Guatemala

An island city on Lake Petén Itzá introduces Guatemala through colourful streets, border nerves and the monumental ruins of Tikal.

Mud, mosquitoes, ancient causeways and buried Mayan cities turn the expedition to El Mirador into one of the hardest and most rewarding adventures of the route.

A riverside refuge, tropical storm weather and a journey towards Livingston offer a brief pause after five days in the jungle.

A chaotic road journey leads into the limestone highlands around Lanquín, where Hurricane Julia disrupts plans but not the search for Semuc Champey.

Volcanoes, sunrise hikes and town-hopping by ferry reveal the extraordinary landscapes and communities surrounding one of Central America’s great lakes.

Cobblestoned streets, ruined churches and volcano-framed plazas make Antigua the cultural pause before the final climb and the road onward to the capital.

A night above the clouds becomes one of Guatemala’s defining experiences: Fuego erupting across the darkness, followed by sunrise from Acatenango’s volcanic slopes.

The capital closes the Guatemalan chapter with a shift from volcanoes and colonial streets to the country’s modern urban centre.