| HIGHLIGHTS: Mexico City - Teotihuacan Ruins - Puebla - Oaxaca - Monte Alban - San Cristobal de las Casas - Palenque - Merida - Chichen Itza - Cancun - Tulum - Chetumal - Caye Caulker - Flores - Tikal Ruins - Antigua Guatemala
Our journey takes us from the hustle and bustle of Mexico City, through the heart of the Aztec, Maya, and Zapotec civilisations, to the warm waters of the Caribbean. We'll explore ancient ruins, snorkel for tropical fish and hike through national parks before finally calling it a day in one of Central America's oldest and most beautiful cities - Antigua Guatemala.
Day 1 Mexico City. Your trip starts today in Mexico City. No activities are planned during the day, so you may arrive at any time. Please refer to your for the joining hotel name and address. There is a pre - departure meeting with your tour guide at 6:30pm this evening. Please check the notice board in the foyer of our joining hotel for any further details of this meeting and for any messages from your local tour guide. Please bring your passport and travel insurance documents to the briefing.
Day 2 Teotihuacan Ruins. This morning we take a bus trip some 50 kiLometres northeast of Mexico City to the 'must - see' archaeological ruins of Teotihuacan. This is the site of the massive 'Piramides del Sol y de la Luna' (Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon). It was also Mexico's largest ancient city and capital to the biggest pre - Hispanic Mexican Empire. Thought to have been built early in the 1st Century AD, records of the city's origins have been lost in time. It is still an important pilgrimage site for many Mexicans who once believed that all of the gods once came together here to sacrifice themselves; acts which set the sun and the moon into motion, thus creating the so - called 'Fifth World'. We also have time to discover the site's remaining buildings with the help of our local site guide. We then return to Mexico City in the afternoon.
Day 3 Mexico City. Mexico City is an exciting mix of cosmopolitan glamour and ancient and colonial history. Built over the foundations of the ancient Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, this seething metropolis of over 20 million people can be quite overwhelming. The streets are full of the hustle and bustle of people going about their daily business and Latin rhythms emanate from the street stalls and sidewalk shops. There is a saying that goes - 'if it happens in Mexico, it happens in Mexico City' Today our leader takes us on a morning walking tour of its historic heart, starting with the main square, known as the Zocalo. During Mexico's colourful Festivals, indigenous dancers circle the square and shamans perform spiritual cleansing rituals. It is one of the largest public squares in the world and marks the centre of the city. In the afternoon we have free time to discover the city's many impressive museums, galleries, plazas and public buildings.
Day 4 Puebla. This morning we catch the bus for the two - hour ride to Puebla. There are few cities in Mexico that have preserved their Spanish colonial past like this place. It is surrounded by towering mountains and snow - capped volcanoes, whilst its historic centre is vibrant and lively with a relaxed atmosphere - a great place to view street performers and live bands. Puebla is also well - known for its hand - painted ceramics, known as 'taverna', and many of its buildings are covered in brilliant blue and white tiles with also brightly - coloured doors. We have a day at our leisure in this charming city to explore some of its 70 churches or thousand or so colonial buildings, catch up on some shopping or sample the local Puebla cuisine, which is delicious.
Day 5 Oaxaca. Today we travel to Oaxaca. If you're interested in traditional Mexican handicrafts, this is the place. Oaxaca is famous for its colourful and unique shopping opportunities. You could lose yourself for hours meandering through the small shops and craft markets, which are filled with intricately designed textiles, hand - painted pottery and carvings splashed with vivid colour. This city is also renowned for its relaxed, laid - back feel. So if the frenzy of finding a bargain becomes too much, chill out in one of the many caFes and soak up the atmosphere of this wonderful city. The local cuisine here also offers plenty of new taste sensations and you may wish to sample some of its many varieties of margarita.
Day 6 Monte Alban. A short drive from Oaxaca is the ancient Zapotec ruins at Monte Alban. The Zapotec civilisation began construction of this city some time around 200 BC and it reached its peak in terms of population and power between the years 300 AD and 700 AD. These magnificent ruins are perched on a flattened hilltop, 400 metres above the valley floor, affording superb 360 - degree views over Oaxaca Valley and various surrounding villages. With the help of our local site guide, we have plenty of time to explore remains of the plazas, tombs, palaces and temples that comprise this fascinating site. In the evening we board the overnight bus to San Cristobal de Las Casas, in the State of Chiapas.
Day 7 - 8 San Cristobal de las Casas. Nestled in a valley of pines, surrounded by mountains, San Cristobal is blessed with both beauty and charm. Chiapas is a stunningly scenic region of Mexico which is rich in both indigenous life and culture. San Cristobal's meandering streets, colonial architecture and Indian soul all combine to make this a popular and enchanting destination for curious travellers. During our stay we have time to visit some of its beautiful churches, pick up a bargain or two at the weekly market and continue our search for the best taco in Mexico We also visit a nearby highland village, where the indigenous inhabitants have their own distinctive and colourful dress. San Cristobal de Las Casas is sure to be a place to remember.
Day 9 - 10 Palenque. Today we transfer to Palenque with stops at the beautiful blue waterfalls of Agua Azul and Misol Ha.Buried deep in dense rainforest the magnificent ruins of Palenque were unknown to the modern world until the late 18th century, when Mayan hunters told a Spanish priest about the great stone palaces that lay in the jungle. The priest's report and those of other early Spanish explorers helped to unearth one of the most amazing Mayan sites in Mexico. Only a small area of these exquisite ruins have to this day been excavated and the site continues to captivate archaeologists and visitors alike by continually revealing more and more of its mystical past with the discovery of more sculptures and remnants of buildings. We have the assistance of a local site guide, who helps us to unveil the secrets of these ruins as well as describe the noble and mysterious history of the Mayan people.
Day 11 - 12 Merida. We travel by bus for a full day to Merida, the capital of the State of Yucatan. Known as the 'White City' due to the large amount of limestone and white paint used, Merida was a centre for Mayan culture long since before the conquistadors arrived. These days Merida has a wonderful old world flavour which co - exists with cosmopolitan modernity in everything from architecture to fashion. It is a bustling, colonial city and in our time spent here, we are free to make our own discoveries. Our local tour guide will be able to recommend a number of sightseeing options, including the highly impressive Anthropological Museum. This palatial white mansion houses fascinating exhibits from all over the peninsula, along with depictions of Mayan rituals such as teeth sharpening jewel implantation and the practice of forehead - flattening for beautification purposes.
Day 13 Chichen Itza - Cancun. We depart in the morning for the Caribbean Coast, en route visiting arguably the most famous Mayan site in Mexico. Chichen Itza derives its name from the deep, naturally occurring well, located near the centre of the site. During the heyday of this city, this well was used for human sacrifice But it is the astounding and unique architecture - a result of the invasion by the Toltec people - that makes this site so incredible. The imposing Temple of Kukulkan dominates the site and affords fantastic views over the ruins. It is believed that this pyramid was built by the Mayans for astronomical and astrological purposes. It has a total of 365 steps, one for each day of the year, and at the equinox a shadow in the shape of a serpent is cast down the pyramid. The shadow moves with the rising and setting of the sun. After exploring this wonderful sight, we continue on our way to Cancun.
Day 14 - 15 Cancun. Situated on the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula, Cancun is renowned for its nearby beautiful Caribbean beaches and stunning Mayan ruins, not to mention some of the finest diving and snorkelling sites in the world. In the late 1960s, Cancun was merely a sliver of land 17 kiLometres long. Visited only by local fisherman, it was separated from the coast by narrow channels. The Mexican government of the time saw the potential in its coastal character and undertook the task of developing it into the tropical island paradise that it is today. There are regular buses from our hotel in Cancun city to the beach, most famous being the beautiful beach of Playa del Carmen. We enjoy free time during our stay in Cancun to do as we please, which includes exploring or just relaxing.
Day 16 Tulum - Chetumal. We have an early start this morning, taking the bus south along the Caribbean coast to Tulum. Here we visit the spectacular pre - Columbian walled city ruins which overlook the beach side town. Perched on a cliff top, the setting of these ruins is stunning with spectacular views over the tropical shores below. On entrance to the ruins we discover the Temple of the Frescoes, the wall of which are painted with a mural honouring the 'Diving God' who in Mayan culture is believe to have descended from heaven to receive the offerings of man. We explore these superb ruins with the help of our local site guide before continuing on spend the night in Chetumal.
Day 17 - 18 Caye Caulker. Today we cross the border and continue on to Belize City where we board a speedboat to the palm - fringed island of Caye Caulker. Situated just 33 kiLometres north of Belize City, the island is just seven kiLometres from north to south and the waters off Belize are home to the world's second largest barrier reef. Coconut palms provide us with shade, while mangroves cover much of the shore. Our time is our own here to enjoy this lovely sand island and the nearby reefs. Some of the most exciting diving and snorkelling in the world is at your fingertips, as well as exploring some amazing underwater caves. There is an abundance of colourful tropical fish and coral reefs just waiting to be explored, or you may want to simply relax on a deck chair on the beach. The choice is yours Your tour guide is on hand to help and advise you of your options.
Day 19 - 20 Flores - Tikal Ruins. This morning we return to Belize City by speedboat and continue south to Guatemala and the small picturesque town of Flores, our gateway to the ancient city of Tikal - the deserted Mayan ruins in the heart of the Guatemalan jungle. Arriving at Flores, we enter one of the most scenic towns in the Peten, the island in the middle of Lake Peten Itza, with its cobblestone streets and brightly coloured houses. From here we embark upon our visit to the largest excavated Mayan ruin site in the Americas. We penetrate the jungle of El Peten to visit the temples of the monumental ceremonial centre located in the midst of the immense Tikal National Park. As we approach, the lofty pyramids can be seen rising high above the jungle's leafy canopy. Passing beneath the rich rainforest and dense jungle vegetation, we are immersed in some spectacular jungle sounds: riotous parrots, toucans, macaws, tree frogs and howler monkeys offer a cacophonous backdrop to our trek to the ruins. Settled around 700 BC by the Mayans, the surviving temples of the resplendent and powerful city are rich examples of the Late Classic period. We pass through the sacred causeways to the main plaza, the central area with its five main temples with some of them over 50 metres high. Beyond this, we have the option of wondering through the labyrinth of smaller uncovered structures and outlying complexes nestled within the dense jungle growth. If you have energy to spare, you can climb to the peak of Temple IV and take in the spectacular views. Or you can simply rest at the main plaza and marvel at the Mayan engineering of this amazing archaeological site. On our final evening we board an overnight bus bound for Antigua.
Day 21 - 22 Antigua Guatemala. Antigua is among the oldest and most beautiful towns in the Americas. The former capital of Guatemala, modern Antigua is a superb colonial town set deep in a valley encircled by three mighty volcanoes. There is plenty to see in this World Heritage - listed town. Much of La Antigua Guatemala (Old Guatemala) was built in the 17th and 18th centuries and several splendid ruins have been preserved. Many of the partially restored churches date back to the 1500s and the stunning colonial church, La Merced, is said to house the largest fountain in Central America. Our local tour guide will show us the highlights and guide us to the summit of one of the nearby volcanoes, where we can absorb the vistas of the surrounding verdant hills, where a patchwork of grass, maize and pines envelops the town. If your energy levels are high, there are also some fun optional activities: take a scenic horse ride in the lush valley interior, bike ride to one of the neighbouring volcanoes or white - water raft on one of the highland rivers. Alternatively you can simply explore at your leisure the city's cobblestone streets that lead into the main plaza, the Parque Central, which is lined with local villagers selling handicrafts.
Day 23 Antigua Guatemala. Your adventure comes to an end today. Guatemala City and the international airport are only 35 minutes away by mini - bus.
All the colour, history, vibrancy and beauty of this magnificent region in one tour 23 day tour departing Mexico City.2 nights accommodation onboard an overnight bus. 20 nights accommodation in hotels. Gecko's expert English-speaking regional leader throughout the tour, and local guides most sites.Orientation walking tour in Mexico City, Puebla, Oaxaca, San Cristobel, Palenque, Merida, Caye Caulker, Flores and Antigua.Exploration of six archaeological ruin sites with local guides and entry included: Teotihuacan, Monte Alban, Palenque, the most famous Mayan site in Mexico - Chichen Itza, pre-Columbian walled city ruins of Tulum, and ancient city of Tikal.Visit to indigenous highland villages near San Cristobal.Time at the waterfalls of Agua Azul and Misol Ha.Return speedboat ride from Belize City to the palm-fringed island of Caye Caulker.Guided walk to the summit of one of the volcanoes near Antigua
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