Central America holiday
| country: | Belize, Guatemala, Mexico |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2010: 30 Jan, 20 Feb, 27 Feb, 13 Mar, 27 Mar, 3 Apr, 24 Jul, 14 Aug, 4 Sep, 16 Oct, 29 Oct, 6 Nov, 27 Nov, 11 Dec, 18 Dec 2011: 8 Jan, 29 Jan, 19 Feb, 26 Feb, 12 Mar, 19 Mar, 2 Apr, 9 Apr |
| price: | From £1972 (15 days) including flights from the UK, from £1149 excluding flights. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Explore some of the very best Aztec & Mayan sites, experience the local life & colour of Indian villages, discover little-explored ruins, hidden by rainforest.
Mexico City & Oaxaca: Our first days are spent in and around the Mexican capital, including an absorbing visit to the excellent anthropological museum. Then we drive to the colonial heart of Oaxaca. Here, on a high spur, is the ancient complex of Monte Alban - a mystical place of pyramids, terraces and strange rock carvings, a silent witness to one of Mexico's extraordinary civilisations which flourished long ago.
Indian Villages & 'Mundo Maya': From Chiapa del Corzo, we take a boat trip through the spectacular Sumidero Canyon, then drive up the mountain road to San Cristobal. Close by are villages inhabited by Indians whose old lifestyle has hardly changed. Stopping to swim in waterfalls en route, we continue to the exotic jungle site of Palenque, a perfect example of Mayan art and architecture. Then, travelling by road and riverboat, we see the fascinating and little-visited ruins of Yaxchilan and Bonampak before crossing to Guatemala. Here, we spend time at the major Mayan site of Tikal, exploring magnificent 20-storey high temples and pyramids, lost in a most amazing jungle setting.
Yucatan & Caribbean Extension: A short journey by boat from Belize City brings us to the Caribbean isle of Caye Caulker, off the Belize coast. Our visit to the cayes (coral islands) offer time for relaxing, swimming and snorkelling. Crossing back into Mexico, we admire famous Mayan stone cities of Tulum, Uxmal and Chichen Itza - the ancient domain of Quetzalcoatl, the 'Plumed Serpent' god. We also explore the traditional villages and fortress-churches of the Yucatan peninsula.
Please note: The journey between Mexico and Guatemala takes us through remote rainforest - we charter a launch as this is the only way to visit some of these ancient hidden Mayan sites.
Mexico City & Oaxaca: Our first days are spent in and around the Mexican capital, including an absorbing visit to the excellent anthropological museum. Then we drive to the colonial heart of Oaxaca. Here, on a high spur, is the ancient complex of Monte Alban - a mystical place of pyramids, terraces and strange rock carvings, a silent witness to one of Mexico's extraordinary civilisations which flourished long ago.
Indian Villages & 'Mundo Maya': From Chiapa del Corzo, we take a boat trip through the spectacular Sumidero Canyon, then drive up the mountain road to San Cristobal. Close by are villages inhabited by Indians whose old lifestyle has hardly changed. Stopping to swim in waterfalls en route, we continue to the exotic jungle site of Palenque, a perfect example of Mayan art and architecture. Then, travelling by road and riverboat, we see the fascinating and little-visited ruins of Yaxchilan and Bonampak before crossing to Guatemala. Here, we spend time at the major Mayan site of Tikal, exploring magnificent 20-storey high temples and pyramids, lost in a most amazing jungle setting.
Yucatan & Caribbean Extension: A short journey by boat from Belize City brings us to the Caribbean isle of Caye Caulker, off the Belize coast. Our visit to the cayes (coral islands) offer time for relaxing, swimming and snorkelling. Crossing back into Mexico, we admire famous Mayan stone cities of Tulum, Uxmal and Chichen Itza - the ancient domain of Quetzalcoatl, the 'Plumed Serpent' god. We also explore the traditional villages and fortress-churches of the Yucatan peninsula.
Please note: The journey between Mexico and Guatemala takes us through remote rainforest - we charter a launch as this is the only way to visit some of these ancient hidden Mayan sites.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly London/Mexico City. |
| Day 2-3: | In Mexico City; visit Anthropology Museum and Teotihuacan Pyramids. |
| Day 4: | Drive Oaxaca. |
| Day 5: | In Oaxaca; visit Monte Alban. |
| Day 6: | Drive via Mitla to Chiapa del Corzo. |
| Day 7: | Visit Sumidero Canyon; continue to San Cristobal. |
| Day 8: | In San Cristobal; visit Indian villages. |
| Day 9: | Drive via Tonina and Agua Azul to Palenque. |
| Day 10: | Explore Palenque ruins. |
| Day 11: | Drive to Frontera Corozal; boat trip to Yaxchilan; return to Frontera. |
| Day 12: | Boat to Bethel; drive to Flores (GUA). |
| Day 13: | Full day visit Tikal. |
| Day 14: | Fly Guatemala City; drive Antigua. |
| Day 15: | Fly London. |
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. award winner
This tourism business won an Award in our 2008 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Daily Telegraph, World Travel Market, Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society and BBC World News.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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Environment
We support a variety of charities and projects worldwide which support vulnerable communities and habitats including Friends of Conservation, Hope Worldwide and Send A Cow. We are also actively engaged with UK travel industry bodies which promote best practice in responsible tourism, such as Tourism Concern, The Travel Foundation and AITO. Our commitment to responsible tourism is not limited to our overseas operation and we have measures to ensure our UK office operates according to our responsible tourism policy. Carbon offsets for all flights booked with us are included in the tour cost. Community Festivals express the very soul of a community, rooted as they are in local history and folklore. They’ll engage all your senses, with their din, colours, scents, tastes – the sheer rawness and spontaneity of the whole experience. This is a fabulous way to learn about the local customs and traditions and get an authentic view of the country you are travelling to in an unpackaged way. This tour offers a unique opportunity to witness the traditions of the Day of the Dead Festival which date back centuries. As well as our tour leader, we use local guides at points on this tour, so we’ll be able to get a real insight into not only the background to the festival but also the daily life of local people in Mexico – traditional and modern. Wherever possible we like to meet the people themselves and get to learn a bit more of their lifestyle, but only where we can be sure we that we are not imposing on them. We believe learning about and respecting local people is an integral part of the travel experience and particularly important during a festival which celebrates the lives of people’s nearest and dearest. Why not brush up on your Spanish before you travel as being able to chat with local people, even just a few phrases, shows great respect for local people, is great fun and will really enhance your experience! Employing local guides also generates employment. We also support a variety of other local businesses such as restaurants and cantinas, locally owned hotels and transport businesses, ensuring our visit benefits a wide range of people. |
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. |