Path of the Jaguar

The jaguar was sacred to both the Mayan and Aztec civilisations. It was worshipped as a symbol of strength and power and seen as a spirit animal that could move between worlds. The Path of the Jaguar takes riders through the heartlands of these ancient cultures, from the verdant rainforests of Costa Rica to the golden beaches of El Salvador, and from the smoking volcanoes of Guatemala to the mountains of Chiapas in Mexico.

The journey begins in San José, Costa Rica, in the shadow of Volcán Poás, and climbs into the misty cloud forest of Monteverde. It then heads north into Nicaragua, with Granada's colonial architecture and Lake Nicaragua, before crossing to Honduras and the beaches of El Salvador. A rest day follows in the historic Guatemalan city of Antigua.

From Antigua, riders continue to beautiful Lake Atitlán and past the smoking volcanoes of the Guatemalan highlands. Crossing into the Mexican state of Chiapas, they experience the region's distinctive culture in San Cristóbal de las Casas before riding on through Oaxaca and Cholula, home of the Great Pyramid. The tour finishes in Mexico City, once Tenochtitlán, the ancient Aztec capital. Six countries, ten rest days and some of the Americas' richest history make this a memorable adventure, which can also be booked as two sections: Camino de los Mayas and Aventura Azteca.

Highlights:

• The Monteverde cloud forest in Costa Rica
• Granada's colonial architecture and Lake Nicaragua
• The colonial city of Antigua, Guatemala
• Lake Atitlán and the volcanoes of the Guatemalan highlands
• San Cristóbal de las Casas and Oaxaca in southern Mexico
• Finish in Mexico City, the former Aztec capital Tenochtitlán

Surface and terrain:
1–5% unpaved, so mostly sealed roads. Rolling hills and coastal lowlands in Central America, with sustained climbing into the cloud forest and through the volcanic highlands of Guatemala and the mountains of southern and central Mexico.

Likely weather:
Typically dry season. Expect hot lowlands and coasts at around 28–33°C, and cooler highlands (Monteverde, Guatemala, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Mexico City) at around 18–25°C by day, with cold mornings at altitude of 5–12°C.

Suitable for:
Fit, adventurous riders comfortable averaging around 90km a day over hilly and mountainous terrain at altitude, who want culture and history as much as the riding. Adventure category, 3.5/5 difficulty.