Real Central America

Day 1 Playa del Carmen      
Kick things off in Playa del Carmen, which is a pretty cool place to begin a trip.  The first thing planned for today is a welcome meeting with your group leader and fellow travellers at 6 pm. Other than that, you're free to arrive at any time and spend the day however you want.      

Day 2 Playa del Carmen to Tulum    
Today, hop on a local bus along the Caribbean coast to Tulum, where it's all about laidback life and the white sands of the Yucatan Peninsula. Once you're settled and got your bearings with a leader-led orientation walk around Tulum, there's the chance to visit one of the best-looking and located Maya sites around. Discover the impressive Temple of the Frescoes and see how this pre-Columbian walled ruin city clings to a cliff-top area overlooking the ocean. You can even go for a swim within the archaeological zone. In the evening, perhaps kick back and watch the waves roll in at a beachside bar with a margarita, of course.      

Day 3 Tulum    
With a free day to relax in Tulum, relax into the laidback Mexican vibe. There's the option of exploring Dos Ojos (two eyes): one of the most famous cenotes (freshwater rock pools) in the area – an underwater world full of stalagmites and stalactites.      

Day 4 Tulum to Caye Caulker      
New day, new country. Adios Mexico, hello Belize. Much of today will be taken up with travel, driving by local bus to the border, then on to Belize City. Let the wind and sea spray wash the travel away with a 1-hour speedboat ride to the palm-fringed island of Caye Caulker.  

Day 5 Caye Caulker      
Your time in Caye Caulker is all about taking it easy. If being underwater is your thing then head out to Hol Chan Marine Reserve, home to Shark Ray Alley and the world's second longest barrier reef. Snorkel among the colourful corals and see tropical fish, sharks and manta rays.      

Day 6 Caye Caulker      
Today is another free day to take up any other optional activities or to simply pull up a towel and relax along the beach with a book. If you’ve already been snorkelling, then maybe continue the marine exploration with a manatee tour. These huge, peaceful creatures are beautiful in their own way, and are quite curious to meet their visitors. Get more active with sea kayaks and stand-up paddle boards, or go the other way completely and just chill out.    

Day 7 Caye Caulker to San Ignacio      
Leave the island paradise behind and return to Belize City by boat, before taking a local bus to San Ignacio via Belize’s capital, Belmopan. After you arrive, the rest of the day is free, so perhaps choose to visit the Chaa Creek butterfly garden, and at night, try one of the barbeque street stalls for a char-grilled chicken leg.

Day 8 San Ignacio      
There is a heap of optional activities to choose between in San Ignacio. The cave of Actun Tunichil Muknal is a living museum of Maya relics, and you can wade through its waters until you reach a whole bunch of 1400-year-old crystallised skeletons. You could take a day tour to the Mountain Pine Ridge area to visit waterfalls and swimming holes, or go down the Macal river in canoes or tubes.

Day 9 San Ignacio to Tikal
Time to go jungle – Guatemala-style. Leave San Ignacio, cross the border, and get dropped at Tikal National Park by private vehicle. You'll set up camp on the grounds of a hotel near the national park entrance before exploring the super-huge and crazy-cool Maya ruins of Tikal. Pass through the lush jungle vegetation, and if you've got the energy, climb Temple IV to take in the epic canopy views.

Day 10 Tikal to Rio Dulce    
From the jungle to the lake this morning, as you’ll head to the lakeside town of Flores (approximately 1 hour). Here there's time to grab some lunch and have a quick explore around the town. Then it's back on the private vehicle to Rio Dulce (approximately 5 hours). On arrival in Rio Dulce, transfer to the hotel by boat.

Day 11 Rio Dulce      
There is a load of activities to choose between today. Take a scenic boat trip down the river to Livingston, a laidback town on the Caribbean coast that offers a unique experience of local Garifuna culture. Go boating on the lake, relax in the thermal hot springs or explore the nearby San Felipe fort in Livingstone. You could hike through the dense forest of the surrounding Chocon-Machacas Natural reserve and go out to spot the protected manatees of the area.    

Day 12 Rio Dulce to Antigua    
Travel by private vehicle to the city of Antigua. You'll spend the night here, before heading to Lake Atitlan tomorrow.  

Day 13 Antigua to Lake Atitlan    
Today you'll get a seriously special Guatemalan experience. Start the day by travelling by private vehicle to the famous market in Chichicastenango. After visiting Chichi, head towards San Jorge La Laguna: a small Maya village overlooking Lake Atitlan. Here you'll meet a Guatemalan family, and it'll be time to bust out your best Spanish to break the ice with these super friendly but shy locals. The group may be split in twos or threes, depending on the group size. The mother of the family will cook you basic but filling dinner early in the evening and provide you with an insight into Guatemalan family and culture. Bid the family adios before spending the night multishare glamping on the shores of Lake Atitlan.      

Day 14 Lake Atitlan      
Lake Atitlan is all yours to explore today when you wake up on the banks of its shimmering blue waters. There will be time to enjoy the other sections of the lake, so hire a kayak, or book in for a volcano hike or a mountain bike tour for a different scenic experience.      

Day 15 Lake Atitlan to Antigua      
After an included breakfast, hit the road back to Antigua. With three nearby volcanoes dominating the horizon, you won't have been to many places quite like Antigua. Experience a leader-led walking tour to orientate yourself around the World Heritage-listed city full of cobblestones, leafy town squares and ornate churches. This is also a city that knows how to party, so bring your best dance moves, shout a round of mojitos and get down with the locals.

Day 16 Antigua      
Depart at any time.