Hotel Best Western Estoril

Luis Moya 93

Col Centro  

Mexico City 06070

Mexico

Tel: +52 55 5130 0355 

Mexico City - Teotihuacan, Guadalupe Shrine.  On the morning of Day 1, you will meet your fellow travelling companions and your Tour Guide at the pre-departure meeting at 9.00am.

Following the meeting we will drive to the impressive archaeological site of Teotihuacan, located 50km northeast of Mexico City. On the way we make a stop at the Plaza de las Tres Culturas, where three cultures converge: Aztec, Spanish, and contemporary Mexican.

We continue to the Basilica de Guadalupe, Latin America’s most revered religious shrine. It is here where the Virgin of Guadalupe is said to have appeared before an Indian named Juan Diego in 1531, and an image of her was miraculously emblazoned on his cloak. We will have time to explore the New Basilica de Guadalupe (the Old Basilica, built in 1700, is slowly sinking) and to see Juan Diego’s cloak.

We then drive for another hour to Teotihuacan, one of the most impressive cities of the ancient world, held sacred by the Aztecs. We will explore its temples, palaces and pyramids, including the Quetzalpapalotl Palace Complex, the Temple of the Feathered Conches, the Pyramid of the Moon, and the immense Pyramid of the Sun, ranked among the biggest in the world. Teotihuacan, meaning ‘The place of Gods’ dates from around 300 BC, and the ruins were once a fully functioning city filled with ceremonial centres, artists, merchants and labourers.

Later in the day we return to Mexico City. The remainder of the day and evening are at leisure. In the evening, you may like to  listen to the Mariachi bands in Plaza Garibaldi and enjoy the local tequila!  

Puebla City Tour, Drive to Oaxaca.  Mexico’s fourth largest city, Puebla is best known for the beautiful Talavera tiles that adorn its walls, domes, and interiors, and for the mole poblano, Mexico’s national dish that originated here. The streets of Puebla, a World Heritage Site, are lined with churches, mansions, and other handsome buildings and are a delight to stroll around.

We will explore Puebla – a Unesco World Heritage Site – its streets lined with churches and colonial mansions, many adorned with the beautiful hand-painted Talavera tiles for which the city is famous. This is also the place where Mexico’s national dish – the ‘mole poblano’ – originated. We will visit the Cathedral – the second largest in Mexico; Casa del Alfeñique – its delicate white ornamental plasterwork resembles alfeñique, a sugar and almond paste; Mercado El Parian – a crafts market in the ‘artist’s quarter’; Templo de San Francisco – where the body of San Sebastian de Aparicio lies, a Spaniard who came to Mexico in 1533 and planned many of the country’s roads before becoming a monk; Cerro de Guadalupe – a hilltop park containing the historic forts of Loreto and Guadalupe; and Calle 6 Oriente – known for its typical candy shops.

After our tour of Puebla, we drive to Oaxaca where we spend the next two nights.  (B)

Fly Tuxtla Gutierrez, Sumidero Canyon, San Cristobal de las Casas - Indian Village Tour.  From Oaxaca we transfer to the airport for our flight to Tuxtla Gutierrez - the flights go via Mexico City. Please note that the flight will generally not be accompanied but you will be met on arrival by the Guide who will accompany you for the next part of your journey.

We then drive to San Cristobal de las Casas, via the Sumidero Canyon where a boat trip is included.

San Cristobal de las Casas is a characteristically indigenous Chiapaneca town nestled in the heart of the jungle highlands. The only way to reach San Cristobal is via a two-hour drive from Tuxtla Gutierrez. En route, the tropical heat and plant life prevalent in Tuxtla Gutierrez gradually give way to the nippy mountain air and pine forests that surround San Cristobal, where days are sunny and warm, and nights may be chilly. Amber, the translucent stone derived from fossilised coniferous resin, is plentiful in the region.

The next day there is a half day City Tour and Indian Village Tour. We will explore on foot the colonial city centre of San Cristobal de las Casas. We will visit the cathedral, on the north side of the pretty main square, with its lavish interior and gold-encrusted pulpit. We then walk a few blocks to the impressive 16th-century Dominican church Templo de Santo Domingo, with its intricate pink façade and gilded Baroque interior. There will be time to browse the handicraft market in front of the church, where Tzotzil Indians from the surrounding hills come to trade.

We then drive 10km into the Chiapas highlands, to the Tzotzil Indian villages of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan. The Tzotzils descend from the ancient Maya and maintain some unique customs, costumes and beliefs. We will visit the beautiful white church in San Juan Chamula. The candles, incense and chanting worshippers make a powerful impression. We then drive to the nearby village of Zinacantan, with its pretty church and handicraft market.

Returning to San Cristobal, the remainder of the day is free for you to explore at your leisure. This is a great place to browse the markets and pick up some colourful weavings and other beautiful handicrafts. There are opportunities to relax in traditional cafes and enjoy steaming cups of the locally grown coffee. In the evenings, you may like to enjoy a night out Salsa dancing at a local candlelit bar - San Cristobal is a great place to spend a fantastic couple of days!  (B) (B)

Campeche - City Tour, Uxmal, Merida.  Campeche, located on the Gulf of Mexico, was the principal sea port on the Yucatán Peninsula from the 16th to the 18th centuries, and subsequently a major target of pirates such as Lorenzillo, Diego "The Mulatto" and William Parker. To protect the port from attacks, the Spanish Crown ordered the fortification of the city. Remnants of the original fortress that surrounded the entire town still stand, including ramparts and gates, giving the city a decidedly romantic, swashbuckling air. The ramparts now house museums and the Land Gate is the site of a dramatic light and sound show that relives the pirate era.

The Spanish settlement of Campeche, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was built on the site of a former Maya fishing village in 1540. In colonial times it was the most important port on the Yucatan Peninsula, and its prosperity made it a frequent target for attacks by English, French and Dutch pirates, who looted and destroyed the city several times. As a consequence, thick walls were built around the town, strengthened by eight baluartes (bastions).

We take a tour of Campeche before heading for Merida. On the way we visit the archaeological site of Uxmal, a World Heritage Site, and located 80km south of Merida. Its architecture is characterised by low horizontal palaces set around courtyards, decorated with a profusion of symbolic motifs and sculptures depicting the long-nosed rain god Chaac. We explore the magnificent buildings, including the House of the Magician which dominates the site, the Nunnery, and the House of Turtles. We continue to Kabah, with its amazing Palace of the Masks, covered in nearly 300 masks of Chaac.  

We then continue on to steamy Mérida, capital of the Yucatan State, where we stay for 2 nights . Mérida is a vibrant city and home to the traditional Mexican hammock.

The next morning we explore the historical centre of Merida. Built more than 450 years ago on the site of T’ho, an ancient Mayan city, Merida is the social and economic centre, as well as the capital of the state of Yucatan. Merida’s downtown area features a large, tree-shaded central square. The city’s main boulevard, Paseo Montejo, is home to impressive European-style mansions whose pastel shades and elaborate trim are reminiscent of lavishly iced wedding cakes. Though a bustling city of about 700,000, Merida retains its colonial charm and has a laid-back tempo that delights visitors.

We will visit the magnificent Cathedral of San Ildefonso, built with the stones of ancient Maya temples. Construction of this cathedral began in 1561, and it is therefore the oldest one in Latin America. Inside we can find murals depicting the meeting between Francisco de Montejo, founder of Merida, and the Mayan King Tutl Xiu. We will visit Casa Montejo - the grandiose home of Francisco de Montejo, and the Governor's Palace - housing 27 huge murals by Don Fernando Castro Pacheco illustrating the somewhat violent history of Yucatan.

From the beautiful tree-shaded Plaza Principal (central square) we can take pictures of the Cathedral, the Palacio Municipal (town hall), Casa Montejo, and the Governor's Palace. Finally, we drive along the historical boulevard Paseo Montejo - fashioned after the Champs Elysees - with its stately homes, shops and quaint restaurants.

The afternoon is free for you to explore further at your leisure, and maybe shop for a traditional hammock. You will find a huge array of designs, colours and styles. (B)  (B)

Caye Caulker, Belize. We leave Playa del Carmen very early on Day 14 on a long days' journey to Belize City via the Chetumal-Corazol border. We then travel by boat that will take us to the Caribbean island of Caye Caulker via Cayo San Pedro.

English-speaking Belize is home to an interesting mix of over ten different cultures including Garifuna, Maya, Creole, Mestizo, and East Indian. Belize also lays claim to hundreds of ancient Maya temples, large areas of intact tropical rainforest, and this hemisphere's longest barrier reef.

Our next 3 nights are spent on Caye Caulker, a small limestone coral island off the coast of Belize in the Caribbean Sea. The town on the island is known by the name Caye Caulker Village. Some have said the island's name is derived from the practice of caulking or sealing the seams in wooden boats to make them watertight, due to the high number of shipwrights on the island. It is now generally agreed that the name was derived at a much earlier date from the Spanish name for the island "Cayo Hicaco". This refers to the Hicaco plum (Coco Plum) which grows wild on the island and was gathered by Spanish seafarers to combat scurvy.

The island is basically a sand bar over a limestone shelf. Underwater caves are found in the limestone. A narrow waterway known as the Split divides the island in two. Some people state that the Split was created by Hurricane Hattie in 1961 which devastated Belize City, however that is a myth. Caye Caulker is part of a chain of islands forming the Belize Barrier Reef. Caye Caulker has a relaxing atmosphere with white sand streets, golf carts for transportation, and casual dress. 

There are many options whilst on the island including sailing, diving, jungle tours, fishing, and windsurfing in the clear azure waters of the Caribbean. There is an optional boat and snorkelling trip to nearby Hol Chan Marine Reserve, and another option to swim with nurse sharks and sting rays, or if you can scuba dive then a visit to the famous Blue Hole must surely be on your list. (B) (B) (B)

Yaxha Archaeological Site, Flores, Tikal.  We travel on to Guatemala, visiting Yaxha en route to the town of Flores. Yaxha is a former ceremonial centre and city of the pre-Columbian Maya civilisation.

Flores, an island in Lake Peten Itza, is a lovely island town and our base for exploring nearby Tikal, one of the most amazing Mayan ruins open to the public.

Surrounded by miles of tropical jungle, Tikal is a spectacular site, particularly at sunrise. It is believed to have first been occupied around 330 BC, the city boasts a nature trail and some awe-inspiring temples, some of which have been cleared and restored and others that still lie covered in jungle and shrouded in mystery. (B)  (B)

Panajachel, Lake Atitlan, Santiago Atitlan. From Antigua we travel through patchwork countryside and past mountain villages, coffee and sugar plantations to Panajachel on Lake Atitlán, surrounded by a spectacular backdrop of towering volcanoes.

Panajachel has many interesting market stalls as well as great restaurants and bars. Enjoy a sunset drink along the lakeshore listening to local music as you relax and watch the colours of the lake fade from blue to purple and finally to black.

We include a boat trip on Lake Atitlan to Santiago Atitlan. The majority of the residents are indigenous Mayans. It was the capital of the Tz'utujil people in pre-Columbian times. Many atitecos (as its people are known) cling to a traditional Tz’utujil Mayan lifestyle. Women weave and wear huipiles or tunics, embroidered with brilliantly coloured birds and flowers, and the town’s cofradías (religious brotherhoods) maintain the ceremonies, rituals, traditions and practices of Mayan Catholicism. Most notably is the cult of Maximón to whom they offer liquor and tobacco in exchange for favours.

Santiago Atitlán is the home of the Cojolya Weaving Centre and Museum, founded by the Cojolya Association of Maya Women Weavers. The museum shows the history, tradition, and process of backstrap-loom weaving, and the evolution of the traditional costume of the Tzutujil, the indigenous people of Santiago Atitlán.  (B)  (B)

Antigua.  The tour ends after breakfast.   (B)

Please Note: If flying out of Antigua then the nearest airport is Guatemala City.

If you would like to extend your stay in Antigua, post tour accommodation can be booked for you - please conaact your Kumuka or your agent for prices and to make a reservation.

Please be aware that arrival times and the itinerary may change due to unforeseen delays or events such as festivals and public holidays. However, we shall endeavour to ensure all sites are visited and that your tour runs as smoothly as possible but please note that Latin America does not run like clockwork, therefore do not expect the streamlined travel arrangements associated with some other continents. Things do not always go to plan; there will be times when you will need to be patient and philosophical about your travels. Conditions in Central America can change rapidly and changes to the itinerary may be necessary. Be flexible, you will enjoy your tour much more. Kumuka makes a point of visiting the indigenous populations of each country you visit, in order to give a true reflection of the country; please treat the local people and their customs with respect. Lastly, your tour leader is always conscious of everybody's views, but sometimes he/she will have to make an unpopular decision and your understanding will be appreciated in these circumstances.

Travel insurance is compulsory for all tours. All clients MUST be insured to cover personal accident, medical expenses, cancellation, curtailment, repatriation, etc. Also, be aware that many activities such as trekking, bungy jumping or white water rafting may not be covered on your insurance policy. If you plan on doing any of these activities please purchase additional insurance. We recommend that you have a photocopy of this document, which you keep separate from the original. If you have not already arranged your own travel insurance then Kumuka can do this for you. Please visit http://www.kumuka.com/Travel-Insurance.aspx for more details or contact your nearest Kumuka office.

Please Note: You will not be permitted to join a Kumuka Tour without travel insurance.

It is important that you obtain the appropriate visas before you embark on your Central America trip. Country entry regulations can change daily. Our website  www.kumuka.com provides visa information. Please consult your relevant embassy for all details such as opening hours or costs. Visas cannot be obtained once you have started your tour, and during the peak summer months it can take longer than normal to get visas, please allow extra time to do this.

EACH CLIENT IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBTAINING ALL NECESSARY VISAS BEFORE JOINING A TOUR.

Kumuka does not accept responsibility for changes in regulations or requirements for visas. The information provided is given in good faith.

Recommended inoculations:

• Hepatitis A
• Diphtheria
• Typhoid
• Tetanus
• Polio
• Yellow Fever - we recommend that you consult the UK Foreign Office travel advice for Mexico and Central American countries, which shows the latest requirements for Yellow Fever vaccinations, particularly for travellers arriving from infected areas.

         We also recommend:

• A dental check-up prior to travelling.
• That you know your blood group in case of emergency.

Medical Supplies: We advise that all passengers bring along their own personal first aid kit with the following recommended items: Band Aids/Bandages, Laxatives, Upset stomach remedy, Anti-diarrhoea remedy, Panadol/Aspirin, Rehydration remedy, Antiseptic cream/powder, Sterile dressing, Any relevant course of medication such as contraceptive pills, A complete Travellers Medical Pack can be purchased for approximately US$25 at most Vaccination Centres, Chemists and outdoor travel shops.

• We recommend that you do not take unnecessary valuables with you. Wearing jewellery and expensive watches will attract attention.
• A money belt, or something similar, worn close to your body is the best way to carry passports, airline tickets and money.
• DO NOT leave any valuables in ANY hotel room, please use SAFETY DEPOSIT BOXES. Items are left at your own risk.
• Pickpockets operate everywhere, particularly in tourist areas and in crowded markets; you must always exercise care. Be aware that anything left lying around will also be liable to theft.

During your tour your Tour Leader and/or Guide will recommend a variety of optional activities operated by carefully selected ground handlers to make your tour even more enjoyable. These ground handlers and activity partners have been chosen for their standards in quality, professional ability and reputation. All optional activities are available at your own expense, and are undertaken at your own risk. Kumuka can not be held responsible for injuries or claims arising from adventurous activities by third party. To start planning and budgeting for any optional activities that you may chose on your tour, please visit:

http://www.kumuka.com/Central-America-Optional-Activities.aspx

IMPORTANT: Some tours depart from the starting city very early on Day 1, therefore you might not have enough time to enjoy the optional activities in that area. Furthermore, some tours end on arrival in the finishing city and your flight may leave early the following morning, therefore leaving no time to partake in any optional activities in that area.

How much should I take?

• Try to limit yourself to 15-20kg.  It will inconvenience you and your fellow passengers if you bring more.  If your luggage does not arrive at the airport, please inform your Tour Leader at the Pre Departure Meeting.  
• A good quality backpack is the best way to carry your belongings since it is easy to lift on and off vehicles.
• A small daypack is practical for keeping general items (e.g. camera, water, sunscreen) at hand when your main pack is out of reach. It is also handy for day trips and excursions.
• We also recommend that you keep your passport, credit cards, travellers cheques, etc., on you at all times, preferably in a money belt worn under your clothes.

IMPORTANT: We strongly recommend that you DO NOT BRING A SUITCASE due to the difficulty of carrying these and travelling with them on Central American transport. Please do not bring more luggage than you are able to comfortably carry without assistance.

Most passengers will travel with digital cameras.  Should you run out of memory you can download your photos onto CD at the local internet cafes or camera shops on your tour.  Alternatively, you may be able to purchase extra memory cards.  With regards to film, all types of camera film are readily available in Central America.  However, it is often cheaper to purchase it in your country of origin or through duty free.

Please remember, we are guests in the countries through which we travel and we may sometimes inadvertently cause offence by taking photographs without first asking permission.

Most Latin American countries have very strict rules about taking photos of army, police or any official personnel; restrictions apply at borders, bridges and any government building. Please exercise care in this regard as the penalty may be to have your camera confiscated.  It is absolutely forbidden by law to take photos at any borders, as they are all active military installations.

If you wish to spend a few additional days in your starting or finishing city, then we can arrange accommodation for you. All our accommodation is carefully chosen, conveniently located, clean and comfortable. (All rates per person per night and subject to availability).

Whilst on tour you will probably want to stay in touch with family and friends. There are several ways of doing this:

Mobile Phone – Before departing your home country check with your phone supplier to see if it compatible with the mobile phone networks in the countries that you are traveling to, and how much will it cost to use abroad.

Email – Internet Cafes are very cheap and popular, and you are sure to come across several during your tour. If you haven’t done so already, set up a free Google Mail, Hotmail, or Yahoo email account which you can then access from any computer. Internet Cafes will charge a nominal fee for using their computers. Within Europe some hotels charge a wifi connection fee and we cannot guarantee a wifi connection at all hotels we use.

Twitter – A method of communication that is rapidly gaining in popularity on the Internet especially amongst travelers. Twitter allows you to send short messages and update your friends and family with where you are on tour and what you are doing. Create your free account at http://twitter.com. Visit Kumuka’s page on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kumuka

Facebook – Very popular website that allows you to upload stories, get in touch with fellow travellers before and after your Kumuka tour, upload photos and videos to share with other travellers, your family and friends. To create a free account, go to www.facebook.com and then become a fan of Kumuka’s Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/pages/Kumuka-Worldwide/26617121087?ref=ts

Postcards – The good ol’ fashioned postcard. But you will probably get home before the postcard does!

Under no circumstances are any illegal drugs allowed on any part of the trip. Anyone discovered in possession of any such drugs, will be asked to leave the tour immediately without question or refund.