MAYAN CIVILIZATIONS:HONDURAS GUATEMALA and BELIZE with PRE EXT (SDQ2010)

Meals
American breakfast daily (B), 9 lunches (L), and 8 three-course dinners (D) including a welcome dinner in Lake Atitlán and a farewell dinner in San Ignacio.

Hotels


Guatemala City
Barceló Guatemala City Hotel (SF),

Lake Atitlán
Hotel Atitlán (F),

Antigua
Casa Santo Domingo (F),

Copán
Marina Copán (MF),

Rio Dulce
Banana Palms Hotel (F),

Flores
Camino Real (F),

San Ignacio
San Ignacio Hotel (MF);

Nicaragua Extension: Managua
Real Intercontinental (SF),

Granada
Plaza Colon Granada (F)

Day 1:
Arrival in Managua, Nicaragua. (Wed.) Upon your evening arrival you will be met by your Local Guide, who will help you check into your hotel. Enjoy dinner at the hotel. (D)

Day 2:
Managua–Granada. (Thu.) Begin the day with a guided Managua city tour highlighting the old city center, where you see the ruins of the old Presidential Palace, the Park of Peace, and Lake Managua. Visit the MUSEUM OF ACAHUALINCA to see the ancient fossilized human footprints made 6,000 years ago in volcanic ash. After a drive through the new city center, continue to Nicaragua’s first national park, MASAYA VOLCANO NATIONAL PARK, to see the active Santiago Crater. Learn about the volcanic activity as well as the flora and fauna of the region, including the small parakeets that nest in the toxic crater walls. (B,L,D)

Day 3:
Granada. (Fri.) This morning, embark on a relaxing BOAT RIDE around some of the islands of Lake Nicaragua. Formed by the impressive Mombacho Volcano, the lake has a history of Caribbean pirates and plays host to freshwater sharks! This afternoon, your guided sightseeing introduces you to the colonial city of Granada, which was founded by Captain Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba in 1524. See La Merced Church, the house of the Zamora family, the famous “Casa de los Tres Mundos,” and the San Francisco convent. Learn the history of the city, including the adventures of filibuster William Walker, who invaded the city in the year 1855. Due to the historical and cultural value of the city, it is in the process of being declared a UNESCO Heritage of Mankind Site. (B,L)

Day 4:
Granada–Guatemala City, Guatemala. (Sat.) After some time at leisure this morning, transfer to the airport for a flight to Guatemala City to join your Mayan vacation. (B)

Day 5:
Guatemala City–Chichicastenango–Lake Atitlán. (Sun.) After a morning orientation of Guatemala City, travel to the whitewashed highland town of Chichicastenango. Here, visit the colorful, open-air INDIAN MARKET and the Catholic CHURCH OF SANTO TOMÁS to witness ancient Mayan ceremonies that have long been practiced. Continue to the shores of Lake Atitlán (Place of Great Water), surrounded by three volcanoes and numerous indigenous villages. (B,L)

Day 6:
Lake Atitlán. (Mon.) This morning you will embark on a CRUISE across 900-foot-deep Lake Atitlán, renowned for its beauty and many colorful Mayan towns and villages along the shores. Learn how an enormous caldera formed after a volcanic eruption thousands of years ago to form what is known today as Lake Atitlán. Next, visit the Indian village of SANTIAGO ATITLÁN, where you have the chance to meet the Tzutuhil people, one of Guatemala’s indigenous tribes. This evening, enjoy a special dinner hosted by your Tour Director. (B,D)

Day 7:
Lake Atitlán–Antigua. (Tue.) Journey to Antigua, Guatemala’s capital from 1543 until a devastating earthquake in 1776, when it was moved to Guatemala City. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Antigua is one of the Americas’ oldest and most beautiful cities, with pastel-colored buildings, wide cobblestone streets, and a beautiful natural setting ringed by three volcanoes. (B,D)

Day 8:
Antigua. (Wed.) Our morning tour of this magnificent highlands city, known for its 16th-century Spanish Colonial architecture, includes lively Plaza Mayor flanked by the impressive Catedral de San José and Palace of the Capitanes Generales. See the ruins of churches and monasteries—some with hidden underground passages—that were destroyed by the earthquake of 1776, and take a tour of a JADE FACTORY. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore on your own. (B)

Day 9:
Antigua–Copán, Honduras. (Thu.) A scenic drive through Guatemala’s highlands awaits you today before crossing the border into Honduras. Arrive in the colonial village of Copán Ruinas, where you will have time to relax or to explore the village before dinner this evening. (B,L,D)

Day 10:
Copán. (Fri.) Today’s guided tour introduces you to COPÁN, the site of a once major Maya kingdom and considered the “Athens of the Maya World.” From the moment you step inside the archaeological zone you will see elaborate stone sculptures everywhere. Walking into the dramatic expanse of the Great Plaza, become witness to the cultural achievements of the ancient Maya. This principal Copán plaza contains the greatest collection of Mayan sculptures anywhere in Central America. Learn about the majestic temples and the intricately carved stelae, representing past rulers of the city and the power, politics, and ideology of the times. (B,L)

Day 11:
Copán–Quiriguá, Guatemala–Rio Dulce. (Sat.) After breakfast, cross back into Guatemala to visit the archaeological site of QUIRIGUÁ with the largest stelae in the Mayan world, weighing more than 65 tons. The site also boasts a number of enormous and unexplainable carved monoliths sculpted into the forms of mythological animals (zoomorphs). Later this afternoon, head to the Caribbean Lowlands and the Rio Dulce area. (B,L,D)

Day 12:
Rio Dulce–Flores. (Sun.) A full-day excursion today takes you to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of TIKAL, the largest of the ancient Maya cities. With artifacts dating as early as 7th century BC, it wasn’t until circa 200 AD that Tikal became the leading political, economical, and military power of the Maya region. Your guide will explain the significance of the major temples and monuments in the park, of which only a fraction have been excavated. Within the rainforest, it is common to see spider monkeys, howler monkeys, toucans, and parrots cavorting in the dense canopy enveloping the ruins. Keep an eye out for jaguars and coatis, as they are said to roam the park as well! (B,L,D)

Day 13:
Flores–Yaxhá–San Ignacio, Belize. (Mon.) This morning, depart Flores for the site of YAXHÁ, second in importance behind Tikal. Unlike Tikal, this ancient civilization consisting of more than 500 structures is in its preliminary stages of excavations. Also visit TOPOXTÉ, which was inhabited from 900-1200 AD. Continue into Belize, which was granted independence from Britain in 1981 and is the youngest nation in the Western Hemisphere. We head through beautiful countryside past limestone mountains and miles of uncharted forests to San Ignacio in the Cayo District in western Belize. (B,L)

Day 14:
San Ignacio. Excursion to Caracol. (Tue.) CARACOL is the largest known Mayan archaeological site in Belize and one of the great Mayan city-states of the Classic Period. During its heyday, Caracol was home to more than 140,000 people—twice that of Belize City’s current population. Located deep within the Chiquibil Forest Reserve, the ruins cover 30 square miles of thick, high-canopy jungle rich in flora and fauna. Your guide will point out some of the most important buildings, including the Caana Pyramid (“Sky Palace”). Standing over 140 feet high, it is the tallest Mayan building in Belize and the tallest man-made structure in the country. This evening, enjoy a special farewell dinner hosted by your Tour Director. (B,L,D)

Day 15:
(Wed.) Transfer to Belize City International Airport for your homebound flight. (B)

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Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
9/15/2010 - 9/29/2010	$3,449
9/29/2010 - 10/13/2010	$3,449
10/20/2010 - 11/3/2010	$3,449
11/3/2010 - 11/17/2010	$3,449
12/1/2010 - 12/15/2010	$3,449
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City Highlights


Guatemala City:
Orientation

Lake Atitlán:
Visit the Chichicastenango Indian Market and the Church of Santo Tomás; cruise on Lake Atitlán; visit the Indian village of Santiago Atitlán

Antigua:
Antigua city sightseeing; visit a jade factory

Copán:
Guided sightseeing

Quirigua:
Guided sightseeing

Flores:
Tikal, Yaxhá, and Topoxté guided sightseeing

San Ignacio:
Guided sightseeing of Caracol; farewell dinner

Nicaragua Extension:
Guided sightseeing of Managua; visit the Museum of Acahualinca, Granada, and Masaya Volcano National Park; Lake Nicaragua cruiseNote:Maximum elevation on tour: 7,000 ft.

Price Details US
Single Room Supplement: $796Triple Room Reduction per person: $126Extra Nights per person in Managua:in single room $177; in twin room $104; in triple room $962011 prices and itineraries are subject to change.

Related Tours
SD|Mayan Civilizations: Honduras, Guatemala & Belize

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