The Mayan Trail
21-day multi-country trip
During the Mayan Trail expedition, you’ll discover the most beautiful places in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Belize. You’ll explore Mayan Cities, such as Uxmal, which preserves the glory of what it was. Visit Tikal, the most famous Mayan city in Guatemala—Copan, likewise the Paris of the Mayan World in Honduras.
Explore colonial cities like San Cristobal de Las Casas in Mexico, which is known for its magnificent buildings and architectural diversity. Antigua Guatemala, the most beautiful colonial town in the Americas in Guatemala.
Uxmal
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Cenotes
Limestone reservoirs of water
El Sumidero
Great canyon in Chiapas
Calakmul
A protected UNESCO Biosphere
Highlights
See 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Mayan Cities of Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Palenque, Calakmul, Copan, Quirigua, and Tikal, and Antigua Guatemala. Tour Lake Atitlan is one of the world’s most beautiful lakes, surrounded by majestic volcanoes. Discover the impressive Castle of San Felipe, waterfalls, and hot springs in Rio Dulce, Guatemala, and enjoy Tulum’s beautiful white sand beaches with clear turquoise water.
Itinerary
A driver will welcome you at the international airport of Cancun. The Mayan Trail trip starts in Cancun, Mexico. The beaches of Cancun are some of the biggest draws for tourists with their warm, white, powdery sand and crystal-clear turquoise waters. Cancun also offers a wide variety of local and international restaurants, which are perfect for everyone’s taste. There are also many shopping centers, bars, and clubs in Cancún. As a result, this city has a lively atmosphere.
The remainder of the day is free to explore and relax. The city has countless activities; therefore, you will always have things to do during your stay. Cancun offers a broad range of water activities, including snorkeling and diving in the spectacular underwater world. For those who love culture, it has a variety of cultural activities such as museums, Mayan traditions, folkloric shows, and much more.
Today you will discover the Mayan City of Chichen Itza. The pyramid El Castillo (The Castle) is considered one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. It is one of Yucatan’s most important archeological sites and the entire Mayan world. A massive ancient ceremonial center composed primarily of the ‘Puuc’ construction style.
Later, we’ll drive to the community of Yokdzonot and enjoy its great and unique Cenote. The Cenotes are sinkholes resulting from the disintegration of limestone rock that uncovers crystal-clear water and incredible rock formations. Cenotes were used for water supplies by the Mayan cities and usually have crystal and freshwater. On a hot day in Yucatan, there is nothing better than a refreshing swim in a Cenote, and they are a pleasure to snorkel.
A cooperative of mainly local women manages the Cenote of Yokdzonot. Take a refreshing dip in the blue waters of the Cenote and relax in this paradise. We will drive to your hotel in Merida, a city with magnificent buildings and architectural diversity. As a result, the locals recognize it as a ‘second Paris.’ Buildings from the colonial period light up the evening sun with romance and charm.
At the market in Merida, you can find anything your heart desires, from everyday objects to beautiful handmade jewelry, scarves, and souvenirs. Merida also offers a broad range of restaurants for everyone’s taste, but especially for traditional Mexican food.
Today, we will explore more of the Mayan underworld. We will visit the Cenotes of Dzonbacal and X-Batun. Tropical forests surround Turquoise waters at these beloved swimming sinkholes; they are an excellent getaway if you are looking for an escape from daily life. Get some exercise with a 3-mile (5-kilometer) bike ride through a dirt path to the Cenotes. If it is just too hot and humid, we give you the option to drive as well. Put on your swimsuit the minute you arrive and swim! The water truly is a stunning color. It will be tempting to spend the whole time snorkeling with the little fish that bound through the hanging tree roots.
The Cenote of Dzonbacal has a submerged cave; its waters are excellent for swimming, snorkeling, and diving. To enter the Cenote, you must go down a masonry staircase. The water is turquoise, becoming a blue color in the deepest parts. The Cenote X-Batun is an open Cenote so you can enjoy a combination of freshwater and sunshine.
Afterward, we will visit one of the jewels of the Mayan Empire, Uxmal. The name means ‘Three times built.’ The name comes from the city’s main temple, built on existing pyramids. The Mayan ruins seem to come out of nowhere, and the main temple of the Magician rises above the jungle so you can see for miles in all directions. Uxmal is an extensive set of ruins; the main group is about 150 acres. The Temple of the Magician is one of the tallest Mayan pyramids. It rises 91 feet high, only 7 feet shorter than the Castle pyramid at Chichen Itza.
Later we will drive to the colonial city of Campeche. This colonial city is a people-pleaser; no matter your tastes, you’ll be delighted by the variety of Mexican attractions to sink your teeth into here.
After breakfast, we will drive to the area of Calakmul Ruins and Biosphere Reserve.
We’ll explore Becan. They have excavated 20 buildings that are open to visitors, and the size and scale of the temples and this city are unbelievable to visualize when standing in its center. The plazas are vast, the pyramids outstanding, and the moat’s location is visible in multiple places.
Becan was a mighty Mayan City in the area, featuring a moat surrounding it, robust structures built over numerous centuries, and sprawling plazas.
Because the ruins are off the beaten path for travelers, we’ll share the enormous city with perhaps a dozen other visitors. We’ll feel like we have the complex to ourselves the entire time.
You’ll climb ancient temples, admire the jungle, see wildlife, duck in and out of small chambers, and soak up all the glorious history with your local guide.
We will explore the great Mayan city of Calakmul. Only a few travelers make it down to Calakmul’s ruins and the other famous Mayan pyramids in Mexico, mainly due to its isolated location.
Calakmul is far from any tourist city, demanding a long and dedicated trip to visit these ruins. We have prepared it for you so you can only travel a short distance to have the chance to see it. It is a real hidden jewel for travelers who wish to get off the beaten track. The ruins are enormous and cover 2 square kilometers. They have yet to excavate a lot of this site, and because it only receives about a dozen travelers per day, we will have the place almost by our-self.
Live a unique experience, explore one of the main Mayan world’s capitals, and discover the unbelievable wildlife from the surrounding jungle. You can see toucans, monkeys, mount turkeys, deer, pumas, and jaguars (if you are lucky enough).
Discover this fascinating Mayan site surrounded by jungle, over 6,500 ancient structures, and one of Mexico’s tallest Mayan temples. Walk the trails while learning about the uses and meanings of buildings and the history of this once-powerful Mayan city. This expedition mixes adventure and archeology.
Later, we’ll drive to Palenque on a ledge overlooking the swampy plains stretching northward to the Gulf coast. Palenque has a mystical charm that enchants scientists and tourists. The soaring jungle-swathed temples of Palenque are a national treasure and one of the best examples of Mayan architecture in Mexico.
After breakfast, you will explore Palenque with a professional guide. This Mayan site is at the western frontier of the lowland Mayan region. The architecture of Palenque was genuinely inventive. During this tour, you’ll see many impressive ruins and enjoy the most notable structures of Palenque: The Palace and the Temple of Inscriptions.
Today we will drive to the colonial city of San Cristobal de Las Casas. The state of Chiapas has enormous biodiversity and weather that varies from fresh in the highlands to hot and humid in the jungle lowlands. Home to some of the most extraordinary Mayan ruins and a broad indigenous population, it is one of Mexico’s most diversified districts in nature and Mayan heritage.
Close to the Lacandon jungle, dozens of delightful waterfalls dot the landscape. Two of the most majestic of these falls have to be Misol-ha and Agua Azul, and we will visit both of them on the way to San Cristobal.
Waterfall of Misol-ha: Waterfalls down off a high wall and crashes into a stone below. The bounce-back splash ends up in a big pool at the waterfall’s base. The mist from the gigantic waterfall covers a small hiking track that goes beneath the waterfall. The trail leads into a cave, with a river flowing out and another hidden waterfall.
Agua Azul: the waterfalls got their name, Agua Azul, meaning Blue Water, perhaps rather certainly because the water thundering down it has a blazing blue complexion. Their unbelievable color is, indeed, due to the significant mineral content of the water, which deposits itself on the limestone rock. The limestone-rich accumulations also give the falls an attractive, waving shape. During the rainy season, when water pounds down the falls with more potent energy and picks up silt, the blue color is less intense, but the falls are still extraordinary.
We will embark on an expedition to El Sumidero Canyon in the morning. The sheer stonewalls of Sumidero Canyon rise hundreds of meters. At one point, they grow a full kilometer above the tranquil river, creating an awe-inspiring channel. Therefore, it is one of ‘Chiapas’ most recognizable and impressive natural wonders. Later in the afternoon, we will discover San Cristobal. The colonial city of San Cristobal is set in a gorgeous highland valley surrounded by pine forests.
After breakfast, you will continue your journey to Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. The lake is famous for its natural beauty and colorful Mayan villages. Natural beauty surrounds this lake. It floats in the sky, a mile above sea level, relying on three majestic volcanoes. You will have free time to relax at the lake and have dinner upon arrival.
Today, you will go on a boat tour to discover Lake Atitlan and the indigenous villages of Santa Catarina Palopo, Santiago Atitlan, and San Juan. Lake Atitlan is truly a jewel of the Guatemalan highlands. Three majestic volcanoes surround the lake, the most beautiful lake in Latin America.
With its stunning scenery and lively shore-side villages, the famous novelist Aldous Huxley considered Lake Atitlán “one of the most beautiful in the world.”
Many villages surrounded the lake. Consequently, the Mayan culture thrives here. Every town has its traditional Mayan dress, demonstrating how rich and diverse Guatemalan culture is. A significant part of the Mayan trail excursion is getting to know the Mayan civilization.
We will have a local breakfast with the best organic coffee in the world. After that, continue your journey to the colonial city of Antigua Guatemala. Antigua is the most beautiful and best-preserved colonial city in Central America.
Upon arrival, you will explore the city with a local guide. This city has natural beauty and impressive historical monuments. Antigua is a city of charm and color where you can see and buy an overwhelming variety of attractive, handmade products that honor the traditions of generations of artisans.
Indeed, the most beautiful colonial city in the Americas. Famous for its well-preserved Spanish architecture and some stunning ruins of colonial convents and churches. In addition to the fascinating culture, the city is also home to immense volcanoes like Agua, de Fuego, Pacaya, and Acatenango. They form a majestic background to the town.
After breakfast, We will leave Antigua and drive to Copán, Honduras. Upon arrival, we will have a tour of the Copan ruins together with a local professional guide. Copan was the dominant Mayan city in the south of their territory. Its rich stone sculptures and intricate hieroglyphs make Copan a feature attraction along ‘The Maya Route.’ Most archeologists agree that Copan formed part of the new world’s three most important and lavish cultural centers.
This magnificent Mayan site is in the heart of the Copan Valley. It is the world’s most significant source of information about the ancient Mayan civilization. The acropolis has two plazas, and the Ball Court on this site is the second largest in Central America. The most famous monument of Copan is the Hieroglyphic Stairway. Copan is a UNESCO World Heritage site for humanity.
Today, we’ll drive back to Guatemala. First, we will visit the Mayan ruins of Quirigua, an extraordinary number of Maya treasures, including the two tallest stelae in the world. The temples here are primarily unexcavated, and you should pay attention to the sculptured stelae instead. It’s one Mayan site where the micro supersedes the macro.
The UNESCO World Heritage site of Quirigua consists of two main areas. The most splendid is the Central Plaza, which has all the stelae. The other section is the partially restored acropolis. Stela F stands a colossal 7.3 meters tall and only comes second to Stela E on the planet. Stela E is the monolith you came to contemplate. It is 10.6 meters long, and it weighs 65 tons. Approximately 3 meters is buried to keep it vertical, but it still rises above more than a 2-story building.
Later, we will drive to Rio Dulce, where we will visit the Castle of San Felipe. The castle is a Spanish fort located on a peninsula between Lake Izabal and Rio Dulce. It is an impressive castle designed to defend the area against the pirates who came during the colonization.
After breakfast, we will go on a boat expedition through Lake Izabal to visit Finca Paraiso (Paradise farm). These hot springs are so magical to swim in. It is cold when you first swim in the water, but as you swim to the waterfall, it warms up. The hot water comes down from the 12-meter waterfall, so you can stand beneath it and get a hot shower. The mix of cold and hot water is a one-of-a-kind experience you will not see anywhere else on the planet.
Later, we will go by boat to Rio Dulce (Sweet River) which has a stunning diversity of wildlife harmonized by the beauty of unique geography and hydrography. Rio Dulce is an underrated destination in Guatemala. It flows from Lake Izabal to the Caribbean Ocean, surrounded by a tropical jungle full of wildlife.
We will have lunch in Livingston, a small Caribbean town where the river meets the Caribbean Sea. It is a genuinely authentic spot to see in Guatemala, as it is the only Garifuna town in the country. Experience a laid-back Caribbean atmosphere, and eat the traditional Tapado dish, which tastes the Garifuna and Caribbean flavors.
Afterward, we will go back to Rio Dulce by boat and drive to Tikal.
Today, we’ll get up early to visit one of the most beloved Mayan treasures during sunrise, Tikal. The massive ruins of Tikal are at the center of Tikal National Park, a carefully preserved area of 222 square miles with some undiscovered ruins.
While it is still dark, you will walk through the jungle to arrive at the highest temple at the site, Temple IV, in time to watch the spectacular sunrise over the Mayan ruins. As the light peaks, you will hear how the jungle wakes up. Monkeys, birds, and other species create a fantastic cacophony – a truly magical experience. Then, you will see the top of the impressive temples rising above the jungle canopy. It is an experience not-to-be-missed. You’ll have enough time to explore the ruins.
Today you leave Guatemala, and the next destination of this beautiful expedition is the neighboring country Belize. In Belize, you will explore a tour of the Mayan ruins of Xunantunich. You can decide whether to do time on foot or by horse riding.
Suppose you decide to take the horseback riding option. In that case, we will drive to the Mayan site of Xunantunich on a 4-hour excursion from a beloved riding stable in San Ignacio. Follow your guides along the mellow Mopan River, and look for howler monkeys and tropical birds in the trees.
You will have a wide range of views of the Xunantunich ruins, explore this captivating, extinguished city with your guide, and contemplate the gigantic El Castillo temple. Enjoy the calmness of the countryside as you ride through the partly excavated ruins before going to your jungle lodge.
Today, you will explore ATM Cave. The cave is located in the heart of the Belizean rainforest and was sacred to the prehistoric Mayas of Belize. ATM cave is a long cave that ends deep under the mountain rock. In addition, they found the most incredible remains of Maya sacrifices. You will explore this cave not just by walking but also by swimming.
We also offer you the opportunity to take the tubing excursion to the Barton Creek Cave for those travelers who want something other than an adventure tour. Afterward, we will drive to your hotel, where you can rest and relax.
After breakfast, we will leave on a jungle river cruise to the Mayan site of Lamanai. It’s the best way to discover this magical place, where you can observe wildlife along the river’s bed. When arriving in Lamanai, you will have the opportunity to climb the pyramids. A journey through the magical New River Lagoon to explore thousands of years of Belize’s Mayan history.
If you’re lucky, you’ll meet turtles, crocodiles, tropical birds, and howler monkeys. On this boat trip, you go deep into the jungle, where an impressive ancient civilization once prospered. Later, you will return to your hotel where you can go bird watching or just rest and relax.
Following breakfast, we will drive to the border of Chetumal. This town is the midpoint between Mexico and Central America, which blends the best of both destinations; it is on the border with Belize. After that, we will drive to Tulum, a well-known city on the Riviera Maya, approximately 130 kilometers south of Cancun, located directly on the Mexican Caribbean coast. Upon your arrival in Tulum, you’ll have free time to rest and relax.
Today, you will discover the Mayan site in Tulum. You’ll see the most representative temples, such as The Castle, the highest building in Tulum. Also, visit the Temple of the Down-Rising God. Take advantage of observing the breathtaking Temple of the Paintings and the Temple of the Wind. What makes Tulum so unique is its location, as it’s the only Mayan site located in front of the Caribbean sea.
Unfortunately, the Mayan trail expedition ends today. A driver will take you to the Cancun international airport for your flight back home. Still, waiting to go home? If you want to extend your holiday, contact one of our knowledgeable agents to begin customizing your itinerary.
map, expenses & price
The Mayan Trail
Expenses included:
-Ground transportation and boat transfers.
-Twenty nights of hotel accommodations.
-Professional certified guides.
-All park entrance fees.
-Tours and excursions as listed.
-Daily breakfast.
Extensions
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See one of Guatemala’s most delicate and unknown lagoons, plus three Cenotes. The tour to the lagoon is a hike where you come in contact with nature with exquisite views. Once at the lagoon, you will realize how clean it is and be able to see all the color tones of the lagoon. This expedition provides an intimate experience in the rural forest and a chance to enjoy splendid views.
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It’s an exclusive opportunity to experience authentic rural Honduran life at this century-old plantation. Set in the beautiful western highlands, this family-owned farm offers an insight into the daily life of a working ranch. You’ll go on a cacao, cardamom, and coffee plantation excursion, learn about cattle ranching, enjoy delicious home-cooked farm meals, and round off your experience with a stop in the natural hot springs.
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The views mixed deep in the jungle canopy of the colossal Mayan Biosphere give a glimpse back in time. As the helicopter pulls above the treeline, Lake Peten’s sight makes you joyful. The color of the water is turquoise blended with greens that change almost yellow near the shallow shore. It’s nearly an hour of flying to the site, so settle back and observe the fields thin, the farms dissolve, and then it’s just jungle. No fields, roads, or houses, just an endless, magnificent jungle as far as you can see.
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You should take advantage of a tour of the archeological zone of Coba.
The ruins of this ancient Mayan city have been increasingly popular, and one of the most visited in the Yucatan peninsula. Among its best advantages, the site has an exceptional location in the middle of a lustrous jungle, easy access, and impressive structures in excellent condition.