5 Night Tour to Palenque, Bonampak, Yaxchilan, La Venta Olmec Museum

Note: If you are doing the Tikal extension you must arrive on Dec. 8 if you want to visit La Venta Olmec Museum.

Sun. Dec. 9: Your adventure begins with your flight into Villahermosa, the closest airport to Palenque which is 2.5 hours away. Most flights arrive late in the evening so we'll overnight near the airport. The hotel shuttle will be waiting when you arrive at the airport to take you to the nearby very comfortable Hilton Hotel Villahermosa where you'll overnight.

Mon. Dec. 10: In the morning our guide and driver will meet us at our hotel for a group breakfast "meet and greet". Then we'll go the interesting ruins at Comalcalco. The structures at Comalcalco are quite unusual in that they were constructed of fired brick rather than the hand carved limestone blocks used at other ancient Maya archaeological sites. It is theorized that Comalcalco was an ally with Palenque and may have served as a military post. There is also evidence that they traded goods with various cities along the Usumacinta River all the way to Tikal. Then we travel to Palenque. The town of Palenque is 5 miles from the archaeological site. Like its Mayan ruins, it exudes character, charm and an energy all its own. Against the backdrop of the rainforest, with all the modern conveniences (banks, pharmacies, laundry, photo development, internet cafes), Palenque gives off the feel of a fun, wild-west frontier town. You'll have some free time in the evening to relax in the lush jungle rainforest or exploring the sights, sounds and cuisines of Palenque. Overnight at Maya Tulipanes Hotel in Palenque.

Tue. Dec. 11: Today we have an entire day to visit the spectacular ruins of Palenque. A UNESCO historical monument, Palenque is considered a world treasure. Ancient structures rise out of the lush rainforest on multiple terraces set against the mountains, many of them built by the great King Pacal in the 6th & 7th centuries AD. There are many major buildings to explore and new buildings are now being uncovered and studied. Many wonderful examples of Maya art and history are carved into the buildings' facades, some of them the most famous depictions from the ancient Maya world.

Palenque is exciting because of the vast amounts of information that has been painstakingly brought to light by archeologists over the years. Here you will find the unique building styles that caused early explorers to think that the builders of Palenque were influenced by Eastern or Asian architectural concepts. We'll visit the Palenque archaeological museum with its extensive collection of jade masks, well preserved carvings and stele, incense burners and life size replica of King Pakal's tomb. Overnight at Maya Tulipanes Hotel in Palenque.

Wed. Dec. 12: Today we journey to Yaxchilan and Bonampak. First we go to Bonampak, home of famous Mayan murals. Their ancient colors remain clear and vital, making them an excellent representation of Mayan art. Bonampak was a city of the Maya Early Classic period peaking from 200 to 400 A.D. Bonampak also has some very well preserved stele that detail important historical moments. The great plaza is astounding in its sheer mass and one of the largest in the region, measuring over 100 yards.

Then we travel by boat down the mighty Usumacinta River to the mysterious ancient Maya site of Yaxchilan. This incredible journey through the rainforest with its huge trees and abundant wildlife makes you feel like you are in an Indiana Jones movie! The tremendous archaeological site of Yaxchilan, situated on the riverbanks, rises in levels to temples with breathtaking views of the rainforest stretching far into Guatemala. You'll hear stories of ancient Mayan Queens who exerted great power and about the modern Lacandon Indians who still use Yaxchilan as a place of worship. See howler monkeys and many exotic birds as you roam this well organized ancient Maya city.

If not going to Tikal: At the end of the day you return to Palenque. Overnight at Maya Tulipanes Hotel in Palenque.

Thu. Dec. 13: You'll have some free time on our own in the morning to explore Palenque on your own. At 10:30 am we go to La Venta Olmec Museum in Villahermosa for a visit. There are 28 Olmec carvings at this beautiful outdoor museum with interesting zoo and lake. Each piece was set carefully for optimum viewing with benches placed for those wishing to meditate or ponder the huge and amazingly well crafted Olmec heads, intricate altars, and intriguing stele and statues. Based on the earliest long count date inscriptions found at sites that combine both Olmec and Maya influences many scholars theorize that it was the Olmec who invented the long count calendar and initiated the Maya into the understanding of this system of calculating time. End of the day you'll go to Hilton Hotel Villahermosa for an overnight.

Fri. Dec. 14: Hilton Hotel shuttle to Villahermosa airport for departure.

If you are continuing on to Guatemala to join the Dec. 13-16 Tikal tour: Rather than returning to Palenque on Dec. 12, you will overnight at the Escudo Jaguar Lodge and travel by boat and land to Tikal the next day.

OPTIONAL Dec. 13-16 Tikal pre-tour extension:

Thu. Dec. 13: Early morning transfer from Escudo Jaguar Jungle Lodge to Tikal. In the afternoon we'll visit the Maya ruins at Uaxactun. Archaeologists have determined that the four major structures there were probably used for astronomical studies as they are aligned to the sunrise on equinoxes and solstices. Uaxactun is located in the 1.65 million hectare Maya Biosphere Reserve, which is part of the largest body of intact tropical forest in Central America. Then to the Tikal Inn, located in the lush wild-life filled rainforest of Tikal Park. Overnight Tikal Inn.

Fri. Dec. 14: Today we have a full day to visit the spectacular Mayan ruins at Tikal. One of the most famous and beautiful of Maya sites, Tikal’s massive and steep pyramids (one is over 200 feet high) loom above the lush jungle of the Peten where one can observe spider and howler monkeys and numerous bird species such as toucans, parrots and macaws in the towering ceiba trees. At its peak Tikal was home to an estimated 100,000 people and the site has over 3,000 structures within a six square mile area. Well preserved glyphic texts tell of a dynamic historical record spanning over 1,000 years, including a very old long-count inscription date of 292 AD. Those who want to can climb the highest pyramid, Temple 4, and get a birds-eye view of the site above the jungle canopy. We'll also visit the Sylvanus Morley Museum. Overnight Tikal Inn.

Sat. Dec. 15: We begin our day at beautiful Lake Yaxhá (where "Survivor Guatemala" was filmed). On the banks of its beautiful lagoon is the Maya ruin site of Yaxhá ("Green Water"). Yaxhá was the third largest Maya city in the Peten (after El Mirador & Tikal) and has an unusual layout for the region. Its twin pyramid complexes, 9 acropolis', plazas and more than 500 structures are connected by sacbés (ancient elevated roads) in a manner more similar to Maya sites in the Yucatan. The views of the jungle from the 30 meter high Structure 216 are breathtaking. Birds, butterflies, spider and howler monkeys abound at this remote jungle site. Then we'll take a boat trip to the nearby island ruins at Topoxte ("Ramon Tree"). Topoxte also has unusual architectural features, including columns that are much like those found at the Yucatan site of Chichen Itza. In the afternoon we go to Isla Flores for a walking tour the island and the small archaeological site of Tayasal (former Maya name of Flores before the Spanish conquest). Overnight Hotel Esplendido in Flores.

Sun. Dec. 16: Transfer to the Flores airport for 8:05 am short non-stop flight to Guatemala City (air tickets not included in the tour)..