Mayas and Aztecs
Mexico and northern Central America are liberally dotted with some of the world’s most celebrated ancient sites, from the enormous Mayan pyramids that bask in the Yucatán sunshine to spectacular lost cities nestling in luxuriant jungle. To put this vivid legacy into context, you’ll also witness the culture and traditions of the Maya alive and well throughout much of the region.
Where: Mayan and Aztec ruins are found in central and eastern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize and Honduras. The living culture of the Maya is most vibrant today in Guatemala and the Mexican state of Chiapas.
When to go: The ideal time is from late November to early June.
How to get there: A good network of internal and international flights connects the main areas of interest.
Combines well with: Central America’s
Caribbean beaches and elegant colonial cities.
Where to stay: Good bases for your visit to Mexico’s ancient sites include
Mexico City and the
Mayan Riviera. For Tikal and Copán, stay in Flores and Copán Ruinas respectively.
Length of stay: As little as a 1-week holiday in the Yucatán will give you a taste of Mexico’s Mayan legacy. However if you plan to combine a number of sights into one trip, give yourself 2 weeks at the least, and 3 weeks to a month if you want to explore in depth.
Tailor Made
10 days from £1,322
We present a brand new short holiday to El Salvador, now a peaceful, enchanting and friendly little country: visit San Salvador, ancient Mayan sites, volcanoes, colonial cities and the El Imposible National Park. Be among the first to discover its natural beauty.
The best of a new unspoilt destination, El Salvador
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Tailor Made
12 days from £1,613
Our good value holiday to Guatemala reveals the essential Latin America – colour, tradition and exotic landscapes from highland to jungle. There’s a rich heritage from pre-Columbian cultures, notably the Maya (ruined cities, temples and pyramids such as the huge jungle site at Tikal; mystical religious rituals) to the grace of colonial Spain (the exquisite Antigua) and the vivaciousness of Afro-Caribbean communities.
Highlights and off the beaten track delights of Guatemala
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Tailor Made
11 days from £1,407
Immerse yourself in the mystical world of the Maya on this special shared departure designed to celebrate the dawning of a new Mayan Age. Spend a fascinating guided holiday in the company of the modern day Mayans and their spiritual leaders, attending lectures and ceremonies, and visiting the most impressive of the monumental temples and pyramids built during their ascendancy.
Learn about the living culture and history of the Maya
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Tailor Made
19 days from £2,921
As a chapter in the Mayan calendar draws to a close in 2012, what better time to take a comprehensive tour of the ancient empire's most impressive archaeological sites in Central America and Mexico? This holiday gives you an in depth understanding of the Mayan culture while leaving you time to explore and enjoy the attractions and facilities of the modern world.
The most comprehensive tour of the Mayan world on the market
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Classic Journeys - Superior small group tours
14 nights from £3,598 including flights nfrom the UK
Starting in Guatemala visit the mayan ruins of Tikal before continuing to Nicaragua and the Panama canal on this 2 week escorted tour of Central America.
Central America highlights - in comfort and style
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Discovery Journeys - Small group tours
15 nights from £2,998 including flights from the UK
Starting in the megapolis of Mexico City continue to Chiapas, Lake Atitlan and Antigua, before flying to the Mayan ruins of Tikal on this 2 week escorted tour of Mexico and Guatemala.
Markets, lakes and Mayans
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Tailor Made
11 days from £1,890
The ruined temples at Copán in Honduras are perhaps the Mayans’ finest, with intricate sculptures and artwork on display among the pyramids. There’s one of Central America’s finest rainforest hotels, at Pico Bonito, and coral beach-fringed Roatán Island is both a world-famous diving and snorkelling destination also ideal for families
The best of Honduras, featuring Copan ruins
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Tailor Made
11 days from £1,179
Belize is famed for its coral beaches and islands, but the unspoilt jungle interior has some of Central America's loveliest landscapes and a variety of little-visited Mayan archaeological sites. This 11-day holiday combining reef with rainforest stays in characterful properties with a wide choice of adventurous activities on offer including caving, kayaking and diving.
Special Offer: Save £234 per person
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Tailor Made
12 days from £1,885; save £254 per person
Francis Ford Coppola's luxury boutique hotels, Blancaneaux Lodge and Turtle Inn, are offering discounted prices for this special offer package of accommodation and excursions in Belize's forested and wildlife-rich mountainous interior and on the low-key beaches of the Caribbean coast.
Luxury and adventure in unspoilt Belize
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Tailor Made
12 days from £1,892
This really is a luxury lodge holiday with a difference – we feature the three stylish properties owned and conceived by film-director Francis Ford Coppola, the design and furnishings of which reflect the wide-ranging travels of his family. They are in super locations too - close to the magnificent ruins of Mayan Tikal in Guatemala and verdant Mountain Pine Ridge and the Caribbean resort of Placencia in Belize.
Three exceptional Francis Ford Coppola hotels in stunning surroundings
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