Itinerary
- Day 1
Mexico City
Optional Activities
- Visit Chapultepec area with its many museums
- Xochimilco canal boat cruise
- National Palace to see Diego Rivera murals
- Explore vibrant nightlife
Landmarks Chapultepec Xochimilco National Palace - Day 2
Mexico City
- Meals
- Breakfast (Chilaquiles (breakfast nachos) suggested)
Included Activities
- Leader-led orientation walk around historic centre
- Gastromotiva visit (Intrepid Foundation partner)
- Leader-led taco crawl with local street food vendors
Optional Activities
- Frida Kahlo Museum
- Museum of Anthropology
- Palace of Fine Art
- Explore city snacks - tostadas, tortas, chicharrones
Landmarks Frida Kahlo Museum Museum of Anthropology Palace of Fine Art - Day 3
Mexico City to Oaxaca
Included Activities
- Leader-led orientation walk in Oaxaca
Optional Activities
- Explore colonial architecture
- Visit indigenous markets for woven textiles
- Sample regional food specialties - cactus fruit, baked chilli, grasshoppers
- Try tejate (maize and cinnamon chocolate drink)
- Day 4
Oaxaca
Optional Activities
- Monte Alban - mountaintop temples and pre-Columbian ceremonial center visit
- Mitla Ruins - Zapotec archaeological site tour
- Hierve el Agua - mineral pools and calcified waterfall visit
Landmarks Monte Alban Mitla Hierve el Agua - Day 5
Oaxaca
Optional Activities
- Cooking class in Oaxaca
- Shop artisan stores in markets and around town
- Visit Templo de Santo Domingo - grand stone church
Landmarks Templo de Santo Domingo - Day 6
San Cristobal de las Casas
Included Activities
- Leader-led orientation walk in San Cristobal
- Santo Domingo textile market visit
Optional Activities
- Visit local cafés for baked goods
- Try pox (traditional corn-based liquor)
Landmarks Santo Domingo - Day 7
San Cristobal de las Casas
Optional Activities
- Explore cobblestone streets and colonial architecture
- Sumidero Canyon - boat trip down Rio Grijalva
- Mountain bike exploration of surrounding villages
Landmarks Sumidero Canyon - Day 8
San Cristobal de las Casas to Palenque
Optional Activities
- Explore Palenque town
- Day 9
Palenque
Included Activities
- Palenque Archaeological site - entrance fee and self-guided walk
- Misol-Ha - waterfall visit
Optional Activities
- Guided tour of Palenque ruins
- Guided jungle tour to hidden waterfall
Landmarks Palenque Misol-Ha - Day 10
Palenque to Campeche
Included Activities
- Leader-led orientation walk in Campeche
Optional Activities
- Explore seaside colonial architecture
- Dine at Portales de San Martin restaurants
- Day 11
Campeche to Valladolid
Included Activities
- Becal - visit to jipi hat artisan cave studio
- Valladolid - local market visit
Optional Activities
- Explore Valladolid colonial architecture
- Day 12
Valladolid
Optional Activities
- Morning walk around Valladolid city
- Xkeken cenote - natural swimming hole visit
- Samula cenote - natural swimming hole visit
- Nool-Ha cenote - natural swimming hole visit
- Suytun cenote - natural swimming hole visit
Landmarks Xkeken Cenote Samula Cenote Nool-Ha Cenote Suytun Cenote - Day 13
Valladolid to Chichen Itza to Playa del Carmen
- Meals
- Lunch (Home-cooked pibil feast with local family in Piste (traditional Maya underground-cooked food wrapped in banana leaves))
Included Activities
- Chichen Itza Archaeological site entrance and visit
- Piste - home-cooked lunch (traditional Maya pibil)
- Yokdzonot cenote - visit and swim
Optional Activities
- Snorkeling among mangroves
- Underground cavern snorkeling
- Walk white sand beach
Landmarks Chichen Itza El Castillo Caracol Great Ball Court Yokdzonot Cenote 
- Day 14
Playa del Carmen
- Meals
- Dinner (Local taqueria dinner with fresh fish tacos and informal Spanish lesson)
Included Activities
- Leader-led dinner at local taqueria with informal Spanish lesson
Optional Activities
- Walk through town
- Relax on beach
- Ferry to Cozumel island for reef diving
Landmarks Cozumel - Day 15
Tulum
Included Activities
- Leader-led orientation walk around Tulum
- Visit Temple of the Frescoes at Tulum Maya ruins
Optional Activities
- Swim at Tulum beach
- Visit beachside bar
Landmarks Temple of the Frescoes Tulum Maya Ruins - Day 16
Tulum
Optional Activities
- Bike rental around Tulum
- Yoga and meditation classes
- Visit Dos Ojos cenote
- Beach club DJ sets
- Live band performances
Landmarks Dos Ojos Cenote - Day 17
Tulum to Caye Caulker
Landmarks Caye Caulker 
- Day 18
Caye Caulker
Included Activities
- Leader-led orientation walk around Caye Caulker
Optional Activities
- Snorkeling at Hol Chan Marine Reserve
- Day trips to nearby cayes
Landmarks Hol Chan Marine Reserve - Day 19
Caye Caulker
Optional Activities
- Manatee tour
- Kayaking
- Stand-up paddle boarding
- Beach relaxation
- Day 20
Caye Caulker to San Ignacio
Included Activities
- Leader-led orientation walk around San Ignacio
Optional Activities
- Visit Chaa Creek butterfly garden
- Barbecue street food
Landmarks Chaa Creek - Day 21
San Ignacio
Optional Activities
- Cave of Actun Tunichil Muknal tour
- Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve day tour
- Macal River canoe or tube float
- Xunantunich ancient Maya city visit
Landmarks Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve Macal River Xunantunich - Day 22
San Ignacio to Tikal National Park
Included Activities
- Tikal National Park archaeological site entrance and exploration
Optional Activities
- Guided tour of Tikal ruins
- Climb Temple IV
Landmarks Tikal National Park Temple IV - Day 23
Tikal National Park to Rio Dulce
Optional Activities
- Lunch and town exploration in Flores
- Hotel boat transfer in Rio Dulce
Landmarks Flores Rio Dulce - Day 24
Rio Dulce
Optional Activities
- Scenic boat trip to Livingston
- San Felipe de Lara fort exploration
- Chocon-Machacas natural reserve hike
Landmarks Livingston San Felipe de Lara Fort Chocon-Machacas Natural Reserve - Day 25
Rio Dulce to Antigua
Optional Activities
- City stroll in Antigua
- Local food at La Merced Church square
Landmarks La Merced Church 
- Day 26
Antigua to Chichicastenango - Lake Atitlan
- Meals
- Dinner (Local pupuseria—round corn cakes stuffed with cheese, beans, or meat)
Included Activities
- Chichicastenango market visit
Landmarks Chichicastenango Market Lake Atitlan Panajachel 
- Day 27
Lake Atitlan - San Juan La Laguna
- Meals
- Lunch (Home-cooked meal with local hosts in San Juan La Laguna)
Included Activities
- San Juan La Laguna midwife home visit
- Medicinal garden visit
- Mayan textile weaving and dyeing workshop
- Home-cooked lunch with hosts
Landmarks San Juan La Laguna - Day 28
Lake Atitlan to Antigua
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Leader-led orientation walk around Antigua
Optional Activities
- Museum exploration
- Indigenous market visit
- Countryside cycling
- Salsa dancing lessons
Landmarks Antigua - Day 29
Antigua
Optional Activities
- Explore colonial architecture
- Hike Pacaya Volcano
- Hike Agua Volcano
- Hike Jumaytepeque Volcano
- ChocoMuseo chocolate-making workshop
- Coffee plantation tour and tasting
Landmarks ChocoMuseo Pacaya Volcano Agua Volcano Jumaytepeque Volcano - Day 30
Guatemalan Border to Cerro Verde
Included Activities
- Leader-led Informal Spanish Lesson
- Salvadoran Pupusa cooking demonstration
Landmarks Cerro Verde - Day 31
Cerro Verde
- Meals
- Dinner (Pupusas (corn flatbread with various fillings) after cooking demonstration)
Included Activities
- Salvadoran pupusa cooking demonstration
Optional Activities
- Santa Ana volcanic crater visit
- Lake Coatepeque swim
Landmarks Cerro Verde National Park Santa Ana Volcano Lake Coatepeque - Day 32
Cerro Verde to San Miguel
Optional Activities
- City exploration on foot
- Swim at Cuevas de Moncagua
Landmarks Chaparrastique Volcano Cuevas de Moncagua - Day 33
San Miguel to Leon via Honduras
Optional Activities
- Salsa class
Landmarks Leon - Day 34
Leon to Granada
Included Activities
- Leader-led orientation walk around Leon
Optional Activities
- Basilica de la Asuncion visit
- Museo Historico de la Revolucion visit
- Volcano sandboarding
Landmarks Basilica de la Asuncion Museo Historico de la Revolucion Granada Lake Nicaragua - Day 35
Granada
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at Cafe de las Sonrisas, a social enterprise cafe run entirely by deaf people)
Included Activities
- Breakfast at Cafe de las Sonrisas with the group
Optional Activities
- Guided city tour of Granada
- Market visits
- Kayak rental on Lake Nicaragua
- Bike rental to Laguna de Apoyo
- Mombacho Volcano Crater Trail hike
- Masaya city visit for folkloric entertainment
Landmarks Cafe de las Sonrisas Laguna de Apoyo Mombacho Volcano Masaya Calle la Calzada - Day 36
Granada to Ometepe Island
Optional Activities
- Sit on shore watching fishermen
- Hike to nearby waterfall
Landmarks Lake Nicaragua Ometepe Island 
- Day 37
Ometepe Island
- Meals
- Dinner (Traditional Nicaraguan meal (nacatamales and other traditional dishes) shared with hosts at Los Ramos indigenous community)
Included Activities
- Cooking class at Los Ramos indigenous community
- Traditional Nicaraguan meal with hosts
Optional Activities
- Hike to Maderas volcano summit
- Natural springs swim
- Beach relaxation
- Ancient petroglyphs visit
Landmarks Maderas Volcano Los Ramos - Day 38
Ometepe Island to San Juan del Sur
Optional Activities
- Group dinner
Landmarks San Juan del Sur - Day 39
San Juan del Sur
Optional Activities
- La Flor Beach Reserve turtle nesting visit
- Christ statue hike
Landmarks La Flor Beach Reserve Christ Statue - Day 40
San Juan del Sur to Monteverde
Landmarks Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve 
- Day 41
Monteverde
Optional Activities
- Cloud forest hike
- Mountain biking
- Zip-line canopy tour
- Hanging bridges tour
- Butterfly and insect gardens
- Local cooperative visits
Landmarks Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve - Day 42
Monteverde to La Fortuna
Optional Activities
- Volcano and lake photography
Landmarks Lake Arenal Arenal Volcano 
- Day 43
La Fortuna
Optional Activities
- Guided nature hike around Arenal Volcano
- Hanging bridges tour
- La Fortuna waterfall visit
- Stand-up paddle boarding on Lake Arenal
- Thermal hot springs
- Celeste River boat safari
Landmarks Arenal Volcano La Fortuna Waterfall Celeste River - Day 44
La Fortuna to San Jose
Optional Activities
- Central plaza exploration
- Gold Museum visit
- Mercado Municipal de Artesanias shopping
- Central Market shopping
- Group farewell dinner
Landmarks Gold Museum Mercado Municipal de Artesanias Central Market - Day 45
San Jose
