TRIP ITINERARY

Day	Activity/Location
1	Arrival Day, Cancun. Our adventure begins at the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula in the glittering beach resort of Cancun. We'll transfer from the airport to our hotel on Isla Mujeres, a beautiful island just a short boat ride from downtown Cancun.  We can chill out for the day on one of the island's white sand beaches, swim with dolphins or go exploring on a rented motorcycle, scooter or golf cart! Overnight: Isla Mujeres
2	We depart this morning on a short bus ride to Valladolid, halfway across the Yucatan Peninsula and on the way to the famous ruins of Chichen Itza. Although Valladolid is an attractive colonial town in its own right, its real attractions are the twin cenotes just outside of town. These unique sinkholes, some almost completely underground, are almost the only source of water on the Yucatan Peninsula and were revered by the Maya from ancient times. Today these two cenotes are used as a swimming hole by the locals, and a dip in the crisp, subterranean water is an exhilarating and unforgettable experience. Overnight in Valladolid.
3	Chichen Itza is the most well-known of the many Mayan sites and also one of the largest. Rising to prominence at the end of the Mayan Classic era, Chichen Itza boasts several large temples and pyramids, an astronomical observatory, a sacrificial well, many excellently carved stelae, and the largest ball court of any Mayan ruin. It is a great introduction to the Mayan world. We'll take a guided tour and then spend the day exploring this fascinating site on our own. Overnight in Valladolid.
4-5	A short morning ride to Tulum, stopping on the way to walk or mountain bike through the massive ruins of Coba.  Beachside cabanas, a sea-side ruin, and snorkeling (or diving) off the Belize Barrier Reef all make Tulum a great place to spend some time. Overnight days 4-5 in Tulum
6	Today is a travel day as we make our way down to the Belizean border and the hopping, duty-free town of Chetumal. Pretty much off the tourist trail, Chetumal is a great glimpse into modern Mexican life.  We'll also visit the excellent Museum of the Maya. Overnight in Chetumal
7-9	And now for something completely different…Welcome to Belize, mon! Beaches and barrier reef, rainforests, Mayan ruins, great wildlife and a laid-back, Caribbean attitude all combine to make Belize a traveler’s paradise. Belize is also the only English-speaking country in the region, but the singsong Creole spoken here is something altogether unique. From Chetumal in Mexico, we’ll take a short bus ride to Belize City, where we’ll head to the docks and hop a boat for three days of rest and relaxation on Caye Caulker. Many are content to relax and enjoy the island’s delicious lobster and plentiful rum punch, but we do include a snorkeling trip off the world’s second largest barrier reef, and great diving options are available for those certified.   Overnight days 7-9 on Caye Caulker
10	Back to the mainland this morning as we make our way inland to San Ignacio, a magical place of emerald-green forests, rolling hills and gurgling streams. Today we can take walks in the surrounding rainforest and visit Cahal Pech, a small Mayan site just outside of town. Overnight in San Ignacio
11	This morning we take a canoe trip into Barton Creek Cave, home to a fascinating array of Mayan artifacts and burials. Watch your head as we silently glide beneath huge stalactites and other formations, making our way deeper and deeper into what the Maya called Xibalba, the Underworld. Remains from ancient Mayan rituals include bloodletting tools, pottery and human skeletons, probably sacrificial victims. After our journey through the Mayan underworld, we’ll visit Green Hills Butterfly Ranch, where over 35 living species of tropical butterfly are on display in a huge enclosed flight area. Overnight in San Ignacio
12-13	It’s a short bus ride today to Tikal, just over the border in neighboring Guatemala. Tikal is truly the granddaddy of all excavated Mayan sites, with five enormous pyramids towering over the jungle canopy and countless other palaces and temples jutting out of the lush green rainforest. Lose yourself amid this ancient splendor to the sounds of howler and spider monkeys, toucans and parakeets. The archaeological site is situated within the protected Tikal National Park, so exploring the miles and miles of jungle trails is an adventure of natural as well as historical discovery. Also, don’t miss the experience of sunset from atop one of the pyramids, as the sun sinks over the jungle expanse and all the creatures of the forest come to life in a symphony of sounds.  For days 12 and 13 we will stay in nearby Flores, an attractive island town on Lake Peten Itza.
14	Today is an exciting day of travel as we make our way across the Peten rainforest of northern Guatemala, and then hop into a dugout canoe for a trip down the Usumacinta River to the Mexican border post. After border formalities, we'll visit the beautiful and well-preserved Mayan murals at Bonampak before continuing on to Palenque. Our accommodations tonight and tomorrow are at El Panchan, a very special place near the ruins founded by Don Moises Morales Marquez, an expert on the ancient Maya and the region around Palenque.  Our secluded bungalows include a small pool in which to relax and listen to a rich variety of jungle noises.
15	Palenque, though not the largest of Mayan sites, is many people’s favourite by far. Its architecture, particularly the ornate and well-preserved "bell tower", is highly advanced, and its inscriptions and murals are some of the best in the Maya world. Trace the rise and fall of Palenque's dynasty as we tour the site, then walk to a series of beautiful riverine pools in the hills below on our way back to our bungalows at El Panchan.  Overnight day 15 in Palenque
16-18	Today we make our way into a whole new ecosystem as we twist and turn into the Chiapas highlands and arrive at the colonial city of San Cristobal de las Casas. On the way, we'll stop for a swim at the beautiful waterfalls of Misol-Ha and Agua Azul, visit the hilltop Mayan ruin of Tonina, and take the first part of our Zapatista Rebellion tour, as we retrace the opening actions of the 1994 uprising in the town of Ocosingo.  In the Chiapas highlands, many ancient Maya ways are still vividly alive in the dress and customs of the region’s inhabitants, and we’ll spend days 17 and 18 getting to know the San Cristobal area and its people. We can shop for textiles, amber, jade, and weavings in the many indigenous markets; visit the well-known Casa de Bolom, former home of Danish activists and researchers Gertrude and Frans Blom; learn about traditional medicine at the very excellent Mayan Medicine Museum; and take walks and excursions to small villages in the nearby countryside. We'll also finish our Zapatista rebellion tour, including a documentary movie night! Overnight days 16-18 in San Cristobal
19	We catch a flight this morning from nearby Tuxtla Gutierrez to Merida. Merida is a pleasant colonial city with great restaurants, cafes, museums, churches and shopping!  We'll have an included city tour, then you're free to go off and bargain for that, sombrero, hammock or Panama hat! On the way  to the airport we'll take a boat trip down the stunning Sumidero Canyon, about an hour and a half away from San Cristobal, in the warmer and jungly Grijalva Valley. We’ll pass beneath towering waterfalls, glimpse crocodiles sunning themselves on the riverbanks, explore watery cliff-side caves, and pass by the spot where hundreds of Indian warriors flung themselves off the cliff instead of submitting to Spanish rule. Overnight in Merida
20	This morning we head out to our final Mayan sites, Uxmal and the Puuc Route ruins.  These ruins have some of the most ornate and complex architecture in all of the Mayan World.  After our guided tour, we'll head back to Cancun for a night on the Mayan Riviera to round out our tour! Overnight in Cancun
21	Departure Day