La Ruta Maya

Our Clients’ Reviews

Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you're interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers. Any feedback collected (Good or bad) from Exodus clients is posted straight onto our website - totally unedited. Read more...

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  Peter Adrian

  LA RUTA MAYA

  

  Written March 2013

  Places and people were lovely, but the promised 'Premium Adventure' was not delivered. 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  Watching nature on Caye Caulker; the lesser known Mayan sites outshone their more famous siblings; the Palm Sunday parades in Antigua were something to experience.

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Not up to the standard I have experienced on Exodus trips in other parts of the world. Very poor judgement in recommending restaurants; mostly poor quality food at premium prices. I'm a foodie and experiencing the local cuisine is an important part of travelling for me.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Booked this 'Premium Adventure' back to back with 'Beyond the Mayan World' thinking that a bit extra comfort would be great for the second fortnight. What I experienced was that the median standard of comfort delivered by the 'Premium Adventure' was no higher than that of the standard adventure. If I had to choose which set of hotels I would revisit I would go with those from the standard tour. I got a standard tour at a premium price.

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  As a standard tour this would have been great.

  Exodus Response

  Dear Peter,

  Thank you for taking the time to write a review of La Ruta Maya. I'm pleased to hear that you enjoyed the itinerary and the places visited - this area of the world is very special! However, I was very sorry to note that the 'Premium Adventure' label didn't live up to your expectations. I completed this trip myself about 18 months ago and at the time, it was felt that the label was justified.

  Your comments have been taken on board and we are currently reviewing the entire trip with a view to checking that we're using the most suitable accommodation in each area. I would like to confirm that we are not adding a supplement to the package price of this trip purely because it has the premium adventures tag; the price you have paid reflects the costs involved. The areas visited on this tour are much more expensive than those on 'Beyond the Mayan World' which is the main reason why there is a big difference in price between these two trips.

  With kind regards

  Vicky Boughton (Trip Manager)

  
  

  - Exodus Staff

   
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  Jean Ratcliffe

  LA RUTA MAYA

  

  Written December 2012

  We had a wonderful holiday.  Very well organised itiniary, an excellent tour leader and very good hotels.  Will certainly book with Exodus again.  Thank you  

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  A number of great moments.  Lake Atalan was beautiful.  Mayan sites breathtaking.  Cay Caulker very laid-back and relaxing.  A great mix of experiences.

  What did you think of your group leader?

  He was very informative and helpful.

   
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  M Andrew

  LA RUTA MAYA

  

  Written May 2012

  This is the first time we have been on an organised tour, and usually prefer independent travel.  However, given time pressures for organising this trip, we decided to give it a go and we were not disappointed at all!  It was an excellent trip, encompassing a large portion of the Mayan World.  We had brilliant experience from start to finish and we learned a lot about this facinating part of the world. 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  There are too many to mention, but they include seeing Palenque and Tikal and of course, Machimon.

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Diego Miranda was an excellent tour leader, he was very knowledgeable and professional and a really great person to get to know.  He adapted quickly and efficiently to the different needs of the group and was always approachable.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  If you go near or in the wet season take a rain mac or poncho.  Also, proper walking shoes are adviseable.  Expect some long periods of time travelling to places - this is to be expected given the large area to be covered in a relatively short period of time.

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  The best coffee and rum can be found in Guatemala - trust us!
  It's fascinating to see the cultures, landscapes, beliefs and lifestyles change as you move through the three countries visited on this trip.

   
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  Jan Wilson-Ward

  LA RUTA MAYA

  

  Written May 2012

  Exodus trips always have an interesting itinerary and good local guides:  this was only exceptional because the guide was brilliant.  The third factor is always unknown -  one's fellow travellers - on this occasion the most fun group I have travelled with. 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  Difficult to decide - from the first evening in Antigua seeing the spectacle of a shrine being carried through the streets to the sounds of fire crackers exploding, to to laid back Belize (and who would have missed the Sundowner Cruise?)... it was all fascinating.

  The Mayan sites, history and culture were wonderfully explained by local guides.   The different religious practices (including Maximon) came as a complete surprise.  The variety of locations - from the very Latin Guatemala and Mexico, to hippy Belize - all inspirational.

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Excellent:  not only very open in explaining Central American culture but also a great companion, entering into the fun of the trip with all of us.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Go for it

   
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  (Charles) Tim Shaw

  LA RUTA MAYA

  

  Written April 2012

  This trip delivered all that I had hoped for it.  Well planned, well run and a great way to understand a little of the history of the Maya 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  The first sight of a Mayan pyramid at Palenque.  The realisation of just how huge the Mayan cities had been and the fascinating fact that they were 'lost' under jungle growth - at Palenque what we saw, what had been cleared, was a small fraction of the structure in the whole site.

  And then we saw five others, all different and all fascinating.

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Armando was magic.  I had the unfortunate experience of having my wallet pickpocketed and he was brilliantly helpful.  He was an excellent organiser, well versed in the histroy of his country and of the Maya and a wonderful guide and friend to us all.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Don't carry your wallet in your back pocket!

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  I would recommend this trip to anyone.  The hotels chosen were all excellent and individual.  Each was different but all were nice places to stay.  There were no anonymous business hotels, undifferntiateable from any other such hotel! 

  The physical requirements of the visits were OK for an older person such as myself.

   It was HOT.

   
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  Victoria Boughton

  LA RUTA MAYA

  

  Written March 2012

  A really great experience, packed with culture, history, interesting towns and beautiful sights along the way. I loved the combination of different countries and the changing scenery. It sounds like a cliché but I've never seen such colourfully dressed locals as in Guatemala - the rural areas gave a real taste of traditional life.   

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  Crossing Lake Atitlan by boat to visit the small community of San Juan La Laguna, where a women's co-operative showed us the weaving and dying process of cotton using flowers and other traditional plants.

  I loved San Cristobal and the church in nearby San Juan Chamula, where locals sat in rows on a floor covered in pine needles, lit by tiny burning candles with incense swirling in the air around.   

  Swimming into and standing under the invigorating spray at Misol-Ha waterfall, an extra stop that our guide managed to fit into one of the day's activities to cool everyone down!

  Visiting the Mayan ruins of Palenque early in the morning, before the heat of the day had taken hold. Our guide explained the history and culture of the Mayan civilsation in a way that really brought it to life and made it easy to understand.

  What did you think of your group leader?

  He was great - very friendly, organised and fun to be around. He had a good knowledge of the local areas and made great choices for restaurants and additional activities throughout the trip. We were also joined by specialist guides at each Mayan site which enhanced the experience.  

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  This trip covers quite a distance and some of the journeys are on windy roads, particularly at the start in Guatemala. However, the great views out of the window made up for the fact that reading to pass the time was nearly impossible!

  Beware that sometimes the 'pico gallo' (Mexican salsa) can be ridiculously spicy and yet also strangely addictive, so your mouth and tongue will be on fire but you won't be able to stop eating! Generally the food was great with lots of fresh fish and an amazing dish one day called 'cochinita pibil'- slowly roasted pork, cooked on coals underground for 2 hours. Apparently it was traditional to finish this meal with tequila...  when in Mexico!

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  I had a great time; "Viva Mexico!"

   
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  Irene Neilson

  LA RUTA MAYA

  

  Written November 2011

  Interesting trip with beautiful scenery in Guatemala, fascinating Mayan ruins in Mexico (but take a good archaelogical guide like Michael Coe's "The Maya" 11th edition, 2011) interspersed with old colonial Spanish towns and great snorkelling and boat trips to see manatees and dolphins near the mangrove islands off Caye Caulker, Belize. Lot of travelling in the bus but worth it on balance. 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  Lake Atitlan, Guatemala with its towering volcanos is incredibly beautiful at all times of day. Seeing the manatees off Caye Caulker was special as well and, although one does get tired of Mayan ruins, they are pretty amazing objectively especially Palenque and Tikal. Chitzen Itza gets too busy with tourists to feel special

  What did you think of your group leader?

  He was fine though not as good as the leaders we have had on other trips. This was his last trip working for Exodus so slightly akward situation.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  My main points would be:-

  (a) Someone on a previous exodus trip advises people to take pesos as difficult/not good rate to change.  We followed this advice but found it to be wrong. It was easy to change money on our trip and US dollars could be used freely in Guatemala, Mexico and Belize. Some of our party used ATMs.

  (b) Remember country entrance/exit fees. They add up though you are not always charged when leaving Guatemala.

  (c) If you love textiles, buy them at Lake Atitlan (or Santiago Atitlan/San Marcos La Laguna). You just dont see as good/as great a variety elsewhere on the trip. There is a school shop near where you get the boat to Santiago Atitlan that sells lovely things in aid of the children's education

  (d) Aquashoes useful as beaches quite stony. Quite a variation in temperature so need warm jumpers for altitude/night but light clothes for day. Binoculars a must for bird life and sea scanning for manatees.

  (e) Vegetarian options can be a bit limited and traveller's diarrohea can hit hard even when taking care with handwashing/sanigel or equivalent!

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  Its quite a hard trip by way of the amount of bus travel and you really have to accept that or the trip is not for you. The Guatemalan highlands/Mexican border is lovely but a lot of Mexican travel is on plains that is not that interesting in itself. I wished I had some Spanish to make for a better interaction when saying 'no thanks' re people travelling to sell stuff. As said earlier a good academic book about the Mayan ruins that is up to date will add to the trip as you can look up detail/ reinforce understanding when on the long bus journeys. I wouldnt have enjoyed the ruins nearly as much if I hadnt had Coe's book with me as our guide wasnt that clear about the differences between the sites and the key features of the ruins to note. Would thoroughly recommend the all day manatee/snorkelling trip with lunch at St George's (private aquarium there that you can visit for $2.50 that has lion fish, puffer fish etc.) Karly Bischoff aged 10 showed us round and he was brilliant. Really knew his stuff!!

   

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