CENTRALAMERICAMEXICO  BELIZE  GUATEMALA 136 " The hotels were fantastic! The tour was a good mixture of arranged activities and free time." Amber Inskip central america Mexico Guatemala Playa del Carmen Chichen Itza Merida Panajachel Totonicapan San Cristobal Palenque Lacandon Jungle Caye Caulker Belize City Livingston Flores Tikal San Ignacio Rio Dulce Antigua Mayan Explorer The Mayan Road Imaginative Facts Tour code: LAME • Activities: Peten jungle trek, many optional activities in Caye Caulker and San Ignacio. Trek grade - Moderate • Accommodation: 8 nights simple hotels, 2 nights cabins, 3 nights camping/ hammocks, 1 night overnight bus • Transport: Private and public bus, boat, foot • Fully Escorted: By Imaginative Traveller tour leader, services of local guide and crew on jungle trek • Imaginative Traveller Suggests: Add our ' Mayan Road' tour DAY 1: PLAYA DEL CARMEN- Arrival day. DAY 2: PLAYA DEL CARMEN- Free day to relax on the beach or visit the ruins of Tulum. This Mayan temple complex overlooks the Atlantic Ocean in a dramatic setting. In the evening we board the overnight bus to the Belizean border. DAYS 3 & 4: CAYE CAULKER- We stop in colourful Belize City before taking a boat ride to Caye Caulker, an idyllic island fringed with palm trees, sandy beaches and incredible reefs. Free time to relax. From here you can arrange a variety of excursions, including snorkelling and boat trips out to the endangered manatee. DAY 5: CAYE CAULKER - SAN IGNACIO-Today we travel back to the mainland and head inland to San Ignacio, a small town situated within the Belize jungle, where we stay in simple wooden cabins. DAY 6: SAN IGNACIO- A free day in San Ignacio. The town is a great base for exploring the surrounding area and there are plenty of options to choose from, including horse- riding, jungle trekking, caving, canoeing and visiting some of the excellent Mayan sites in the area, such as Caracol. DAY 7: SAN IGNACIO - FLORES- We take the bus to Flores, a pleasant island town on Lake Peten Itza in Guatemala, where we spend the night. DAYS 8- 10: PETEN JUNGLE TREK- We embark on our trek into the thick jungle of the Peten region, spending our nights camping near little- visited Mayan ruins. On Day 10 we arrive at Tikal and spend the night in the national park, watching the sunset over the jungle from the top of one of the pyramids. ( Day 8 - LD, Days 9 - BLD, Day 10 - BL) DAY 11: TIKAL- Time to explore Tikal, perhaps the most impressive of all the Mayan sites and set amidst imposing jungle that echoes to the calls of monkeys and exotic birds. We return to Flores in the afternoon. DAY 12: FLORES - LIVINGSTON- We leave the jungle behind and drive to the Rio Dulce to sail to Livingston, home to Guatemala's Garifuna population. DAY 13: LIVINGSTON - ANTIGUA- Drive to Antigua, one of the most beautiful of Central America's cities. Surrounded by volcanoes and full of colonial architecture, Antigua is a delight to explore. DAY 14: ANTIGUA- Free day in Antigua. If you are feeling energetic, try a hike up one of the nearby volcanoes for fantastic views over the city. ( B) DAY 15: ANTIGUA- Tour ends. ( B) Note: Playa del Carmen is close to Cancun and is easily accessible by local bus. We can however arrange transfers if required. Please speak to us for further details. Mexico Belize Guatemala - From coast to rainforest • Relax on the idyllic sandy beachesof Caye Caulker and Playa del Carmen • Explore the Belizean rainforestfrom the delightful town of San Ignacio • Take a three day trekthrough the dense Peten jungle, full of exotic wildlife • Tour the impressive ancient Mayan city of Tikal, deep in the forest • Enjoy the picturesque town of Antigua, set amidst a ring of dramatic volcanoes Mayan Explorer Single Supplement £ 155 ( optional) Voluntary Carbon Offset £ 19.66 * Price includes tour price of £ 625and local payment of US$ 220All prices are subject to currency fluctuations £ 740pp Land Only * adventurer Tour duration 15 days © Imaginative Traveller Starts SatEnds Sat Playa delAntigua Carmen 2009 24- Jan- 0907- Feb- 09 21- Feb- 0907- Mar- 09 21- Mar- 0904- Apr- 09 13- Jun- 0927- Jun- 09 11- Jul- 0925- Jul- 09 08- Aug- 0922- Aug- 09 31- Oct- 0914- Nov- 09 28- Nov- 0912- Dec- 09 26- Dec- 0909- Jan- 10 Starts SatEnds Sat Playa delAntigua Carmen 2010 23- Jan- 1006- Feb- 10 20- Feb- 1006- Mar- 10 20- Mar- 1003- Apr- 10 17- Apr- 1001- May- 10 10- Jul- 1024- Jul- 10 07- Aug- 1021- Aug- 10 30- Oct- 1013- Nov- 10 27- Nov- 1011- Dec- 10 25- Dec- 1008- Jan- 11 Mexico City is the largest city in the world. It was built on the site of the ancient city of Tenochtitlán built in 1325 by the Aztecs. amazing fact ... We can also offer Extra Accommodation, Adventure Travel Insurance& Flights Trek grade - Moderate Save up to 15% on your tour - see page 243

GUATEMALA  MEXICO 137 CENTRALAMERICA Imaginative Facts Tour code: LAMR • Activities: Extensive walking at sites, hiking in the Lacandon jungle • Accommodation: 10 nights simple hotels, 1 night homestay, 1 night simple multi- share cabin, 1 night overnight bus • Transport: Private and public bus, boat, foot • Fully Escorted: By Imaginative Traveller tour leader, local guide in Lacandon jungle • Imaginative Traveller Suggests: Add our ' Mayan Explorer' tour DAY 1: ANTIGUA- Arrival day. DAY 2: ANTIGUA - PANAJACHEL- Drive to Panajachel, on the shores of Lake Atitlan. Visit Chichicastenango, home to Guatemala's most colourful market. ( B) DAY 3: PANAJACHEL- Take an optional boat ride to visit some of the fascinating nearby villages, and find Maximon, the mysterious Mayan god that lives here. DAY 4: PANAJACHEL - TOTONICAPAN-Today we travel to the village of Totonicapan, a wonderful place to find artisan workshops. This evening we enjoy the privilege of staying with a local family. ( LD) DAY 5: TOTONICAPAN - SAN CRISTOBAL-We cross the border into Mexico and head to the town of San Cristobal, home to a large proportion of Mexico's indigenous population and with a character all of its own. ( B) DAY 6: SAN CRISTOBAL- You can visit the nearby Sumidero Canyon, a series of cliffs that reach an impressive 1,500m in height. Alternatively, you could take a horse ride into some of the nearby villages. DAY 7: SAN CRISTOBAL - PALENQUE-We take a bus to the modern day town of Palenque. DAY 8: PALENQUE - YAXCHILAN - BONAMPAK- We head into the Lacandon jungle. A boat ride take us to Yaxchilan ( Place of the Green Stones), one of the few Mayan cities where women have ruled as well. In the afternoon we visit Bonampak, a site that is known for its well preserved frescoes. The Lacandon Indians are the original inhabitants of this part of the jungle, and we spend the night at an original Lacandon settlement in a simple multi- share cabin. ( BLD) DAY 9: LACANDON JUNGLE - PALENQUE-After breakfast we take a walk through the Lacandon jungle with an indigenous Indian guide. Along the way we stop at small waterfalls to take a swim. Later this afternoon we drive back to Palenque. ( BL) DAY 10: PALENQUE- A free day to visit the amazing and little visited Mayan ruins at Palenque, set amidst stunning rainforest. We also have the option of visiting Agua Azul, an area of beautiful jungle scenery and superb waterfalls. In the evening we take an overnight bus to Merida. DAY 11: MERIDA- We arrive in Merida, capital of the Yucatan state and packed full of markets and old colonial buildings. Nearby are the ruins of Uxmal and the Celestun National Park, home to huge flocks of flamingos. A free day to enjoy the city. DAY 12: MERIDA - CHICHEN ITZA- In the afternoon we drive to Chichen Itza. We have plenty of time to visit this magnificent Mayan site and spend time exploring its temples and pyramids. DAY 13: CHICHEN ITZA - PLAYA DEL CARMEN- After a last visit to the ruins before the crowds arrive, we head to the lively coast town of Playa del Carmen. DAY 14: PLAYA DEL CARMEN- Tour ends. Colourful markets, dense jungle and ancient sites • Enjoy colourful Chichicastenango, Guatemala's famous market • Visit rural villagesor the impressive Sumidero Canyon from San Cristobal • Hike through the jungle to overnight at a remote Lacandon settlement • Explore the impressive Mayan sitesof Palenque and Chichen Itza • See the colonial sites of Meridaand modern- day sights of Playa del Carmen Guatemala Mexico The Mayan Road Single Supplement £ 160 ( optional) Voluntary Carbon Offset £ 19.66 * Price includes tour price of £ 599and local payment of US$ 220All prices are subject to currency fluctuations £ 715pp Land Only * adventurer Tour duration 14 days Starts SatEnds Fri AntiguaPlaya del Carmen 2009 10- Jan- 0923- Jan- 09 07- Feb- 0920- Feb- 09 07- Mar- 0920- Mar- 09 04- Apr- 0917- Apr- 09 27- Jun- 0910- Jul- 09 25- Jul- 0907- Aug- 09 22- Aug- 0904- Sep- 09 14- Nov- 0927- Nov- 09 12- Dec- 0925- Dec- 09 Starts SatEnds Fri AntiguaPlaya del Carmen 2010 09- Jan- 1022- Jan- 10 06- Feb- 1019- Feb- 10 06- Mar- 1019- Mar- 10 03- Apr- 1016- Apr- 10 26- Jun- 1009- Jul- 10 24- Jul- 1006- Aug- 10 16- Oct- 1029- Oct- 10 13- Nov- 1026- Nov- 10 11- Dec- 1024- Dec- 10 Save up to 15% on your tour - see page 243