Specializing in learning excursions for 55 and older travelers, Road Scholar offers The Maya and More: History and Culture of Honduras, Guatemala and Belize, a rich itinerary highlighted by expert-led tours of the spectacular Mayan archeological sites of Copan, Tikal, Cahal Pech, Lamanai and Xunantunich. In the towns and villages of Honduras, Guatemala and Belize, travelers learn from nearly a dozen lectures and daily guided tours by authorities in the fields of ancient and contemporary Mayan art, architecture, lifestyle and science.
In Western Honduras, the UNESCO World Heritage site of Copan, the Mayan kingdom that flourished between the 5th and 9th centuries AD.
A sampling of the jam-packed itinerary of The Maya and More: History and Culture of Honduras, Guatemala and Belize
- Healing methods and herbal medicine of the Maya
- Chichicastenango marketplace
- Lakeside villages of Santa Catarina, San Antonio Palopo and Panajachel.
- Discussion of Guatemala, Antigua’s history and architecture, Mayan life, textiles, religious practices and the origin and evolution of Mayan music.
- San Antonio weaving cooperative
- Casa K’ojom Research Center and Museum inside Centro Cultural La Azotea
- Walking tour of UNESCO World Heritage site of Antigua’s old town and colonial churches
- Maya and Catholic religion and agriculture practices of the modern Maya.
- Scenic boat ride, indigenous bird sightings
- Interpretation of Classical period of Mayan hieroglyphics, stelae, medicine and “sacred” cacao
- Museum of Mayan Culture, Las Sepulturas
- Traditional chocolate production, visit a local school
Circa 700 AD, the Big Jaguar Temple in Tikal, the largest known Mayan City.
In 2013, around 100,000 people, from seniors to grandparents and their college-age grandkids, took trips in every state and 150 countries with the nonprofit Road Scholar (formerly Elderhostel), which this year marks its 40th anniversary. Read here a short interview with Road Scholar CEO.
Details of The Maya and More: History and Culture of Honduras, Guatemala and Belize
- See here a detailed daily itinerary.
- 14 nights, all meals
- $3,285 pp varies based on date, departure city
- Departures: Fall 2015 through Spring 2016
- Activity level: moderately challenging
- Comprehensive travel insurance included
The Spanish Baroque city of Antigua in the Guatemalan highlands.
