Guatemala - Land of the Maya

This two-week tour with Explore Worldwide takes in ancient Maya cities and lively Indigenous communities in Guatemala and Honduras. Starting in Guatemala City, the route moves eastward to Copan in Honduras, where the Hieroglyphic Stairway and the Great Plaza speak volumes about Maya craftsmanship and power. The itinerary includes Quirigua's mysterious glyph-covered stelae before heading to the Caribbean coast’s Garifuna town of Livingston, with time to swim beneath the 7 Altares waterfalls and relax on Playa Blanca’s sands.

From the river town of Rio Dulce, the tour journeys to Flores, gateway to the vast Tikal ruins set deep in jungle. The scale of Tikal’s temples and plazas suggests a city once rivaling the classical world, while in the highlands, visits to Semuc Champey’s turquoise pools and the elusive quetzal’s cloud forest habitat add natural highlights. The final days rest at Lake Atitlan’s volcanic rim, moving through villages where traditional Maya dress and customs endure alongside a colourful market in Chichicastenango. The pace balances guided tours with moments to wander towns like Antigua, with its cobbled streets and looming volcanoes nearby.

These are the places the trip visits, in order. Explore Worldwide publishes the day-by-day itinerary on its own site.