On arrival at Cancun Airport you are transferred to our hotel in Cancun City. In the evening you meet your tour leader and the other members of your group for a pre-tour briefing. Please check the notice board at the hotel reception for confirmation of the exact time and place of the meeting. This meeting is generally followed by an optional group dinner at a nearby restaurant.

Your time is your own today to look around Cancun City or to while away some time at one of the many beaches that have made this region the holiday meca of Mexico. The beach at Playa del Carmen is highly recommended. Here you can laze around on the white, sandy beach or enjoy a swim in the incredibly clear blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. There are regular buses throughout the day to Playa del Carmen located about 40km from Cancun.

Saying farewell to Cancun, we stop to visit the remains of the ancient port town of Tulum. Set in a spectacular location on the cliff top, the walled city ruins offers breathtaking views over the coastline of the Caribbean Sea below. These ruins are much younger than other Mayan sites and date back to around the year 1200. The largest temple on the site is the Castillo, which also served as a fortress and was once coated in stucco, painted and decorated with masks. Perched over the water is the Temple of the Winds, which is said to whistle as a warning when a hurricane approaches. We continue to Chetumal, which lies on the border with Belize and is where we spend our last night in Mexico. This is quite a modern town, as it has been largely rebuilt after being destroyed by a hurricane in 1955.

Today we move to a new country as we leave Mexico and enter Guatemala, where we make our way to the tiny town of Flores. Our route takes us near jungle terrain, which is home to various species of wildlife. Flores is actually an island, situated on a lake known as Lago Petén Itzá and connected to the mainland by a causeway. The cobblestone streets of the friendly village on the island are flanked by handicraft stores and charming, brightly coloured houses. It is a pleasant place to spend a couple of nights relaxing, shopping for handmade clothing and crafts, as well as tasting Guatemalan cuisine. It is also great base for visiting the world famous Mayan site of Tikal.

Located in the jungles of the El Petén region, Tikal is the largest of the ancient ruined cities of the Mayan civilisation and one of the most impressive archaeological sites in the world. The name means 'Place of Voices' in the Mayan language and the site consists of over 3000 buildings, including a few very tall temples that tower above the tree-line. The earliest excavation dates from the 4th Century BC, but the city was at its peak between 200 and 850 AD, where at one point it was home to over 100,000 people. We are guided around to see all the main highlights on what is sure to be a memorable day. Being a national park, Tikal is also home to a large variety of wildlife and we have a good chance of spotting coati, grey fox, spider monkey and howler monkey.

We spend today travelling to the central mountains and the town of Antigua Guatemala, which is commonly referred to as Antigua or La Antigua. Full of historic buildings mainly constructed in Spanish Baroque style and spectacular ruined churches, it has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site and it is not hard to see why! Antigua is surely one of the most superbly preserved of all Spanish American cities and a great place to spend a couple of days. Wandering around town it is easy to imagine ourselves living back in time in the Spanish colonial era, the influences of which permeate all facets of life from the houses and churches to parks, ruins and folklore.

Once the capital of Spanish Guatemala, Antigua is today a town of over 30,000 people nestled between three towering volcanoes. It was one time the country’s capital, which moved to Guatemala City after the earthquakes of 1773. It is a very popular stop for travellers because of its historical relics as well as pleasant ambience and the colour of the local people. There are lots of interesting markets, restaurants and cafes; be sure to try the famous Guatemalan coffee! It is also a place renowned for its many Spanish language schools. There is no shortage of things to do and places to discover during our time here.

We travel into the heart of the Guatemalan Highlands to Lake Atitlan, described by the writer Aldous Huxley as 'the most beautiful lake in the world'. Located at over 1500 metres above sea level, the lake reaches depths of 324 metres and is surrounded by three majestic volcanoes - Toliman, Atitlan and San Pedro. We spend a night in beautiful Panajachel town, considered the jewel of the highlands and inhabited by the Cachikel people for over 800 years. These people are one of the 22 distinct Mayan groups in Guatemala, each with their own traditional language, dress and custom. They have been described as the only indigenous culture in the entire Americas to survive the European invasion intact. As we wander around Panajachel and surrounding villages, we see these people going about their daily lives. We are sure to be amazed by the skills of the women weavers.

On the way back to Antigua we stop at Chichicastenango and spend time at what has been described as 'the most colourful native market in the Americas'. Mayan groups venture from all over Guatemala in their native costumes and gather around to buy or sell their wares against a backdrop of noise, smells and colours that are both vibrant and exotic. Everything from pottery to medicinal plant, pigs, chickens, flowers and machetes can be bought and sold here. We then return to Antigua, where we can commemorate the last night of our adventure.

Our tour ends after breakfast in Antigua. Guatemala City airport is only 40 minutes away.