Central America: from Belize to Panama

Meeting at the airport in Belize City. Transfer to the Biltmore Plaza Hotel.

Transfer to the port. Transfer by water taxi to San Pedro Island. Tour to half day snorkeling at Hol Chan and Shark Alley. Charter flight in the afternoon in Belize City, flying through the Blue Hole. Transfer to the Biltmore Plaza Hotel.

Tour of the ATM caves. You will walk through the forest for 30 minutes before reaching the entrance of the cave. A short swim will take you into the amazing realm of the underground world. The adventurous hike will lead to the main water passage where you can enjoy incredible geological formations such as sparkling stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstones. This hidden chamber promises to reveal ancient secrets and geological processes that helped shape the underground world of the Maya, known as Xibalba; a frightening world beneath the surface of the earth; an invisible parallel where the kings and shamans of the ancient Maya could dare to enter and communicate with their gods or ancestors through rituals and ceremonies. The Maya believed that their gods were dual-natured; they could be good or bad. Therefore, to please the gods, they made offerings consisting of food, blood, or human sacrifices, hoping for rain, fertility, or prosperity in hunting and agriculture. Transfer to the Cahal Pech Resort hotel.

Transfer to the border with Guatemala. Customs formalities and transfer to the archaeological complex of Yaxha. Today we will visit the very beautiful Maya city of Yaxha. This city was founded on Lake Yaxha and is connected to the land by boulevards and canals. Yaxha is located 30 kilometers from Tikal and has a plaza and an acropolis, which are connected by boulevards known as sacbé or white roads. Hieroglyphic inscriptions indicate that the city was inhabited from the early Classic period to the late Classic period. The first settlers appeared here in the first centuries BC. The city's peak was in 600-700 AD. A special point of interest is the complexes of twin pyramids also known in Tikal. After the tour, transfer to Flores. Overnight at the Isla de Flores hotel.

Transfer to Tikal. Tikal is located 64 km from Flores, the beautiful capital of Petén, situated on an island in Lake Petén Itzá. Tikal means "the place where the voices of spirits are heard," and compared to other cities of the Classic period, it seems enormous. It is the largest settlement in pre-Columbian America. The six pyramid temples are particularly impressive, standing out as true skyscrapers among other structures of this type. No wonder archaeologists have called Tikal the New York of the Maya civilization. Today, the Tikal National Park covers 575 square kilometers and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1979 as a cultural and natural treasure of humanity. Overnight at the Isla de Flores hotel.

Transfer to the Izabal department to the most picturesque river of Guatemala — the Sweet River. In the Izabal department is the beautiful and largest lake in Guatemala, Izabal, which gives rise to the famous Rio Dulce; and the Caribbean coast of Guatemala, where pirates and galleons fought for supremacy during colonial times. Today, more than 350 species of birds and countless other fauna, such as howler monkeys, dolphins, and manatees, are found in this region. The Garifuna, descendants of West Africans who settled in this region 200 years ago, also live here. This area on the Caribbean coast seems unchanged. The natural area of Izabal is reminiscent of the richness of the Amazon forests. Transfer to a boat and travel along the Sweet River: the sheer canyon walls, hot springs, the beauty of the tropical jungle will leave unforgettable impressions and, of course, the city of Livingston, where the Garifuna people live, descendants of slaves brought from Africa. A tour of Livingston (it is impossible to reach the city by land, only by water) — a settlement of the Garifuna people with a unique culture combining African, Caribbean, and European elements. Sprawling palms, reggae music, and stunning seafood are the symbols of Livingston, allowing you to feel the true spirit of Jamaica in the heart of Guatemala. During our journey, we will try a typical Garifuna dish — tapado soup (seafood soup cooked in coconut milk). Overnight at Villa Caribe hotel.

Transfer to Honduras (distance 241 km; travel time: 4.5 hours). Customs formalities. Visit the famous ruins of Copan, located near the border with Guatemala. The main value of Copan lies in the unreal beauty and precision of the stelae art. This Maya city was called the Athens of Mesoamerica. There we will even find a stela made in three dimensions. The true masterpiece is considered to be the Hieroglyphic Stairway built by the Maya during the Classic period. Each of its 63 steps is adorned with intricate inscriptions, and balustrades with images of snakes and birds are erected on the sides. Overnight at the Plaza Copán hotel.

Transfer to the border with Guatemala and to Antigua Guatemala (distance 275 km; travel time 5 hours). Walking tour of Antigua Guatemala. The most important museum of Antigua is the city itself, its streets, where you can study its history while walking. Overnight at the Convento Santa Catalina hotel.

Just 67 km from Antigua Guatemala is the most active and beautiful volcanic complex in Central America, "Pacaya Park." Its main crater reaches a height of 2,552 meters above sea level and began forming over 2000 years ago. We will start our ascent from a height of 1,900 meters above sea level and climb up to 2,300 meters. After the descent, return to the Convento Santa Catalina hotel.

Transfer to Lake Atitlán. Boat tour on Lake Atitlán, where we will visit the most interesting towns where the Tz'utujil Maya still live. We will start with San Juan. The boat ride to San Juan will take about 30 minutes. Today, we will, of course, try very delicious coffee in one of the cafes, and then cross the lake by boat to the town of Santiago Atitlán. We will also visit the local Catholic church, where two religions have merged - Catholicism and Maya beliefs, and walk past the local town hall, where the city elders sit dressed in white striped shorts with embroidered birds at the bottom. Very colorful! All the men in Santiago wear striped shorts with birds on the edges, and the women wear huipiles (blouses) with bird embroidery. Also, in Santiago, women wear special headdresses called tocoial. Return to the Convento Santa Catalina hotel.

Transfer to the border with El Salvador. Customs formalities and transfer to Cerro Verde National Park — one of the most beautiful and most visited in El Salvador. Here are amazing natural wonders: three majestic volcanoes covered in greenery — Izalco, Santa Ana, and Cerro Verde, and a pristine mountain lake, Coatepeque. Izalco, an active volcano, is the youngest mountain formation in Central America. The extinct volcano Santa Ana is the highest point in El Salvador (2,381 meters). After the park tour, we will have lunch at one of the most beautiful lakes in El Salvador — Lake Coatepeque. Transfer to the capital of El Salvador — San Salvador. Sightseeing tour of the capital. We will see the Central Square and Freedom Square, where one of the most unique churches in Central America — El Rosario, is located. Transfer to the hotel in San Salvador. Overnight at the Las Magnolias hotel.

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Nicaragua. Meeting at the airport in Managua. City tour of Managua, we will visit the historic Tiscapa park. Here we will see the ruins of the former presidential palace and prison, which were used during the Somoza family regime. Then we will go down Bolivar Avenue towards the city center, where important buildings such as Central Park, the ruins of Santiago Cathedral, the National Palace, and the Ruben Dario Theater are located. Then we will continue to Xolotlan park, where we can see a model of 75 buildings that were on the historic Roosevelt Avenue, many of which were destroyed in the 1972 earthquake. Transfer to the city of Granada. Sightseeing tour of the colonial city of Granada and a boat trip to the islets of Lake Nicaragua. Accommodation at the Plaza Colon hotel.

Today we will start the tour with a visit to the Mombacho Volcano Nature Reserve. We will begin our ascent from the dry tropical forest, pass through coffee plantations, and enter the cloud forest. When we reach the summit, we will walk 1 km along a trail where we can see an unusual collection of orchids, ferns, butterflies, and birds. Then we will visit the Catarina lookout point, where we can enjoy a beautiful view of Lake Apoyo, which is a volcanic crater. Next, we will visit the artisan market in the city of Masaya. Return to the Plaza Colon hotel.

Transfer to the border with Costa Rica. Border crossing. Transfer to the Monteverde cloud forest area, accommodation at Monteverde Country Lodge. In the evening, a night tour in the cloud forest, observing flora and fauna. Return to Monteverde Country Lodge.

Tour to Treetopia Park, canopy tour or flight over the canopy of the Cloud Tropical Forest and a walk on the hanging bridges. Transfer to the Arenal Volcano area, accommodation at Los Lagos hotel. In the afternoon, relaxation in the thermal springs on the hotel grounds is possible.

Boat tour on the Rio Frio river in the Cano Negro reserve. This reserve is home to a huge variety of birds and exotic wildlife such as sloths, monkeys, caimans, basilisks, as well as numerous tropical plants. Upon arrival, we will go on a cruise on a comfortable boat through the unique national reserve, enjoying the diversity of flora and fauna. After the tour, lunch awaits us. Return to the Los Lagos hotel.

Tour to Volcan Poas National Park. As we ascend the volcano, we will notice changes in temperature and vegetation! Along the way, we will see coffee plantations, flower and strawberry greenhouses, creating a beautiful landscape. At Poas Volcano, we will not only admire the impressive crater with its sulfuric fumaroles, but also learn about the various ecosystems of this beautiful national park. Afterward, we will head to La Paz Waterfall Gardens, where we will walk along a trail leading to scenic waterfalls deep in the forest, and also visit the hummingbird gallery, serpentarium, bird garden, butterfly farm, and frog exhibit. Lunch. Transfer to San Jose, accommodation at Barcelo San Jose hotel.

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Panama. Meeting at Tocumen Airport. Sightseeing tour of Panama City, visiting New Panama, Old Panama, the Amador Peninsula, and the Panama Canal. Accommodation at Hilton Garden Inn Panama.

Transfer to the airport according to the international flight.