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15-Nights Mayan Sun Southbound: Boat Rides & Ruins - 18-to-Thirtysomethings from $1,394
G Adventures
OFFER ID 1533004
Mayan Sun Southbound: Boat Rides & Ruins
Find your paradise somewhere between the blazing Mexican sun and the cool Guatemalan highlands on this 16-day odyssey. Wander Antigua’s cobblestone streets and its local markets before experiencing the diverse beauty of Lake Atitlán and its Indigenous villages. Geared to the adventurer wanting to capture some of Central America's finest highlights, this trip will ensure that you really pack some punch into those postcards home.
Highlights
Relax on white-sand beaches, bask in Caye Caulker sunsets and reggae music, experience a local homestay, explore gorgeous colonial Antigua and its colourful markets.
Accommodation
Simple hotels/hostels (14 nts, most multi-share), local homestay (1 nt).
Group Leader
CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, local guides.
Group Size Notes
Max 18, avg 14.
Meals Included
2 lunches, 1 dinner
What's Included
Your G for Good Moment: San Antonio Women's Pottery Cooperative and Local Lunch, San Ignacio
Your G for Good Moment: Caribbean Gastronomic Experience "El Manglar", Lívingston
Your G for Good Moment: Posadas Mayas Homestay, San Juan La Laguna
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
Your First Night Out Moment: Connect With New Friends
Your Discover Moment: Playa del Carmen
Your Discover Moment: Caye Caulker
Your Discover Moment: Antigua Guatemala
Your Big Night Out Moment: Antigua Guatemala. Guided tour of Tikal. Orientation walk in Antigua. Beach time in Playa del Carmen and Caye Caulker. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.
15 nights from $1,394 per person
G Adventures: Mayan Sun Southbound: Boat Rides & Ruins
Day 1: Playa del Carmen
Arrive at any time. Head out tonight with your fellow travellers to 12th Street, where there’s tons of bars and clubs to choose from. Say cheers to new adventures with new friends!
Check into our hotel and enjoy the city.
Day 2: Playa del Carmen
Enjoy free time to explore the Mayan ruins of Tulúm or take a ferry to nearby Cozumel. Or just play in the waves and enjoy the beach.
Start your holiday off with some hardcore relaxation. Enjoy a full day of free time to fill as you wish. Get your ruin on with a visit to Tulum perched atop the sea, explore the fish- and coral-filled seas around Cozumel on a scuba dive, go swimming in a cenote or at the beach, and save some energy for a night out on the town.
Day 3: Playa del Carmen/Caye Caulker
Opt to snorkel with stingrays and nurse sharks at Hol Chan Marine Reserve, go diving or just chill out, Belizean style.
Mention Belize and you may conjure up visions of unbelievably clear blue waters, diving and snorkelling along the barrier reef and remarkable marine life. Belize also boasts huge swaths of jungle, ancient Mayan ruins, and above all, friendly, easygoing people. Belize is all this and much more!
Day 4: Caye Caulker
Opt to snorkel with stingrays and nurse sharks at Hol Chan Marine Reserve, go diving or just chill out, Belizean style.
Day 5: Caye Caulker
Opt to snorkel with stingrays and nurse sharks at Hol Chan Marine Reserve, go diving or just chill out, Belizean style.
Day 6: Caye Caulker/San Ignacio
Travel by boat and bus from Caye Caulker to San Ignacio. Enjoy an included pottery demonstration and local lunch at a G Adventures-supported women's pottery cooperative.
From the town of San Ignacio, opportunities abound for exploring Belize’s little known inland scenic beauty. With free time here, choose to explore the area by foot, canoe or horse, take a caving trip, or visit the Mountain Pine Ridge Area and swim in its inviting pools and rivers.
Day 7: San Ignacio
Opt to visit the sacred Mayan cave Actun Tunichil Muknal or check out the seldom-visited Mayan ruins of Xunantunich.
Day 8: San Ignacio/Flores
Learn about Mayan culture and history on a guided tour of the ruins of Tikal.
Cross the border into Guatemala and you immediately notice the difference in culture, with its heavy Mayan influence and Spanish language. Here we have entered Guatemala’s northeast jungle Petén region. The descendants of the Maya of Chichén Itzá migrated to the Petén area several centuries after the collapse of the great Mayan cities in the Yucatán.En route to Flores, stop for a guided tour of the ancient city of Tikal. Arrive in Flores, the capital of the department of Petén, a small island located on the second largest lake of Guatemala, Lake Petén Itzá.
Day 9: Flores/Rio Dulce
Travel across the country towards the coast to Rio Dulce, on the shores of Lake Izabal.
A travel day from Flores to Rio Dulce which is located in the department of Izabal, home of the largest lake in Guatemala, Lake Izabal was one of the most important water ways of the Spanish crown during colonial times.We take the road past areas of dense jungle and arrive at Río Dulce, a small town on Lake Izabal and a port stop for boaters around the globe, on their way to/from Livingston and the Caribbean coast.
Day 10: Rio Dulce
Travel to the Caribbean town of Livingston by scenic boat ride from Rio Dulce. Enjoy a visit to the G Adventures–supported El Manglar Restaurant for an explanation of the women-led community initiative project here. Then, walk around the grounds before a sit-down lunch of delicious local flavours.
Day 11: Rio Dulce/Antigua Guatemala
Enjoy an orientation walk of Antigua's cobblestone streets, then opt to take a salsa lesson and practice new moves out at night.
Today is a travel day from Rio Dulce to Antigua, followed by an orientation walk once you arrive. Plan your activities for the next day and enjoy some of the nightlife this beautiful colonial city has to offer.
Day 12: Antigua Guatemala
Enjoy a free day in Antigua. Opt to relax with a massage, climb a volcano, soak up the culture in one of the city's many cafés, or explore the nearby hills and towns by bike.
Get adventurous and pre-book the Pacaya Volcano Hike on the checkout page to include this optional activity on your tour or ask your GCO or travel agent for assistance.
Day 13: Antigua Guatemala/Panajachel
Travel to beautiful Lake Atitlán and enjoy the views.
Travel through the hills and fertile fields of the Guatemalan highlands to the shores of Lake Atitlán, one of the most beautiful spots in Guatemala. Twelve native villages, blue/grey mountains and three volcanoes line the shores of this lake resulting in a wonderful combination of unusual natural beauty and traditional culture.The area is also ideal for outdoor pursuits like swimming, fishing, wind surfing, hiking, bird watching, kayaking, and horseback riding.
Day 14: Panajachel/San Juan La Laguna
Embark on a boat ride across the lake before participating in a G Adventures-supported homestay with a local family. This area is known for stunning scenery and great shopping for Mayan handicrafts. Opt to bargain for colourful textiles and paintings at the lake's markets.
Day 15: San Juan La Laguna/Antigua Guatemala
Return to Antigua, and enjoy a Big Night Out with the group.
We return to Antigua to spend more time to explore the city, shop, and check out optional activities in the area. Optional activities include visiting a macadamia nut farm, checking out a coffee plantation, biking around Antigua's surrounding hills or taking a salsa lesson.
Day 16: Antigua Guatemala
Depart at any time.
Vacation Details
* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
Moderate facilities have modest enhancements to amenities and décor. These hotels or resorts are dependable, comfortable and some may offer standard features, such as select business services, Continental breakfast or coffee service and may have a swimming pool or small fitness center on-site. Guestrooms are comfortable, moderately spacious, in-room telephones, televisions and limited amenities. Moderate establishments provide suitable accommodations and service for budget-minded travelers.
Dossier Disclaimer
The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and the operator. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Please note that our brochure is usually released in November each year. If you have booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to the itinerary. VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.
Itinerary Disclaimer
While it is our intention to adhere to the route described below, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable to make alterations. The itinerary is brief, as we never know exactly where our journey will take us. Due to our style of travel and the regions we visit, travel can be unpredictable. The Trip Details document is a general guide to the tour and region and any mention of specific destinations or wildlife is by no means a guarantee that they will be visited or encountered. Aboard expedition trips visits to research stations depend on final permission. Additionally, any travel times listed are approximations only and subject to vary due to local circumstances.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
Reference this number when contacting our agency so we may better serve you. Also keeping this number handy will allow you to locate this document again quickly.
Kathleen Stahl Travel Services
529 36th Street
Des Moine, IA 50312
USA
(515) 271-8091