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The Ruta Maya |
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A Group tour of Central America: Mexico and the Yukatan, Guatemala and Belize. |
Ref: EX-AUR
17 days
from £1399 (minimum 1 passengers)
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Destination:
Mexico New Zealand
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This is a hotel-based tour covering the highlights of Mexico's Yucatan peninsula, the highlands of Guatemala, and also a day in Belize. It is here that the Mayans established one of the most powerful and mysterious empires of the ancient world. The ruined limestone temples and pyramids of their massive cities, which lay undiscovered in the jungles for hundreds of years, are among the world's most impressive sites. We visit the best of these at Tikal, Chichen Itzá and Palenque, but this is not just a historical tour: we travel through some delightful country which combines almost every kind of tropical scenery with attractive towns, beaches, high volcanic mountains and the beautiful turquoise lakes of Atitlan and Bacalar. There's also time to enjoy the lively culture that is Central America today, including Latin America's most colourful market day at Chichicastenango. The travelling distances are not great and some days are free to relax and soak up the Latino atmosphere.
Trip Profile
A busy trip, staying in hotels throughout. Hot and humid in the lowlands but pleasant in the hills. Travelling is in comfortable, mainly air-conditioned mini-buses, on generally good roads; one short internal flight.
Group & Staff
min. 8, max. 20, plus leader.
Accommodation
15 nights tourist class hotels.
Food
Breakfast only included. |
Day 1 | Fly to Merida. | Day 2 | Drive via Uxmal to old port of Campeche. | Day 3 | To Mayan ruins of Palenque, partially lost in the jungle. | Day 4 | An attractive drive into hills of Chiapas province to San Cristobal de las Casas.
| Day 5 | Rest day in San Cristobal de las Casas, exploring cobblestone streets and colourful markets of this Indian town. | Day 6 | Take Pan-American Highway through hills into Guatemala and on to Panajachel beside Lake Atitlan. | Day 7 | Relax at Lake Atitlan, claimed by locals to be the most beautiful lake in the world; optional boat trips available. | Day 8 | Drive to Antigua.
| Day 9 | Sightseeing in Antigua, the attractive former capital of Guatemala. Optional trip to the market at Chichicastenango.
| Day 10 | To Rio Dulce. | Day 11 | Optional boat trip to Caribbean village of Livingston; afternoon to Flores.
| Day 12 | Visit Tikal, deep in jungle, the most impressive Mayan city. On to San Ignacio in Belize.
| Day 13 | To Tulum on the Yucatan coast; relax on the beach. | Day 14 | Free day in Tulum. | Day 15 | Visit the most famous Mexica Mayan site, Chichen Itza. | Day 16 | Depart Merida. | Day 17 | Arrive London. |
Departures Between | Price from | 20 Nov 04 04 Dec 04 | *£1399 | 01 Jan 05 15 Jan 05 29 Jan 05 12 Feb 05 26 Feb 05 | *£1435 | | *Prices subject to confirmation |
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FLIGHT INCLUSIVE PRICE
Local payment US$150 (approx. £100)
Optional single supplement £170
Insurance £77
WHAT THE PRICE INCLUDES
In all the items below, “included” means either in the price or in a specified “local payment”.
Flights
The prices include flights from a UK airport to the destination airport and back, UK departure tax, all necessary domestic flights on the trip itinerary and all airport transfers. Where this is not the case it is specifically mentioned in the Dates & Prices box for the individual trip. If you book at the “land only” price, international flights and related airport transfers are not included, but domestic flights generally are, except where tickets for these have to be issued in conjunction with your international ticket. If you do not need our group flights, please ask for the “land only” price.
Accommodation
This is included in the price. If you’re camping, we provide sturdy two-person tents and all necessary communal camping and cooking gear, so you will just need to bring a sleeping bag and, on most trips, a sleeping mat.
Single rooms or tents
Our prices are based on twin share accommodation. If you book on your own (many people do), we arrange for you to share with a person of the same sex. We do not charge a single supplement except on extensions. Where it is operationally possible to do so, we offer an optional single supplement in the price list. On some trips it is not possible to do so, we offer an optional single supplement in the price list. On some trips it is not possible to guarantee single accommodation for the whole tour; where this is the case further information and prices can be found in the Trip Notes. If you would like a single room or tent on a particular holiday you should contact the office for details. Where we are unable to guarantee single accommodation you may be able to arrange and pay for it locally. If you are a smoker we ask you not to smoke in your room or tent if sharing. Please note on certain trips single accommodation is not available due to local operational conditions.
Food
Meal plans vary according to area and circumstances: for every trip, details of what is included are shown in the Food section of each trip, and in the Trip Notes.
Transport
All necessary transport during the trip is included, whether private or public.
Sightseeing
Included wherever it is part of the itinerary (as stated in the Trip Notes). There are usually optional trips too.
Staff
On all trips we provide a leader or local representative, assisted by local guides, drivers and any other staff as appropriate. Leaders usually meet the group locally.
Permits, taxes, and entrance fees
We include in the cost of the holiday or in the stated local payment all necessary local permits, taxes, and entrance fees to National Parks or sites that are part of the itinerary, except for the Kilimanjaro Government Tax, Gorilla Permits and certain Galapagos taxes.
NOT INCLUDED
Any meals and other food not included in the meal plan, visas, vaccinations, travel insurance, foreign airport taxes where not included in the price of the ticket, sleeping bags and other personal equipment, sleeping mats on most camping trips, entrance to historical sites if not specified in the Trip Notes, extra optional excursions and any personal expenditure such as laundry, drinks and tips.
This holiday is operated by Exodus Travels Ltd. ATOL 2582.
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The Ruta Maya
A Group tour of Central America: Mexico and the Yukatan, Guatemala and Belize.
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