Guatemala Mexico

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel (Antigua – 1st night)   

In the morning, stroll through the lively Maya market of Sololá. Its unique location — between the highlands and the Pacific coastal plain — explains the incredible mix of populations and the variety of brilliantly colored traditional garments you’ll see. You’ll then continue to the authentic nearby village of Concepción, where the inhabitants primarily cultivate terraced fields of onions and other vegetables. The village church is one of the few colonial churches to have preserved its original wooden roof structure from the 16th century, surviving earthquakes and the passage of time. Later, cross the highlands via the Pan-American Highway toward Antigua Guatemala..       

Arrive in Antigua in the mid-afternoon and enjoy your first strolls through this welcoming town. The central plaza is lively and beautifully illuminated in the evening, highlighting the charm of its colonial façades.

Overnight stay in the historic center of Antigua.

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel (Antigua – 2nd night)     

Nestled in a tropical valley between the Agua (3,760 m / 12,336 ft), Fuego (3,763 m / 12,345 ft), and Acatenango (3,976 m / 13,045 ft) volcanoes, Antigua is one of the most beautiful colonial cities in the Americas. A baroque jewel, it is listed both as a National Monument and as a Monument of the Americas, and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded by the Spanish in the 16th century, the former capital suffered many earthquakes throughout its history — reminders of the living and dynamic nature that the ancient Maya once deified. In 1776, the Spanish government decided to relocate the capital to Guatemala City, leaving Antigua frozen in time. Since then, it has remained a city of elegant colonial architecture, romantic ruins, and lush gardens.     
The city is best explored on foot. Most landmarks are within the historic center: La Merced Church, the Cathedral, the Central Plaza, the Capuchinas and Santa Clara convents, and Parque de la Unión.

Second night in Antigua.

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel (Flores)
Guided visit in English included: Archaeological site and Tikal National Park
Included: Domestic flight Guatemala City – Flores

Short transfer to Guatemala City airport for your early morning flight to Flores (6:30 a.m., 50 min). Enjoy beautiful aerial views of the region. Upon arrival, meet your driver and transfer to Tikal National Park.

Visit the archaeological site of Tikal with an English-speaking specialist guide. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tikal is one of the few places listed for both its natural and cultural value — recognized for its extraordinary biodiversity and its immense archaeological importance. This former ceremonial center, active mainly from the 9th century BC to the 10th century AD, is located in the heart of the tropical forest. With its majestic pyramids (Temple IV rises more than 70 m / 230 ft high!), Tikal is considered the most impressive Maya site in the country — and perhaps in the entire Maya world. During your visit, your guide will also help you discover the rich flora and fauna of the park. The protected ecosystems are home to several species of monkeys, anteaters, coatis, deer, and more than 300 species of birds. The tropical vegetation is equally remarkable, with over 200 species of trees recorded within the reserve.            ²  
In the mid-afternoon, drive back to Flores, a charming small island town on Lake Petén Itzá, famous for its beautiful sunsets.

Overnight stay in Flores.

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel (Palenque)
Self-guided visit

Transfer by vehicle to Bethel, located on the Usumacinta River, which marks the border between Guatemala and Mexico. Short motorboat crossing to the small riverside hamlet of Corozal, on the Mexican side, surrounded by lush tropical rainforest. Meet your Mexican driver and continue to the archaeological site of Bonampak for a self-guided visit. Both the National Park and the site are partially managed by the Lacandon Maya people, who have preserved many pre-Hispanic cultural traits. Their traditional dress consists of a long white tunic, and the men wear their hair long. The ethnologist Jacques Soustelle wrote fascinating accounts of this group, especially in his book Les Quatre Soleils. You’ll enter the jungle aboard one of the Lacandon association’s vehicles to reach the site, where you can still admire the magnificent Maya murals. These 9th-century frescoes, remarkably preserved, are displayed in three chambers. They depict richly dressed priests and nobles attending a ceremony where a child becomes the heir of a noble family; musicians playing wooden trumpets, drums, and other instruments; a battle scene and the capture of prisoners; and finally, the prisoners presented before the lord of Bonampak, resplendent in luxury. Another fresco shows a ceremonial dance, where nobles dressed in elaborate costumes and deity masks perform ritual bloodletting by piercing their tongues — a powerful illustration of how essential self-sacrifice was to the cosmic order in pre-Columbian Maya religion.           

Continue by road to Palenque.

Overnight stay near the village of Palenque, only a few minutes from the ancient Maya city and its impressive forest surroundings.

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel (Campeche)
Included: Guided visit in English – Palenque archaeological site

The archaeological site of Palenque lies deep within lush tropical forest. A well-maintained trail allows visitors to observe both flora and fauna as they explore. Although smaller than Tikal, Palenque stands out for the elegance of its architecture and the refinement of its carvings and stuccoes. The excavated area covers about 2.5 km² (1 sq. mi.), which represents only about 10% of the city’s full extent — over a thousand additional structures remain buried under the forest canopy. These mysterious mounds allow you to imagine how the city must have looked when rediscovered in the late 18th century. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, Palenque is celebrated for its architectural harmony and the richness of its bas-reliefs and sculptures. Among the most remarkable structures are the Temple of the Inscriptions, the Palace (one of the finest architectural achievements of the Classic Maya period), the Temple of the Cross, the Temple of the Foliated Cross, the Temple of the Sun, and the ball court. During your guided visit with a specialist, you’ll also admire numerous carved stelae. Time permitting, you may visit the excellent site museum, which showcases many artifacts from the excavations.

In the afternoon, drive to the colonial city of Campeche. In the historic center, you’ll feel transported to a Spanish colonial port of the New World. The city’s walls and fortifications, remarkably well preserved, once protected the harbor from pirate and corsair attacks coming from the Caribbean Sea.

 Overnight stay in the historic center of Campeche.

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel (Mérida – 1st night)   
Included: Guided visit in English – Uxmal archaeological site

Suggestion: Take an early morning stroll around Campeche’s main square. The soft morning light enhances the pastel tones of the colonial houses — Campeche is undoubtedly the most colorful city in the Yucatán Peninsula!

After breakfast, depart for the archaeological site of Uxmal. Visit with an English-speaking specialist guide. Maya architecture here rivals that of Palenque in elegance and beauty, with the distinctive Puuc style — a kind of “Maya baroque” characterized by exuberant sculpted decoration covering the façades. Uxmal is one of the few Maya ceremonial centers where visitors can appreciate the layout of the city almost in its entirety, in an exceptional state of preservation. The most important structures include the Pyramid of the Magician, the Nunnery Quadrangle, the Governor’s Palace, the House of the Turtles, and of course, the ball court. Founded around 700 AD, the city once had a population of about 25,000. The temples of Uxmal and those of neighboring cities represent the pinnacle of late Maya art and architecture. Many buildings are adorned with stylized masks of Chaac, the rain god. The abundance of carved motifs expresses the complex Maya cosmology and their deep spiritual connection to the natural world.

After the visit, drive to Mérida, located 62 km (38 mi) north of Uxmal. Known today as the White City, Mérida was founded in 1542 on the site of an ancient Maya settlement and is now the capital of the Yucatán. It is often considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the Americas.    

Overnight stay in the colonial center of Mérida.

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel (Mérida, 2nd night)     

Enjoy a free day to explore Mérida’s colonial center. In the morning, stroll through the old town’s narrow streets, markets, and shaded plazas. Mérida is one of Mexico’s most vibrant cities. Like most Spanish colonial cities in the New World, it was built on a perfect grid of straight streets and square blocks.

The Municipal Palace of Mérida stands on the site of an ancient Maya pyramid—its stones were reused to build both the cathedral and the famous Casa Montejo (a must-see). The city’s colonial core features a series of charming squares, most with their own church. Mérida prospered until the early 20th century thanks to henequen production, which brought immense wealth to the region. You can still see it today in the elegant, elaborate mansions lining the streets. Until the mid-19th century, Mérida was a walled city, and several of its beautiful gates have survived. Suggestion: Visit the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya which features stunning ethnological and archaeological exhibits.               

Optional excursion: visit the cenote of Kankirixche, a natural limestone sinkhole with crystal-clear waters located near Mérida — available on request.     

Second night in Mérida’s historic center.

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel (Valladolid)
Included: Guided visit in English– Chichén Itzá archaeological site

Drive across the Yucatán Peninsula to visit the world-famous archaeological site of Chichén Itzá.

With your English-speaking specialist guide, explore this immense city covering over 300 hectares (740 acres) — once one of the largest Maya centers in the region.

Dominated by the Pyramid of Kukulkán (the Feathered Serpent), Chichén Itzá’s monuments blend Maya and Toltec architectural styles, reflecting nearly a thousand years of history. Admire the Temple of the Warriors, the Sacred Cenote, the Wall of Skulls, and the Great Ball Court. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 and named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007, Chichén Itzá remains one of the most extraordinary sites in the entire Maya world. After the visit, stop in Uyama, a charming off-the-beaten-path village, before continuing to Valladolid, a delightful small colonial town.               

Drive to Valladolid, a delightful small colonial town.

Overnight in Valladolid.

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel (Tulum, 1st night)   
Included: Guided visit in English – Ek Balam archaeological site

Head toward the Caribbean coast, stopping to visit two remarkable archaeological sites that remain off the usual tourist trail.

North of Valladolid, discover the small but superb site of Ek Balam (about 30 minutes away), where remarkably well-preserved high-reliefs and sculptures have been uncovered. Guided visit in English. Ek Balam is one of the Yucatán Peninsula’s lesser-known treasures and should not be missed. You can also take a refreshing swim in the nearby cenote.

Continue to the site of Cobá, surrounded by a series of lakes. After Chichén Itzá, it was one of the region’s major pre-Columbian cities. Cobá once covered more than 70 km² (27 sq mi) and developed an extensive network of paved roads (sacbeob). You can explore them at your own pace by renting a bicycle. Inhabited from the 1st century BCE until the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, Cobá likely controlled trade routes and exerted strong regional influence.²     

Overnight in Tulum village. (Two nights in total at this location.)

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel (Tulum, 2nd night)     

A day to enjoy the Caribbean!

Explore on your own the small but stunning archaeological site of Tulum, a walled Maya city overlooking a spectacular white-sand beach and turquoise waters. Inhabited mainly by merchants closely linked to the powerful city of Cobá, Tulum is believed to have been founded around 564 CE, though most of its structures date after 1200. At that time, coastal trade was thriving, with boats sailing as far as Costa Rica and Panama. The city was protected by an outer wall over 6 m (20 ft) thick and 4 m (13 ft) high, as well as an inner enclosure. The Castillo (the “castle”) is the site’s most impressive building, but you’ll also see the Temple of the Descending God, the Main Causeway, and the Temple of the Frescoes.     

Afterward, enjoy a swim at Ka’a Lum Lagoon (15 minutes from Tulum), a hidden gem of the Riviera Maya surrounded by tropical forest. Its turquoise waters conceal a deep cenote at the center — a peaceful alternative to the crowded beaches of Tulum.   Second overnight stay in Tulum.

Meals included: Breakfast

Transfer to Cancún airport for your return flight.