Arrive To: Arrive at the Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport in Belize City, Belize.

Proceed through Immigrations, Baggage Claim and Customs before exiting the secured area of the airport. The Road Scholar representative will be waiting outside the exit door with a Road Scholar sign (only applies to Road Scholar group flights).

Transfer to hotel.


Dinner: Dinner at hotel.


Evening: Orientation to the program.

Lodging: Radisson Fort George Hotel and Marina

Meals Included: Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.


Morning: After breakfast, transfer to the New River dock and embark on a scenic boat ride (approx. 31 miles) upstream to the Mayan ruins at Lamanai. While navigating the calm waters of the New River, try to find and identify some of the many bird species found in the area, including: Black-collared Hawks, Northern Jacanas, Mangrove Swallows, Olive-throated Parakeets, American Pygmy Kingfishers, and Purple Gallinules, to name just a few. If lucky, we may even catch a glimpse of the rarely seen Jabiru Stork! Get close-up views of mangroves and virgin forests flanking the narrow waterway and try to spot the colorful orchids that grow along the river banks.

Disembark at Lamanai for a walking exploration of the more than 50 impressive structures found at the archaeological reserve.

This large Mayan ceremonial center is set in a tropical forest on the banks of the New River Lagoon in the north central region of Belize. Unlike most Mayan sites, the ruins found at Lamanai were built in layers; each generation adding on to the existing structures. Some of the site's highlights include the Jaguar Temple, the High Temple, and the Mask Temple. A beautiful panoramic view of the lagoon and surrounding jungle can be seen from the top of the High Temple. It is believed that the ancient center was occupied during more than 3,200 years, and as recently as in the 18th century.


Lunch: Lunch at the site.


Afternoon: Boat ride and bus transfer to San Ignacio.

Late afternoon arrival at the hotel and check-in.


Dinner: Dinner at hotel.

Lodging: San Ignacio Resort Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

San Ignacio -
Optional Birding/Orientation to San Ignacio Town/Iguana Project/Cahal Pech Ruins and Museum.

Breakfast: Optional early morning birding around the hotel.

Breakfast at hotel.


Morning: After breakfast, enjoy a walking orientation of San Ignacio Town, including a visit to a local market. Learn about the fruits and vegetables grown in the region and find out what varieties were consumed by the ancient Maya.

Return to the hotel and visit the Iguana Project. During this interactive experience, learn about local efforts to save the endangered green iguana. Find out the importance of these green reptiles in the Maya culture.


Lunch: Lunch at the hotel.


Afternoon: This afternoon, take part in a guided visit to the Cahal Pech ruins and its museum (approximately 20 mins from the hotel). Learn about Belize's oldest Mayan site.

Cahal Pech is a Maya ceremonial center situated near the Belizean town of San Ignacio, in the Cayo District. Its location on the top of a steep hill makes for great views of the Maya Mountains and the Belize River valleys. The complex contains 34 structures including ball courts, stelae, temples, and palaces. Archaeological findings point to Cahal Pech as being one of the earliest Maya settlements in the country—thriving through the Classic Maya Period and possibly beyond. Human bones and corn, cacao, and anato seeds were found at nearby caves, strong indicators that the site may have been used for ritual sacrifices and food offerings to Maya deities.


Dinner: Dinner at hotel.

Lodging: San Ignacio Resort Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Tikal (Flores) -
Xunantunich Archaeological Site/Orientation to Flores.

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.


Morning: Field trip to Xunantunich archaeological site, near the border with Guatemala.

Xunantunich means "stone woman" in the Maya language. This was the name given to the site in modern times since the ancient name is currently unknown. The modern name refers to local stories of a woman's ghost that is said to inhabit the ruins. According to local lore, the woman dresses all in white and has fire-red glowing eyes. She generally appears in front of El Castillo, ascends the stone stairs and disappears into a stone wall.

The core of Xunantunich occupies about one square mile (2.6 km²), consisting of a series of six plazas surrounded by more than 26 temples and palaces. One of its structures, the pyramid known as El Castillo (The Castle) is the second tallest structure of its kind in Belize (after the temple at Caracol).

Transfer to the border of Belize with Guatemala.
Stop for border crossing procedures before continuing with the transfer to Flores (Tikal).
Arrive at the hotel and check-in.


Lunch: Lunch at hotel.


Afternoon: Boat ride with an orientation to the town of Flores.

Usually used as a base for trips to Tikal, this quaint town, set on an island in Lake Petén Itzá, has Mediterranean style architecture and a unique history.

Lecture: Tikal - Where Only Legend Survives.

Time at leisure to enjoy hotel amenities and relax before meeting for dinner.


Dinner: Dinner at hotel.

Lodging: Hotel Peten Esplendido

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Tikal -
Tikal National Park and Museum - UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.


Morning: Field trip to Tikal National Park archaeological site. During this activity, enjoy on-site instruction on the history and architecture of this impressive Maya complex.

Tikal, with its massive temples rising high above the Petén Jungle, is the kind of exotic place one would expect to see in an Indiana Jones movie. Walking within this enormous archaeological complex can be overwhelming if not accompanied by a knowledgeable guide or a good map. During its apogee in the Classic Period, Tikal was the center of a powerful kingdom that dominated the region both economically and politically. The remains of this once vibrant city are still impressive and include more than 4,000 structures and six of the tallest temples of its kind (some are over 200 feet tall!).


Lunch: Lunch at the site.


Afternoon: Excursion to the Tikal Museum.

The Tikal Museum (Museo Sylvanus G. Morley) is a small museum filled with exquisite ceramics and artifacts excavated from Tikal. One of the more notable pieces include the three long-nosed, pale turquoise rain gods.

Transfer back to Flores.
Time at leisure to enjoy the hotel and surrounding area.


Dinner: Dinner at hotel.

Lodging: Hotel Peten Esplendido

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Fly and Drive to Lake Atitlan -
Natural Beauty and Colorful Mayan Villages.

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.


Morning: Transfer to the airport for flight to Guatemala City.
Arrive to Guatemala City.
Ground transfer to Panajachel (Lake Atitlan).

Lake Atitlan is a large endorheic (internal drainage) lake recognized as the deepest lake in Central America. It is renowned as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world and its basin is an important source of water for local crops.


Lunch: Lunch at local restaurant.


Afternoon: Arrive to the hotel and check-in.
Excursion to the San Antonio village.

Walking into the small village of San Antonio is like traveling into the past. The Indians, clad in traditional dress, make their handicrafts and traditional weaving as though the world outside does not exist.

Return to the hotel.

Lecture: Lake Atitlan: One of the Most Beautiful and Mystical Lakes in the World.


Dinner: Dinner at hotel.

Lodging: Posada de Don Rodrigo - Atitlan

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.


Morning: Boat transfer to the village of Santiago La Laguna for a visit with the notorious Maximón. On-site instruction: Paying Tribute to Maximon, a Mayan "Saint."

Maximón is a “saint” worshipped in various forms by the Mayan people of several towns in the highlands of western Guatemala. His origins are not well known though he is believed to be a form of the pre-Colombian Maya god Mam, blended with influences from Catholicism.

Maximón is represented by an effigy which resides in a different house each year. Devotees visit offering money, spirits and cigars or cigarettes to gain his favor in exchange for good health, good crops, and marriage counseling etc. His expensive tastes in alcohol and cigarettes indicate that he is a very human character, very different from the ascetic ideals of Christian sainthood.


Lunch: Lunch at local restaurant.


Afternoon: Boat transfer from Santiago La Laguna to Santa Catarina.
Transfer from Santa Catarina back to Panajachel.
Orientation to the town of Panajachel.
Time at leisure to explore the town.


Dinner: Dinner at hotel.

Lodging: Posada de Don Rodrigo - Atitlan

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.


Morning: Begin transfer to Antigua.
Excursion to the famous Chichicastenango Market.

"Chichi," as it is locally known, is the site of a colorful, indigenous market. Mayans from miles around come to “Chichi"on Thursdays and Sundays to bring their products and produce to the market. It is here that the locals exchange gossip and information.


Lunch: Lunch at local restaurant.


Afternoon: Field trip to church of Santo Tomas to see how the Mayan religion has blended with Christianity.
On-site instruction: The Religious Rituals of the People of Guatemala.

Arrive to Antigua and check-in at the hotel.

In Antigua you can go back in time and also experience the newness that is part of Guatemalan culture today. By the 1980s, an array of cultural activities including art galleries, performing arts, popular arts, films, forums, and cultural life began to redirect the former focus of religious activities which previously consumed the city. This is caused in part by the numerous visitors and the more than 80 Spanish schools which provide an economic base to the city's population. Known as "La Antigua Guatemala," this colonial capital was founded with the name of Santiago de Guatemala in 1543. Today, still about the same size as in colonial times, Antigua's cobble-stone streets and colonial architecture depict more than 50 monumental buildings including convents, monasteries, churches and chapels around the main square. With the blending of the old with the new, Congress passed a Protective Law for La Antigua Guatemala for the protection of historical buildings and areas that gives much of the city its colonial character.

Return to the hotel.
Lecture: Behind the Walls of Antigua.


Dinner: Dinner at hotel.

Lodging: Posada de Don Rodrigo - Antigua

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Exploration of Antigua -
The Colonial Architecture of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.


Morning: Lecture: Traditional Maya Textiles.
Excursion to San Antonio Aguas Calientes Textile Cooperative to view weavers at work and learn about local textiles.

Return to the hotel.
Lecture: Overview of Guatemala.


Lunch: Lunch at hotel.


Afternoon: Walking orientation to Antigua, including a visit to the Jade Museum which has been featured in National Geographic Magazine and a TV special on the Discovery Channel.

Return to hotel.


Dinner: Dinner at local restaurant.

Lodging: Posada de Don Rodrigo - Antigua

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.


Morning: Field trip to Casa K’ojom Music Museum. Site lecture: The Evolution of Mayan Music.

Casa K’ojom is a private, educational, non-profit research center and museum, dedicated to research, preservation, and dissemination of traditional music of the Mayan communities of Guatemala. Since 1984, founder and current Director Samuel Franco has carried out extensive field work, through several expeditions to different Maya areas during their local Patron Saint celebrations and other rituals, recording their music and photographing their contemporary ceremonies. The museum houses an important audiovisual archive including sound recordings, photographs, and video footage.


Lunch: Lunch at local restaurant.

Afternoon: Time at leisure to explore Antigua.

Lecture: Maya Spirituality (with a reenactment of a religious ceremony).

Religious ceremonies were a large part of the Mayan culture. Their calendars provided them with many occasions to have ceremonies, feasts, and banquets. Ceremonies usually had lavish decoration, beautiful costumes, storytellers, actors, clowns, and musicians. Religious ceremonies usually started after a period of fasting. The ceremony it self usually started with purification rites followed by prayers, chanting, and ritual dancing. All ceremonies involved the burning of incense.


Dinner: Dinner at hotel.

Lodging: Posada de Don Rodrigo - Antigua

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.


Morning: Transfer to Copan.


Lunch: Lunch en route at local restaurant.


Afternoon: Arrive to Copan and check-in at hotel.

Copan is a small town with a population under 5000. Set in a fertile valley, it has remained virtually unchanged since the days when explorer John Lloyd Stephens first arrived in 1839. The quaint cobblestone streets and tile roofs are characteristic of colonial times. The town is quiet and a perfect place to relax.

Time at leisure to explore the town.
Lecture by an expert archaeologist David Sedat: Discovering Copan.


Dinner: Dinner at hotel.

Lodging: Marina Copan

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.


Morning: Field trip to Copan archaeological site. On-site instruction: Life in Ancient Copan.

The splendors of Copan are represented by its beautiful carvings, inscriptions, and paintings. The Great Plaza, the ball court, several lesser courts, and amphitheater that lie near the base of the Hieroglyphic Stairway are symbolic of the boundaries between the actual and supernatural worlds as games were metaphors for the struggle between good and evil. The Stairway, which has 63 steps is inscribed with a partial history of Copan and is the longest extant Mayan inscription. It features lifelike displays of Mayan temples and sculptures, Mayan stelae, and hieroglyphics.


Lunch: Lunch at the site.


Afternoon: Excursion to the Copan Sculpture Museum.

This beautiful museum is located next to the visitors’ center at the Copán archaeological park. Guests enter the museum by a carved door which resembles the mouth of a dragon, and step into a cool and dimly lit tunnel that wends its way down to the main floor of the museum. As the tunnel comes to an end, it opens out into a bright courtyard dominated by a large and colorful replica of the Rosa Lila temple. Although most of us have become used to seeing Maya architecture and sculpture without any color, archaeological findings actually show that Maya cities were once adorned with stucco and bright paint. In addition to the Rosa Lila temple, the museum showcases both copies and originals of stelae, facades, altars, and other sculptures found in Copán.

Return to the hotel.
Lecture: Mayan Medicine.


Dinner: Dinner at local restaurant

Lodging: Marina Copan

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.


Morning: Field trip to a local school (if in session).
Lecture: The Educational System of Honduras.
Excursion to the town museum.


Lunch: Lunch at local restaurant.


Afternoon: Time at leisure to explore the town of Copan.

Visit the home of a local archaeologist for a demonstration on transforming cacao into chocolate.
Lecture: History of Cacao – The Sacred Mayan Beverage.

Before chocolate was a sweet candy, it was a spicy beverage. Some of the earliest known chocolate drinkers were the ancient Maya of Central America. The Maya mixed chocolate with cornmeal, chile peppers, honey, and water. They poured this concoction from cup to bowl and back again until a nice, thick layer of foam formed on top. Maya priests presented a chocolate drink at sacred altars during special religious ceremonies. They also made offerings of cacao seeds to the gods.

Before dinner, we will enjoy a soft hike up to the ancient Los Sapos fertility site.


Dinner: Farewell dinner at a local, family-owned lodge overlooking the Copan Valley.

Lodging: Marina Copan

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

San Pedro Sula -
Sepulturas Archaeological Site/Museum Visit/Guamilito Market.

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.


Morning: Field trip to the Las Sepulturas site.
Las Sepulturas is a small archaelogical site, less than 2 km from the main Copán complex. This is where the Copán aristocracy lived.

Site lecture: Sepulturas - The Story in the Stellae.
Transfer to San Pedro Sula.


Lunch: Lunch at local restaurant.


Afternoon: Excursion to the San Pedro Sula Museum which features an outstanding display of the early history of Honduras and the city.

Visit to Guamilito Market featuring Honduran artisans, crafts and produce from around the country.

Guamilito Market is the best place in Honduras to purchase everything from rum, coffee and vanilla, to handicrafts. The first rule at Guamilito is to barter any price that is given to you. Handicrafts include handmade wood carvings, as well as the woven baskets and panama hats from Santa Barbara. These items have colorful patterns and are a real bargain.

Site lecture: San Pedro Sula.
Time at leisure.


Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Lodging: Hotel y Suites Copantl

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel (depending on flight time).


Morning: Transfer to the Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport in San Pedo Sula for your flight home.

Note: Participants with independent travel arrangements and/or scheduled on later flights can keep their hotel rooms until check-out time on this day. Except for breakfast, all other meals are on your own on this day.

Meals Included: Breakfast