11 Days from $995 Guatemala with Tikal and Copán

Back to Top Hotels

Accommodations in the hotels and lodges are rooms with two beds and private bath or shower. A limited number of single rooms are available. Triple rooms are usually two beds, sometimes with a cot or rollaway.

Airline Info

Airfare is not included or sold by Caravan Tours. Here are lists of airlines that service this tour:

Back to Top Local Weather

Clothing Tips

This is a predominantly casual tour. Casual wear is suggested for sightseeing and daytime travelling. Dress code for most evenings is smart casual.   See Travel Planner: General Clothing Tips

Back to Top Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in the tour price?

Virtually everything! Hotels, most meals, all of the activities described in the itinerary pages, airport transfers in select cities, gratuities to hotel porters, restaurant staff and local guides. Caravan’s professional Tour Directors and local guides will be with you every step of the way, ensuring a worry free vacation.

What is not included in the tour price?

Prices do not include air travel, country entry or departure fees, airport porter fees, visas, phones, valet, all items of a personal nature, food and beverages not on the regular menu and tips to the Caravan Tour Director and Driver. General fees and taxes are additional and listed separately beneath each tour’s price.

How long will each day be?

A well paced and unhurried itinerary is our goal, after all, you are on vacation! Touring days begin and end at reasonable hours and include frequent stops. While the occasional early morning departure is necessary, we do our best to ensure a leisurely vacation.

What clothing should I pack for my Guatemala trip?

Caravan suggests clothing for warm and hot weather during the day: 2 pairs of pants, 2 pairs of shorts, 3 changes of shirts, a rain poncho, a swimsuit, and a sweater or jacket for the air conditioned bus. Caravan recommends footwear that has a bit of a tread and will not slip on wet surfaces. Walking shoes, hiking boots, sneakers and sandals are all acceptable. Caravan also recommends packing a sweater or light jacket to wear at night in the higher elevations (around 5,000 feet high ) of Guatemala City, Antigua and Lake Atitlan. Quick dry clothing (especially a pair of convertible pants that zip at the knee to convert into shorts) is recommended for your visit to the tropical areas. A pair of convertible quick-dry pants and aquick-dry shirt can be purchased from clothing manufacturers such as Travelsmith.com (1-800-950-1600) and ExOfficio.com (1-800-644-7303), and Columbia (at Sportmart). And for all tropical tours, don't forget the sun block, bug spray, a flashlight, a sun hat, a lightweight packable raincoat or poncho, anti-diarrheal medicine, plenty of wet wipes and a travel alarm clock.

How large will my group be?

Group sizes will vary depending on the reserved rooms at the hotels and lodges and the capacity of motorcoaches used. Usually, the maximum size will range from 36 to 44 passengers.

What vaccinations are required to enter Guatemala?

No vaccinations are required to enter Guatemala.Caravan does not have any doctors on staff and cannot give medical advice, so please consult your doctor before deciding whether or not to receive a vaccination. You may also check the Center for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov/travel for Guatemala travel advisories and disease updates. Please note that many Central American pharmacies sell the 500 mg. Vitamin B-1 pill as an anit-mosquito pill, and these pharmacies suggest that people take the pill daily starting two weeks before arrival in the tropical areas. Caravan does not endorse any products, but most Caravan staff take the Avon Expedition repellent to the tropical areas. Caravan staff also avoid eating bananas, because this smell attracts mosquitoes.

Preparing for the Tropics

It is recommended to bring at least one pair of quick-dry pants and one quick-dry shirt. The quick-dry pants that zip at the knee to convert into shorts are particularly popular. Be sure to also bring a sweater or jacket for the cooler night temperatures in Guatemala City and Antigua. It is also recommended to prepare for the mosquitoes that are sometimes present in the tropical low lands of Copan and Tikal. Caravan does not make product endorsements, but many Central Americans feel that Avon Skin So Soft oil (not cream), or Avon's Expedition anti-mosquito spray is effective protection against mosquito bites in the jungle. Caravan does not endorse any vitamin, but please note that Central American pharmacies sell 500 milligram Vitamin B-1 tablets, a non-prescription vitamin, as "anti-mosquito" pills. Many Guatemalans take Vitamin B-1 pills and eat garlic for about two weeks prior to and during their visits to the jungle because they believe that the smell of Vitamin B-1 and garlic repels mosquitoes. If you believe this may be of value, consult your doctor for further information on Vitamin B-1 and garlic. Guatemalans also avoid eating bananas in the rainforest, as it is believed that this smell attracts mosquitoes. Also, it is wise to wear light-weight quick-dry long-sleeved pants and shirts in these tropical areas.

Back to Top Customer Reviews of our Guatemala, Tikal & Copán tour

“The hotels were very good. This was my third trip to Guatemala, my first being with Caravan Tours and I did not realize they had such nice hotels.”

“Enclosed is a copy of my food column for a small newspaper in Montana, close to Kalispell, Montana ( Bigfork, Montana). I thought you might be interested in reading one of my favorite impressions of Guatemala. We also had an outstanding tour guide. It was a great trip! Thanks!”

“Our tour director was truly the heart of Guatemala! He was very knowledgeable, caring, entertaining and accommodating. He truly represents the BEST of his country. We loved him! Keep him, he’s a jewel!”

“We thought it was a great tour. Costa Rica with Caravan Tours was good but this one was better. Are there any thoughts about doing Panama or Honduras in more depth? We would love to see both countries by tour.”

“It was a wonderful tour! It was my very first trip out of the country. I plan to go with Caravan Tours next year.”

“I LOVED the meals at all the hotels. Delicious when the choice was given as well as when we could choose. There was always enough to eat and drink. I especially enjoyed the fruits, vegetables and soups. You have our confidence! We will take another Caravan Tour. We may even go back to Guatemala again just to see our tour guide! We most certainly will tell friends and family about Caravan Tours and pass on the catalogs to interested folks. I am going to try to organize a group of our friends to join us on the Copper Canyon Tour! Happy Trails! See you around!”

“I owned a travel agency for years and conducted tours all over the world. Our tour director was the best, caring and most knowledgeable ever. She was so well organized in every aspect. She kept friends together and made such an effort to pre-order meals, rooms, etc. I would do this very tour again with her!”

“The food was great, but different from my home. It was very interesting having black beans and tamales for breakfast. The tour and the people more than met our expectations. As for my wife, she says it was the best vacation of her life.”

“This was the best vacation that I have had anywhere. Would love to return to this beautiful country. Lovely memories.”

“Thank you so much for a wonderful experience! Everything was delightful, and was planned so very well down to the very last detail. Everything was superb!! This trip far exceeded our best expectations. We would travel with Caravan Tours again.”

“I have been with Caravan Tours for three trips now. We did Costa Rica, the Canadian Rockies and Guatemala. I would recommend Caravan to anyone who is interested in tours. You guys do an excellent job.”

“This is an outstanding tour far beyond my expectations. We have learned so much about Central America and Mexico from all of the trips with Caravan Tours. Keep up the fantastic work!”

“The tour was a very good value for the money with no hidden charges and great shopping! I look forward to another Caravan tour in the future.”

“I am glad I discovered Caravan Tours. It was an unforgettable vacation.”

“The meals were fabulous! It was truly impressive how each location was very careful to address the gastric “concerns” (i.e. bacteria) of the area for the average tourist while also demonstrating great local flavor. I found the food to be quite wonderful! This was my first tour with Caravan and I will most certainly take this tour again! When I returned home, I was so excited and impressed by them; I recommended it to my friends. My dear friend with whom I work has already booked the Caravan Costa Rica tour just from hearing about the Guatemala tour.”

“I have traveled for years and felt like a traitor when I booked Caravan. I don’t anymore. I had such a wonderful time. I have booked Mexico Ancient Civilizations for next year. I talked to others on tour that booked with Caravan before and loved it.”

“I appreciate the flexible dinnertime during the tour. It was wonderful that we were able to have dinner at our own time without ‘tour’ group. Thank you!”

“I am strongly recommending that my travel agent send her customers on this trip. You should be seeing more business from central Pennsylvania. I plan to take two Caravan trips next year.”

“Before I booked my trip, I compared prices and itinerary with other available tours. One other tour looked identical, but it was over $500 more. They did not include all meals or water. Since Caravan Tours appeared to have the better deal, I went with them even though I had never heard of them before finding the tour on the Internet. It was wonderful knowing that everything was taken care of which left me with lots of spending money for souvenirs and tips. The tips were well deserved by our tour guide and driver. I have nothing but praises for Caravan. Now how about doing Europe please?”

“The ruins, sights and tours were wonderful, but it is the Guatemalan people I remember best. I think I left a little piece of my heart in Guatemala.”

“The motor coach was clean and we were supplied with water everyday. It was an adventure and an unforgettable experience.”

“This was a great tour. This was our very first tour and we met some really great people. We have heard some really great things about Costa Rica, so I think that will be our next tour.”

“The hotels were wonderful. The hotel that lacked amenities more than made up for it with its charm. My favorite was the Villa Maya at the nature reserve. I would recommend this tour company without reservation to anyone traveling in Central America. I would also travel happily anywhere else Caravan decides to offer tours.”

“The guides at the ruins were really knowledgeable, especially at Copan.”

“The Grand Tikal Futura Hotel was fantastic! The pool was perfect and the restaurant food was excellent. It was convenient having the mail nearby and the Internet service was fast. The marble room and the artwork throughout the hotel were incredible! The Villa Santa Catarina Hotel was incredibly beautiful. We had seen pictures before we left but were stunned by how the Hotel was so pretty. We loved the colorful table settings. The tour director was nice to give us the room with one bed for our honeymoon. The Petenchel Villa Maya Hotel was spectacular! We loved the grounds including the nature trails. Sitting near the lagoon while watching the sunset and listening to the howling of monkeys were the highlights of our trip. The mixed drinks were great and we enjoyed seeing the macaws. The Villa Coloniales Hotel was superb! We felt like we were in our own little Antiguan village. The rooms were incredible with carved wooden beams and tiles hanging in the lobby. I can’t imagine better choices.”

Back to Top About Caravan Tours

Caravan’s Proud History

Caravan Tours began selling fully escorted tours in 1952. We have been under the same management and ownership ever since. In 1965, Roger Mudd hosted a two hour CBS TV special on Caravan Tours. This TV production took about one month to make and was so successful it inspired the 1968 romantic comedy movie “If it’s Tuesday this must be Belgium.” In the early 50’s the Mayor of Dublin presented Caravan with the Key to Dublin for bringing the first American tour to the city after WWII. Since then Caravan has been recognized as a pioneer in travel. More recently, Caravan was awarded the Sierra Madre Explora award for our positive effect on Mexico’s Copper Canyon region!

Great Value, Book Early

Caravan’s strong buying power gives you great vacations at prices much lower than you can find anywhere. Last year many of our tours sold out quickly. Book early for the date you prefer and the best air fare.

Trade Association Memberships

Caravan Tours is a member of ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents), NTA (National Tour Association), CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), and an allied member of ACTA (Alliance of Canadian Travel Agencies).

How does Caravan Tours sell these tours for such a low cost?

Caravan delivers volume to our suppliers, who in turn reward us with their very best prices, we in turn pass these savings on to you, and you reward us by buying our tours. As volume continues to rise, we then receive even better prices from our suppliers, and we pass even greater savings on to you. This year our tours are better than ever.

How satisfied are Caravan clients?

The short answer is “very.” Our surveys are uniformly very positive. However we continually strive to improve our tours, (they are often updated several times in the course of one year), we study all client surveys and suggestions for improvement very carefully.

Pitch-Free Travel

Caravan includes all activities listed in the tour itinerary page. Caravan does not sell any optional activities which can add hundreds of dollars to your tour price. Your free time is scheduled in great settings where there is no need to buy additional expensive activities.