Mayan Tour: Joya de Cerén UNESCO Site +Tazumal Ceremonial Center

This trip has been absolutely fascinating! Visiting two incredible Mayan sites in one day—Joya de Cerén and Tazumal—was an unforgettable experience. At Joya de Cerén, walking through the remarkably preserved remains of daily Mayan life felt like stepping back in time. It’s amazing to think that this “Pompeii of the Americas” gives us such a vivid snapshot of how ordinary people lived centuries ago. Then at Tazumal, the towering pyramids and intricate ruins told a completely different story—one of power, ceremony, and the architectural brilliance of the Mayan civilization. What made the day even better was Gabriel, our tour guide. He’s such an interesting and engaging person, full of knowledge and enthusiasm. He knows the history inside and out, but what really stood out was the way he told it—so clear and easy to understand, even for someone like me who isn’t a history expert. He has this knack for turning facts into stories that really bring the past to life. And it’s not just that he’s knowledgeable—his joyful personality and sense of humor made the entire experience so much more enjoyable. It felt like more than just a tour; it was like exploring history with a friend who truly loves what he does.

Very friendly tourguide. The sights are well worth the visit and the lunch stop at lake after offers a breathtaking view.

Guide was excellent and very knowledgeable. He was very versed in the history and geographical of the area. His English was also very good

Josue is an amazing tour guide. He was very patient and made sure we had the optimal experience. He has a witty sense of humor and is mutable. I honestly don't think our group could've had a better time without his input and timing suggestions. We had a full and memorable experience from the history of El Salvador paired with Mayan and volcano knowledge to a full city tour to a mesmerizing volcanoes and lake experience with jet skis. Our group will remember this day for years to come. When we come back he'll be our tour guide again! Thank you again Josue! Mucho gusto!

A great day trip. Enjoyed the places and the food was good. If you are interested of history and the country you will be pleased. Amazing guide.

We had a great time! Our guide, Antonio, was very friendly, knowledgeable and passionate about the things he showed us, and we enjoyed our tour very much and learnt a lot. Unfortunately, due to weather conditions we weren't able to get close to Santa Ana volcano, so check the forecast before booking! (We were also kinda sad because the day we initially booked the tour for was sunny and perfect but it had to be rescheduled because there weren't enough people who signed up). But we had a good view of the volcano and Coatepeque Lake beneath it while having lunch (very inexpensive and delicious!) Overall, an amazing experience, I highly recommend!!

I was lucky to get Josue as my guide once again. If you love Mayan history this is a must. There is so much to learn on this trip and they have you covered. Also Santa Ana and Lake Coatepeque are beautiful.

Francis is the best guide ever!! I regret not spending more time in El Salvador but when I'm back we are rocking all the rest of his tours lol. He is thoughtful and knowledgeable and passionate about Indigenous history. He is also cheerful and sensitive to his guests' needs. We were very happy to have him as our guide. Also his instagram is LIT. Thank you Francis!!

Our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable for his age which only goes to show ones love for their country and job. We got a detailed briefing of El Salvador's history and some newer information regarding their current state. It was very informative and drew us to wanting to learn more about the country overall. It is a beautiful country stricken by it's past and somewhat present circumstances. Our only complaint is that we did not get to go inside Joya De Ceren as guaranteed due to a current meeting being held there and we were not guided by him at each site we did visit. Instead we had to be guided by others. The others were very knowledgeable but there were some language barriers which hindered our understanding of the site. Our tour guide was very good at answering any questions we had (which were a lot).

Francis was an outstanding guide! He did a phenomenal job of leading an enjoyable and informative full day tour of Maya sites throughout El Salvador. If you are at all interested in learning more about the history and culture of El Salvador, and particularly of the Maya and indigenous communities, I cannot recommend this tour highly enough. And make sure to ask Francis plenty of questions along the way because he does a masterful job of answering them!