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ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS WITH AMBERGRIS CAYE

Overview

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Explore the history of ancient civilizations during this exciting vacation to Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize. Start your trip in San Salvador, El Salvador, for an overnight before departing for Joya de Cerén, a pre-Colombian Maya farming community that was buried under a volcanic eruption in 600 AD. Continue to Copán, Honduras, the site of the once major Maya kingdom with the greatest collection of Mayan stone sculptures anywhere in Central America. After Copán, your tour travels to Quiriguá, Guatemala, with the largest stelae in the Mayan world, weighing more than 65 tons. Next stop is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Antigua, one of the Americas" oldest and most beautiful cities, for a sightseeing tour. Then, on to a colorful Indian market and Church of Santo Tomás at Chichicastenango. Continue to Lake Atitlán for a cruise across this impressive 900-foot-deep lake formed after a volcanic eruption thousands of years ago. Visit Santiago Atitlán and meet one of Guatemala's indigenous tribes.

Depart for Guatemala City, where you enjoy a city tour and free time before transferring to the airport for your flight to Flores. In Flores, a full-day excursion takes you to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Tikal, the largest of the ancient Maya cities with artifacts dating as early as the 7th century BC. Because it sits within the rainforest, it is common to see spider monkeys, howler monkeys, toucans, and parrots. On to San Ignacio, Belize, with a stop at Yaxhá, another significant Mayan excavation. From San Ignacio, enjoy an excursion to Caracol, the largest known Mayan archaeological site in Belize and one of the great Mayan city-states of the Classic Period. See the great Caana Pyramid standing 140 feet high and the tallest man-made structure in Belize. Finally, fly to beautiful Ambergris Caye, a narrow strip of paradise that parallels the Belize Barrier Reef. Enjoy two full days exploring the island's mangrove forests, lagoons, and beaches on your own - the perfect conclusion to your magical Central America vacation to Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize!

City Highlights
San Salvador:
Guided sightseeing of Joya de Cerén

Copán:
Welcome dinner; guided sightseeing

Antigua:
Quiriguá and Antigua city sightseeing; visit a jade factory

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

Flores:
Tikal and Yaxhá guided sightseeing

San Ignacio:
Guided sightseeing of Caracol; farewell dinner

Ambergris Caye Extension:
Three days to explore the Caribbean Island

All Intra-Tour Flights

Note:

• Maximum elevation on tour: 7,000 ft.