3-week luxury trip of Guatemala & Belize

Day 4 | Antigua – Atitlán

After breakfast, your driver will be waiting to take you to Lake Atitlán. A beautiful drive through the highlands will take you today, accompanied by your private guide, to the town of Chichicastenango. Along the way, you’ll already see the first Maya people in their traditional dress going about their daily routines: working in the fields, gathering firewood, and travelling between two markets to sell their wares. Chichicastenango, popularly known as ‘Chichi’, has been famous for centuries for its large, colourful market. Your guide will take you on a trip of this immense and extensive market. You’ll visit the fruit and vegetable ‘section’, as well as the parts of the market where the beautiful Mayan fabrics are sold. You can also visit San Tomás Church, where the Maya people come to perform their rituals. Here, it becomes clear how these two religions have intermingled over the years. You’ll have time for lunch at a local restaurant before being taken to Lake Atitlán.
Overnight stay: Casa Palopó | bed and breakfast

*Market days are only on Thursdays and Sundays

Day 5 | Atitlán

You’ll be picked up to explore Lake Atitlán from the water by kayak. Experience the beauty of the lake by kayaking for a unique view of the volcanic landscape. Enjoy the views of the Mayan villages and watch as Tzutujil fishermen cast their lines from their ‘cayucos’ whilst birds circle overhead. After your kayaking trip, you’ll walk to the traditional village of Jaibalito, which you’ll explore with a guide. You’ll then travel by boat to Santiago, where you’ll set off on foot in search of the house where the Mayan god Maximon currently resides. Each year, a different member of the religious brotherhoods looks after this god, who takes the form of a doll. You’ll see the local shaman performing their rituals for the local people. Afterwards, you’ll be taken back to the hotel.
Overnight stay: Casa Palopó | bed and breakfast

Day 6 | Atilán

Today you’ll travel by boat to the village of San Juan La Laguna, a small but picturesque Tz’utujil Maya town with panoramic views of the lake. From the docks, you’ll head up the hill past galleries and craft shops. Wander through this peaceful town, admiring the impressive murals depicting the history of San Juan, and relax in a café with the finest coffee you’ve ever tasted. Visit one of the women’s cooperatives for a demonstration of how traditional backstrap looms and all-natural dyes are used to create some of Guatemala’s richly coloured fabrics, including scarves, blankets and even iPad covers. Many of the images depict the city’s customs, history and legends, or reflect the surrounding landscape. At the end of your trip, you’ll stop at an artist’s studio before enjoying a traditional Guatemalan lunch at one of the women’s cooperatives. After lunch, you can try your hand at weaving in a two-hour weaving workshop. Once you’ve finished, you’ll return to the dock for the transfer back to your hotel.
Overnight: Casa Palopó | bed and breakfast

Day 7 | Atitlán – Guatemala – Flores

Today you’ll travel back by boat across Lake Atitlán and be taken to Guatemala City airport, where you’ll board your domestic flight to Flores. On arrival, you’ll be welcomed and taken to your hotel. You’ll immediately notice that you’ve swapped the highlands of Guatemala for the dense rainforest. The temperature and humidity are considerably higher here. You’ll be staying at Las Lagunas, a resort situated in the heart of the jungle by a lagoon. The surroundings are peaceful and the casitas are fully equipped with all modern conveniences. Enjoy a delicious dinner and a good night’s sleep here.
Overnight stay: Las Lagunas | bed and breakfast

Day 8 | Flores – Uaxactún

This morning, enjoy a unique sunrise from the comfort of your bed, followed by a delicious breakfast. Your guide will then take you to Uaxactún, one of the longest-inhabited Mayan cities. A day full of discoveries amongst the temples awaits you. You’ll visit a cluster of heavenly ruins which, to this day, accurately mark the position of the sun as the seasons change. Deep in the jungle, not far as the crow flies from the archaeological site of Tikal. The village is still inhabited, and every day the men head into the jungle to work. Whilst we get lost in no time at all, the local people still live fully from and with nature – you’ll learn more about this here too. At sunset, you’ll climb a watchtower for a drink, followed by a night-time exploration of the jungle. Keep an eye out for owls, insects and the coati (a relative of the raccoon). Afterwards, enjoy a locally prepared dinner before spending the night camping amongst the ruins.
Accommodation: Uaxactún Campsite | full board

Day 9 | Uaxactún – Tikal – Flores

You’ll wake up early in the morning to be in time for the sunrise, which shines on one of the many structures that remain intact. Afterwards, breakfast will be waiting for you, and you’ll then set off with your private guide to Tikal National Park. Tikal, or Tik’al, was one of the largest Mayan cities during the Classical Period. It was not until 1848 that the city was rediscovered by a team of Guatemalan explorers. The first large-scale archaeological excavations began in the 1950s. In 1979, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, you will explore the ancient Mayan city with your guide and learn a great deal about the history of Guatemala’s Mayan people. You will have lunch at a local restaurant. Afterwards, you will be taken back to your hotel.
Overnight stay: Las Lagunas | bed and breakfast

Day 10 | Flores – Cayo District

Today you will be collected and taken to the border crossing between Guatemala and Belize. During your transfer to the border, your driver and guide will stop at the Xunantunich ruins, situated on the banks of the Mopan River, for a guided trip. Xunantunich means ‘stone woman’ in the Mayan language. Xunantunich was a thriving city at the end of the Classic Period, featuring large plazas surrounded by pyramids. The centre of the site consists of six large plazas surrounded by more than 25 temples and palaces. After this visit, you will head to the border crossing. Here, you will complete the usual customs formalities and then continue on your way towards the Cayo District. This region boasts some stunning landscapes, ranging from wild rainforest to rolling hills, farmland with plantations surrounded by numerous rivers and caves.
Overnight: Chaa Creek | bed and breakfast

Day 11 | Cayo District

You’ll be taken to the Mountain Pine Ridge Nature Reserve, an incredibly vast protected national park comprising rainforest, caves, waterfalls, Mayan ruins and rivers. You’ll arrive at the beautiful and largest Mayan city in Belize: Caracol. This city covers no less than 48 km² of rainforest, features some 20 squares, an astronomical observatory and more than 35,000 identified buildings. Numerous hieroglyphs have been found which have made it clear that Caracol was a very powerful city that even dominated Tikal in Guatemala. The largest pyramid, the Canaa, is approximately 42 metres high and is the tallest man-made structure in Belize. You can enjoy an in-depth guided trip. On the way back, you can choose to stop at the Rio Frio Caves or Rio On Pools for a refreshing dip in the water.
Overnight: Chaa Creek | bed and breakfast

Day 13 | Cayo District – Orange Walk

After breakfast, you will be collected from your hotel and taken to Belize City airport. Here, a member of staff from the Lamanai Outpost will welcome you and take you to your accommodation in Orange Walk. To reach the lodge, you’ll first travel for around 45 minutes by road and then for about an hour by boat. The jungle lodge where you’ll be staying is situated on the banks of the 45-kilometre-long ‘New River Lagoon’ and is named after the nearby Mayan archaeological site ‘Lamanai’. The cottages are built from a local type of timber with palm-leaf roofs. You’ll feel at one with nature, and this accommodation is an excellent base from which to explore the surrounding area. The sunsets here are truly special.
Accommodation: Lamanai Outpost Lodge | full board

Day 16 | Orange Walk – Belize City – Placencia

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Belize City airport. From here, you will fly to Placencia. You will be staying at the Turtle Inn, situated right on the beach. For many years, this accommodation has been ranked amongst the best in Central and South America. With its friendly staff, three restaurants, a rejuvenating spa and an idyllic location right on the beach in Belize, the resort is a perfect destination for those seeking relaxation in luxury. The coral reef just off the coast of Belize is one of the best snorkelling and diving spots in the world, and the resort’s diving school can offer wonderful dives for both beginners and experienced divers.
Accommodation: Turtle Inn | bed and breakfast

Day 20 | Placencia – Belize – Amsterdam

Unfortunately, your unique journey comes to an end today. You will be taken to Placencia Airport, from where you will take a domestic flight to Belize. Upon arrival in Belize, you will transfer to your intercontinental flight to Amsterdam.

Day 21 | Amsterdam

You will arrive in Amsterdam today.