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Explore first-hand the ancient dwellings near the border of Belize as your bi-lingual guide leads the way. The ruins located in Quintana Roo in the Valley of the Masks are sure to pique your curiosity and fill you with awe. Dzibanche, once hidden within the jungle, was known for its beautiful pottery and splendid temples. Here, you will have the opportunity to explore to your heart's content. Climb the tallest temple to get a view of the "Temple of the Owls" and the "Temple of the Captives" and let your imagination carry you back to the days when the city was a bustling ceremonial center.

Dzibanche, which means '"writing on wood" in Mayan, includes numerous pyramids and palace structures grouped around a series of plazas running east to west across a densely forested hillside. The city was settled before 200 A.D., but most of the larger structures date from the Classic Era between 300 and 800 A.D.

The architecture is grand and classical, and highly articulated with sculptural corner indents at the angles of the pyramids, and the typical tiered and stepped build-up to the temple on top in the manner of the famed Mayan ruins of Tikal in Guatemala. Also, a number of finely carved wooden lintels have been recovered from the site. After exploring Dzibanche, your air-conditioned first class transportation takes off for the nearby ruins of Kohunlich, a once mighty Mayan city. This recently excavated archeological site is named after the giant cahoon palm trees that cloak the vast manicured grounds.

Set like a jewel in an emerald jungle, the site covers about 21 acres. The city, which appears to have functioned as a regional center and stop along trade routes between the Yucatan, Guatemala and Belize, was elaborately planned and engineered. You'll find raised platforms and pyramids, citadels, courtyards and plazas all laid out to channel drainage into a system of cisterns and an enormous reservoir to collect rainwater.

It's most famous structure, however, is a classic pyramid: the 5th-century Temple of Masks. It features a central stairway flanked by eight 10-foot-high masks that were originally thought to depict the Sun God "Kinich Ahau." Modern archaeologists now believe that these remarkably well preserved stucco masks represent a composite of Kohunlich's rulers. As you study the cosmic symbolism of the masks and other decorative elements and ponder the skill and artistry of the architects, your experienced guide will conjure images of daily life during the glory days of this still awe-inspiring Mayan city.

When it's time to leave the ruins behind, rejoin your group and board your air-conditioned transportation for the return trip to the pier. Along the way, look back on all that you've experienced on this very full and particularly rewarding adventure highlighted by ancient temples, stately palaces and breathtaking scenery