Guatemala Cultural Highlights

Bienvenidos a Guatemala !

Upon arrival at Guatemala City international airport, our friendly english speaking driver is waiting for you at the airport with a welcome sign. After a quick briefing, he takes you to your hotel in the lovely town of La Antigua Guatemala (1:30).

Feliz noche !

This morning, you will wake up in the most beautiful town of Central America. One of our english speaking staff member will meet your at the reception of your hotel to have a short talk about your trip. Afterwards your guide will take you for a 1/2 day walking tour on cobblestone streets & give you a great introduction to Guatemala and Antigua.

Tours options for your afternoon

• Villages around Antigua tour, Mountain Bike tour, ATV or UTV tours, Coffee tour, Canopy tour
• Pacaya active volcano tour
• Other tours depending your special interests (bird, food, workshops….)

Today, be ready for a unforgettable adventure ! Your private driver will take you to San Francisco village (01:30) to hike up Pacaya Volcano (level moderate), an active one which often spew ash, smoke, and lava. Your local guide will take you its foothills, through pine forests, and to an area of lava rock and ash where hot steam escapes from the ground. On a clear day, you will enjoy beautiful views on nearby volcanoes and the Pacific lowlands.

In the afternoon, you will be transferred to Chichicastenango (02:45) in the western highlands. Take time to walk around by night & enjoy the town without tourists. An authentic way to discover Chichicastenango !

Today, you will discover & enjoy one of the most colorful & lively market of Guatemala. Wake up early to attend mass at Santo Tomás Church, a fascinating insight into the religious syncretism of the Quiché people.

In the afternoon, your driver will take you to Panajachel on the shores of lake Atitlan (01:30), a huge crater lake surrounded by mountains and three volcanoes, are dominated by traditional Mayan families. the lake is also the home of Antoine de Saint Exupéry’s Little Prince:  as the author took away much inspiration and symbolism from the lake.

Today, your guide will meet you at the reception of your hotel & will take you by boat to the village of San Juan la Laguna. On your way enjoy the views of villages located on the northern shore of lake Atitlan : Santa Cruz, Jaibalito, Tzununa, San Marcos, and San Pablo.

In San Juan, your guide will introduce you to Maya traditions visiting art galleries, woman’s weaving cooperatives, a medicinal and curative plant garden & local artists. 

Your second stop is Santiago Atitlan, your guide will take you to Maximon house to introduce you to local beliefs : his effigy is typically depicted with a cigarette in his mouth and given offerings of money and Quetzalteca, a liquor made of fermented cane sugar. Mayan visit Maximon to ask for healthy crops, to help cure illness, to find love, or to cast a spell on a neighbor.

In the afternoon, return boat to Panajachel or wherever you are staying at.

Other amazing tours options

Hiking : Indian Nose sunrise tour or Volcan San Pedro

Hiking & Visiting : Santa Cruz to San Marcos Hike & cultural tour of San Juan la Laguna

Multi-activity tour Kayak, Hike & cultural tour of Santa Cruz la Laguna & San Juan

Off the beaten bath cultural tour San Lucas Toliman, Cerro de oro & Santiago Atitlan

Biking : Many trails (easy, moderate, difficult)

Workshops

This morning, you will be met by your private driver, and driven 20mn to Solola village on the heights of lake Atitlan.

Set on a natural balcony overlooking Lake Atitlan, Solola’s Tuesday and Friday market is an authentic indigenous market where you experience the local daily life. People come here to buy goods such as food, clothes, shoes, tools… Here people proudly wear their traditional clothes.

Afterwards you driver will take you to Iximche (01h15) a lovely archaeological site which was the capital of the Caqchikel Maya kingdom. When the Spanish conquistadores arrived in the region, they used Iximché as their first base of operations.

In the afternoon, your driver will drop you off at Guatemala City airport (01h30) to take a short flight (01h00) to Flores in the Peten region a remote wild area which holds some of the greatest archeological wonders in the world.

At your arrival, your driver will meet you & will drive you to El Remate, a pleasant little town in Guatemala set along the shores of lake Petén Itzá.

Free morning to enjoy the natural setting of El Remate village. Rest in your Hammock, go for a swim in the crytal waters of lake Peten Itza, take a wildlife hike at Cerro Cahui Reserve ! Many other activities can be done : horseback riding, kayaking, biking….

In the early afternoon, your english speaking driver will take you to Yaxha National Park (01h30) to explore this atmospheric lakeside arqueological site ending with wonderful views over the tropical forest canopy from the top the main temple. Yaxha is also a great destination to discover the fauna of the Maya Biosphere Reserve.  Over 40 species of mammals have been documented, including Spider Monkeys, Howler Monkeys, Jaguars, Pumas, Ocelots, Tapirs, Agoutis, White-tailed Deer & many birds species such as Keel-billed Toucan, Gartered, Black-headed, and Slaty-tailed Trogon

After sunset, you will be transferred to your hotel in El Remate.  Adds on : Night in Yaxha or in Tikal

Today, be ready for a unforgettable day !

Your driver & your english speaking guide will meet you at the reception of your hotel & will drive to you to Tikal.

The magnificent Tikal is the largest Maya archeological site found in Central America. You will be signing up for some great hiking in the lus tropical forest. The tour includes 4 of the largest temples with wooden stairs that offer spectacular views of the dense tropical jungles and wildlife in the Petén region.

There is amazing fauna diversity here including howler & spider monkeys, coatimundis, occelated turkeys, spiders, agoutis, and various birds. tinamous, parrots, motmots, aracaris, jacamars, puffbirds, leaftossers, antthrushes, and the odd Northern Royal Flycatcher.

In the afternoon, you will head back to Flores to wander around the streets of Flores.

Adds on tours (in the afternoon)

Tikal sunrise tour

Boat tour on lake Peten Itza

Canopy tour

Sky way jungle bridges

This morning, your driver will take you to the caribbean coast of Guatemala (3:45). If you wish we could make a stop on the way at Finca El Paraiso a combination of a hot waterfall into a cold,clean and refreshing river.

In the afternoon, your private boatman will make you discover the Rio Dulce river a scenic ride between the bridge of  Fronteras to Livingston on the Amatique Bay. On the way, prepare to be amazed, you will discover el Castillo de San Felipe a Spanish colonial Fort, you will appreciate several natural wonders like an island of birds, dense Mangrove forests and an impressive canyon that separates the mountains where high walls of limestone rock with lush vegetation.

Rio Dulce river is also known to be a refuge for various native and migratory birds & keep your eyes opened as manatees also live around too.

At the end of the afternoon, your boatman will drop you off at the dock of your hotel in Livingston, a small village where live harmoniously different ethnic groups: Garifunas, Mayan Q’eqchi’, Hindús, Chinese & Ladinos

This morning, your private boatman will take you to Puerto Barrios (30mn) where your driver will be waiting for you. He will take you first to Quirigua (2hrs), a medium-size Mayan site surrounded by luscious banana plantations. UNESCO heritage, Quirigua has one of the tallest stone monuments (stela) ever discovered in the Maya World (over 10 meters high and weighing over 65 tons), unique zoomorphs sculptures & a fascinating history with nearby Copan in Honduras

In the afternoon, you will be transferred to Guatemala City or Antigua (the choice is yours) to spend your last night in Guatemala.

Short transfer to La Aurora international airport for your international flight back to your country . We were glad to have you as guests & make you discover Guatemala !  Hasta luego !