Mexico & Guatemala overland tours
| country: | Guatemala, Mexico |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | Departs Saturdays throughout the year |
| price: | From £565 (31 days) excluding flights. Local payment US $800. Price includes transport, simple hotels/guesthouses & 1 night overnight bus. Maximum group size 12. All departure dates are guaranteed |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
A Central American adventure to remember! Spend a month taking an in depth look at the ancient sights, idyllic beaches and wild nightlife of Central America. Get off the beaten track and discover traditional villages, smoking volcanoes, exotic wildlife and whole underwater worlds.
Highlights: Jungle ruins of Palenque, Chichen Itza pyramids, the Caribbean Sea, living it up in Mexico City, soaking up the sun in Cancun, beachside ruins in Playa del Carmen, underwater worlds in Caye Caulker, traditional life in San Ignacio, ruins of Tikal, markets of Chichicastenango, sunset over Antigua
Highlights: Jungle ruins of Palenque, Chichen Itza pyramids, the Caribbean Sea, living it up in Mexico City, soaking up the sun in Cancun, beachside ruins in Playa del Carmen, underwater worlds in Caye Caulker, traditional life in San Ignacio, ruins of Tikal, markets of Chichicastenango, sunset over Antigua
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1-2: | Mexico City. Start exploring in Mexico City's centre where streets are filled with temple ruins and colonial cathedrals. |
| Day 3-4: | Puebla. Get snap happy in Puebla's photogenic market and munch on some mouth-watering Mole Poblano. For the active, head out for a hike around the nearby volcanoes. |
| Day 5-6: | Oaxaca. Ramble around the Zapotec ruins of Monte Alban or try some of Oaxaca's exotic treats in the cafes on the Zocalo. |
| Day 7-8: | San Cristobal de las Casas. Worlds away from the lowland cities, San Cristobal blends a rich indigenous culture with charming cobblestone streets and a bohemian flair. |
| Day 9-10: | Palenque. Climb the Mayan temples of Palenque for views over the jungle. |
| Day 11-12: | Merida. Head to the 'white city', an ideal base to visit the Uxmal Ruins. For fun a bit closer to home, tour the city centre in a horse-drawn caleche. |
| Day 13-17: | Playa del Carmen. Caribbean beaches and Mayan ruins combine in Cancun and 'Playa'. Explore the pyramids of Chichen Itza then head to Playa del Carmen, where snorkelling, swimming or just relaxing on the beach are the order of the day. Why not spend a day in Cancun, a great place to kick back with a margarita. |
| Day 18-19: | Caye Caulker. Swim with the manta rays and spot barracudas in the underwater playground of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. |
| Day 20-21: | San Ignacio. Walk among the butterflies in specially-made gardens or get an adrenaline fix on a tubing adventure. |
| Day 22-23: | Flores. Travel as the locals do, by canoe, and fall into the laid-back pace of life on Flores. There is an optional visit to Tikal, the highest Mayan structure in the world. |
| Day 24-25: | Rio Dulce. Take a lancha (small motorboat) up the river to visit nearby hot springs, a rubber plantation and the old Spanish fort at Livingston. |
| Day 26: | Antigua. Take an evening stroll along the heritage-listed streets of Antigua or hang out with the locals in Central Park. |
| Day 27-28: | Panajachel. Strike a bargain at the famous Chichicastenango Markets, explore Lake Atitlan by boat or take off on a mountain bike or horse to explore surrounding landscapes. |
| Day 29-31: | Antigua. End a fantastic adventure with an optional day trip to the steaming Pacaya Volcano. |
small group adventure holiday
This is a 'small group adventure' - on our group trips you'll be with a maximum of 11 like minded travellers and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's 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 people from other parts of the world as well as seeing new places! (more) Because of our small group size, we're able to guarantee departures for all of our trips. Once you have booked and paid your deposit, your trip is guaranteed to go!
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 just can't get enough of the Amazon, not only as a jaw-dropping travel destination but also as a global treasure and this trip will help to ensure that the incredibly Amazon Rainforest is here for us to enjoy for generations to come! Our Amazon Fund will help support on the ground projects by the Foundation's long time partners Greenpeace and WWF. By booking your Latin American adventure with us you're helping us work towards a sustainable future for the Amazon.
This trip gives you plenty of opportunities to get to know the culture and vibrant history of Latin America. There are numerous chances for local interaction as we cover so much ground using all means of public transport. You’ll be surprised how much you can learn from a friendly local who strikes up a conversation during your journey. Your leader and the occasional local guide will be able to direct you to many local eateries throughout the trip, helping you discover real local fare at real local prices (and probably helping you learn some Spanish at the same time). All travellers are encouraged to explore with the group and on their own, learn a few words of the language and interact with the locals as much as possible. Local guides are employed to help explain as much as possible about the cultural differences and the historically significant places that we visit. This also allows us to appreciate the importance of preserving and respecting these sites and to help us minimise the impact of our visits. There are plenty of opportunities to support local merchants in the markets and stalls that we pass along the way. We can purchase traditional handicrafts from local artisans and learn more about the importance of preserving these crafts. |
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. |