May 26, 2005

Tahoe City, CA > Eco-tourism specialist AdventureSmith Explorations is introducing four brand new travel programs highlighting Central America's stunning natural and cultural diversity. The company’s 5-day Maya Escape itineraries begin in Flores, Guatemala with guided explorations of Tikal National Park, where travelers spend the day in the company of an expert Maya guide exploring the temples, plazas, multi leveled palaces, ball courts and living areas once home to these fascinating ancient people. From Tikal, each program includes a different region of the Mundo Maya, with trips ending in Antigua, Guatemala; Copan, Honduras; Belize City, Belize; or Villahermosa, Mexico. Prices start at just $795 plus travelers can save an additional $100 per person if they book by August 31, 2005.

5-Day Tikal and Belize Escape ~ Ruins, Rainforest & Reefs, $795 Per Person
Designed for travelers seeking a quick getaway to an exotic destination, the trip features Tikal National Park combined with the colorful coral reefs and ancient ruins of Belize. Travelers may choose to visit the world's second largest barrier reef with snorkeling or SCUBA diving at Shark Ray Alley or explore the nearby rainforests, with abundant bird and wildlife viewing at the Black Howler Monkey Sanctuary. Belize also lies at the heart of the Mundo Maya with opportunities for guided explorations of nearby ruins.

5-Day Tikal and Antigua Escape ~ Antigua's Colonial Heritage, $795 Per Person
The Tikal and Antigua Escape combines Tikal National Park with Guatemala's colonial capital Antigua, a UNESCO world heritage site. A guide interprets the rich history of the former capital, while exploring among the cobblestone avenues lined with 500 year old monasteries, restored churches and palatial haciendas of Antigua.

5-Day Tikal and Copan ~ Mayan Ruins, $795 Per Person
Beginning in Flores, Guatemala, the itinerary combines Tikal National Park and the ancient Maya city of Copan. Travelers enjoy a tour of the center of the ancient kingdom of Copan, where guides interpret the colorful history of one of the greatest cities of the Maya, famous for its intricate carved stellaes and the Hieroglyphic Stairway, the longest text written by the Maya.

5-Day Tikal and Palenque ~ Mayan Ruins, $795 Per Person
The Tikal and Palenque Escape begins in Guatemala where guests explore Tikal National Park then float downriver through the pristine rainforest jungles of the Peten to the riverside Maya ruins of Yaxchilan and Bonampak. Guests then cross the border into Mexico and travel north to the ancient Maya city of Palenque, famous for its Temple of the Inscriptions.

Along each of the itineraries, guests stay at upscale hotels, with transfers and guided explorations included in the price. The Maya Escapes are also designed to take advantage of new direct flights on Continental Airlines between Houston, Texas and Flores, Guatemala.

For reservations or more information, call 1-800-728-2875, email travel@AdventureSmithExplorations.com or visit www.AdventureSmithExplorations.com.

AdventureSmith Explorations is an ecotourism company founded on the ideal of utilizing soft adventure travel to create connections with the world's exotic natural environments and native cultures. The company's founder, Todd Smith, utilizes his years of experience in the adventure travel industry as well as his expertise as a professional naturalist to distinguish AdventureSmith Explorations by combining fun and exciting activities such as sea kayaking, hiking, small ship cruising and rafting in places not found on more conventional itineraries; extraordinary places in such destinations as Alaska, Costa Rica, Belize, Ecuador and the Galapagos, Guatemala and New Zealand.

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