Epic Maya Journey: Mexico, Guatemala & Honduras

Arrive into Mexico City and transfer to your accommodation. One of the world’s greatest capitals, Mexico City is bursting with energy.

Spend a morning exploring the Mesoamerican site of Teotihuacan. In the afternoon visit Mexico City’s historic centre including the National Palace, Metropolitan Cathedral and the magnificent Palacio de Bellas Artes, an important hub for Mexican art.

Take a morning wander through the neighbourhoods of Coyoacan and San Angel to experience the artistic legacies of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Browse local artisan shops, and sample local cuisine at the Coyoacan Market before exploring the floating gardens of Xochimilco aboard a traditional flower-draped trajinera.

Transfer to the airport for a short flight to Tuxtla Gutierrez. On arrival travel to Chiapa de Corzo for a two hour boat journey through the 1,000 metre deep Sumidero Canyon spotting birdlife and waterfalls on the way. Continue onto San Cristobal to check into your hotel.

Visit the villages of Chamula and Zinacantan to experience the vibrant culture of the Chiapas Highlands. In San Juan Chamula, you may witness families engaging shamans in spiritual rituals, and in Zinacantan, discover traditional textiles and its majority indigenous community. Return to San Cristobal to explore its striking colonial architecture.

Depart San Cristobal for a four to five hour drive to the city of Villahermosa. On arrival visit the city as well as La Venta Park, home to impressive monumental sculptures that are a legacy of the Olmec civilisation. Continue to Palenque, a journey of around two and a half hours.

Visit Palenque Archaeological Park, one of the most beautiful Maya archaeological sites in Mexico.

Travel three hours east to the border with Guatemala at El Ceibo. After completing border crossing formalities continue for three hours to your accommodation on Lake Peten Itza.

Explore the awe-inspiring Maya metropolis of Tikal where some 3,000 structures rise from the rainforest floor, inhabited by a myriad of wildlife.

Travel by boat to the Garifuna town of Livingston, cruising through the Rio Dulce Canyon. Linking Lake Izabal with the Caribbean Sea, this 30 kilometre waterway flows through vast limestone walls, past dense tropical rainforest, and mangroves that are home to a wealth of birdlife. On arrival in Livingston check into your accommodation.

Leave Livingston, travelling around 30 minutes by boat down the coast to Puerto Barrios. En route, stop in Quirigua, an ancient Maya archaeological site that is famous for its beautifully sculpted stelae. Continue on to Copan, crossing the border into Honduras.

Join eminent archaeologist and world authority on Copan, David Sedat, for a morning exploring the architectural treasures of Copan. In the afternoon take a guided tour of Copan’s Bird Sanctuary, a project dedicated to saving Honduran native bird species and their habitat.

Depart Copan and travel overland back to Guatemala and the UNESCO city of Antigua. The journey will take around six hours. On arrival check into your accommodation.

Stroll through Antigua’s cobblestone streets, vibrant with Spanish colonial architecture and bustling markets, before sampling some authentic Guatemalan cuisine.

Visit some of the villages that surround Antigua to learn about local culture and history. Alternatively hike up Pacaya volcano for views to the northern volcanoes, the pacific lowlands and all the way to El Salvador.

Drive around 90 minutes to visit the Mayan town of Iximche, a compact but important archaeological site. After, attend a Shaman ceremony to better understand traditional Maya beliefs. After lunch at a local restaurant continue for around 90 minutes onto Lake Atitlan.

Spend some time relaxing, hiking and kayaking on the lake. Alternatively, visit some of the lakeside villages, known for their skilled weaving and textile production, or if your visit coincides, a trip to one of the weekly highland markets is highly recommended.

Transfer around three hours to Guatemala City for onward travel.