Four Countries in the New World Tour: Route of Lost Civilizations

After meeting at the Istanbul Airport International Departures Terminal, we complete our check-in and passport procedures and begin our flight to Cancun with Turkish Airlines scheduled flight. Upon arrival, we complete our passport and baggage procedures and proceed to the city center. Free time after arrival. Overnight at our hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, our approximately 5-hour land journey to Chetumal begins. On our route, we will take the Chichen Itza & Cenote tour. During this tour, the Pyramid of Kukulcan, Caracol, the Temple of the Bearded Man, and the Temple of the Warriors are among the places to be seen. The most famous of the structures to be visited, and the biggest factor in the Pyramid of Kukulcan, which was chosen as one of the Seven Wonders of the World in 2007, winning this fame is undoubtedly the scientific observations used in the construction of the architecture. Each of the steps in the pyramid built by the Mayans hundreds of years ago represents parts of the 365 days in a year. Afterward, we will have our Cenote visit. You should experience the underground pools, which became legendary with the ritual of throwing sacrifices and objects to the rain god Chaac into the cenote and today offer exquisite natural beauty and swimming opportunities. After our tour, we continue our journey to Chetumal. Upon arrival, we check into our hotel. Accommodation at our Chetumal hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, we leave the hotel and set off towards the Belize border. We complete our Mexico exit and Belize entry procedures and depart for the capital, Belize City. Upon arrival, our first stop in this colorful city founded on the Caribbean coast is the Swing Bridge, one of the oldest rotating bridges in the world, which is still turned by hand and has become the symbol of the city. Then, we walk in the Fort George area, which bears the traces of the British colonial period, and see the Baron Bliss Lighthouse and Memorial Park. Later, we take a photo break in front of the famous "Belize" sign. After our city tour, you can enjoy this Caribbean-breezed city during the free time we will give on the coastline where wooden colonial houses are lined up. After our tour, we continue our journey towards the Guatemala border. After passport procedures, we continue to the Flores city of Guatemala. Arrival and accommodation at our hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, we set off for the Tikal National Park, the most magnificent ancient city of the Maya civilization. In this unique area, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List as both a natural and cultural heritage, we discover the giant pyramids rising within the rainforests. Accompanied by our guide, we visit the Main Plaza where the Temple of the Great Jaguar is located, the palace ruins, and Temple IV, which offers a panoramic view over the forest, and enjoy this mystical atmosphere accompanied by howling monkeys and toucans among the trees. After our Tikal tour, we return to Flores and start our boat tour on Lake Petén Itzá in the afternoon. As we progress through the calm waters of Petén Itzá, one of the largest lakes in Central America, we watch the unique silhouette of the colorful Flores town, built on an island, from the water and see the villages on the lake shore. After our boat tour, those who wish can watch the sunset on the shore of the lake. Overnight at our hotel.

After our morning breakfast, we say goodbye to Flores and set off south towards Rio Dulce in the lush nature of Guatemala. In our journey that will take about four hours, we pass through the rainforests of Petén and reach the shore of Lake Izabal, the largest lake in the country. Upon arrival, we board our boat and start our Lake Izabal tour. In this region, which is the gateway of the lake to the Caribbean, we see fishing villages, pelicans, and water birds living on the lake shore while moving on the water, and pass through bays where tropical vegetation descends to the water. During our tour, we watch the 17th-century Spanish fortress Castillo de San Felipe, which protected the entrance of the lake against pirates for centuries, panoramically from the water. After our boat tour, we transfer to our hotel in Rio Dulce. You can spend the evening watching the sun set over the lake and try local delicacies in the restaurants by the river. Overnight at our hotel.

After our breakfast in the early morning, we leave Rio Dulce and set off towards the Honduras border. After our journey progressing through the mountainous geography in the east of Guatemala, we reach the El Florido border gate, complete our border procedures, and enter Honduras. After a short journey, we arrive at Copán, known as the art capital of the Maya civilization. In the afternoon, we visit the Copán Archaeological Site, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In this ancient city, which has the finest stone workmanship of the Maya world, we visit the Great Plaza decorated with magnificent stelae depicting rulers, the ball court, and the famous Hieroglyphic Stairway, which is the longest of the Maya inscriptions, accompanied by our guide. We do not forget to photograph the colorful macaws that have become the inhabitants of the archaeological site. After our visit, we settle into our hotel in Copán, a cute mountain town with cobblestone streets and red-tiled houses. In the evening, you can spend free time in the cafes and restaurants around the town's main square. Overnight at our hotel.

After our breakfast in the early morning, we leave Copán and re-enter Guatemala through the El Florido border gate. After our journey climbing from the east of the country towards the highlands, we arrive in the afternoon at Antigua, the old capital established in the shadow of three volcanoes. In our walking tour in this colonial jewel on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the heart of the city, Plaza Mayor, and the Cathedral and City Hall around it are among the places we will see. Then, we pass under the yellow Santa Catalina Arch, which has become the symbol of Antigua, and take a photo break accompanied by the view of the Agua Volcano rising behind it. After seeing the yellow facade and baroque workmanship of La Merced Church, we take a pleasant walk among the colorful colonial houses and handicraft shops on the cobblestone streets. During the free time we will give after our tour, those who wish can experience the world-famous Guatemalan coffee in a historical courtyard or shop in the local market. Overnight at our hotel in Antigua.

After our morning breakfast, we leave Antigua and set off towards Lake Atitlán, considered one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, passing through the winding roads of the Guatemalan highlands, amidst Maya villages and cornfields. After a journey of about three hours, we arrive at Panajachel, the main town on the shores of the lake. We take a photo break at the viewpoint where you will first encounter the scenery of this volcanic crater lake surrounded by three volcanoes. After checking in to our hotel, during the free time we will provide, those who wish can shop on Panajachel's famous Santander Street filled with handicraft stalls, or take a walk along the lake shore to watch the sun setting behind the volcanoes. Overnight at our hotel.

After breakfast at our hotel, we will have free time. Afterwards, at the meeting time determined by our guide, we will take the Lake Atitlan Boat Tour. We board our boat from the Panajachel pier and begin our boat tour on the azure waters of Lake Atitlán, where we will explore the Maya villages established on its shores. Our first stop is San Juan La Laguna, the center of traditional weaving and natural dye workshops; we walk through its streets decorated with colorful murals and see the centuries-old weaving tradition firsthand at the cooperatives of Maya women. Then we move on to Santiago Atitlán, the largest village of the lake. In this village where the Tz'utujil Maya live, we experience the colorful atmosphere of the local market, see its colonial church, and witness the daily life of this community where Maya beliefs and Catholicism are intertwined. In the afternoon, we return to Panajachel and spend the rest of the day as free time. Those who wish can relax in the cafes by the lake, and those who wish can continue shopping in the town. Overnight at our hotel.

After our morning breakfast, we say goodbye to Lake Atitlán and set off towards Guatemala City, the capital of the country, with our scenic journey descending from the highlands. Upon arrival, during our panoramic city tour, we see the Constitution Square, the heart of the city, the Metropolitan Cathedral facing the square, and the National Palace, the symbol of the country's administration. After our tour where we witness the different faces of the capital with its modern boulevards and monuments, we transfer to the airport and depart with our flight to Mexico City, the capital of Mexico. Upon arrival, we transfer to our hotel. Guests who wish can join the optional evening event “Mariachi Night with Dinner (95 USD)” organized by our guide. In this event, in the evening hours, we set off from our hotel towards Garibaldi Square, the beating heart of Mexico's musical soul. We witness one of Mexico's most deeply rooted traditions accompanied by live performances of mariachi groups filling the square with their silver-embroidered costumes and wide-brimmed hats. In this square where mariachi music, listed as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO, was born, we experience the unique atmosphere where the sounds of the trumpet, violin, and guitar blend together. Afterwards, we have our dinner consisting of local delicacies accompanied by mariachi music at a traditional Mexican restaurant. After this unforgettable night we will spend in the homeland of tequila and mezcal, we return to our hotel. Overnight at our hotel.

After our morning breakfast, we begin our full-day city tour to explore Mexico City. Our first stop is Zócalo Square, one of the largest squares in the world where the heart of the city beats. We visit the Metropolitan Cathedral, facing the square and the largest cathedral in Latin America, and then view the Templo Mayor archaeological site from the outside, where the ruins of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztecs, have been brought to light. Continuing our walk in the historic center, we take a photo break in front of the Palace of Fine Arts, one of the symbols of the city with its eye-catching art nouveau architecture. Moving along Paseo de la Reforma, the magnificent boulevard of the city, we see the Independence Monument and conduct our panoramic tour in Chapultepec Park, the green lung of the capital. In the afternoon, we visit the Basilica of Guadalupe, the most important pilgrimage center in Latin America, welcoming millions of visitors every year. After our tour, during our free time, those who wish can continue exploring the colorful streets of the historic center or experience the unique flavors of Mexican cuisine. Overnight at our hotel.

Free time after breakfast at the hotel. At the time determined by our guide, we transfer to the airport for the return flight. After our baggage, check-in, and passport procedures, we board the plane. Overnight on the plane.

After the afternoon hours, we land at Istanbul Airport and the end of our tour.