Dec. 8:  12.19.19.17.7 – 4  Manik’ 10 Mak
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.

Dec. 9:  12.19.19.17.8 – 5  Lamat 11 Mak
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 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. We’ll also visit the newly remodeled Carlos Pellicer Museum of Anthropology.  On display is the controversial Tortuguero Stela 6 which has rare inscriptions referring to the end of the 13th baktún, which corresponds to December 21st, 2012. Scholars are currently discussing the significance of the references to major events predicted when the current cycle ends.  In the evening we'll return to La Venta Olmec Museum for their interesting evening light and sound show.  Overnight Hilton Hotel Villahermosa.

Dec. 10:  12.19.19.17.9 – 6 Muluk 12 Mak
Today we spend the day visiting 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 archaeologists 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. 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 explore the sights, sounds and cuisines of Palenque. Overnight at Maya Tulipanes Hotel in Palenque.

Dec. 11:   12.19.19.17.10 – 7 Ok  13 Mak
Today we visit Toniná.  Toniná may have been built as early as 350 A.D. but one of its distinctions is having the last recorded date of the Maya Long Count Calendar.  The building technique here is interesting for the use of small rocks verses the larger type stones of the other nearby sites.  One of the features at the ruins at Toniná is its maze-like building of rooms. It is the number of rooms and the building's position with the night heavens that help the archaeologists determine the buildings function.  Toniná was a separate dynastic center and has the prized distinction of defeating Palenque in war as well as the capture and ten year humiliation of Pakal´s son King Kan-Xul, the younger brother of Chan-Bahlum. A frieze shows the captured king Kan-Xul with a rope around his arm sitting in the pose of the captured.  Another large and well preserved frieze depicts a very macabre image of the Lord of the Underworld. Overnight at Maya Tulipanes Hotel in Palenque.

Dec. 12:  12.19.19.17.11 – 8 Chuwen 14 Mak
This morning we 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.  Then we journey 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. Overnight at the Escudo Jaguar Jungle Lodge.

Dec. 13:  12.19.19.17.12 – 9 'Eb 15 Mak
This morning we travel by boat down the mighty Usumacinta River to the mysterious ancient Maya site of Yaxchilan. This incredible boat ride 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.  In the afternoon we travel by boat and land to Tikal and check into the Tikal Inn.  Located in wildlife filled Tikal Park, the hotel has obtained exclusive sunrise and sunset access to the archaeological site for their guests.  From the hotel's grounds you can observe spider and howler monkeys, roaming wild turkeys and numerous bird species such as toucans, parrots, and macaws in the towering ceiba trees.  Overnight Tikal Inn.

Dec. 14:  12.19.19.17.13 – 10 Ben 16 Mak
Optional sunrise at Tikal. (Weather permitting.)  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. With a history beginning at 600 BC when farmers settled in the high ground above the swamps of Lake Peten, 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 written historical record spanning over 1,800 years, including a very old long-count inscription date of 292 AD.  For your maximum enjoyment of Tikal, 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.   Optional sunset at Tikal. (Weather permitting.)   Overnight Tikal Inn.

Dec. 15:  12.19.19.17.14 – 11 'Ix 17 Mak
Optional sunrise at Tikal. (Weather permitting.)  This morning we 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 we travel to  beautiful Lake Yaxhá. 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 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).  You'll also have time to shop for local goods or obtain a personal reading from a Maya daykeeper.  Overnight Hotel Esplendido in Flores.  OPTIONAL:  Evening flight to Guatemala City, transfer to UNESCO World Heritage City of Antigua for overnight.  Next day visit market at Chichicastenango and Festival of Santo Tomas.  Fly home Dec. 17. Contact us for details.

Dec. 16:  12.19.19.17.15 – 12 Men 18 Mak
Transfer to the Flores airport for 8:05 am short non-stop flight to Guatemala City (air tickets not included in the tour).