DISCOVERING THE MAYA WORLD
ADVENTURE & ECOTOURISM (A&E) SERIES 2004- 2005

After breakfast (included at your hotel) transfer to the village of Piste . After checking in at your hotels, Hotel Piramide Inn (3 star) or upgrade to Hotel Hacienda Chichen (5 star), visit the site of Chichen Itza , a magnificent ancient Maya site, where you will appreciate Maya- Toltec architecture… Lunch included at a local restaurant where you will appreciate folk dances. Return to the site to explore more on your own & to visit the site museum. For those interested our guide will assist you with getting to the Light & Sound Show at Chichen Itza . Overnight at Hotel Piramide Inn or Hacienda Chichen.

DAY 3
Tuesday (B. L)
MERIDA & UXMAL
November 16 th , 2004
January 25 th , 2005
March 8 th , 2005
April 12 th , 2005
August 2 nd , 2005
October 4 th , 2005

After breakfast (included at your hotel) transfer to Merida for a morning tour of this fantastic colonial city. For lunch enjoy Yucatecan food at a local restaurant (included) & in the afternoon proceed for overnight at Mision Uxmal.

DAY 4
Wednesday (B, L) UXMAL , KABAH, SAYIL & LABNA (THE PUUC ROUTE )
November 18 th , 2004
January 27 th , 2005
March 10 th , 2005
April 14 th , 2005
August 4 rd , 2005
October 6 th , 2005

After breakfast (included at your hotel) you will explore four of the main sites with a particular architectural style, named Maya Puuc: Uxmal , Kabah, Sayil & Labna, & return to your hotel for overnight. Lunch at a local restaurant included. Return to your hotel for overnight. Overnight Mision Uxmal .

DAY 5
Thursday (B)
UXMAL- MERIDA- PALENQUE
November 18 th , 2004
January 27 th , 2005
March 10 th , 2005
April 14 th , 2005
August 4 th , 2005
October 6 th , 2005

Transfer to Merida for your flight to Villahermosa , where a short visit to La Venta Park & lunch will be the highlights of the day before your transfer to Palenque . Overnight at Hotel Mision Palenque .

DAY 6
Friday (B, L)
PALENQUE
November 19 th , 2004
January 28 th , 2005
March 11 th , 2005
April 15 th , 2005
August 5 th , 2005
October 7 th , 2005

After breakfast at your hotel, you will go to Palenque (9 kilometers away) by local bus for a full day to visit the amazing Maya site of Palenque . Lunch at the site (included in our price). Optional visit to the museum or free time in the afternoon to see more of the site on your own, before you go back into town. Overnight at Mision Palenque .

DAY 7
Saturday (B, L)
BONAMPAK & YAXCHILAN
November 20 th , 2004
January 29 th , 2005
March 12 th , 2005
April 16 th , 2005
August 6 th , 2005
October 8 th , 2005

After breakfast at your hotel, transfer from Palenque to Frontera Corozal, with a stopover in Bonampak . Visit Bonampak with lacandon jungle guides & proceed to Frontera Corozal, where you will have lunch (included) & check into your hotel. Afternoon visit by boat to the site of Yaxchilan. Overnight at Escudo Jaguar in Frontera Corozal.

DAY 8
Sunday (B)
COROZAL- FLORES- LAKE PETEN ITZA
November 21 st , 2004
January 30 th , 2005
March 13 th , 2005
April 17 th , 2005
August 7 th , 2005
October 9 th , 2005

After an early breakfast at your hotel boat transfer from Corozal to Bethel , where our Guatemalan team will be waiting for you to take you to Flores & on to Lake Peten Itza. Stopover in Flores for lunch at a local restaurant (on your own, not included). Free afternoon to see the sunset over beautiful Lake Peten Itza from your balcony at your hotel. Overnight at the Camino Real Tikal or Peten Esplendido.

DAY 9
Monday (B)
TIKAL
November 22 nd , 2004
January 31 st , 2005
March 14 th , 2005
April 18 th , 2005
August 8 th , 2005
October 10 th , 2005

After an early breakfast at your hotel full day to explore Tikal . We will take off the beaten trail paths in Tikal & visit complexes that are not often seen by visitors in the morning. Lunch on your own. After lunch, optional Canopy Tour, an extreme adventure sport (optional add on, not included in our price, will be quoted separately). Alternatively, people will have more time to explore the huge Maya site of Tikal , or visit its museums in the afternoon. Return to your hotel. Overnight at the Camino Real Tikal or Peten Esplendido.

DAY 10
Tuesday (B)
CEIBAL & ANTIGUA
November 23 rd , 2004
February 1 st , 2005
March 15 th , 2005
April 19 th , 2005
August 9 th , 2005
October 11 th , 2005

After an early breakfast at your hotel transfer to Sayaxche to visit the ancient Maya site of Ceibal. After lunch at the site return to Flores for your flight to Guatemala City . Upon arrival proceed to Antigua , a monumental colonial city, declared a world heritage site by UNESCO. Overnight at las Farolas. (Upgrade to Meson Panza Verde or Casa Santo Domingo upon request).

DAY 11
Wednesday (B)
ANTIGUA
November 24 th , 2004
February 2 nd , 2005
March 16 th , 2005
April 20 th , 2005
August 10 th , 2005
October 12 th , 2005

Breakfast included at your hotel. Your city tour of this wonderful colonial city will start from the central square. You will visit the main highlights in the city & enjoy lunch & a free afternoon on your own. Overnight at Las Farolas. (Upgrade to Meson Panza Verde or Casa Santo Domingo upon request).

DAY 12
Thursday (B, L)
ANTIGUA- CHICHICASTENANGO & PANAJACHEL
November 25 th , 2004
February 3 rd , 2005
March 17 th , 2005
April 21 st , 2005
August 11 th , 2005
October 13 th , 2005

After breakfast at your hotel, transfer to Chichicastenango to visit its colorful market. You will visit the main square, the church & will have lunch in a beautiful & traditional Chichicastenango setting (included). After lunch, proceed to Atitlan for overnight at Hotel Atitlan in Panajachel.

DAY 13
Friday (B, L)
PACHUJ PRIVATE RESERVE & SANTIAGO ATITLAN
November 26 th , 2004
February 4 th , 2005
March 18 th , 2005
April 22 nd , 2005
August 12 th , 2005
October 14 th , 2005

After breakfast at your hotel, early morning boat transfer to San Lucas Toliman, where we will start our visit to the Pachuj Private Reserve, where you will trek on their trails, go birdwatching & see an ECO-ok certified organic coffee plantation. After your walk this morning continue by boat to Santiago Atitlan, where you will have lunch before visiting the village. Return to Panajachel for overnight. Overnight at Hotel Atitlan.

DAY 14
Saturday (B)
ATITLAN & GUATEMALA CITY
November 27 th , 2004
February 5 th , 2005
March 19 th , 2005
April 23 rd , 2005
August 13 th , 2005
October 15 th , 2005

Early this morning after breakfast you will have some time on your own to go shopping for textiles or relax. Lunch on your own. At 3 pm transfer to Guatemala City for overnight at Hotel Biltmore Express or upgrade to Hotel Westin Camino Real.

DAY 15
Sunday (B, L)
GUATEMALA CITY- COPAN
November 28 th , 2004
February 6 th , 2005
March 20 th , 2005
April 24 th , 2005
August 14 th , 2005
October 16 th , 2005

Very early morning transfer to Copan , Honduras , where you will visit the park & museum (park & museum entrance fees included). You will have time to visit the excavation tunnels on your own (entrance fee not included, so it is an optional visit to add on. Lunch included. Overnight at Hotel Marina Copan .

DAY 16
Monday (B, L)
RIO DULCE & LIVINGSTON
November 29 th , 2004
February 7 th , 2005
March 21 st , 2005
April 25 th , 2005
August 15 th , 2005
October 17 th , 2005

After breakfast morning transfer to Rio Dulce. Stop at Quirigua & boat transfer to Livingston to visit the Biotopo Chocon Machacas (manatee preserve) and back to Rio Dulce. Lunch en route (included) Overnight at Hotel Banana Palms.

DAY 17
Tuesday (B, L)
YAXHA
November 30 th , 2004
February 8 th , 2005
March 22 nd , 2005
April 26 th , 2005
August 16 th , 2005
October 18 th , 2005

After a very early morning breakfast transfer to the archaeological site of Yaxha. Check in at your hotel & continue to the site of Topoxte by boat. Lunch included. Continue to Yaxha to visit its impressive temples & appreciate a beautiful sunset over the Yaxha Lagoon. Overnight at El Sombrero Ecolodge.

DAY 18
Wednesday (B)
XUNANTUNICH- CHETUMAL

February 9 th , 2005
March 23 rd , 2005
April 27 th , 2005
August 17 th , 2005
October 19 th , 2005

After a very early breakfast included at your ecolodge transfer to the Belize border and beyond to see the site of Xunantunich. Continue to San Ignacio to try the flavours of Belize & their famous rice & beans for lunch on your own today at Martha's Kitchen. Continue to the Mexican border & proceed to the city of Chetumal. Overnight at Holiday Inn Chetumal. .

DAY 19
Thursday (B)
MAYA MUSEUM – TULUM- CANCUN
February 10 th , 2005
March 24 th , 2005
April 28 th , 2005
August 18 th , 2005
October 20 th , 2005

After breakfast included at your hotel morning visit to the Maya World Museum in Chetumal, a wonderful museographic display that will condense in one single vision the complexity, beauty & wonders of the Maya World. Early check out of your hotel. Depart your hotel at 11:15 pm to visit the site of Tulum for lunch & a short visit. Continue to Cancun for overnight at Hotel Villas Tacul.

DAY 20
Friday
CANCUN- AMSTERDAM- FRANKFURT OR HAMBURG
February 11, 2005
March 25 th , 2005
April 29 th , 2005
August 19 th , 2005
October 21 st , 2005

This morning you can sleep in late, enjoy the beach & enjoy a late breakfast on your own (not included). Enjoy your free morning in Playa del Carmen. At 12 pm our driver will start packing your luggage to take you to the Cancun International Airport for your flight back to Germany at 4:45 pm with MARTINAIR.