North America Cultural, religious and historic sites Trips

An excellent opportunity to explore many of the archeological sites in Mexico, Guatemala and Belize under the guidance of our extremely knowledgeable and charismatic tour guide Ana. This is a ‘full on’ tour, with some very long drives, but well worth it. There is a fair amount of walking, as well as climbing at many of the sites, and a good level of fitness is needed, particularly in view of the hot, sunny and humid days that we experienced on many days. We booked our trip to coincide with ‘Day of the dead’ celebrations in Oaxaca, which was an amazing experience. Accommodation generally poor, and not to Explore’s normal standards. All in all, a great 3 week trip.

Great trip in El Salvador. Beautiful country, amazing volcanoes, scenery and archaeological sites. Friendly people. Felt safe. Hotels were good, comfortable. Tasty food. Excellent tour leader. Dio is very knowledgeable, friendly and kind. I enjoyed the sea turtle activity even though we didn’t do anything, just watch. The hike to the volcano was great, early in the morning is best. I would have liked the hotel in Sal Salvador closer to the historical center and also a visit to the Museum of Anthropology at the end of the trip, after the archaeological sites.

An excellent way to explore Central America on two wheels—what a ride! I loved every segment of the tour. Just a heads-up: you’ll need more than basic cycling skills… and a truckload of grit. Some of the dirt roads, especially the downhills, are the kind that make you suddenly remember every loved one you’ve ever had. Definitely not for the faint-hearted. About the hotels: a few of the one-night stays were… let’s say “character-building.” The stop in Turrialba in particular did not meet even basic standards. Explore, you can do better—please save future cyclists from that experience. Now, about our tour leader, Mike. After ~15 tours across ~20 countries, I’ve finally had a tour led by a real pro athlete. And wow—what a difference. Mike’s professionalism, enthusiasm, ocean-level patience, and that trademark toothy smile made even the toughest (undualating😄）climbs feel manageable. He set the bar so high that my future tours may need oxygen just to reach it. Absolutely recommended. And if you’re lucky enough to get Mike, prepare to have your expectations ruined—in the best possible way.

We thoroughly enjoyed this trip but we were SO glad that we chose to go at this time of year so that we could see the Day of The Dead celebrations! I cannot imagine having missed out on this most significant part of our trip. We dressed up and had our faces painted so that we could join in to the maximum. Everyone was jovial and kind hearted and good spirited. The visit to the cemetary to see the relatives celebrating was a highlight and certainly sheds a new light on death. Apart from this, the trip involved seeing many of the Mayan ruins through Mexico, Guatemala and Belize, all so different and each offering its own special attraction. The wildlife we saw around these ruins and along the river cruise was certainly unexpected and a real bonus. Take binnoculars!! Luis, our guide, was very knowledgeable and passionate about his country and the history, cultures and traditions and we felt we learned a lot about each of the three countries involved. There was a lot of travelling involved and most long days were interspersed with stopping off at sites to visit, but there were a couple of days when it seemed as if we were just going from A to B. Take lots of good books!! We were only a group of eight, so were able to spread out on the minibusses but space was tight for leg room in the Mexican minibus and it would have been a very uncomfortable ride if we had had to sit more closely together. The drivers were all very safe. The hotels were mainly good, standard accommodation, clean and comfortable and some exceeded our expectations, especially the one in Guatemala. However, one was below standard and this was the one in Palenque, The Hotel Villas Kin- Ha. The rooms were dirty and tired and the food wasn't great. It was also a way from the centre of town making it difficult to eat elsewhere. There did seem to be better rooms on offer, but we were given the older ones at the back of the hotel. We didn't do the extension and were sorry not to see Chichen Itza but we felt that many of the other Mayan Ruins we did see had lots to offer and were less crowded and more remote. Alll in all, a great holiday!

The White Mountain Resort and Hotel was fabulous in every way. Going to Mount Washington was a highlight even if snow prevented us from going all the way to the top. Trip was what we were hoping for!

Beautiful scenery. Loved the boat ride in Portland. The tour manager was great. She had music and films on the bus. She gave us insights about where our next stop was. There was a fun stop at Ben & Jerrys. The Von Trapp property was also nice. Mount Washington was an exciting addition. All in all it was a great trip.