Luxury Guatemala and Belize: Tikal and the Caribbean

Day 1

Arrive in Guatemala and transfer to your hotel in Antigua.

You will be met by our local representative and taken to your hotel in the old colonial capital, Antigua. It’s a journey of about one hour along a winding paved road.

Day 2

Guided walking tour of Antigua.

Antigua is a colonial work of art, with cobbled streets, overhanging tiled roofs and a beautiful, leafy central plaza. There’s an abundance of huge ruined churches, convents and monasteries, testament to a time when Antigua was the country’s capital and its main religious centre. You’ll have plenty of time to absorb this fascinating city, including on a walking tour of the historic centre. It seems that every doorway opens onto a fragrant tiled courtyard.

A dramatic backdrop of smoldering volcanoes and ruined churches and convents surrounded by parkland bears witness to the city’s destruction by a volcanic eruption in 1773: but much has been painstakingly restored.

Day 3

Fly to Flores in the jungle Petén region.

Transfer to Guatemala City airport (1 hour) for an hour-long flight to Flores, in the sticky jungles of northern Guatemala, and from here continue to your lodge.

Day 4

Guided tour of the archaeological site at Tikal.

Steep-stepped and vertiginous temples emerge high above the rainforest canopy; the views over the site from one of these ancient skyscrapers are unforgettable. Spend the day wandering through the palace complexes.

Tikal was one of the largest and most important Mayan city states, reaching its peak around AD800 prior to its mysterious demise. The pyramids and temples seem frozen in time, but you’re brought back to the present by the roar of curious howler monkeys and lithe spider monkeys as they swing through the trees; and by flashes of colour as toucans and parrots take flight.

Day 5

Day at leisure or optional excursions

There is a range of excursions available to pre-book, such as visiting the Mayan sites of Yaxhá and Seibal, exploring the lakeside villages of San José and Santa Barbara or discovering the hanging bridges at Ixpanpahul.

Alternatively, just relax at the lodge and soak up the impressive views, taking a dip in the inviting swimming pool or making use of the complimentary canoes and paddle boards to explore the lake. And in the evening, take part in a tortilla making workshop and learn how to make a staple of Guatemalan cuisine.

Day 6

By road to the Belize border and over to your Lodge.

The drive across the border into Belize to the lodge takes about three hours. The first part of the journey is on the well paved Western Highway, the last section is mainly on dirt track heading to Mountain Pine Ridge to the Lodge, another ideal base to explore the surrounding forest, waterfalls, rivers and caves.

Day 7

Excursion to Barton Creek Cave

Explore Barton Creek Cave by canoe, a remote grotto that was once used by the ancient Mayans as a burial site and for ceremonial purposes. Glide through the darkness armed with a spotlight and catch glimpses of the stalactites and stalagmites lining the walls. Your guide will point out the various stunning formations and ancient relics, and explain some of the beliefs and rituals of the ancient Maya.

Day 8

Day at leisure or optional excursions

There is a range of excursions available to pre-book, such as exploring the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) caves, horseback riding to Big Rock Falls, hiking or visiting the Mayan ruins of Caracol and Xunantunich.

Alternatively, just relax at the lodge, treat yourself to a spa treatment or take a dip in the infinity pool or nearby natural pools.

Day 9

Transfer to Placencia on the Caribbean coast.

This 3-4 hour journey takes you from the lush highlands to the coastal tropics. From a dirt road you join the Western Highway to the country’s capital, Belmopan where you turn onto the Hummingbird highway with some outstanding views of the Maya Mountains and Victoria Peak in the Cockscombe reserve. The vegetation thins out as you approach the coast and your journey ends surrounded by water and driving down the peninsula to Placencia.

The village is a friendly and low-key beach resort typified by its ramshackle and colourful wooden houses built on stilts, linked by paths weaving under swaying palms. With some of Belize’s finest beaches and one or two top notch hotels, it is developing into an increasingly popular tourist retreat. The nearby Monkey River and Placencia Lagoon provide good opportunities for spotting wildlife including the rare manatee.

Day 10

Manatee spotting expedition.

Board a boat in search of the shy and elusive West Indian manatee. You’ll slowly cruise Placencia Lagoon looking for neat trails of sea grass, the tell-tale sign that manatees have been munching their way along the bottom of the lagoon. The boat heads stealithy to where the manatee congregate at the mouth of a freshwater creek. If you’re lucky you’ll also spot Morelet’s crocodiles or the bottle-nosed and Atlantic-spotted dolphins which frequent the lagoon.

Days 11 - 12

At leisure on the beach.

Placencia Lagoon, fringed by stifling mangrove forests and wild orchids, embraces a range of marine, estuarine and freshwater aquatic habitats providing various ecosystem services in which literally thousands of species can thrive. Over 70 species of fish are present and two types of crocodile. Kayak on the calm waters with an eye out for manatees on an optional adventure.

Alternatively just relax at the lodge, or choose another activity at the lodge: there’s complimentary use of cycles, kayaks, windsurfers and Hobie cats; the dive shop (at extra cost) can organise scuba diving, snorkelling and fishing excursions, and a variety of land-based trips.

Day 13

Fly to Belize City and connect with international flight.