Guatemala & Belize Adventure

Day 1 To Antigua, Guatemala
Fly to Guatemala City via Miami and on arrival transfer to Antigua, Guatemala’s colonial jewel. Depart on a Thursday or Monday in order to fit in the colourful Chichicastenango market.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 2 Antigua
On a morning tour of Antigua see the Church of La Merced and Museum of Colonial Arts as well as Antigua’s beautiful plazas and gardens. Stop at Cerro de la Cruz for panoramic views of Antigua and the surrounding peaks. Antigua is a centre for coffee growing and you’ll visit a local coffee cooperative for a tour and tasting with lunch.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3 Lake Atitlan
This morning drive over the mountains to the beautiful Lake Atitlan. Surrounded by perfectly conical peaks, the calm waters of the lake are said to change colour as the day progresses. Take a boat tour on the lake and visit the traditional villages of San Juan and Santiago. Overnight on the tranquil shores of the Lake.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 Chichicastenango
This morning visit the market of Chichicastenango, one of Latin America’s largest and most colourful markets, people come from miles around representing different ethnic groups and selling all manner of arts and handicrafts as well as local produce and fruits. Chichi is a charming mountain town which is thronged on market days and its church is a mix of Mayan and Catholic beliefs. After plenty of time for shopping and watching the world go by, you will be driven back over the mountains through small villages to Guatemala City for the night.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 5 To Tikal
An early morning flight to Flores, in the north of Guatemala, the heartlands of the Mayan civilisation. Take a guided tour of Tikal, the impressive ruins including the high Great Jaguar Temple and main plaza, it is a spectacular feat of construction set in the jungle and dating from the 6th Century BC. After some time to reflect and enjoy the timeless atmosphere of Tikal, overnight near the ruins on Lake Peten.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 To Belize, Ambergris Caye
Fly to Belize City, and connect with an onward flight onto the Caribbean island of Ambergris Caye off the coast of Belize. Ambergris Caye is Belize’s largest island, 25 miles long yet only 1 mile wide. Stay at Victoria house, in the style of an old plantation house which sits on a truly white sand beach.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 7 Ambergris Caye
At leisure on the island. This area is a haven for snorkelling and diving and with the world’s second largest Barrier Reef, home to a huge array of marine life and close to the extraordinary Blue Hole, a huge sea cave. It’s not all diving however. As well as relaxing on the beach or reclining in a ramshackle fishing village, you can go sea kayaking, sailing or fishing.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 8 Ambergris Caye
Relax with another day on the beach. Of course, you can always lengthen you stay on the beach with a few extra nights, for a truly relaxing time. Alternatively you might want to lenghtn your holiday with more time in Guatemala. Antigua certainly can deserve more time, or stay a few nights in a jungle lodge in the Cayo Distirct in Belize and see some remote Mayan pyramids for a new world adventure.

Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Ambergris Caye

Day 9 Depart
Take the short flight to Belize City in time to meet with your flight back to the UK via Miami.

Day 10 Arrive UK
Morning arrival.

Tour includes:

All flights specified
Private transfers
Local expert guides in resort
Inspirational sightseeing programme
8 breakfasts, 1 lunch

On a Journey of Distinction, you are not merely a bystander. They believe that the wonders, customs and cultures you experience will live on in the core of your being. They even go so far as to say that one of their holidays will change your life forever.

Their combination of Tour Managers and Local Guides is what makes Journey of Distinction so distinctive. When you’re embarking on a voyage of discovery, it’s reassuring to know that a seasoned traveller is with you every step of the way; planning, organising, checking details and offering their advice and support. Their groups all depart from the UK, and no one joins us along the way, so you have the reassuring constancy of always knowing your travelling companions.

Our Opinion
“Limited to just 25 travellers per departure, every Journeys of Distinction escorted tour has an intimate, personal feel that makes for a more enjoyable experience.”