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Explore the diverse habitats of forest and ocean in this 9 day tour. You will explore 3 caves by 3 different means; walking, your choice of canoe or a strenuous swim/hike, and tubing! Tour 2 impressive Mayan Ruin sites of Caracol and Xunantunich. Round out your week by diving into the watery realm of the Caribbean, and the Hol Chan Marine reserve. Two days are free for you to either relax or recreate at the ocean.
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Enjoy 4 nights in the Cayo District, located in the western interior of Belize. This area encompasses a large portion of the Maya Mountains and has more than its fair share of ancient Maya sites to visit and explore, such as Caracol, Xunantunich, and Cahal Pech.
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We created this package for couples to celebrate that special occasion whether a honeymoon, an anniversary, a birthday or simply a celebration of life with someone you love!
You are based at the lovely sea-side Victoria House on Ambergris Caye for your stay - no packing & unpacking! You'll enjoy snorkeling, visiting Altun Ha; while having plenty of time to relax or explore on your own.
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The Spa at Chaa Creek offers a tranquil and extraordinary sensory environment that promotes harmony between inner and outer self. Specialized therapists will help you choose from a variety of personalized treatments designed to enhance individual beauty while promoting health and a sense of wellbeing. Sunny and sensuous. Rejuvenate your body and your spirit!
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Belize is a small country of only around 250,000 citizens and is largely undeveloped, with more than 30 percent of its land protected. This small area supports some 543 species of birds. No destination or birding site is too far away and the birding here includes hiking along pristine jungle trails, canoeing quiet lakes and rivers, and climbing ancient Mayan ruins. Birding Belize is an amazing mix of nature and culture.
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Hidden Valley Inn is located high in the Mountain Pine Ridge in the Cayo District of Belize, Central America. This remote lodge, situated amidst 7200 acres of private reserve, offers guests both pine forest and tropical jungle where the flora and fauna are like few places on earth. At an altitude of over 2000 feet, the climate of the Mountain Pine Ridge is comfortable year round with an average annual temperature of 73°F.
READ OUR BLOG ABOUT OUR NOVEMBER 2009 VISIT & see our slide show!
The Concept
Lamanai Outpost Lodge is situated on the banks of a 28 mile long spring fed lagoon amid the remnants of a major Maya city. It is surrounded by an incredible variety of habitats that facilitate unsurpassed nature-based and soft-adventure activities. At Lamanai Outpost you can choose from the country’s largest range of fully guided soft-adventure experiences that start right from your cabaña’s doorstep and do not require driving away to another location.
The Concept
Hidden Valley Inn, a luxury boutique hotel with only 12 cottages, is located on a 7,200 acre private reserve in the Mountain Pine Ridge area of Belize. This intimate eco resort offers quality accommodation, delicious food and attentive service in a natural unspoiled environment. The flora and fauna here are like no place on earth.
The Concept
Read about our 2009 visit!
The Lodge & Spa at Chaa Creek sits on a private 365-acre nature reserve set along Macal River in the Maya Mountains foothills. Chaa Creek has provided a unique adventure travel experience for many modern-day explorers, while maintaining an unspoiled ambience. Chaa Creek caters to the traveler looking for both physical and intellectual challenges, and a range of activities have been designed to stimulate interest in the environment, culture and archaeology of Belize.
The Concept
2010 Voted Conde Nast Johansens' Award for Most Excellent Beach Resort in Mexico & Central America.
The accommodations at Victoria House are varied and one of them is bound to suit your needs. The resort offers accommodations ranging in size and style from charming Palapa roof casitas, colonial style Plantation rooms and suites to three individual beachfront villas. At the heart of the resort is a fabulous swimming pool set among tall swaying palm trees overlooking the white sand beaches and Caribbean.
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Guatemalan folklore is possibly the most interesting and varied in the world. One of the best expressions of this can be seen in local textiles, which incorporate more than 325 variations of styles and color schemes, each one with its own historically symbolic meaning. Markets dot the countryside and offer a fascinating insight into the Maya Culture, and a great opportunity to see the Maya people dressed in their traditional textiles.
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In Guatemala, the land of eternal spring, we invite you to commune and comtemplate.
Each day includes a yoga session and healthy food, but also offers a glimpse into local life. We spend 3 nights each in Antigua, the cultural center, and Lake Atitlan, the heart of the Guatemalan highlands.
We also visit a local women's textile coop to see the backstrap method, the natural dye process, and the symbolism of the articles they weave, so much a part of the lives of the local population. And we visit the famous Chichicastenango Market.
On the way to Lake Atitlan, a chance to participate in a shaman ceremony may be the highlight of the week. Indeed you will find your center here.
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One doesn't think of Guatemala when one considers culinary adventures, but we hope to change that perception.
Our tour visits markets, kitchens, and coffee plantations. You have a chance to see local foods including herbs, spices, roots and more. In your cooking class, you put them to good use.
We have also included visits to textile coops and markets like the famous Chichicastenego Market.
Evenings include some fabulously creative dinners, often accompanied by wines or local cocktails.
The Concept
Casa Encantada, a luxurious hotel in the 16th century Spanish Colonial City of Antigua Guatemala, defines elegant, understated hospitality with the utmost in personal service and a staff conversant in Spanish, French and English. This small boutique hotel offers all of the conveniences required by the international traveler with nine individually decorated guest rooms and a magnificent rooftop suite and terrace with a bar and breakfast dining.
Highlights
Guatemala is a small exotic country in Central America located just below south-west Mexico and also bordering Belize, Honduras and El Salvador. It is made up of 22 different departments (states) with a diverse geography including 33 volcanoes, highland areas, cloud forest, rainforest and even desert. The country offers visitors a unique cultural experience as well as access to some stunning scenery and the world’s most important Maya archaeology sites.
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During Holy Week, Antigua, Guatemala hosts the most beautiful religious celebration in the Americas, when huge processions wind their way through the town’s streets. Actually, the celebration begins on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, and reaches its climax on Good Friday, when Antigua streets are thronged with processions and reverent spectators. The processions consist of big floats, or 'andas', bearing statues of Christ with a cross, that are carried by hundreds of purple-robed men. A float with the Virgin Mary follows by women dressed in black clothing.
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This unique Mayan adventure on the Usumacinta River takes you on intimate visits to many ancient Mayan cities, all accompanied by our well-versed Mayanist guide. Utilizing the waterways, back roads, and local trails, like the Maya did years ago, this trip shows you some of the best remaining examples of the lost Mayan civilization.
Tikal, in the Peten of Guatemala; Palenque, in Mexico, and Yaxchilan in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, are just some of the incredible sites that you will explore. Our river company has 20+ years of experience in the region, giving you a safe and unforgettable journey. Our Mayanist guide will walk back in history to another world.
The Usu one of our favorite trips, a mix of history, nature, culture, biology, and outdoor activity.
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Panama is a country so small, yet filled with lush rainforests, wildlife, and a rich cultural heritage. On your discovery you'll to view the Panama Canal, ride the first transcontinental train, and snorkel in the Caribbean Sea. You'll travel by motorized canoe and visit an Embera Village, where villagers live in traditional thatched huts. In the Highlands you'll zip through the cloud forest canopy on a zip line and experience coffee from bean to cup.
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Explore the Panamá Canal as you voyage across Lake Gatun, and also actually sail through the canal! You'll visit two thriving indigenous cultures, the Kuna of San Blas (stunning Caribbean islands pictured here) and the Embera of the Chagres River basin. The highlands will immerse you in an entirely different environment, surrounded by cloud forest environments filled with life, where you can hike and visit a coffee plantation. You'll also tour cosmopolitan Panama City. This is the best of Panamá!
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Experience a family vacation at the best places in Panama, from the Pacific coast and the Panama Canal to the western highlands to the Caribbean coast. You'll visit two Indian villages, Embera and Nobe Bugle, have the opportunity to zip line, take a boat and canoe ride, visit the Smithsonian Marine Exhibition and swim in the Caribbean! This is a perfect vacation for young and old!
