Visit four of the most famous archeological sites in the Maya world by mountain bike on this trip that takes you from Guatemala's lush rainforest to the pine woods of Belize's Maya Mountains. From the towering temples of Guatemala's Tikal National Park, to the hidden ruins of Belize's Caracol, this trip explores the legacy of Central America's most awe-inspiring ancient culture and the pristine natural areas in-between.

Day 1: Arrival - Flores
Upon your arrival into Belize's International Airport, you will be met by a MEA tour representative who will assist you in transferring your luggage to an afternoon flight that will take you from Belize to Flores International Airport, located just 45 minutes away in northern Guatemala. Following a short tour of Flores, a picturesque Guatemalan town located on an island in Lake Petén Itza, we will custom fit your high-end mountain bike and biking equipment. This will be followed by a relaxing evening with a brief tour orientation. Night: Villa Maya.

Day 2: Tikal National Park
The second day of our tour takes us to the world-famous Tikal National Park. Imagine yourself walking through the rainforest in the early morning hours, the sounds of the jungle all around you, howler monkeys swinging through the trees above your head. Then, rising through the mist of the forest floor, you see Temple IV - over 200 feet tall, looming overhead. At the height of its empire, from 700 AD to 800 AD, Tikal supported a population of over 90,000. There are over 3,000 separate buildings dating from the period 600 BC to 900 AD, including temples, residences, religious monuments decorated with hieroglyphic inscriptions, and tombs.

In addition to the magnificent ruins of the Maya culture - rivers, lakes, swamps and flooding savannas provide important refuge for wildlife and for migratory birds. The site's immensity and abundance of wildlife-with 54 species of mammals and 333 species of birds-make this trip a nature-lover's dream. Tikal's broad-leaved forests also contain more than 300 species of trees. We will have the opportunity to explore the "wild side" of Tikal with a local naturalist guide, who will share his knowledge of the natural world.

We will overnight in the Jaguar Inn, located just a short walk from the park's main entrance. Night: Jaguar Inn.

Day 3: Uaxactun Ruins
On day three, we will venture even deeper into the Maya Biosphere Reserve, the largest area of continuous tropical forest in Central America - encompassing 2.1 million hectares. Departing from the visitor's center in Tikal National Park, we begin the day by mountain biking 23 kilometers along a well-maintained dirt road that passes directly through the Reserve. Along the route, the rainforest canopy of the biosphere reserve towers overhead - and provides ample opportunity for clients to encounter Tikal's abundant wildlife, including troops of monkeys and a variety of birds. En route, you will have the opportunity to visit a 90-foot tall "mirador" or observation tower that rises above the high forest canopy. From this viewpoint, you will be able to view the vast sea of green that is the Maya Biosphere Reserve, and even spot the tops of Tikal's mighty temples which can be seen on the horizon.

Upon arrival in Uaxactun, we will be met by friendly faces and a warm meal that is prepared by a local women's cooperative. Following lunch, we will explore Uaxactun's impressive ruins - a site that was once Tikal's political rival in the Preclassic period. Tikal's King "Great Jaguar Paw" eventually conquered Uaxactun in the mid-4th century. Night: Jaguar Inn.

Day 4: Yaxha Ruins
Departing Tikal National Park, day four consists of a challenging 30 kilometer mountain bike ride along a one lane dirt back road that winds through the Maya Biosphere Reserve southeast to the ruins of Yaxha. Located on the shores of an isolated lake that shares the same name, the ruins of Yaxha reveal a Classic period city that contains approximately 500 structures. The most impressive of these structures is a pyramid which stands approximately 100 feet tall and affords a spectacular view of the nearby lake and surrounding forest.

The evening will be spent in El Sombrero Ecolodge which is located directly on the shores of Lake Yaxha, a body of water that is home to a variety of wildlife, including the Moreletii Crocodile - a species unique to Mesoamerica. Night: El Sombrero Ecolodge.

Day 5: : Caving - San Ignacio
Day five begins with a short land transfer from Yaxha across the Guatemala/Belize border to the Cayo District of western Belize. Known for its unspoiled mountain terrain full of caves, rivers, abundant wildlife and Maya ruins - this region offers some of the best mountain biking opportunities in Central America.

Following lunch in the quiet farming community of San Ignacio, located in the Macal River valley, we will continue onward to the amazing Barton Creek Cave. Entering the cave by boat, we will quietly drift along the jade-green river under the roof of the cave, which soars up to 300 feet overhead in some places. Even more astonishing, the cave was a sacred Maya site that still contains a variety of ancient artifacts - including pottery and human remains - all of which remain unaltered and protected under Belizean law.

In the late afternoon we will continue further south into the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve to the lovely Five Sisters Lodge - a truly "natural" destination with five waterfalls cascading between its comfortable thatched-roof cabañas. The resort even has a hydro-powered tram that will escort you down to one of the country's best swimming holes on the river below. Night: Five Sisters Lodge.

Day 6: Caracol Ruins
On day six we will mountain bike approximately 35 kilometers through the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve to the Postclassic Maya city of Caracol. Occupied from 300 BC until AD 1150 - Caracol once supported a population of approximately 150,000 inhabitants. Highlights of Caracol - the largest Maya site in Belize - include over 100 tombs which have been discovered, "aguadas", or Maya built water reservoirs, and well-preserved hieroglyphics which provide a detailed account of Caracol's history. Night: Five Sisters Lodge.

Day 7: Departure - Belize City
The final day of the journey leads you back to Belize City International Airport, where your early arrival will provide ample time to catch morning departures, as well as national and international connections back to the States if necessary.

Accommodations Listing
Villa Maya, Flores 3 Star, located on a lagoon within a private nature preserve, full modern conveniences, pool, kayaks, good restaurant.
Jaguar Inn, Tikal, 2 Star, very comfortable with ideal location.
Los Sombreros, Yaxha, 2 Star, very comfortable, great location for wildlife viewing.
Five Sisters Lodge, 3 Star, great design, modern conveniences, excellent food.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Participants need to be in moderate physical condition and comfortable on a mountain bike. The trails are in very good condition. Loose rocks, however, are common. This tour should only be taken by persons who are in good health.

This trip will have a general interest interpretive component focusing on birds, butterflies, conservation efforts, mammals, and tropical plants and ecosystems. Culturally, we will be hosted by in-country partners.

WEATHER:
The weather, depending on our location, will vary from warm and sunny to cloudy, misty, foggy or rainy. We can expect daytime temperature highs in the mid 80s to low 90s. Precipitation is one of the key factors in creating the rain forest ecosystem and we can expect heavy rain any day even in the dry season.

TOUR SIZE:
This tour will be limited to a maximum of 14 participants and a minimum of 6 participants.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS:
A US passport valid beyond your anticipated date of return to the US and tourist cards are required. Currently no visas or immunization certificates are required. Those with foreign passports should contact the Embassy of Belize and Guatemala for details.

FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS:
The price of $1,575 includes one way airfare between Belize City and Flores - as well as all mountain bikes, biking-related equipment, and biking road support. The fee for the tour is $1,575 per person based on double occupancy from Belize City. Single rates are an additional $350. This includes all food, three meals per day, from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 7; all lodging for 6 nights during the tour; ground transportation; and guide services provided by the tour leaders and local conservation professionals. It does not include international airfare, departure tax, alcoholic beverages, special gratuities, phone calls, passport fees, or items of a personal nature. Rates are based upon group tariffs; if the group does not have sufficient registration a small party supplement may have to be charged. An additional pick-up/drop-off fee may be charged for arrivals and departures from regularly scheduled international flights.

HEALTH PRECAUTIONS:
For comprehensive information please contact the Center for Disease Control and Prevention on the Internet at www.cdc.gov or by phone at 404-332-4559. The CDC information is a comprehensive listing of any disease reported in a particular region or state. Please consult a health care professional with any questions.

STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL ADVISORIES:
Currently there are no travel advisories for traveling in Belize & Guatemala. You will be updated on any significant developments that pertain to our trip. http://travel.state.gov

TOUR REGISTRATION:
To register for the tour, complete the registration form and return it with a deposit of $500 per person. Full payment of the tour fee is due February 1, 2005 for the balance of $1,075 per person. Single supplements are an additional $350.

CANCELLATION POLICY:
Refunds are made according to the following schedule: If cancellation is made eighty days or more before departure date, the deposit less $150 is refundable. If cancellation is made between seventy-nine and sixty days before departure date, the deposit is not refundable, but any payments covering the balance of the fee will be refunded. If cancellation is made fifty-nine days or less before departure date, no refund is available except for amounts recoverable through our agents. We recommend that you purchase trip cancellation insurance which you will receive upon registration.

If the Mesoamerican Ecotourism Alliance (MEA) cancels the tour or the tour must be postponed during a time period starting seven days before tour departure and /or through the duration of the tour, MEA will refund all money recoverable through our agents, not yet spent and/or all refundable deposits. MEA reserves the right to cancel, postpone or suspend any tour based on the judgment of MEA, its staff and representatives, in order to insure the safety of our guests.

RESPONSIBILITY:
MEA, and/or their Agents act only as agents for the passenger in regard to travel, whether by railroad, motorcar, motorcoach, boat, or airplane and assume no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay, or irregularity which may be occasioned either by reason of defect in any vehicle or for any reason whatsoever, or through the acts or default of any company or person engaged in conveying the passenger or in carrying out the arrangements of the tour. They can accept no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air or other services, sickness, weather, strike, war, quarantine, or other causes. All such losses or expenses will have to be borne by the passenger as tour rates provide for arrangements only for the time stated. The right is reserved to substitute hotels of similar category for those indicated and to make any changes in the itinerary where deemed necessary or caused by changes in air schedules. No refund will be made for any unused portion of the tour. The right is reserved to decline, to accept, or to retain any person as a member of the tour. Baggage is at owner's risk.