The Mayan Route

• Round trip economy class airfare from Los Angeles (other US gateways are available)
• 11 nights hotel accommodation (Belize City 1, Cayo area 3, Flores 1, Guatemala City 3, Antigua 1, Panajachel 1, Copan 1 ) with breakfast daily
• All transfers as per itinerary with assistance and baggage handling
• Flores-Guatemala airfare
• 10 days escorted sightseeing as per itinerary
• All sightseeing by air- conditioned vehicles & English speaking professional tour guides
• Entrance fees on included sightseeing
• Hotel service charges and taxes
• Meals as per itinerary B = breakfast (11), L = lunch (7), D = dinner (4)
• FreeGate travel bag and document portfolio

Day 1 : USA-BELIZE CITY
Depart USA to Belize City. Meeting and assistance upon arrival and transfer to your hotel. Overnight.

Day 2 : BELIZE ZOO- XUNANTUNICH MAYA RUINS (B,L,D)
Today's full day tour includes a visit to the "Belize Zoo," Belize's natural wildlife habitat. From there you depart via the western highway to the Maya site of Xunantunich, on the banks of the Mopan River. Among the partially excavated ruins are 1,400 year-old stucco friezes, stone carvings, vaulted buildings and El Castillo, a classic Mayan temple and the second tallest building in Belize (127 feet). Overnight in an inland hotel in the Cayo area.

Day 3: MOUNTAIN PINE RIDGE CARACOL RUINS (B,L,D)
Today you will visit the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. During the tour you will visit Rio Frio caves, the 1,000 ft. Hidden Valley Falls, and enjoy a chance to swim in the cool waters of Rio On Pools. Continue to the ancient Maya City of Caracol, Belize's most important archaeological site. Continue to your inland hotel in the Cayo area for overnight.

Day 4 : PANTI MEDICINAL TRAIL- CHE CHEM HA (B,L,D)
This morning you will board a motorized canoe for a tour of the Macal River en route to the Panti Medicinal Plant Trail; there is a bounty of wildlife to observe. Later you will visit Che Chem Ha Cave. Return to the hotel.

Day 5 : CAYO-TIKAL-FLORES (B,L)
Morning pick up and transfer overland to the border towns of Belize's Benque Viejo and Guatemala's Melchor Village, where you will pass through customs formalities and continue to the Mayan ruins of Tikal. This site has been extensively excavated and restored and is the most recognizable of all the Mayan ruins. Picnic lunch is included. Early evening return to your hotel in Flores for overnight.

Day 6: FLORES-GUATEMALA CITY (B,L)
Following an early breakfast, you will take a boat ride on the Lake Peten Itza. Proceed to "El Mirador del Rey Canek", a lookout point where King Canek had his main settlement. Lunch at a local restaurant on the lake. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Guatemala City.

Day 7: GUATEMALA CITY-ANTIGUA (B)
Morning drive to Antigua. It was founded in 1541 by the Spaniards, but it was destroyed by a series of earthquakes in 1773. Your tour includes visits to the Capucinas Convent, la Merced Church, Central Plaza, San Carlos University, Ciudad Vieja and Aguas Calientes. Overnight.

Day 8: ANTIGUA-PANAJACHEL (B,L)
Early departure for the town of Panajachel on the shores of Lake Atitlan. Atitlan is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, at an altitude of 1580 meters. Cross Lake Atitlan by boat to the picturesque town of Santiago Atitlan. Return to Panajachel for lunch.

Day 9 : PANAJACHEL- CHICHICASTENANGO- GUATEMALA CITY (B)
Following breakfast, you will proceed to the town of Chichicastenango. Here you will visit the famous open air market where the local people gather to barter their handicrafts and agricultural products. Continue to the Church of Santo Tomas, built on the remains of a Mayan Temple. Return to Guatemala City for overnight.

Day 10 : GUATEMALA CITY-COPAN (B,L,D)
Today you will drive east crossing Guatemala's desert area to the border of Honduras to visit the impressive Mayan Ruins of Copan. A Mayan capital from the 5th to the 9th centuries AD, Copan is considered on of the largest and most impressive of all the Mayan centers discovered to date. Here you will visit the site and see the altars, stellaes, hieroglyphic stairs, and more. Overnight in Copan.

Day 11 : COPAN-QUIRIGUA- GUATEMALA CITY (B)
This morning, you will return to Guatemala and continue to Quirigua in the region of Izabal. Quirigua is a wonderful example of a Mayan observation center. Here you will admire the stellaes surrounding the small plaza as well as the temples immersed in tropical forest. The tallest Mayan stellaes and zoomorphics worked in sandstone can be discovered here. Return to Guatemala City for overnight.

Day 12 : GUATEMALA CITY-USA (B)
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Guatemala City Airport for your flight home.

Accommodations		Option A	Option B
BELIZE CITY		Princess	Radisson
CAYO		Windy Hills	Duplooy's
FLORES		Peten Esplendido	Camino Real Tikal
GUATEMALA CITY		Holiday Inn	Marriott
ANTIGUA		Posada Don Rodrigo	Casa Santo Domingo
PANAJACHEL		Posada Don Rodrigo	Atitlan
COPAN		Marina Copan	Marina Copan

  {hotels}

Departure Dates & Prices

NOTES: Rates are person in US Dollars, valid through March 31 2008, except for Christmas/ New Years and Easter periods (hotel supplements apply - please inquire). Round trip airfare from Miami is included in the rates; departures from other US cities are also available. Not included in the rates are US and foreign airport departure taxes, as well as airline fuel surcharges.

SUPPLEMENTS/ ADDITIONAL COSTS:
AIRFARE: Holiday Season (Dec. 10 - Jan 2): $150

BRING-YOUR-OWN-AIR: If you buy your own airline tickets please deduct $630 from the above prices

DEPARTURES FROM OTHER US CITIES: Please add the add-on fares listed below to the tour price:

BUSINESS CLASS UPGRADE (International airfare): Available on request