Welcome to a great vacation at an affordable price. Your Latin America tour includes all meals in Latin America, all activities, all hotels, a great itinerary, all airport transfers, all transportation and excursions. A professional tour director accompanies you for the entire tour.

Itinerary:

Day 1 – Mexico City
Welcome to the glory of Old Mexico. See the ancient cultures of the Nahua, Aztec, Olmec, Toltec, and Mayan civilizations. Visit the grand colonial cities of Veracruz and Merida. Arrive in Mexico City, the capital of this fascinating country with exotic indigenous and international cultures, close yet breathtakingly foreign. Provided are taxi transfer from the Mexico City airport for a two night stay at your centrally located hotel. Dinner is at your hotel, then join us for an welcome briefing. D

Day 2 – Mexico City, Teotihuacan Ruins
This morning visit Mexico’s grandest archaeological site, Teotihuacбn, built by the Nahua. The sixth largest city in the world in 400 A.D., Teotihuacбn was mysteriously abandoned 300 years later, centuries before the Aztec occupation. Visit the Jaguar Palace and the Temple of the Plumed Conch Shells. See the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon. Walk the Avenue of the Dead, flanked by temples and palaces. Enjoy lunch. Then, a brief visit to the National Palace. See the murals of Mexico’s greatest artist, Diego Rivera. These colorful murals cover Mexico’s pre-Columbian Indian history, the colonial period and the Revolution. Next, drive by Mexico City’s main square and Cathedral. Visit Mexico City’s National Museum of Anthropology in Chapultepec Park. See archaeological treasures of pre-Hispanic civilizations, including the Toltec, Mexica, Aztec, Zapotec, Mixtec, Olmec and Mayan. See the immense Aztec Calendar Stone. Enjoy dinner. BLD

Day 3 – Mexico City, Veracruz
Morning drive to the port city of Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico. En route see the towering snow-capped Popocatepetl Volcano, weather permitting. Lunch in Veracruz. For centuries Veracruz has been a crossroads of the Americas, with Caribbean, European, African and Mexican cultures. Explore the romantic plaza, the oldest in Mexico, with strolling mariachis, serenading guitarists and marimba bands. Enjoy dinner. BLD

Day 4 – Villa Hermosa, Olmec, Palenque
Mango orchards and pineapple fields give way to lush vegetation and tropical flowers on your drive east today (a box lunch en route). Photostop at Villa Hermosa’s La Venta Park. See giant Olmec heads up to twelve feet tall. The Olmec are the predecessors of the Maya and Aztec. Continue to Palenque for a relaxing two night stay. Dinner tonight. BLD

Day 5 – Palenque
Palenque is magical. Here, mysterious Mayan ruins are set against a natural backdrop of jungle foliage. See the Main Plaza, the Temple of the Inscriptions and the Group of the Cross. See the four story observation tower rising from the huge rectangular palace. Unique in the Mayan world, this observation tower is believed to have been constructed to view the winter solstice. After lunch, your day is at leisure to enjoy the tropical gardens of your resort. Enjoy dinner. BLD

Day 6 – Palenque Uxmal, Merida
Head north through the state of Campeche. Enjoy lunch overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Next, through the Puuc Hills to visit ancient Uxmal, dating back to 600 A.D. At Uxmal, see the Pyramid of the Magicians, the Nunnery Quadrangle, the Governor’s Palace with its 20,000 intricately carved lace-like stones and the Turtle House. Then, drive to Mйrida, Yucatan’s capital and cultural center, for a two night stay. Your hotel is ideally located near the Plaza Principal, lined with shops, cafes, strolling mariachis, and serenading guitarists. Enjoy dinner. BLD

Day 7 – Merida, Chichen Itza
Morning drive to visit the Mayan-Toltec ruins of Chichen Itza. See the Castle Pyramid. Visit the Ballcourt, the Sacred Cenote and the Group of a Thousand Columns. Learn about achievements made by the Maya more than 1500 years ago, including the 365 day, 19 month Mayan Haab calendar. Enjoy lunch. Return to Merida. Drive by Merida’s colonial mansions. Merida offers great shopping for paintings, handicrafts, hammocks and huipiles. Farewell dinner. BLD

Day 8 – Merida, Cancun
After breakfast, transfer from Merida to Cancun. B