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Belize & Tikal
When: January 13 - 23, 2011
Where: Belize, Guatemala
How Much: $2,795 ($375 single supplement)
Explore the southern reaches of the Maya Empire – from the ancient cities found along the coast of Belize to Tikal, located deep within the Guatemalan rain forest.
John Henderson, professor of anthropology at Cornell University and noted author of The World of the Ancient Maya, will accompany the tour.Thursday, January 13
We’ll meet you at the Belize City airport and take you to hotel for a welcoming cocktail party and orientation discussion. We’ll spend the next three evenings in Belize City at the Belize Best Western Biltmore.
Friday, January 14
We’ll spend the morning touring Belize City. In the afternoon, we’ll explore the ruins of Altun Ha, a city that once covered three square miles.
Saturday, January 15
Traveling by boat up the New River, we’ll see the lowlands of Belize, home to turtles, monkeys, and tropical birds. At the end of the trip lies Lamanai, a vibrant Maya trading center established before the birth of Christ and occupied until 1641. A finely carved monument commemorates Lord Smoking Shell’s rule over the area.
Sunday, January 16
We’ll travel to the inner region of Belize and visit the mountaintop palace of Cahal Pech. We’ll also explore the ruins of Xunantunich, which can only be reached by hand-cranked ferry across the Mopan River. We’ll spend the next two nights at the charming San Ignacio Hotel in San Ignacio del Cayo.
Monday, January 17
We’ll visit Caracol, where the incredible stelae and inscriptions tell tales of bloody wars in which Caracol triumphed over its nemesis Tikal, as well as Naranjo and other Maya cities.
Tuesday, January 18
We’ll cross the Belize border into Guatemala and visit the important Maya center of Yaxha. We’ll spend the afternoon visiting the museums at the site of Tikal, located in the vast rain forest of Petén. We’ll spend the next four evenings at the Villa Maya Resort.
Wednesday and Thursday, January 19 – 20
We’ll spend two days exploring the extensive ruins at Tikal, a magnificent city that may have covered more that 25 square miles and had a population exceeding 75,000.
Friday, January 21
We’ll visit the vast ruins of Uaxactún, located just 23 km north of Tikal. In late preclassic times, Uaxactún was Tikal’s political and military rival, until Tikal’s King Great Jaguar Paw conquered the city in the 4th century.
Saturday, January 22
We’ll return to Belize City where we’ll be spending the night. On the way we’ll have an opportunity to shop at the Guatemala border. We’ll also visit the world famous Belize Zoo
Sunday, January 23
Participants depart for home.