Guatemala & Belize activity holiday, rafting & sailing
| country: | Belize, Guatemala |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2008: 2 May |
| price: | £1795 (15 days) excluding flights. Including domestic transport, accommodation and some meals. Max group size 10 plus leader, English speaking local guides and drivers. We can help arrange flights from the UK & can also offer a fully tailor-made service. |
the amazing things you'll be doing
15 days rafting and sailing in Guatemala and Belize
This expedition meanders through the impressive and ever changing scenery of this region and combines white water and cave rafting, sailing and Mayan archaeology all in one adventure into the hidden wonders of Guatemala.
During our time in this rugged country, we will visit world heritage sites and the fascinating Mayan ruins of Cancuen. We will raft the white water of the Cahabon river and explore the Candelaria caves by boat, using an ecolodge as our base.
Our expedition then takes us out on the Rio Dulce on board a sailing catamaran to spend the last few days relaxing on the Belize Barrier Reef and tropical islands.
Expedition highlights include:
The Mayan heart of Central America, Guatemala borders Mexico to the north and west, Belize to the northeast and Honduras and El Salvador to the east. Scattered around this mountainous and jungle covered country, the impressive ancient Mayan ruins and colonial buildings are a reminder of Guatemala’s heritage and civilised past.
Until recently Guatemala was little visited, but this culturally rich, archaeologically fascinating country, with its diverse natural environment, is now totally accessible and its wonders there to be experienced by intrepid travellers.
In contrast, Guatemala’s laid back tiny neighbour Belize offers the perfect setting for relaxing after the activities of our first week. The second largest barrier reef in the world, the Belize barrier reef is an endless range of dramatic walls and undulating coral ridges blessed with calm waters, it is a remarkable site to dive on, snorkel or simply observe from on board.
This expedition meanders through the impressive and ever changing scenery of this region and combines white water and cave rafting, sailing and Mayan archaeology all in one adventure into the hidden wonders of Guatemala.
During our time in this rugged country, we will visit world heritage sites and the fascinating Mayan ruins of Cancuen. We will raft the white water of the Cahabon river and explore the Candelaria caves by boat, using an ecolodge as our base.
Our expedition then takes us out on the Rio Dulce on board a sailing catamaran to spend the last few days relaxing on the Belize Barrier Reef and tropical islands.
Expedition highlights include:
- Whitewater rafting the rapids of the Lanquin and Cahabon rivers
- Visiting the Cancuen excavations containing one of the largest palaces of the Maya region
- Exploring the intricate formations inside the Mico and Nacimeinto caves by boat
- Six days exploring the Rio Dulce and the Belize Cayes by sail boat
The Mayan heart of Central America, Guatemala borders Mexico to the north and west, Belize to the northeast and Honduras and El Salvador to the east. Scattered around this mountainous and jungle covered country, the impressive ancient Mayan ruins and colonial buildings are a reminder of Guatemala’s heritage and civilised past.
Until recently Guatemala was little visited, but this culturally rich, archaeologically fascinating country, with its diverse natural environment, is now totally accessible and its wonders there to be experienced by intrepid travellers.
In contrast, Guatemala’s laid back tiny neighbour Belize offers the perfect setting for relaxing after the activities of our first week. The second largest barrier reef in the world, the Belize barrier reef is an endless range of dramatic walls and undulating coral ridges blessed with calm waters, it is a remarkable site to dive on, snorkel or simply observe from on board.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Guatemala City. Arrive in Guatemala City. |
| Day 2: | Coban - Lanquin - Biotopo Mario Dary. Visit Coban, Lanquin and then head to Biotopo Mario Dary. |
| Day 3: | Rio Lanquin. White water raft down the Rio Lanquin to its confluence with the Rio Cahabon, navigating some of the rivers’ largest and most exciting rapids. |
| Day 4: | Semuc Champey - Candelaria Caves. Visit Semuc Champey and the magnificent Candelaria Caves ending this day at an ecolodge. |
| Day 5: | Cancuen archaeological dig. Spend the day exploring this famous Mayan archaeological site. |
| Day 6: | Dekop - Yang nam - Candeleria Caves. Trek through Dekop and Yang nam, then explore the Candeleria Caves by boat on an underground exploration. |
| Day 7: | Guatemala City. Free day in Guatemala City. |
| Day 8-13: | Rio Dulce - Belize Barrier Reef. Sail the Rio Dulce and the Belize Barrier Reef aboard our spacious and comfortable sailing catamaran. |
| Day 14: | Rio Dulce - Guatemala City. Follow the Rio Dulce to Guatemala City. |
| Day 15: | Guatemala City. End your journey in Guatemala City. |
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.how this holiday makes a difference
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We are committed to maximising the benefits of our trips to the local community and minimising the negative impact associated with tourism. We employ local agents and staff, which means that not only will we have the best and most knowledgeable people for the job, but we are also supporting the local economy. Additionally we can gain a real insight into Guatemalan culture by spending time with these guides. We treat every person associated with this trip with equal respect and expect clients to do the same. Our local agent is Maya Expeditions, who are based in Guatemala City and are one of Condé Nast Traveler’s top 20 eco-tourism agencies in the world. During our time in Guatemala we stay in locally run hotels and an ecolodge at the Candelaria Caves. Our ecolodge is run by the community of Mucbilhá who oversee the conservation of the jungle on top of and surrounding the caves. Our payment to the lodge directly helps to preserve this wonderful area and staying here is an exciting and rewarding experience. To greatly reduce our impact on the environment there will be a maximum of ten team members. This helps to minimise the damage associated with large scale tourism. You will be issued with instructions as to how you can help to reduce your impact on the environment through simple measures such as unwrapping new products before leaving home as Guatemala does not have the same level of recycling in place. We hope that you will follow our advice to help make a difference. |
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 lead 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. |