Mayan Gateway
Mayan Gateway builds Central America vacations focused on Guatemala’s Maya Biosphere, the Pacific volcanoes, and the Belize Barrier Reef. We prioritize the archaeological sites where white causeways stretch between the plazas and the observatories align with the solar equinox. We match your dates to the days the open-air markets operate in Guatemala, and the weekend food festivals in El Salvador.
Itineraries from Guatemala to Panama
Choose a destination below to read through our private journeys. From our headquarters in Guatemala, we design bespoke regional itineraries, handling every detail of your experiences, accommodations, and guided excursions. Discover the colonial architecture of Antigua Guatemala, snorkel the Great Belize Barrier Reef, or head south to hike the Santa Ana volcano in El Salvador. In Honduras, dive the Caribbean reefs of Roatan or admire the buried Rosalila temple inside the tunnels of Copan.
Guatemala: Mayan Biosphere
Look out over the city of Antigua and the three volcanoes that frame it from the Cerro de La Cruz viewpoint. Private boats cross Lake Atitlan below the cliffs of Tzununá. Thermal springs heat the edges of the Rio Dulce canyon, while the Cahabón River flows under the limestone bridges of Semuc Champey. Follow the jungle trails to reach Temple IV at Tikal, or climb the Yaxha pyramids to watch the sunset over the forest canopy and Lake Yaxhá.
Belize: The Barrier Reef
Step into the Rio Frio Cave near San Ignacio to view 70-foot cavern ceilings. Drive through the Mountain Pine Ridge to stand atop the Sky Palace pyramid at Caracol, or cruise the New River to explore the High Temple at Lamanai. Spot jaguar tracks on the dirt paths of the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary. Offshore, take an aerial tour to see the Great Blue Hole surrounded by Lighthouse Reef. Snorkel in the barrier reef at the Belize Cayes.
Mexico: La Riviera Maya
The Governor’s Palace at Uxmal displays hundreds of mosaic masks. Deep in the Lacandon forest, the Temple of the Inscriptions at Palenque protects the tomb of King Pakal. Swim past the hanging vines of the Ik Kil cenote in the Yucatan peninsula. Pedal bicycles beneath the jungle canopy to reach the Nohoch Mul pyramid at Coba. On the Riviera Maya, green turtles feed on seagrass in the shallow bays of Akumal.
Honduras: The Bay Islands
Walk through the underground tunnels of the Copan ruins to see the Rosalila temple, or appreciate the intricate sculptures in the main plaza. Watch free-flying scarlet macaws gather in the trees above the ball court. Hike to the hidden waterfalls of Pico Bonito National Park. Swim the reef walls of West Bay in Roatan, or watch for wild dolphins off the coast of Utila. Take a boat to the Cayos Cochinos marine reserve to visit uninhabited coral atolls.
El Salvador: Pacific surf
The rainbow stained glass of El Rosario church lights up downtown San Salvador. See the preserved adobe village buried by ash at Joya de Ceren. Stroll past the wooden verandas of Suchitoto, or explore the mountain pine forests outside Ataco. Walk through the cloud forest of Cerro Verde National Park. On the Pacific coast, surfers catch the point breaks at Sunzal near El Tunco, while sea caves line the surfing beach of El Zonte.
Nicaragua: Volcanic Lakes
Walk among the white domes and historic bells on the roof of the Leon Cathedral. Watch artisans shape black clay pottery in the town of San Juan de Oriente. Cross Lake Nicaragua to Ometepe Island, formed by the Concepción and Maderas volcanoes. Sail a catamaran off the coast of San Juan del Sur. Look into the lava lake of Volcano Masaya, or ride a horse-drawn carriage past the Guadalupe church in Granada.
Costa Rica: Nature Reserves
Cross Lake Arenal by boat, traveling from the base of the volcano toward the Tilarán mountain range. Walk the hanging bridges through the Monteverde cloud forest. Travel the dense rainforest rivers of Tortuguero National Park to see nesting sea turtles. On the Pacific coast, hike the Punta Catedral peninsula in Manuel Antonio to find monkeys eating in the almond trees. Spot Baird’s tapirs foraging along the coastal trails of Corcovado National Park.
Panama: The Canal and Islands
Watch ships pass through the Miraflores Locks of the Panama Canal. Stand beside the rusted cannons of the Spanish forts in Portobelo. Walk the shoreline of Red Frog Beach in Bocas del Toro. Visit the indigenous Guna communities on the reef islands of San Blas. Spot resplendent quetzals in the forest canopy of Boquete. Cross the French Plaza to view the flat arches of the Santo Domingo church in the historic sector of Casco Viejo.
Top Rated Trips: Lost Mayan Cities to the Pacific Coast
Our private itineraries stretch from the lost Maya cities of Guatemala to the Pacific surf towns of El Salvador and beyond. Read through these vacation plans to discover volcanoes, tropical rivers, and colonial cities.
Guatemala
Tour the ruined colonial churches of Antigua Guatemala and visit the macadamia nut farms in the foothills of the Agua volcano. Travel north to the Petén department to walk beneath the canopy of Tikal, searching for coatimundis before climbing Temple IV.
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Guatemala and Belize
Head east from the archaeological sites of the Maya Biosphere Reserve into the Cayo District of Belize. Pass over the hanging bridges of the Macal River valley. Board a speedboat to Caye Caulker to swim alongside southern stingrays at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve.
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Central America in 14 days
Travel south from Antigua to the artisan towns along the Ruta de Las Flores in western El Salvador. Hike the slopes of the San Vicente volcano before crossing into Nicaragua. Look into the glowing lava lake of Masaya and take a boat across Lake Managua.
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Guatemala and El Salvador
Travel from the villages of Lake Atitlan to the Pacific Coast of El Salvador. Visit the traditional mountain markets of Sololá, then continue south to watch surfers at Sunzal beach. Stop by the boardwalk of Puerto de La Libertad and the art galleries of Suchitoto.
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The Mayan World
Explore the deepest archaeological sites of the Maya biosphere. Enter the underground tunnels of the Copan acropolis in Honduras. Move into Guatemala to follow the remote jungle paths of Nakum and climb the steps of the El Tigre pyramid in El Mirador.
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Holy Week in Antigua
Visit Antigua during Holy Week, recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Residents cover the cobblestone streets with carpets of dyed sawdust and pine needles. Watch processions of men in purple robes carry wooden floats past the facade of the San Francisco church.
trip informationBoutique Itinerary Design Across Central America
Designing a Central American itinerary requires knowing the actual layout of the region. Instead of relying on automated map times, we build your route around the realities of the Inter-American Highway, winding mountain roads, and local boat routes. We plan around the actual time it takes to travel from the cool mountain highlands down to the tropical Caribbean coast.
You might begin a route in Guatemala by crossing Lake Atitlan by private boat to the weaving cooperatives of San Juan La Laguna, or walking the cobblestone streets of Antigua. Across the border in Belize, cruise the New River to the High Temple at Lamanai, or take a small plane over Lighthouse Reef. At the Copan ruins of Honduras, walk the length of the Hieroglyphic Stairway to see the longest known Mayan text, or stand by the ancient ball court to watch the resident scarlet macaws.
