Santo Tomas

One of two major Guatemalan ports on the Gulf coast, Santo Tomás de Castilla is a few kilometers south of Puerto Barrios on Santo Tomás Bay. It is Guatemala’s largest and most efficient port on the Caribbean Ocean. It was formerly known as Matías de Galvez, and now handles 77% of the country's exports and half the imports, as well as 20% of El Salvador's imports and 10% of its exports. It is a wonderful place to get an authentic taste of local Guatemalan culture.

The following Shore Excursions are available for this port on this cruise, and may be reserved beginning 180 days before the cruise begins.

Route of the Mayas: Tikal By Air in Depth
Tour Code: SST-6956
Duration: 10 hours
Retail Value: $749.00
Price: $749.00

This optional tour must be pre-purchased, and is not included in the regular tour program. If you have not already pre-booked this optional shore excursion, please contact Regent Seven Seas Cruises Reservations at 800-285-1835 to verify the current status of this program. Limited space may be available, and should be booked via reservations. RSSC reserves the right to withdraw this program if minimum participation requirements are not met.

A 100% cancellation penalty applies to overland programs cancelled within 90 days of departure.

Explore the history of the ancient Mayan civilization during this scenic and informative journey to Northern Guatemala's renowned Mayan ruins of Tikal.

Depart the pier for the brief transfer to the airport, and a chartered 1-hour flight to the vast northern region of El Peten. Upon arrival, you will board a coach for the scenic 1-hour drive along rainforest-lined roadways. Along the way, your guide will inform you about the region in preparation for your visit to Tikal, the greatest Mayan city known and studied to date, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Upon reaching the entrance of the 231-square-mile Tikal National Park, you will leave your coach and begin your guided hike along dirt roads and pathways. As you enter the forest surrounding the ruins, your guide will explain the cosmic vision of life at the apex of Mayan rule. After walking approximately 1 mile, you will discover and climb to the top of Temple IV, where expansive views of the park will come into view. You will then continue on to past Temple V before reaching the Great Plaza, which is comprised of Temples I and II, the North Acropolis, Central Acropolis and the Maya royal residential complex, known as the Mahler Palace. Their magnificent architecture is still intact after hundreds of years, and some time will be made available for you to explore the ruins.

Next, you will re-board your coach for the return drive to Santa Elena, and proceed directly to the Maya International Hotel for lunch accompanied by scenic views of Lake Peten Itza and the Island of Flores.

After lunch, you will be transferred to the Mundo Maya airport for your return flight.

Please note: You will spend 3 hours at Tikal National Park, and cover approximately 2.5 miles on foot. Wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and comfortable walking shoes, and bring biodegradable sunscreen, insect repellent, a hat and sunglasses from the ship. Rain jackets, ponchos and umbrellas are also advised to provide coverage during cloudbursts. This tour is not recommended for guests with limited mobility and guests who utilize a wheelchair. A minimum of 12 guests is required to operate this program.

Program Includes:

Roundtrip charter flight

Sightseeing and transfers as per program

Admissions

Lunch at the Maya International Hotel restaurant

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Terms & Conditions:

Free Unlimited Shore Excursions are for full fare guests only, capacity controlled and subject to availability. Requested excursions may not be available at time of booking. Supplement will apply on Regent Choice excursions (indicated by the above) and excludes Private Arrangements and all Adventures Ashore programs. In order to ensure quality guides and sufficient transportation, we must provide the tour operator with passenger counts at least 36 hours in advance. Therefore no refunds will be given within 36 hours of tour departure for cancellations or no-shows. Please pay special attention to scheduling and tour lengths when booking your shore excursions. In many cases, it is not possible to participate in more than one tour per day in a given port. Tours operate rain or shine. Tours require minimum participation levels to operate so please sign up as early as possible. Tours may be cancelled if minimum participation levels are not met. Prices, Itineraries and General Information shore excursion prices are subject to change to meet unexpected cost increases or currency fluctuations. Please consult the Destination Services Desk onboard for information. During local or national holidays, access to certain facilities (such as museums or archaeological sites) may be limited or denied. In such instances, adjustments will be made to minimize inconvenience to guests. Some tours have limited availability. Tours are generally available for reserving 180 days prior to the beginning of a cruise. Please sign up early to avoid disappointment. Regent Seven Seas Cruises reserves the right to require guests to complete a liability waiver for select shore excursions. For more information, please visit the Destination Services Desk onboard.