Let yourself be surprised in Guatemala

​If you’d like to visit Belize, we recommend combining it with a trip to Guatemala. The two countries complement each other perfectly. In Guatemala, Mayan culture is still very much alive, the jungle connects the two countries, and in Belize you can round off your trip in style on one of the dream beaches.

When you spend two days exploring the Petén jungle with Carlos, staying with the Maya community of Uaxactún and visiting the ancient Maya city of the same name with him, you’ll be truly immersed in Mayan culture and, what’s more, you’ll learn an incredible amount about the local flora and fauna. Carlos is a born storyteller, a knowledgeable guide with a passion for the region he comes from, and a trip with him is a truly unique experience.

Are you a real foodie? Then there’s nothing more enjoyable than discovering a country through its cuisine. Together with your guide, you’ll set off to explore Antigua and learn more about the city’s history. Along the way, you’ll pass various street food stalls and ‘comedores’ – small eateries – that are most popular with the locals. Why not try the traditional chuchitos, rellenitos and tostadas, or pig’s trotters for the more adventurous?

Did you know you can also travel around Guatemala in a rental car? There are plenty of good hire cars available, the roads are generally in perfect condition and the routes are absolutely stunning! It’s now even possible to drive a lovely route to Nicaragua in a rental car, travelling through Honduras and El Salvador, without having to swap your rental car at the border each time. Ask us for more information about this unique opportunity!

In the centre of Guatemala lies the town of Cobán. Here, you find yourself in a transitional zone between the cool highlands and the tropical rainforest. This creates a unique natural environment, such as the Lanquín Caves. An extensive cave system stretching for several kilometres, only part of which has been explored. As well as bats, these caves are home to strangely shaped stalactites and stalagmites.

Not far from these caves lies Semuc Champey, tucked away deep in the forests. Semuc Champey is regarded by many as Guatemala’s greatest natural wonder; it consists of a series of swimmable, turquoise pools atop a 300-metre-long natural limestone bridge. It’s just as fantastic as it sounds.

From Rio Dulce, you can take a lovely boat trip to the town of Livingston. This is the only Guatemalan town on the Caribbean coast and, with its Garifuna population – who are descended from former African slaves – the atmosphere here is completely different to that in the rest of Guatemala.