Expedition - Trekking to El Mirador
Overview
Highlights
- Paddle around the magnificent Lake Atitlan by kayak
- Venture into Antigua’s bustling Central Market and sample fresh fruit and local delicacies
- Spend five days trekking in the jungle – it’s about as close to nature as you can get (so don’t forget your mosquito repellent!)
- Watch the sunset over the jungle from the top of an ancient pyramid
- Go off the grid. Unlike some of Central America’s more famous Maya sites, the ruins at El Mirador are well off the tourist trail
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Details
Travel Themes
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Itinerary
Bienvenidos! Welcome to Guatemala! Your adventure begins with a Welcome Meeting at 6pm on Day 1. Please look for a note in the hotel lobby or ask the hotel reception where it will take place. If you can't arrange a flight that will arrive in time, you may wish to arr...
We’ve got an early start today as we travel by private minibus to the famous – and colourful – Chichicastenango market (approximately 2-3 hours). Every Thursday and Sunday, locals travel to town from the surrounding villages to sell their wares, and the streets are li...
Lake Atitlan is one of the most picture-perfect lakes on earth, with its near-constant blue skies and backdrop of distant volcanos. It’s also a great spot for a kayak, which is what we’ll do today. Paddle across the still waters of the lake, soaking up the scenery. Do...
After breakfast, return to Antigua and visit the buzzing Central Market. Venture deep into the market to get a glimpse of the real Antigua: traditionally dressed women making fresh corn tortillas, mangos, pineapples and bananas stacked in boxes and baskets, and tables...
Tuck into an early breakfast before making the long drive via private minibus to Rio Dulce (approximately 8 hours), then transfer by boat to our riverside hotel. Perhaps spend the afternoon relaxing on the waterfront deck, or stretch your legs with a short walk into town.
Wake up to the sound of birdcall in the jungle. Today we’ll take a boat trip down the river to Livingston, an old port town. Set at the mouth of the Rio Dulce on Amatique Bay, the town is easily navigable. You might like to spend some time wandering the quiet streets,...
Settle in for the drive to Flores (approximately 4 hours). Officially founded by the Spanish in 1700, the tiny island of Flores had existed in various forms for years beforehand. Many of the locals still get about in the traditional way, paddling around by dugout cano...
Set the alarm for this morning’s early start. Leave Flores at 5am and travel to the remote Carmelita community – the starting point for our trek to El Mirador – where we’ll enjoy a hearty breakfast before our first day of hiking. While some choose to travel to El Mira...
After an early breakfast, trek through magnificent jungle to the La Muerta archaeological site, stopping along the way for a quick snack at El Zompopera. La Muerta features several Early to Late Classic monuments and structure, including the creatively named Structure...
It’s hard to believe the forgotten city of El Mirador was once home to around 250,000 people. The region flourished from the sixth century BC, as workers moved to the area to build the massive constructions, however the site was seemingly abandoned at the end of the f...
Trek through the jungle to Nakbe, one of the largest and oldest early Maya sites. It’s believed Nakbe was abandoned at around the same time as El Mirador. We’ll walk for around four hours, before enjoying lunch at the site and spending the afternoon exploring the ruins, tombs and causeways. Spend the night at our Nakbe campsite.
After breakfast, set off through the Maya Biosphere Reserve towards our camp at Yucatan. Keep your eyes peeled for scarlet macaws and howler monkeys along the way. We’ll be trekking through the steamy jungle for most of the day, so be sure to take it easy and have ple...
Pack up the camp, give the mules a goodbye hug and transfer to Uaxactun by 4x4, stopping for lunch along the way. Uaxactun was one of the longest occupied Maya sites, populated from 500 BC until 900 AD, and is also home to the oldest completed – and accurate – astrono...
Transfer to Tikal National Park for a tour of this incredible ancient city. Covering around 16 square kilometres, the central part of the UNESCO World Heritage site is home to around 3,000 temples, monuments and plazas, including the tomb of Lord Chocolate, one of Tik...
Your adventure comes to an end this morning. There are no activities planned for the final day and you're able to depart the accommodation at any time.
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