Guatemala & Belize, Maya lands and Caribbean blue
Your journey can be tailored to your wishes.
Fourteen days across two countries that share a border and almost nothing else. You begin in the Guatemalan highlands, among volcanoes, Maya markets and a colonial city listed by UNESCO, then cross into Belize and slow down on a Caribbean caye where the roads are sand and the reef starts a few hundred metres offshore.
Specifications
Duration: 14 days / 13 nights
Style: private journey, Maya culture, volcanoes, rainforest and reef
Best season: November to April, the dry season in both countries
From €3,450 per person*
Itinerary
From the highlands of Guatemala to the Belize Barrier Reef. Tap the title that interests you and we will take you straight there.
Details
Day 1 — Arrival and transfer to Antigua
You are met on arrival at La Aurora International Airport and transferred privately to Antigua, around an hour away at the foot of three volcanoes. Time to rest after the flight before the highlands.
Night in Antigua.
Day 2 — Chichicastenango market and Lake Atitlan
Departure from Antigua for Chichicastenango, whose market fills the streets on Thursdays and Sundays only. Beyond the stalls, you visit the church of Santo Tomas, built on a Maya platform, the cemetery with its brightly painted tombs, and the hilltop shrine of Pascual Abaj, where Maya ceremonies are still held. In the afternoon, the road climbs on to Lake Atitlan, held in a caldera between three volcanoes.
Guided by our local French-speaking guide, private transfer. Night in Panajachel, breakfast included.
Day 3 — The Maya villages of Lake Atitlan
A private boat takes you across the lake to San Juan La Laguna, a village known for its weaving and natural-dye cooperatives, its painters and its unhurried pace. You continue to Santa Cruz for a lakeside afternoon with swimming and an hour of kayaking, then return by boat.
Guided by our local French-speaking guide. Night in Panajachel, breakfast included.
Day 4 — Atitlan nature reserve and Antigua
Morning in the Atitlan nature reserve, with forest trails and a butterfly house, before the road back to Antigua. The rest of the afternoon is free to walk the cobbled streets of the old colonial capital, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, or simply to rest.
Guided by our local French-speaking guide, private transfer. Night in Antigua, breakfast included.
Day 5 — Pacaya volcano and the villages around Antigua
An early start for the ascent of Pacaya, one of the most accessible active volcanoes in Guatemala. The walk is easy to moderate and opens onto the volcanic landscape and the neighbouring cones. In the afternoon, the villages of San Juan El Obispo and Ciudad Vieja show a quieter, more local side of the valley.
Reasonable fitness recommended. Horses can be hired locally for the ascent. Entrance fees included. Guided by our local French-speaking guide. Night in Antigua, breakfast included.
Day 6 — Coffee, Antigua and on to the Peten
A morning on a local coffee estate involved in community development, following the bean from the slope to the cup. In the afternoon, the monuments of Antigua, including the San Francisco and La Merced churches. Transfer to Guatemala City in the late afternoon for your domestic flight to Flores, then transfer to your hotel on arrival.
Domestic flight included. Guided by our local French-speaking guide. Night near Flores, breakfast included.
Day 7 — Tikal
A full day at Tikal, one of the most imposing Maya cities in Mesoamerica and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Temples, pyramids and ceremonial plazas rise straight out of the rainforest, and the wildlife is close: howler monkeys, toucans, coatis. Lunch on site. In the afternoon, a walk through Flores, a small coloured town on an island in Lake Peten Itza.
Site entrance and lunch included, museum excluded. Guided by our local French-speaking guide, private transfer. Night near Flores, breakfast included.
Day 8 — Flores and the lake at dusk
A free morning at your hotel, in the middle of the Peten forest. In the afternoon, a walk around the village, then a private experience on Lake Peten Itza at the end of the day, arranged for your group alone, to close the Guatemalan half of the journey.
Guided by our local French-speaking guide, private transfer. Night near Flores, breakfast included.
Day 9 — Crossing into Belize
Transfer to Melchor de Mencos on the Belize border, around four hours. Your driver meets you on the Belizean side and takes you to the water taxi for Caye Caulker. The island announces itself as you arrive: no cars, golf carts instead, wooden houses in loud colours, hammocks over the shallows and the local motto painted everywhere, Go Slow.
Private transfer, border crossing fee payable locally. Night on Caye Caulker.
Day 10 — Hol Chan Marine Reserve
A full day of snorkelling on the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. You swim the coral canyons of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, then Shark Ray Alley, where nurse sharks and stingrays gather in the shallows. The day continues over the coral garden off Caye Caulker and into the Swallow Caye sanctuary, home to manatees, before a last stop at an underwater cave where tarpon shelter.
Shared day excursion with an English-speaking guide, lunch included. Bring a hat, reef-safe sunscreen, closed shoes and insect repellent. Night on Caye Caulker.
Days 11 to 13 — Caye Caulker at your own pace
Three free days on the island. The village is walkable end to end; bicycles reach the residential lanes and the gardens behind the beach. Northwards, the beaches thin out and empty. Local artisans, small galleries and open-air kitchens fill the main street. Nothing here happens quickly, which is the point.
Nights on Caye Caulker.
Day 14 — Departure
After breakfast, the taxi to the Caye Caulker ferry and the boat to Belize City, then a transfer to Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport for your flight home.
End of our services.
Pricing
A private journey through Guatemala with your own driver and local French-speaking guides, a shared guided day on the Belize reef, and dedicated AZORA care from the first enquiry to your return.
GUATEMALA & BELIZE, MAYA LANDS AND CARIBBEAN BLUE
14 DAYS / 13 NIGHTS · PRIVATE JOURNEY
INCLUDED
✓ Accommodation for 13 nights
✓ Breakfasts, and the meals listed in the programme
✓ Private transfers in Guatemala, air-conditioned vehicle with driver
✓ Domestic flight within Guatemala
✓ Local French-speaking guides for the excursions listed in Guatemala
✓ Guided snorkelling day and lunch in Belize, English-speaking guide
✓ Site entrance fees and the activities listed in the programme
✓ Hotel and tourism taxes
✓ Follow-up and assistance throughout the journey
NOT INCLUDED
✗ International flights: check our airline comparator to find the best options
✗ Meals and drinks not listed
✗ Border crossing fee, payable locally on the day
✗ Tips and personal expenses
✗ Anything not listed under included
*Indicative starting price per person, in standard category, double occupancy, land services only, excluding international flights. The final price varies with the season, the ages of the travellers and the number of travellers, and may move to a premium category.
Good to know
- The Chichicastenango market is held on Thursdays and Sundays only, so the itinerary is built around those days. We adjust the running order to your departure date.
- Spanish is the official language of Guatemala, alongside more than twenty Maya languages. English is the official language of Belize.
- Antigua, Guatemala City and the lake sit at altitude, and evenings in the highlands are cool. Bring a warm layer even in the dry season.
- The Pacaya ascent asks for reasonable fitness. Horses can be hired on site, and the day can be replaced by a gentler alternative.
- On Caye Caulker there are no cars. You move on foot, by bicycle or by golf cart.
- Reef-safe sunscreen is strongly recommended in the marine reserves.
- Entry requirements change. Always check the official sources for your nationality before you travel.
When to go to Guatemala and Belize
The dry season runs from November to April in the Guatemalan highlands and from December to April in Belize, which makes the northern winter the most comfortable window for this itinerary: clear light over the lake and the volcanoes, firm tracks in the Peten, and better underwater visibility on the reef. The rainy season runs from May to October in Guatemala and from June to November in Belize, when showers are usually short and heavy in the afternoon. The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from 1 June to 30 November, with the highest activity from August to October. We will advise the best window for your dates.
Customise my trip
This fourteen-day itinerary is a starting point, not a fixed package. Lengthen the time on the lake, add days on the reef, swap the Pacaya ascent for a gentler day, change the hotel standard, travel at a different pace or in a different season. Tell us what you have in mind and we build the journey around it.
Guatemala and Belize FAQ
How long is the Guatemala and Belize tour and where does it go?
It is a 14-day, 13-night tailor-made journey that begins in Antigua, then continues to Chichicastenango, Lake Atitlan, the Pacaya volcano, Flores and Tikal, before crossing the border to Caye Caulker in Belize.
How much does the trip cost?
From €3,450 per person, based on double occupancy and land services only. The final price varies with the season, the ages of the travellers and the size of the group. International flights are not included.
Are domestic flights included?
Yes. The domestic flight between Guatemala City and Flores is included, as domestic flights always are on AZORA journeys. International flights are not.
Is the itinerary private?
The Guatemalan section is private, with your own driver and local French-speaking guides. The snorkelling day in Belize is a shared excursion with an English-speaking guide.
When is the best time to travel to Guatemala and Belize?
November to April is the dry season in the Guatemalan highlands, and December to April in Belize, so the northern winter suits this itinerary best. The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from 1 June to 30 November.
Why is the market day fixed?
The Chichicastenango market is held on Thursdays and Sundays only. The itinerary is built so that you are there on a market day, which shapes the running order of the first days.
How do you cross from Guatemala to Belize?
By road to the border post at Melchor de Mencos, then by water taxi to Caye Caulker. The crossing takes around four hours in all, and a border fee is payable locally on the day.
Can the itinerary be tailor-made?
Yes. Every AZORA journey is designed to measure, so the pace, the length, the standard of accommodation and the experiences can all be adjusted.
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