Central America Adventure - 12 Day Trip
Unreal 12 day adventure through the best of Central America - Belize and Guatemala are UNMISSABLE!
Central America Adventure
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Want something a little bit different? Get ready for the ultimate adventure through two of Central America’s most beautiful gems. Think Mayan ruins, lush jungles, crystal-clear waters, and more. By the end of these 12 days, you’ll be feeling the Tru spirit! This tour takes you from the ancient wonders of Guatemala to the island paradise of Belize, with plenty of time to explore jungles, swim in caves, and snorkel in the famous waters of Belize! First up, it's time to hit the beach in Belize. We’re talking white sands, turquoise waters, and some of the best snorkelling spots on the planet. Caye Caulker is all about that "Go Slow" island life, and trust us, you'll want to soak it all in. Then we’ll move over to Guatemala, where the cobblestone streets and vibrant colonial vibes will make you fall in love with Central America. Next, we’ll head to the jaw-dropping Mayan ruins. Imagine ancient temples rising out of the jungle—talk about mind-blowing!
Travel Style
When we say classic, we mean the perfect balance of culture, adventure, beaches and parties. High number of inclusions, low cost. Tru-ly authentic experiences from homestays & hostels to beach huts, hotels and boats. A classic tour means maximum adventure and minimum hassle. Built for backpackers by backpackers.
What's Included
Your Trip Planner
Central America Adventure
12 Days
playa del carmen - municipio de antigua guatemala
Map
Bucket List
Itinerary
meeting the group!
Are you ready for an epic 12 days?! We'll start in Playa del Carmen. You might be thinking - why Mexico? Well, it's super easy for everyone to get to anddd it's a great spot to relax for a bit before setting off on the trip of dreams. Arrive, unpack and sit back after your flight. By the evening the whole group will be here ready for our first welcome meal as a group tonight. It'll be your first chance to get to know each other, try and learn each other's names and start breaking the ice - 'Never have I ever' anyone?
travel to caye caulker
Today is our first travel day - we're headed to Belize! Grab some snacks and get ready to gaze out the window because it's an awesome journey over to our second country of the trip already. Our first stop is Caye Caulker and what an epic place to start our time in Belize! Caye Caulker is famous for the incredible marine life, the 'go slow' rhythm of life and vibey Caribbean bars. We'll arrive late afternoon and go on an orientation walk to find the local hotspots and learn more about the communities of Belize.
snorkelling trip
Rise and shine! Welcome to the first full day in Belize! Get your snorkel ready (we say that, but we'll have it ready for you) cause we’re spending our day exploring the second most important coral reef of the world - fingers crossed we see a reef shark! In the afternoon we'll booze and cruise back to the island dancing with reggae vibes. We're on the lookout for fish (obvs), sea turtles, stingrays and nurse sharks - go pros at the ready people!
views on views
It's our final full day in Caye Caulker so we have a free day where you can tick other things off your to-do list. Luckily for us, our to-do lists mainly consist of sunbathing, snorkelling and seeing as much of the local natural beauty as possible...sounds dreamy right? If you fancy venturing to the Blue Hole your tour leader can arrange this for you and if you don't know what it is...google it..trust us your mind will be blown! It's going to be 10/10 day whether you choose to take it slow or 100mph - it's up to you!
cave tubing
Another travel day is ahead of us! Get your headphones ready or your best hypothetical questions (fingers for toes or toes for fingers - that kind of vibe!) We're travelling over to San Ignacio and once we get there we're going cave tubing straight away! We'll also have a delicious local lunch - Ceviche anyone? Cave tubing is so much fun and such a great way to see the insides of some insane caves, it's a lazy river on steroids.
orientation walk and local women's co-op
This morning we have a free morning to chill before heading out on an orientation walk where we'll get to know more about the local culture! Want to explore like a local - good cause we are going to be hopping on a chicken bus. Never heard of one...basically if Elton John was a bus - he'd be a chicken bus. In the afternoon we will visit the local Women's Co-op. Here we'll learn all about the Mayan way of life, see how they make their amazing pottery and even have a go at making our own. After we have worked up an appetite we'll be treated to dinner with them and taste some more of the amazing local food!
travel to guatemala
Say goodbye to Belize cause we're off to Guatemala! As with all journeys, we'll break it up with some exploring along the way. This one is super special because it is in one of the most beautiful National Parks. We'll stop off at the Mayan Tikal Ruins explore and walk through the ruins of one of the biggest Mayan cities in history. Then it's onwards to Flores and an early night as we have a flight to catch tomorrow!
lake atitlan magic
Window blinds up and tray tables upright! Yes, that's right we're catching a flight early today over to Guatemala City! Once we land it's only a short transfer over to Lake Atitlan.
We'll be staying overnight in Panajachel. We could describe how amazing this place is but we'd never do it justice! Prepare to have your breath taken away! We'll have an afternoon to explore the local area, your tour guide will be on hand to give you some ideas!
boat tour and homestay
If you've been on a Tru tour before, you'll know we LOVE a homestay! We're a social bunch so for us there's nothing better than being able to get to meet the locals, learn about how they live, get to live how they live and of course leave with even more BFFs - it's also always a bonus if they have a four-legged friend! We'll head over to the homestay by boat which in itself is something magical. In the afternoon we'll be taken on a tour around the district known for its vibrant colours, amazing energy and stunning street art! This is the perfect place to pick up some souvenirs from the trip.
let's salsa babyyy!
After a busy day yesterday, we are travelling to Antigua this morning! We'll stop for lunch and have some free time before the main event for today. Get your dancing shoes ready, it's time to learn how to salsa! We don't care if you have two left feet or have no rhythm, throw yourself into this and soak in the vibes - you might even surprise yourself - you'll be like Patrick Swayze in no time! Then it's the moment you've all been waiting for... it's BNO time! Of course, we'll be putting our salsa move to good use on our night out as a group. After a few Quetzalteca's you'll be on the table salsa-ing the night away.
markets, viewpoints and history
Nothing clears the air and a headache from last night more than a chilled walking tour around the local area of Antigua. We'll visit markets, architecture, and viewpoints and learn more about the history. It's also our final full day as a group. We're not crying you are...We'll spend our last day soaking in Guatemala's 10/10 vibes, taking some more group photos and planning our reunions of course!
chilled checkout
If we're honest we're not quite ready to say goodbye...Time really does fly when you’re having fun. If your adventure doesn’t stop here, your TruTravels leader will be happy to help with any onward travel but if it’s homebound then don’t be a stranger! Stay epic, TruFam, it’s been a dream!
FAQs
Where does the trip start & finish?
The trip starts in Playa del Carmen and ends in Antigua.
Which airport do I need to fly to?
You will need to fly into Cancun International Airport (CUN).
What is the closest airport to the end destination?
The tour ends in Antigua (Guatemala) and the closest airport from here is Guatemala City (GUA). It takes about an hour via taxi and costs about £35. Alternatively, there is a bus that takes about an hour and a half which can be organised through your guide.
How do I get back to the start destination and is this included in the price? If not, how much is it?
You'd would need to fly from Guatemala City in order to get back to Mexico
What kind of accommodation is included on this trip?
The accommodation on this trip will be a mixture of twin share and dorm rooms. Twin-share will always be same-sex rooms but for our dorm rooms, these could be mixed-sex, depending on the group. They will alwasy be private for TruTravels.
Is my arrival transfer included? Or how do I get to the start location?
Your arrival transfer is NOT included in this trip. To get to the start hotel it takes approximately 1 hour via taxi & costs around £65.
There is also a super easy bus from Cancun airport to Playa Del Carmen. Your guide will be able to give you all the help and support to book this, just reach out before your trip! It normally costs around £13.
You also will be able to get in touch with your fellow travellers before the trip starts and you can always share a taxi or transfer with them to save money!
Most of the people that join us on tour are 18-thirtysomethings! We have no strict upper age limit on our tours but all of our tours are specifically designed for those of this age group which is worth noting when browsing through our website.
Yes! Let us know when you are booking your trip about any requirements you might have we can plan ahead and make sure this doesn’t affect your trip!
Yes, the majority of our travellers will be travelling on their own! Roughly 65% of our TruTravellers come solo! We have designed our trips specifically with solo travellers in mind, so you can be assured you’ll meet lots of others travelling alone like yourself along the way. This of course doesn’t mean our trips are only for solo travellers, but it does mean that you don’t need to worry you’ll be surrounded by a group that already knows each other.