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QUICK FACTS

Trip length: 

Time of year: 

Year of trip:

Mexico Budget:

Belize Budget:

Guatemala Budget:

6 weeks

July - Sept

2018

$704

$1,504

$1,357

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Click to skip forward to a section​:

       - Cancun

       - Tullum

       - Bacalar

   

       - Caye Caulker

       - Ragamuffin Tour

       - Hopkins

       - San Ignacio

       - Flores

       - Semuc Champey

       - Antigua

       - Xela - Lake Atitlan Trek

       - Lake Atitlan

       - El Paredon

       - Guatemala City

Some links in this post contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission if you use the links at no extra cost to you.

Budget Breakdown

BUDGET BREAKDOWN

Things to note:

  • Due to the nature of my freelance work, I always book my flights last minute, which means they cost a lot more than if bought a few months in advance

  • Belize is about twice as expensive as Mexico & Guatemala

  • In Mexico & Belize I really wasn't holding back with my spending, particularly in terms of meals out and drinks

Total Trip Costs

Flights from UK: 

Mexico (8 days): 

Belize (13 days):

Guatemala (26 days):

Total:

$1,242

$704

$1,504

$1,357

$4,807

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Mexico Costs (8 days)

Visa:

Accommodation: 

 

Transport:

Activities:

Cash spent:

Total:

$23

$110

$22

$36

$513

$704

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Belize Costs (13 days)

Visa:

Accommodation: 

 

Transport:

Activities:

Cash spent:

Total:

$21

$141

$52

$523

$767

$1,504

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Guatemala Costs (26 days)

Accommodation: 

 

Transport:

Activities:

Cash spent:

Total:

$297

$126

$205

$729

$1,357

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Itineray Summary

ITINERARY SUMMARY

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Itinerary Breakdown
Cancun

Duration of stay

3 nights and 2 full days

Travel

ADO Airport bus to Downton: 94 MXN / $4

Accommodation

Nomads Hostel, dorm room: $11 per night.

CANCUN

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Tulum

TULUM

Duration of stay

3 nights and 2 full days

Travel

ADO bus 2hrs: 135 MXN / $6

Accommodation

Mama's Home, dorm room: $15 per night.

Activities

  • Cycling to cenotes:

       -  Bike here: 100 MXN / $4

       -  Cenote entrance fees: 180 MXN / $8

  • Hostel cenote tour: 200 MXN / $8

Bacalar

BACALAR

Duration of stay

2 nights and 1 full day

Travel

ADO Bus 3hrs: 292 MXN / $13

Accommodation

The Yak Lake House, dorm room: $16 per night

Activities

  • Hostel Lake tour: 400MXN / $17

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Caulker
Belize Breakdown

CAYE CAULKER

Duration of stay

8 nights and 7 full days, plus 2 nights and 3 days on Ragamuffin Tour

Accommodation

Dirty McNastys, dorm room: $12 per night.

Activities

  • Caveman Snorkelling Full Day Tour: $90

  • Ragamuffin Tour: $400

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Hopkins

HOPKINS

Duration of stay

2 nights and 1 full day

Accommodation

The Funky Dodo Backpackers Hostel, dorm room: $13.50 per night.

San Ignacio

SAN IGNACIO

Duration of stay

2 nights and 2 full days

Travel

Local bus: 4 BZD / $2

Accommodation

Bella's Backpackers, dorm room: $15 per night

Activities

  • Jeep hire for day: $100 ($25 each)

  • Caracol entrance fee: $15

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Flores
Guatemala Breakdown

FLORES

Duration of stay

4 nights and 3 full days

Travel

  • Taxi to border: $10 split between 3

  • Belize exit fee: $20

  • Van from border to Flores: $10 each

Accommodation

Los Amigos, dorm room: $11.62 per night

Activities

  • Tikal Tour: 100 GTQ / $13

  • Tikal Entrance fee: 150 GTQ / $19.50

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Semuc Champey

SEMUC CHAMPEY

Duration of stay

5 nights and 4 days (should've been 3 nights and 2 days but I got ill)

Travel

Van from Flores: 125 GTQ / $16

Accommodation

Zephyr Lodge, dorm room: 110 GTQ / $14 per night.

Activities

  • Tubing: 90 GTQ / $12

  • Semuc Champey Tour: 185 GTQ / $24

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Antigua

ANTIGUA

Duration of stay

6 nights and 5 days (again stay was extended from being ill)

Travel

Van from Semuc Champey: 185 GTQ / $24

Accommodation

Tropicana, private room: $29 per night

Cucuruchos Boutique Hostel, doom right: $9.50 per night (now permanently closed)

Activities

  • Pacaya volcano tour: $12

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Xela

QUETZALTENANGO (XELA)

Duration of stay

1 night, then 2 nights and 3 days on trek

 

Accommodation

Kasa Kiwi Hostel, dorm room: $6.50 per night

Activities

  • Quetzaltrekkers Trek to Lake Atitlan: 775 GTQ / £100

Lake Atitlan

LAKE ATILAN - SAN PEDRO

Duration of stay

4 nights and 4 full days

Accommodation

Mr Mullets, dorm room: $10 per night

Hotel San Antonio, private room: $12 per night

Activities

  • Horse riding: $25

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El Paredon

Duration of stay

2 nights and 2 full days

Travel

Boat + van: $12

Accommodation

Driftwood Surfers, dorm room: $12 per night

EL PAREDON

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Guatemala City

GUATEMALA CITY

Duration of stay

1 night

Travel

Van: 165 GTQ / $21

Accommodation

Quetzalroo, dorm room: $11 per night

Travel

TRAVEL

All of my onward travel was booked through the hostel I was staying at, or just at the bus station.

Only exception was ADO buses in Mexico, booked online at ​https://www.ado.com.mx/

Activities

ACTIVITIES

Again nearly all of the activities I did were booked through the hostel I was staying at.

The full day snorkelling tour in Caye Caulker was with Caveman tours

The 3 day boat tour in Belize was with Ragamuffin Tours.

The 3 day trek from Xela to Lake Atitlan was with Quetzaltrekkers.

If you're looking to book some day trips in Central America, here are some other ideas:

Tours

DO THIS TRIP AS A TOUR

Click on the tour to be taken to the Intrepid Travel page.

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