INTRODUCTION ITINERARY BELIZE & GUATEMALA - CENTRAL AMERICA FAMILY ADVENTURE TRIP CODE MCTSCAF DEPARTURE

Transcription

1 INTRODUCTION This tour is a suggested itinerary designed by our specialist team! Choose this itinerary or alter it to design your own Journey. Join us on this 21-day tour and explore the highlights of Central America including Mexico, Antigua & Belize on this family friendly adventure. ITINERARY DAY 1: Mexico City Private Transfer - Airport to Hotel Arrive at Mexico City airport and transfer to your downtown hotel. DAY 2: Mexico City - City Tour - Villahermosa Today, you'll embark on a city tour visiting sites such as the immense central square (Zocalo), the baroque Metropolitan Cathedral, the National Palace, the Centro Historico and the Palace of Fine Arts (Tour Duration 4 hours)

2 DAY 3: Basilica de Guadalupe and Teotihuacan We will drive to the impressive archaeological site of Teotihuacan, located 50km northeast of Mexico City. On the way we make a stop at the Plaza de las Tres Culturas, where three cultures converge: Aztec, Spanish, and contemporary Mexican. We continue to the Basilica de Guadalupe, Latin America s most revered religious shrine. It is here where the Virgin of Guadalupe is said to have appeared before an Indian named Juan Diego in 1531, and an image of her was miraculously emblazoned on his cloak. We will have time to explore the New Basilica de Guadalupe (the Old Basilica, built in 1700, is slowly sinking) and to see Juan Diego s cloak. We then drive for another hour to Teotihuacan, one of the most impressive cities of the ancient world, held sacred by the Aztecs. We will walk down the Road of the Dead and explore the temples, palaces and pyramids, including the Quetzalpapalotl Palace Complex, the Temple of the Feathered Conches, the Pyramid of the Moon, and the immense Pyramid of the Sun, ranked among the biggest in the world. Transfer from your hotel to Mexico City Airport for your outward flight. On arrival in Villahermosa airport transfer to your hotel in Villahermosa. DAY 4: Villahermosa to Palenque Today, you will visit one of the most beautiful and emblematic landmarks of the classical Mayan culture - the ruins of the city of Palenque. The city's highlights include the Temple of the Inscriptions, where an important burial chamber was discovered in the 1950s, and the imposing architectural complex of El Palacio, one of the most beautiful constructions to be found in the entire environment of Maya culture. Following the visit, you will be transferred to your hotel in the town of Palenque. DAY 5: Palenque - Agua Azul - San Cristobal de las Casas After breakfast, you will be taken on a morning drive to Agua Azul, a series of glittering waterfalls set in the lush valleys of the Sierra Madre Mountains. You will then continue your journey to the small but thriving city of San Cristobal de las Casas.

3 DAY 6: San Cristobal de las Casas: City tour Today, you will be taken on a city tour of San Cristobal, taking in the magnificent Cathedral and historic architecture. In the afternoon, you will visit the nearby Indian villages of Zinacantan and Chamula, home of the tzotzil and tzeltal Indians of Mayan descent. DAY 7: San Cristobal de las Casas - La Mesilla Border Transfer from San Cristobal de las Casas to La Mesilla Border (Guatemala). On arrival at the La Mesilla Border you will meet your Guatemalan driver and transfer to another vehicle. Transfer from La Mesilla Border to Quetzaltenango DAY 8: Transfer Quetzaltenango - Lake Atitlan Transfer from Quetzaltenango to Lake Atitlan. DAY 9: Boat Tour to Santiago Atitlan Guests are picked up from their hotel & transfered to Santiago Village which includes a 30min scenic boat ride across the lake past the three impressive volcanoes of Toliman, Atitlan & San Pedro. Upon arrival at Santiago guests will walk with their guide to find the house where the Maya God Maximon is living. Once with Maximon you may see local shaman performing rituals for local people and if you wish you can ask your guide to help you hire the services of a shaman for a personal ceremony. After visiting Maximon guests can visit the local church and learn about the history of this very traditional town and also see the market and learn about the distinctive textiles and primitive art that is famous from this area. When guests are ready they will be transferred back to their hotel. Included: Private guide, private boat & entrances

4 DAY 10: Lake Atitlan - Chichicastenango - Antigua Guests are met at their hotel by their English speaking, private driver. You will drive for one hour to Chichicastenango, en-route you will pass local Maya people in traditional dress. Explore the famous market when you arrive in Chichicastenango, you can also visit the famous St Tomas Church where local Maya people come to perform Maya rituals within the Catholic church - demonstrating the interesting way the two faiths have combined in recent times. If you would like you can hike up the hill to the Pascual Abaj ritual site to see if any local shaman are performing rituals and/or to the cemetery on the outskirts of town. Lunch is provided and when guests are ready they will be transferred onto Antigua (Approx 2,5hr). Included: Private Transfers, Bilingual Host Driver & Lunch. Not Included: tips & gratuities. DAY 11: Antigua City Tour You will be met at your hotel reception by your private guide to begin your half day walking tour of Antigua. Your tour will cover the cultural, historical & social highlights of this colonial city with a behind-the-scenes look at some of the many ruined churches, convents, and cathedrals. Entrances are included to the Iglesia San Francisco, the Cathedral and La Merced Church. This tour is flexible and can be altered to your interests (if you want to visit something not listed, extra entrance costs may apply). At the end of the tour your guide can accompany you back to your hotel or take you elsewhere. Included: Entrances to the Antigua Cathedral, the Merced Monastery & the San Francisco Monastery, Private Guide, Use of Tuc Tucs. Not Included: Entrances to other monuments, Lunch, Tips & Gratuities, and Use of Taxis.

5 DAY 12: Transfer to the airport for onward destination Private transfer to Guatemala City airport for your departure flight. On arrival at Mundo Maya, transfer to Tikal. Upon arrival, a guide will take you to the Archaeological Site of Tikal '' Place of Voices'', surrounded by the tropical forest that has kept Tikal in its millennial dream. Visit the main Plaza and the Temple of the Great Jaguar, central acropolis, Mundo Perdido and temple IV from where you can observe the majesty of the city and the emerald green jungle. After lunch (included) visit the museum Silvanus Morley. DAY 13: Transfer Tikal to San Ignacio Transfer from Tikal to San Ignacio. DAY 14: San Ignacio Free Day This day is at your leisure to partake in one of the many adventure options available from the famous caves of Actun Tunichil Muknal and Barton Creek, to river tubing, kayaking and canoeing. Your guide will be able to assist you in booking these. DAY 15: Flight: San Ignacio - Caye Caulker Transfer from San Ignacio Belize Airport and take your flight to Caye Caulker Airport DAY 16: Caye Caulker Free Day Free day in Caye Caulker at your leisure. DAY 17: Caye Caulker Free Day Free day in Caye Caulker at your leisure. DAY 18: Caye Caulker - Belize City - Tulum Early breakfast and transfer to the dock to catch the ferry back to Belize city where you will catch a connecting bus to Tulum (Mexico).

6 DAY 19: Tulum Free Day Free day to enjoy the white sand beaches and pristine waters of Tulum. DAY 20: Tulum to Cancun Transfer Transfer from Tulum to Cancun. DAY 21: Cancun Transfer - Hotel to Airport Transfer from your hotel to Cancun Airport for your outward flight. Accommodation Inclusions Difficulty Rating Single Surcharge INCLUSIONS & DETAILS Standard Accommodation with breakfast Transfers Excursions with professional tour guides Transport Internal flights Local taxes Other meals where stated 2 (Light adventure) Available upon request Notes There is a huge range of resort accommodation available in Cancun/ Playa del Carmen area. Ask your sales consultant about some of the options. Price Dependent upon Season & availability SUSTAINABILITY Chimu Adventures undertakes a number of sustainability measures within its operations including: 1) Only using local guides and office staff to both maximise local employment opportunities and minimise carbon footprints. Local guides also ensure you benefit from the intimate knowledge, passion and culture of the country you re visiting. 2) Where possible, using locally owned and operated boutique hotels to maximise the return to the local community.

7 3) Chimu s Pass it on programme has provided funding to hundreds of local community projects in Latin America. Our aim is to empower local communities, helping them to develop their own infrastructure for the future. Since 2006, we have been working with Kiva (a well-known Non-Governmental Organisation), providing hundreds of loans to local businesses all over South America. 4) In our pre tour information we provide a range of tips and advice on how to minimise your impact on both local environments and communities. 5) Chimu Adventures offices also take a number of sustainability measures including carbon offsets for company vehicles and most staff travel. Chimu Adventure s internal processes are also structures to create a paperless office and to reduce waste. There are also internal programmes to help staff minimise their carbon footprint such as our staff bike purchase assistance plan which encourages office staff to commute to work via bicycle. Currently almost half of our office based staff commute to work via bicycle.