Compare Route of the Maya by Overseas Adventure Travel vs Belize: See & Experience it ALL in 10 Days, 1st Class Custom Tours by Charlie The Traveler

DAY 1 Depart U.S. • Arrive San Salvador, El Salvador
Accommodations: Crowne Plaza San Salvador or similar
Today you'll arrive in San Salvador, Central America's second-largest city and the capital of El Salvador, where an OAT representative will meet you at the airport and assist with your transfer to our hotel. There, you'll meet your fellow travelers, including those who took our optional pre-trip extension to El Salvador: Colonial Suchitoto & the Flower Route. This evening, dinner is on your own.

DAY 2 Explore San Salvador
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Crowne Plaza San Salvador or similar
Discover San Salvador on a guided tour
This morning, we'll embark on an exploration of San Salvador. We'll begin with a trip to Boquerón Park, which is situated atop one of the peaks of San Salvador Volcano. From this landscaped park, we’ll enjoy fantastic views of the volcano’s craters, as well as the surrounding city. Then, we’ll visit the Museo de la Palabra y la Imagen, which collects items such as photos, videos, publications, and drawings to preserve the culture and history of El Salvador. The museum's exhibits focus on human rights during armed conflicts and offer diverse perspectives on El Salvador's tumultuous military history, as well as how it has affected its people.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we'll also visit San Salvador Cathedral, a lovely structure in the center of the city and the burial site of Oscar Romero, a prominent Roman Catholic priest and archbishop of El Salvador in the 1960s and 70s. Speaking out against human rights violations and begging the military to stop killing civilians, Romero often clashed with the local government and the Catholic Church. In 1980, he was shot while celebrating Mass, presumably during an organized attack by a Salvadoran death squad.

Next, we'll view El Salvador's past from a new perspective at the Military History Museum. Here, we'll see a display of military tanks, trucks, and helicopters—as well as the peace accords that ended the civil war in 1992.

We’ll reflect on the country's past as we return to our hotel to enjoy some time at leisure. Tonight, we'll gather for dinner at a local restaurant.

DAY 3 Discover Joya de Cerén • Overland to Copán Ruinas, Honduras
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Clarion Hotel Copán Ruinas or similar
Explore Copan ruins in Honduras
This morning, we'll explore Joya de Cerén, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the first of five Mayan archaeological sites we'll discover on this adventure. Located about 30 minutes from San Salvador, Joya de Cerén is aptly nicknamed the “Pompeii of the Americas,” because—like Pompeii—it features remarkably intact dwellings that were preserved for centuries after being buried by volcanic ash. Dating from about AD 600, the ruins here were the homes, communal baths, and public buildings of ordinary people—not, as at most other sites, the monumental temples of royalty. This site was discovered in 1976 and is still being excavated. Evidence suggests that the inhabitants were able to evacuate as the eruption destroyed their village, but they left utensils and textiles behind that provide revealing glimpses of Mayan life more than a millennium ago.

From Joya de Cerén, we head to the border of Honduras—stopping en route for lunch at a local restaurant—bound for the town of Copán Ruinas, the gateway to the mysterious Copán ruins. This evening, we'll enjoy dinner at our hotel. Please note: If Day 3 falls on a Monday, we will enjoy a visit to Fernando Llort's gallery in lieu of Joya de Cerén, which is closed Mondays. Fernando Llort, who is sometimes called “El Salvador's National Artist,” is an artist of note whose work hangs in international collections, such as the White House Museum and the Vatican.

DAY 4 Copán • Explore Copán ruins • Optional La Pintada Village Horseback Ride OPTIONAL TOUR
Meals included: B L Accommodations: Clarion Hotel Copán Ruinas or similar
Eplore Copan ruins in Honduras
In AD 250, the Maya—Mesoamerica's (and the Western Hemisphere's) most advanced culture—began constructing elaborate cities that flourished until about AD 900, an era now known as the Classic Period of Mayan civilization. After breakfast this morning, we set out to explore the crown jewel of their endeavors: Xukpi (to the Maya), now known as the ruins of Copán. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980, Copán is Honduras' most significant pre-Columbian site and the most elaborate of all Mayan cities, earning it the title “Athens of the Mayan World.”

We spend a full morning here exploring its sprawling ball court, adorned with markers resembling macaw heads; and the Great Plaza, scattered with altars and lined with carved stone columns called stelae, which represent powerful Mayan rulers and date from AD 711-736. Among the ruins here that have helped unveil Mayan history is Altar Q, a rectangular stone altar with carved portraits of all of Copán's rulers, from the founder, Yax Kuk Mo, to the last ruler, Yax Pac.

The most impressive remnant is the Hieroglyphic Stairway—63 steps with 2,500 glyphs, or symbols, carved into the stone, transforming the pyramid’s steps into the Mayans' longest historical record. The ancient Mayan belief system gave extraordinary importance to precisely measuring and recording the dates of events, such as the reigns of rulers, and many of Copán's monuments—and those of other Mayan centers—are elaborate sacred calendars.

And the Maya were far from the only residents of the rain forest of Honduras. During our visit—in addition to examining the ruins—we’ll keep an eye out for the fascinating birds that inhabit the surrounding jungle.

We depart the ruins for lunch at a local restaurant. Afterwards, you may choose to join us for an optional horseback ride through rolling pastures and fields of wildflowers on our way to La Pintada, a quaint farming village of thatched-roof homes and garden patches. We’ll enjoy stunning views of the ruins of Copán as we ride, as well as the opportunity to spot more of Honduras’ colorful wildlife. At La Pintada, we'll mingle with descendants of the Maya and see how the women make traditional dolls out of corn husks before returning to Copán for a dinner of local Honduran specialties.

Or take the time to explore the sleepy town of Copán Ruinas, with its cobblestone streets and quaint colonial charm, before dinner on your own.

DAY 5 Visit Las Sepulturas • Overland to Guatemala City, Guatemala
Meals included: B D Accommodations: Best Western Hotel Stofella or similar
View the rolling landscape while traveling from Honduras to Guatemala
Following breakfast this morning, we’ll travel overland to Guatemala. Before we cross the border, however, we’ll stop at the archaeological site of Las Sepulturas, which was probably once a sort of exclusive suburb for the Maya of Copán. It is believed that here, wealthy Maya lived in multi-room homes, and were later buried next to these residences. As we’re sure to learn, this combination of both houses and tombs has helped archaeologists learn a great deal about the daily life of Copán’s elite.

From here, we’ll cross the border and continue on to Guatemala City through a patchwork of farmland, stopping en route for lunch on our own. Upon arrival, we check into our hotel and enjoy a brief orientation walk before gathering for dinner at a local restaurant.

DAY 6 Visit local school and nonprofit • Explore Guatemala City FOUNDATION VISIT
Meals included: B L Accommodations: Best Western Hotel Stofella or similar
Encounter friendly locals while touring Guatemala City
After breakfast, we'll explore the hardships many Guatemalans face by visiting one of Guatemala City's poorest neighborhoods. In the area surrounding the city's garbage dump, countless families are forced to make a living by picking through endless piles of trash, looking for anything of value they can resell. Due to extreme poverty, many of the area's adults and children are illiterate.

We'll visit a local school and nonprofit that is trying to change this by working with children and young adults between the ages of 2 and 21. The more than 550 children enrolled in this program—which is supported in part by Grand Circle Foundation—can attend the nonprofit's full-day school through the second grade. Then, they receive financial assistance to cover the cost of public school enrollment, school supplies, and uniforms, as well as hot meals, homework help, medical care, and sports and art programming. The nonprofit also assists these children's parents and families by providing them with access to adult literacy and social entrepreneurship programs. We'll meet some of the nonprofit's students—from its youngest children to its adult learners—and discuss how they are striving to rise above their difficult situation.

This afternoon, we'll have lunch at a local restaurant before beginning our explorations of Guatemala City with a panoramic drive, enjoying views of its stately Civic Center, the neoclassical Metropolitan Cathedral, the ornate National Palace of Culture, the red Baroque façade of the Iglesia Yurrita, and the bustle of Reforma Avenue.

We'll return to our hotel in the late afternoon. Dinner tonight is on your own.

DAY 7 Overland to Panajachel
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Porta Hotel del Lago or similar

After breakfast at our hotel, we'll depart for Panajachel—or “Pana,” as it is fondly called by locals. While Panajachel was once a quiet Maya village, it has blossomed into a bustling town, drawing visitors with its volcanic vistas and proximity to Lake Atitlán.

En route to Panajachel, we'll stop in El Tejar to meet a family that makes roof tiles and bricks. After lunch at a local restaurant, we'll also stop in Sololá, one of the largest Mayan cities in Guatemala. Here, we'll visit one of the most vibrant markets in the highlands—often called one of the best markets in Central America—witnessing colorfully dressed locals selling meat, vegetables, fruit, housewares, and clothing. We'll also stroll through Sololá's wide central plaza, admiring the lively Maya culture that has prevailed in this city for centuries.

We'll arrive in Panajachel in the late afternoon. After checking in to our hotel and enjoying a brief
walking tour of the area, we'll gather for dinner at a local restaurant.

DAY 8 Cruise Lake Atitlán • Optional Canopy & Hanging Bridges tour OPTIONAL TOUR
Meals included: B L Accommodations: Porta Hotel del Lago or similar

Today, we continue our travel in Guatemala with a cruise on breathtaking Lake Atitlán. Encircled by three towering volcanoes—San Pedro, Toliman, and Atitlán—which are reflected in its azure waters, it's been called “the closest thing to Eden on Earth.” And with a depth of more than 1,000 feet, it's also the deepest lake in Central America, formed by a powerful volcanic explosion more than 85,000 years ago. There is no road that rings Lake Atitlán, so we'll travel to its lakeside villages by boat.

Indigenous Mayan people settled on Atitlán's shores around the beginning of the last millennium, making this the heart of the Mayan world. Their ancient traditions, beliefs, and crafts are preserved in the many Mayan textiles, with their distinctive geometric patterns, that are still created here using traditional methods. We'll witness the fruits of their labors today during a visit to a textile market in the lakeside town of Santiago. While there, we'll also learn about the traveling statue of Maximón—a famous Mayan deity—and visit an altar where local people still perform rituals to honor him.

After our visit to Santiago, we cross the lake to the village of San Antonio Palopo, a small settlement lined with adobe homes—the residents of which still wear traditional Mayan clothes—where we have lunch at a restaurant overlooking the lake.

When we return to our hotel this afternoon, you can choose to enjoy time at leisure. Or, you might decide to join us for an optional Canopy & Hanging Bridges tour at the Atitlán Nature Reserve, a 247-acre reserve located on the lakeshore. On this excursion, we'll hike through the region's tropical forest, walking along hanging bridges suspended in the verdant canopy, while admiring the landscape's volcanoes and waterfalls. Then, when we reach the top of the valley, we'll enjoy a thrilling descent by zip-line (eight in total) that brings us back to solid ground.

Dinner is on your own tonight.

Please note: During the rainy season, the Canopy & Hanging Bridges optional tour will be available in the morning, and the other activities will move to later in the day.

DAY 9 Overland to Antigua • Visit Hill of the Cross
Meals included: B D Accommodations: Hotel Camino Real Antigua or similar
See Antigua's colonial architecture
This morning, we begin the overland journey to Antigua, enjoying another look at the lush Guatemalan countryside. We'll stop en route for lunch on our own and, as we approach Antigua, we'll also visit Cerro de la Cruz, or Hill of the Cross, located just north of the city. On a clear day, the hill offers sweeping views of Antigua with the towering Volcán de Agua in the background.

Later, we'll arrive in Antigua and check in to our hotel. Founded in 1543, “La Antigua” served as the seat of Spain's colonial government—whose influence extended beyond Guatemala to Chiapas (in southern Mexico), Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, and parts of Costa Rica—until the Spanish Crown ordered its relocation to the site of what is now Guatemala City in 1776.

Tonight, we'll gather for dinner at a local restaurant.

DAY 10 A Day in the Life of a Guatemalan village • Home-Hosted Lunch FOUNDATION VISIT
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Hotel Camino Real Antigua or similar

After breakfast, we’ll begin our cultural discoveries by journeying to Jocotenango, a village just northwest of Antigua, where we’ll experience A Day in the Life of a Guatemalan village. Here, we’ll visit Escuela Proyecto La Esperanza (when in session), a local primary and secondary school supported in part by Grand Circle Foundation. Many of the 450 students who attend this school come from the poor mountainside community of Vista Hermosa, and without the school’s efforts, would not be able to afford an education. We’ll tour the school’s sunny facilities and meet its vibrant students and teachers, who are sure to give us insight into their daily lives.

Later, we’ll bid the children farewell and explore a Jocotenango market, where we’ll interact with local people as they buy and sell colorful fruits and vegetables, textiles, and flowers. Then we’ll gather for a Home-Hosted Lunch, stepping into a local family’s home and enjoying homemade regional cuisine—not to mention enlightening interactions.

This afternoon, we’ll return to our hotel, where we’ll have time at leisure to reflect upon our experiences in Jocotenango. Tonight, we’ll have dinner together in a local restaurant.

DAY 11
Antigua • Walking tour • Optional Life in Guatemala's Mayan Villages tour OPTIONAL TOUR
Meals included: B Accommodations: Hotel Camino Real Antigua or similar

This morning, we head to Antigua's Central Park to embark on a walking tour of the city, one of the Americas' oldest and loveliest—full of Spanish Colonial and Baroque architecture, narrow cobblestone streets, and graceful stucco homes—and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our tour takes in several of Antigua's museums, as well as the restored convent of Santo Domingo.

Then, spend the afternoon in Antigua, exploring this charming colonial city on your own. From the stunning volcanoes to the smallest architectural detail, Antigua is a revelation. Wander the winding streets at your own pace, linger in a small café, or shop for handmade crafts. The day is yours to savor the beauty of this lovely Guatemalan community, and enjoy lunch and dinner on your own.

Or, you can join our optional Life in Guatemala's Mayan Villages tour to deepen your understanding of Guatemalan culture and history. We visit the towns of Santa Maria de Jesus and San Juan del Obispo in the countryside outside Antigua, where we'll meet Guatemalan families and delve into local history. The tour includes dinner at a local restaurant.

DAY 12
Antigua • Morning at leisure • Fly to Flores
Meals included: B L Accommodations: La Casona del Lago or similar
Explore Antigua's markets during a tour of Central America
Enjoy time at leisure in Antigua this morning to make your own discoveries in this charming city. After lunch at a local restaurant, we depart for the Guatemala City airport for our late afternoon flight to Flores. On arrival, we journey overland to our hotel, where we have time to settle in before enjoying dinner on our own.

DAY 13 Explore Tikal ruins
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: La Casona del Lago or similar
Explore Tikal ruins
Today, we explore the Mayan city of Tikal, a magnificent 1,800-year-old complex and UNESCO World Heritage Site. At its peak, Tikal was home to an estimated 100,000 Maya, and it was one of the most important urban centers of its time. Immersed in the Petén jungle in Tikal National Park, the grounds are expansive and inspiring, and it’s difficult to determine which is more impressive—the accomplishments of man or those of nature. The Tikal site comprises roughly six square miles and contains about 3,000 structures—including temples, pyramids, tombs, palaces, ball courts, and terraces—the tallest of which rise above the leafy canopy and vie for your attention with the assortment of animals and exotic birds. Within the park, it’s possible to spot a great variety of wildlife.

As we tour today, we’ll visit Tikal’s Great Plaza and see the 144-foot-high Temple of the Grand Jaguar, the tomb and memorial of Mayan ruler Moon Double Comb, who was buried with many treasures, including 180 pieces of elaborately carved jade. We’ll also see the Plaza of the Seven Temples, dating from the Late Classic period and including an unusual triple ball court. And we’ll enter El Mundo Perdido, the "Lost World," where 38 structures surround a central pyramid in yet another “neighborhood” within the vast expanse of Tikal. While Tikal’s history remains relatively unknown, its ruins stand as a testament to Mayan engineering and culture.

As we enjoy lunch at the site, our Trip Leader will help unravel some of the mysteries surrounding Tikal. Then, we’ll return to our hotel, where we’ll have some time at leisure before we gather for dinner at a local restaurant.

DAY 14
Explore Yaxhá ruins • Overland to Belize City, Belize
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Radisson Fort George Hotel and Marina or similar
See the Yaxha ruins outside Peten
After breakfast today, we travel to Yaxhá—an active site in various stages of discovery. Here, we may observe as archaeologists carefully free centuries of Mayan history from the verdant grip of the jungle.

Yaxhá was a bustling Mayan trade and ceremonial hub located about 20 miles from Tikal, one of the greatest centers of Mayan culture. It is now within the largest protected area in Guatemala, the “Maya Biosphere,” which includes Tikal National Park and a series of smaller national parks and protected areas. More than 1,500 years ago, Mayan priest-kings built scores of pyramids just tall enough to poke above the jungle here and reach the cooling breezes of the lake. They also carved stone monuments, constructed ball courts, and laid out the streets of their city in a grid pattern.

We enjoy a lunch at a local restaurant near the archaeological site, then continue our overland journey, crossing the border between Guatemala and Belize. Upon arrival in Belize City, we'll enjoy an orientation walk around the surrounding area before gathering for dinner at our hotel.

DAY 15
Explore Lamanai ruins • Discover Belize City
Meals included: B L D Accommodations: Radisson Fort George Hotel and Marina or similar

This morning, we explore the ruins of Lamanai (a Maya word meaning “submerged crocodile”), named for the abundance of crocodiles that make the adjacent New River Lagoon their home. Nestled amid thick jungle vegetation alive with exotic birds and howler monkeys, Lamanai is accessible only by boat, and boasts the second-largest pre-Classic structure in the Maya world: its magnificent High Temple. The site also features the 13-foot Mask Temple, a stone temple mask of a Maya king.

The Maya lived at Lamanai for more than 3,000 years, and the ruins here are some of the oldest in Belize, dating to 700 BC. Excavation of the site began in the 1970s, and thus far less than five percent of the structures here have been unearthed. Excavation of the ruins continues to this day. As we cruise up the New River toward Lamanai this morning, you'll probably agree that getting there is half the fun, as we take in sights of tropical trees gracefully overhanging the water, delicate orchids, colorful birds winging through virgin forest, and freshwater crocodiles lazing on the riverbanks. Then, spend the morning exploring this fascinating site, including its on-site museum, which hosts an extensive collection of artifacts used both for worship and daily life.

After exploring Lamanai,we'll eat lunch before departing for Belize City. We'll discover Belize City on an included tour, taking in the bustle of this colonial city on the Caribbean shore. We check into our hotel late this afternoon, and tonight we toast the completion of La Ruta Maya over a Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant.

DAY 16
Belize City • Return to U.S. or begin post-trip extension
Meals included: B
After breakfast at our hotel, we'll transfer to the Belize City airport. Those who are returning home will fly to the U.S., while those joining us on our Nicaragua's Colonial Cities & Volcanic Landscapes post-trip extension will fly to Managua, Nicaragua via San Salvador.

Day 1: An Island Where the Singer Madonna Fell in Love

Our tour starts on the island of Ambergris Caye. It can be reached from the capital Belize City via a 1.5-hour boat ride or a very short and cheap flight. We pick up most customers from the airport in Belize City. Some customers prefer being picked up at the airport in Ambergris Caye. It's your choice. Ambergris Caye is commonly referred to as ‘Isla Bonita’ (beautiful island) thanks to the singer Madonna, who made reference to this island and its turquoise seascapes in a 1987 hit. We explore the island with a tour guide/golf cart driver.

Day 2: A Great Blue Hole & a ‘Secret Beach’

Today we make a daytrip to the Great Blue Hole by boat.

In 2012, the Discovery Channel ranked the Great Blue Hole as number 1 on its list of ‘The 10 Most Amazing Places on Earth’. This giant marine sinkhole is a part of the larger Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, which is a World Heritage Site of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

*Note that in the event the boat company cancels the tour to the Great Blue Hole, which happens on occasion due to bad weather, we would offer you a suitable alternative for the day. A popular option is a visit to Secret Beach, which is about a 45-minute drive away from downtown. Alternatively, if a plane ride over the Great Blue Hole is available and if you are interested in that, we could offer it to you at an upcharge. Included with this upcharge is a visit to Secret Beach.

Day 3: Swimming with Sharks & Stingrays, Feeding Tarpons & Entering ‘The Split’

Today we make a daytrip via a quick boat ride (4 miles/6.4 kilometers) to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and later a boat ride to Caye Caulker.

Hol Chan Marine Reserve gives us the opportunity to swim with sharks and stingrays. These creatures have a great tolerance for snorkelers and look forward to being fed scraps of food. Caye Caulker measures about 5 miles (8 kilometers) north to south by less than 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) east to west. There are only 3 roads in town, all of which are sandy. Despite its size, there are over 50 hotels and a number of restaurants and shops. Caye Caulker is especially popular with backpackers. The highlights of our visit there are a tarpon handfeeding center and a beach called ‘The Split’. Our boat ride back to Ambergris Caye takes about 30 minutes.

Day 4: An Archaeological Site Occupied up to the 17th Century

Today we take a boat ride from Ambergris Caye to Belize City, only to check into our room and then immediately drive to a Mesoamerican archaeological site called Lamanai. We return to Belize City in the evening. Lamanai was once a major city of the Maya (indigenous) civilization. Lamanai is renowned for its exceptionally long occupation spanning three millennia. It continued to be occupied up to the 17th century AD.

Day 5: Cave Tubing, a Breathtaking Peninsula & 175 Animals in a Natural Habitat

Today we relocate to Placencia Peninsula’s main village. En route, we first visit the Belize Zoo. It is home to more than 175 animals of about 48 species, all native to Belize. The natural environment is left entirely intact within the zoo, with the animals living in their natural habitat. Next, we head to the Nohoch Cheʼen caves. There we go tubing. It is quite an adventurous experience. Before arriving in Placencia Village, we pass by Maya Beach and the beach in Seine Bight village.

Day 6: The Best Place in Belize to Go Snorkeling

Today we make a daytrip to the Silk Cayes Marine Reserve. It contains some of the healthiest parts of the country's reef system due to its elevation and good water quality. This is the best place in Belize to go snorkeling! Note that the Gladden Spit is included on today's tour only during whale season, which is usually March through June. A trip to Silk Cayes, however, is offered year-around.

Day 7: Canoeing Inside a Cave & an Ancient Ceremonial Center Bordering Guatemala

Today we relocate to the small town of San Ignacio. This is where we are based for the remainder of our trip. Nonetheless, there are some worthwhile stops en route. The first attraction this morning is the Sleeping Giant Rainforest. There we are provided with a guided tour to the top of the mountain, where a beautiful viewpoint awaits us. Next, we head to Barton Creek. There we are provided with a guided canoeing tour inside a cave. The final stop before reaching San Ignacio is an archaeological site called Xunantunich. It is located a mere 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) away from Guatemala. Xunantunich served as a Maya civic ceremonial center in the late and terminal classic periods. The first modern explorations of the site were conducted in the mid-1890s.

Day 8: A ‘Natural Museum’ Home to Ancient Skeletons, Ceramics & Stoneware

Today we make a daytrip to the Actun Tunichil Muknal (a.k.a. ATM) cave. There we climb, crawl and get wet as we check out ancient skeletons, ceramics and stoneware. Serving as an archaeological site and often called a ‘natural museum’ because of its fascinating limestone formations, the ATM cave is one of Belize’s top 2 most popular tourist destinations.

Day 9: Swimming Under Waterfalls & the Country’s Finest Archaeological Site

We make a daytrip first to Rio Frio Cave. There we see stalagmites and stalactites. Next, we head to an archaeological site called Caracol. It was once one of the most important regional political centers of the Maya lowlands during the classic period. After our guided tour there we have lunch, which is included on today’s tour. Lastly for today, we head to Big Rock Falls. There we have plenty of time to go swimming.

Day 10: Our Tour Ends This Morning

Transportation will be arranged for you to reach the airport in Belize City.