Guatemala - Land of the Maya

Arrive in Guatemala City, the country's busy capital. Much of the city is quite modern, but the colonial center around the main square harks back to the time when the city was officially declared Guatemala's new capital in the eighteenth century.

Due to the number of evening flights into the international airport, your leader plans to hold the welcome meeting on the morning of day two and will leave a message at reception with details on timings and everything else you'll need for the day. There are no other activities planned today, so you are free to arrive in Guatemala City at any time. If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive at La Aurora International Airport (airport code: GUA), which is approximately a 30-minute drive from our hotel.

Before leaving the city this morning, we'll begin the day with a short drive around by vehicle to get a feel for Guatemala's capital before heading north.

We will stop en route at Quirigua, renowned for its fine Mayan carvings covered with intricate glyphs that still remain a mystery to scholars and archaeologists. Quirigua was valued as a trading center for the jade found throughout the surrounding area.

We will then continue to Puerto Barrios, where we will board our launch and cross the bay to the laid-back town of Livingston on the Caribbean coast. Here, we can enjoy the colorful and lively Garifuna town, with its unique racial blend. In the evening, there may be an opportunity to hear the increasingly popular local music or enjoy fresh seafood at one of the restaurants along the main street.

This morning, we head out on a boat trip to the 7 Altares waterfalls. These falls are located in a lush rainforest, and the water is cool and clean. It is the perfect place for a dip to cool off. Once we have had enough time enjoying these beautiful natural formations, we jump back on the boat and head to Playa Blanca, a taste of the Caribbean in Guatemala. We will spend a few hours on this white-sand beach and can enjoy lunch here (not included). For those interested, there is the option to take an additional boat trip and hike to Tapon Creek. Alternatively, you can relax on Playa Blanca Beach. We will then head back to Livingston in the early afternoon.

Once back in Livingston, we will embark on a walking tour of the town.

We start our day by heading west on the Rio Dulce by boat. The river winds through an impressive gorge with towering cliffs covered in lush jungle creepers, while egrets, pelicans, and cormorants line the shores. En route, we will stop at the small community project of Ak Tenamit, where you will have the opportunity to learn more about this educational support initiative. From the town of Rio Dulce, we will continue by bus to Flores (approximately four hours of driving), where we will stay for the next two nights.

Flores is situated on a small island in the tranquil Lake Petén Itzá and is connected to the mainland by a causeway. Upon arrival, we will take a short walking tour of this quaint and peaceful town.

We will have an early start to drive the one and a half hours to Tikal for a guided tour. Tikal is possibly the greatest of all the Mayan cities, located in the heart of the Petén jungle. The ruins of Tikal can easily be compared with the masterpieces of Egypt and Greece. Initially settled around 600 BC, Tikal was abandoned by its rulers around AD 890 and was completely deserted a hundred years later, becoming overgrown by the jungle. Rediscovered in 1848, it comprises many grand temples and pyramids. The city covers an area of more than 16 square kilometers, featuring temples, palaces, causeways, ball courts, spacious plazas, and hundreds of other architectural ruins\emdash a superb example of sophisticated Mayan engineering.

The site is so large that we will leave you free time to explore at your own pace this afternoon. Those with a good head for heights may climb one of the pyramids that pierce the jungle canopy for splendid views over the Maya Biosphere Reserve.

In the late afternoon, we will head back to Flores, where you will have a free evening in this charming lakeside town.

Leaving Flores behind, we head south into the southern mountains for a long day's drive through varied scenery. We drive to Sayaxché, where we cross the river by ferry before continuing to the Candelaria Caves - also known as the 'Sacred River of the Mayas.' The Candelaria Caves are considered among the largest and most impressive cave systems in Latin America. The caves served as an important pilgrimage site for the local Qeqchi Maya. According to Mayan beliefs, caves are considered to be entrances to the underworld, known as Xibalba, and the discovery of pottery artifacts and rupestrian paintings throughout the Candelaria network demonstrates the important role they played in Mayan life.

Following our visit to the caves, we continue on to Cobán, where we will stay for the next two nights.

Today is a long day, but it will be worth it to see one of Guatemala's natural highlights! Semuc Champey is a natural monument made up of turquoise pools, set in a lush, mountainous jungle. We leave our hotel early this morning and drive two and a half hours to the town of Lanquín. From Lanquín, we take a 45-minute bumpy ride in a pickup truck along unpaved roads to the natural wonder of Semuc Champey. We will have a few hours here to enjoy swimming in the natural pool formations. For those looking for more active adventure, there is an option to hike up to a viewpoint that offers panoramic views of the jungle and pools below. The walk is quite challenging, on uneven terrain with wooden steps that can become slippery (we highly recommend walking shoes for this!). It is expected to take one and a half hours.

After spending enough time exploring and enjoying this natural paradise, we will make the journey back to Cobán, where we will arrive in the evening.

This morning, we will drive for approximately one hour to the Quetzal Biotope. This cloud forest spans 1,044 hectares and was officially established as a protected area on June 2, 1976, with the main objective of protecting the Quetzal and its habitat. We will embark on a two-hour walk through the cloud forest, passing small rivers and creeks, while keeping our eyes peeled for the elusive quetzal and other wildlife. The trail consists mainly of steps and uneven ground, so good footwear is recommended.

After our walk, we will continue on a five-hour drive to the breathtaking city of Antigua, where we will arrive in the evening. Antigua is a beautifully preserved colonial city, founded in 1542, and surrounded by volcanoes. The streets are cobbled and colorful, packed with interesting architecture and buzzing with great cafes, restaurants, and bars.

We are using this city as our base tonight to break up the long journey to Quetzaltenango and Lake Atitlán, but we will return for two nights at the end of the trip to fully enjoy the city!

Today, we drive west to the western highlands of Guatemala. Our final destination is Quetzaltenango, but it's known everywhere by its Maya name, Xela (pronounced 'Shella' or 'Shayla'). On the way, we will visit the historic towns of San Andrés Xecul (home of the famous yellow church), Almolonga (a city famed for its markets and larger-than-usual vegetables - yes, really), and Zunil (a town that still worships San Simón, a deity that is a blend of Maya and Roman Catholic religion).

Afterward, we stop to soothe ourselves at the local hot springs. Heated by the thermal waters from Volcano Zunil, the springs have been converted into pools, surrounded by lush jungle. The pools are naturally fed by sulfur springs, and the stunning scenery adds to the experience as you relax in the warmth.

Today, we drive about 2 hours southwest to one of the world's newest UNESCO World Heritage Sites - Takalik Abaj. Although it is one of the world's newest World Heritage Sites, it is also one of the oldest archaeological sites in Guatemala. Inhabited for over 1,700 years and set in the middle of a subtropical forest, Takalik Abaj witnessed the transition from the Olmec civilization to the emergence of early Mayan culture. Sacred spaces and buildings were laid out according to cosmological principles, and innovative water management systems, ceramics, and lapidary art can still be found. Today, Indigenous groups continue to consider the site sacred and visit it to perform rituals.

This afternoon, enjoy free time to further explore Quetzaltenango.

We will leave Quetzaltenango this morning for Lake Atitlán. The volcano-ringed Lake Atitlán is a place of stunning beauty. Approximately 24 km long and 16 km wide, it lies at an altitude of 1,585 meters. We will take a boat trip across the lake to visit villages inhabited by the Tz'utujil Indigenous people, including Santiago Atitlán. The Tz'utujil can trace their ancestry back to the Postclassic period of the Maya (around 900-1500 AD). They still wear traditional clothing, with women in particular sporting colorful blouses embroidered with geometric and bird designs. Santiago Atitlán is a busy village with both visitors and locals going about their daily routines, and we may witness traditional Mayan rituals at the shrine to Maximon.

Around the popular town of Panajachel and other smaller villages, we can admire the beautiful panoramas of the lake. The lake changes hues at different times of the day, appearing green, deep blue, or gray, while at sunset, it glows a fiery red.

Our final stop of the day is Santa Catarina Palopó, a small village on the shores of Lake Atitlán, where we will stay for the next two nights. There are magnificent views of the impressive volcanic peaks of Atitlán (3,537 meters), San Pedro (3,020 meters), and Tolimán (3,158 meters) towering over the lakeside. The lake's fertile shores are dotted with small communities of farmers and fishermen who continue to uphold the traditions of their Maya ancestors.

This morning, we will head north towards the highlands of El Quiché Province and the bustling town of Chichicastenango, the 'sacred town' of the indigenous Quiché. Steeped in Maya culture, the town is famous for its market, where you can buy everything from chickens and copal to pigs and pottery. The best way to enjoy the market is to immerse yourself in the melee and haggle with the traders, or escape to the beautifully colorful cemetery located just a short walk from the market. It is also the perfect place to pick up souvenirs of your visit.

Enjoy a free evening to relax by the beautiful Lake Atitlán.

This morning, we head to the fascinating archaeological site of Iximché. We will stop here for a one-and-a-half-hour guided tour, during which we will learn all about the history of this site, which dates back to the 15th century.

We then continue to Sumpango, in the hills just outside of Antigua, to see the All Saints Giant Kite Festival. On November 1st each year, the people of Sumpango, Sacatepéquez, put together giant kites to fly during the Day of the Dead. These kites are made of cloth and paper with bamboo frames, depicting religious or folkloric themes, and they are flown to honor the dead. The kites traditionally take up to 40 days to build, held together with a glue made from a mixture of yucca flower, lemon peel, and water. The ropes are made from the maguey plant (the same plant that brings us tequila!), and the tails are woven from cloth. This tradition dates back 3,000 years and is still seen today as a way of communicating with the beyond.

After watching the spectacle, we will continue to Antigua, set in a beautiful valley between the volcanoes Agua, Fuego, and Acatenango.

Day 14- Tour of Antigua; free afternoon

After an orientation tour this morning, you will have free time to explore Antigua further. This tour of the graceful, old colonial city shows how it can justly claim to be one of the most charming in Central America, despite the damage caused by a series of earthquakes and floods over the ages. The afternoon is free to wander the timeless streets and hunt for souvenirs. One of its lively restaurants provides the perfect setting for our last meal together.

There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart at any time. If your flight departs later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. For a complimentary airport transfer today, you will need to depart from La Aurora International Airport (airport code: GUA). The drive between the airport and our hotel is about 40 km but can take between 1.5 and 4 hours, depending on traffic and the time of day.