Belize to Tikal - Private Van & Tour Operator advice
 

We are traveling to Belize in February and want to spend two nights in Guatemala to see the ruins.

We are looking for a ride - private mini van - from San Ignacio to a hotel in either Flores or El Remate; want to do a tour of Yaxha that same day; tour Tikal on the second day; then head to the Flores airport the following morning.

Does anyone have any advice on finding a driver and what it should cost? Any advice on Yaxha and Tikal tours? Any recommended hotels? La Casona in Flores looks nice but I haven't been able to find any reviews. We do want a place with a pool. Our group is two adults and two boys (7 & 10).

Finally does any one have any experience with tikalpark.com or Martsam Travel - Martsam.com?

Thanks, in advance, for your help and advice!

Just a suggestion -- why not visit Yaxha en route to Tikal, then spend the night in the park? You would be able to visit the ruins in the evening and morning, then depart in the afternoon for Flores. I booked my tour through Chaa Creek, so am unable recommend an independent tour service.

We just hired a van on the spot on the Guatemala side and opted to stay in the park at Tikal which I HIGHLY recommend. So nice to have the cooler early morning and evening hours to explore when the wildlife watching is spectacular and you practically have the place to yourself. We didn't visit Yaxha. Katie Valk who frequents the Belize Forum ( www.belizeforum.com ) and
the Thorntree forum ( http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/ca...mp;STARTPAGE=1 ) can arrange a trip like that for you - try posting one of those places. Good luck!

Mayawalk Tours can arrange this. http://www.mayawalk.com
We used them in October for both the ATM tour and for transportation from Chaa Creek to Tikal.

Easy to arrange. Yaxha and Topoxte are both wonderful sites, Topoxte especially so its situated on a small island on the lagoon. A few more sites in this same area, nice eco lodge called El Sombrero on the lagoon. About 45 mins from the border en route to Tikal. You can stay at one of the lodges in Tikal park, on the island village of Flores or an inn on the lagoon in the reserve. Zip line near Tikal.