ended in 1981, the Cayes were home to fishermen and coconut pickers. Nestled between Ambergris Caye and the Turneffe Islands, the tropical reefs on Caye Caulker are visible up to a mile offshore through the clear water. The restaurants and bars of Caulker serve local specialities, and are renowned for seafood. Placencia
A Creole fishing village at the end of a long spit of land, Placencia is an easy-going place of beautiful beaches and clear water. A network of footpaths link the small wooden houses that lie beneath the palm trees, ensuring that Placencia feels very much like the end of the road. The town has an annual lobster fest in June, but the main event is the migration of whale sharks - the world's largest fish, reaching up to 16m in length - which takes place between March and May.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Antigua. Arrive in Guatemala City. Transfer to the nearby city of Antigua. | |
| Day 2: | Antigua. Antigua is 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. | |
| Day 3: | Antigua - Chichicastenango - Panajachel. Drive to Panajachel, a relaxed village on the shores of the impressive Lake Atitlan. On the way we stop to visit the Mayan market of Chichicastenango. | |
| Day 4: | Panajachel. A free day in Panajachel. 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 5: | Panajachel - Totonicapan. Drive to the village of Totonicapan, a wonderful place to find artisan workshops for all different kinds of crafts. In the evening we dine with a local family - our hosts for the night. | |
| Day 6: | Totonicapan - Antigua - Guatemala City. We bid farewell to our host family and head for Antigua. Later we drive to Guatemala City in time to board the overnight bus to Flores. | |
| Day 7: | Flores. Flores is a pleasant island town on Lake Peten Itza. Time seems to stop in this charming town of red roofs and colourful houses. After a day exploring, sit down in one of the many cafés and watch the sun setting over the waters of the lake. | |
| Day 8: | Flores - Tikal. We drive to Tikal and spend the night in the National Park, just 15m away from the Great Plaza. This gives us the chance of watching the sunset over the ruins from the top of one of the pyramids. | |
| Day 9: | Tikal - San Ignacio. A free morning to visit Tikal before the crowds arrive. Tikal is the most impressive of all the Mayan sites, set amidst imposing jungle that echoes to the calls of monkeys and exotic birds. After exploring the ruins, we take a bus to San Ignacio where we overnight in simple wooden cabins. | |
| Day 10: | 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 such as Caracol. | |
| Day 11: | San Ignacio - Belize City - Caye Caulker. We head to colourful Belize City from where we take a boat ride to Caye Caulker, an idyllic island fringed with palm trees. | |
| Day 12-13: | Caye Caulker - Sailtrek. Today we embark on our magical sailing trip along the Belizean coast, on an island-hopping adventure with many chances to go snorkelling around stunning reefs along the way. At night we eat our catch of the day around the fire, camping in spacious tents on the beaches. | |
| Day 14: | Placencia. Today we arrive at Placencia. This laid back fishing village is situated at the end of a 25km stretch of peninsula separating the Caribbean Ocean from Placencia Lagoon, with some of the finest beaches in the country. In April and May the seasonal migration of whale sharks takes place, and if you are lucky you might be able to swim or dive among them. | |
| Day 15: | Placencia - Belize City. A short local flight take you to Belize City International Airport in time for your international flight. Tour ends. |
travellers' tales
Sleeping in hammocks at Tikal and listening to the howler monkeys roar at each other across the forest in the early hours... sailing on the ragga queen from Caye Caulker to Placencia, listening to reggae, staring at the sea, drinking rum punch and sleeping on tiny islands surrounded by coconut palms (more)
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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We use a wide range of public transport to move around these countries, from overnight buses to local boats and taxis. We visit small places like Caye Caulker and San Ignacio in Belize or Flores in Guatemala and stay in small hotels which are privately owned by families or small guesthouses. They are all simple but they are nice and clean, and the welcome is always friendly.
In Antigua we stay in a small posada (guesthouse) where all profits go towards providing educational opportunities for the children of families working at the Guatemala City garbage dump. The posado also cooperate in the development of a vocational training program to assist local young people in acquiring valuable skills in areas like reception, housekeeping, maintenance, and food service. We spend a night with local families in Totonicapan, a little village in the Lake Atitlan area, during which we learn about the local traditions and Mayan culture. This is part of a development project for the village, and the income is equally distributed among the community. The hospitality will be something that you will remember long after the trip ends. While in Flores you will have the opportunity to visit the small village of San Andres on the other side of the lake Petén and meet Mathew or Mateo as he is known to everyone in the town. He founded Volunteers Petén mainly to teach ecology and forest management, and to protect local flora and fauna in an area where deforestation is a major problem. At the moment, Volunteer Petén is trying to construct a new Community Library for San Andrès which is currently housed in one room in the town hall. Donations from travellers to finish the building are matched by us and presented to Mateo’s organization on an annual basis. Travellers are encouraged to bring books, DVDs or games with them to add to the library. They are specifically looking for children and adults books in Spanish and children movies with Spanish language options. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |