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Guatemala Tours and Travel

Mini Guatemala / Maya Textiles / Maya Magic & Mystery / Archeology Highlights / Markets
Maya Archeology / Maya Multisport / Guilt Free / Honeymoon / Group Highlights

8 Day - Guilt Free Guatemala

ANTIGUA - COFFEE FARMS & TEXTILE COOPS - COMALAPA - LAKE ATITLAN - CHICHI - YAXHA - TIKAL

Day 1, Sun: Arrival to Antigua
Guests arrive into Guatemala City airport and are transferred (1hr) to the Spanish colonial city of Antigua where they overnight in Antigua, 2 nights (High-end: Panza Verde, Mid-range: Lo de Bernal)

Day 2, Mon: Community Tours & Programs - Coffee Farms & Textile Coops
In the morning guests will enjoy an active and participating tour of small local coffee farms to learn about the coffee history and process and in the afternoon there will be a local, village traditional lunch followed by a community tour of a village textile and handicraft cooperative.

As Green as it Gets (GAIG) is a charity working to support small independent coffee producers and promoting environmentally responsible agriculture in Guatemala. This tour takes guests to visit some of the families supported by this organization where they can work side-by-side with small coffee farmers in their daily coffee processing, pick, pulp, ferment, wash, dry, trilla, sort, and grade the coffee (depending on the season), roast coffee over an open fire and grind by hand on a grindstone before sampling their handiwork. Coffee Season is Nov to Mar. This tour includes a donation to GAIG and the Viaventure Foundation also supports this organization on an annual basis.

With the help of Casasito Association the handicraft center of Santiago Zamora began in 2006 offering both tours but also serving as an education center where workshops and courses are offered to the local women to help the protection and growth of traditional Guatemalan weaving in the village. During the tour guests visit the village itself and the handicraft center and learn about the local history, language and traditional way of life as well as the difficulties faced by today's rural Guatemala. The tour includes a walk through the village, demonstrations of traditional weaving methods and a family-style lunch where you can learn how to make "tortillas". 100% of the entrance fee here goes directly to the villages and to a special fund used for social purposes such as education, medicine and emergency help. The price of this tour also includes a small donation to Casasito Association and the Viaventure Foundation also supports this organization on an annual basis

Day 3, Tue: Comalapa Market, Local Naif Painters & Transfer to Lake Atitlan (B,L)
Guests will be transferred to visit the colorful authentic market at Comalapa (1hr) which is a small, not so often visited town and market in the highlands near Antigua nestled in amongst some beautiful agricultural scenery. On the transfer guests will be able to see traditional farming life of the maya people of the area and local crops. Once in Comalapa your guide will take you for a tour of the local market and for a visit to some of the famous local primitive painting galleries as well as a stop at a local bakery to try out the "rosca" biscuits and finally a stop at the famous town mural which was painted by the local children to commemorate the signing of the peace accords. When guests are ready they will transfer on through the highlands to Lake Atitlan (2.5hr) and take a boat across the lake to their hotel - Lake Atitlan, 2 Nights (High-end: Laguna Lodge, Mid-range: Posada Santiago.

Day 4, Wed: Lake Tour (San Juan, Santiago)
This morning guests will take a scenic boat ride across Lake Atitlan (30min) to the village of San Juan La Laguna where they can visit the women's textile cooperative to see hand weaving and natural dye process. Also here visit the studios / homes of the celebrated naïf painters. From here guests continue to the village of Santiago where they have lunch in a local hotel and tour the village visiting the Maya God Maximon and learn about the textiles, spiritualism and beliefs of the T'zutujil Maya.

Day 5, Thu: Chichi Market (B,L)
Today guests travel back across the lake and across the highlands to the famous market town of Chichi for a tour of this interesting market and an opportunity to barter for arts and crafts. In the afternoon they transfer on to Guatemala City and fly up into the rainforest to check into their hotel in Flores. Nitun Lodge 2N

Day 6, Fri: Into the Rainforest - Yaxha Sunset Tour (B)
Free morning to relax after a lot of travelling and explore the island town of Flores. After lunch guests are met by their driver and guide for the transfer to Yaxha National Park (approx 1hr) where upon arrival they can explore this atmospheric lakeside Maya archaeology site ending their tour with refreshments & wonderful views at sunset over the rainforest canopy from atop the main temples.

Day 7, Sat: Tour of Tikal
Today guests awaken in Tikal National park and can explore this amazing UNESCO protected Mayan Temple site of Tikal with their guide. Huge Mayan temples rise above the jungle canopy and monkeys and tropical birds are abundant in the surrounding rainforest. After lunch guests have some time to relax and refresh before transferring to Flores airport for their flight back to Guatemala City (30min) and transfer to their hotel. (Approx 10min). Overnight Westin Camino Real.

Day 8, Sun: Transfer out
Guests are met at their hotel by their driver for the private transfer to Guatemala City airport in plenty of time for their international departure.

12 Day - Guilt Free Guatemala with Jungle Trek

ANTIGUA - COFFEE FARMS & TEXTILE COOPS - COMALAPA - LAKE ATITLAN - CHICHI - HOMESTAY - SAN FRANCISCO EL ALTO - YAXHA- JUNGLE HIKE WITH CAMPING - EL ZOTZ - TIKAL

Day 1, Sun: Arrival to Antigua
Guests arrive into Guatemala City airport and are transferred (1hr) to the Spanish colonial city of Antigua where they overnight in Antigua (Mid-range: Lo de Bernal)

Day 2, Mon: Community Tours & Programs - Coffee Farms & Textile Coops (B,L)
In the morning guests will enjoy an active and participating tour of small local coffee farms to learn about the coffee history and process and in the afternoon there will be a local, village traditional lunch followed by a community tour of a village textile and handicraft cooperative.

As Green as it Gets (GAIG) is a charity working to support small independent coffee producers and promoting environmentally responsible agriculture in Guatemala. This tour takes guests to visit some of the families supported by this organization where they can work side-by-side with small coffee farmers in their daily coffee processing, pick, pulp, ferment, wash, dry, trilla, sort, and grade the coffee (depending on the season), roast coffee over an open fire and grind by hand on a grindstone before sampling their handiwork. Coffee Season is Nov to Mar. This tour includes a donation to GAIG and the Viaventure Foundation also supports this organization on an annual basis.

With the help of Casasito Association the handicraft center of Santiago Zamora began in 2006 offering both tours but also serving as an education center where workshops and courses are offered to the local women to help the protection and growth of traditional Guatemalan weaving in the village. During the tour guests visit the village itself and the handicraft center and learn about the local history, language and traditional way of life as well as the difficulties faced by today's rural Guatemala. The tour includes a walk through the village, demonstrations of traditional weaving methods and a family-style lunch where you can learn how to make "tortillas". 100% of the entrance fee here goes directly to the villages and to a special fund used for social purposes such as education, medicine and emergency help. The price of this tour also includes a small donation to Casasito Association and the Viaventure Foundation also supports this organization on an annual basis

Day 3, Tue: Comalapa Market, Local Naif Painters & Transfer to Lake Atitlan (B,L)
Guests will be transferred to visit the colorful authentic market at Comalapa (1hr) which is a small, not so often visited town and market in the highlands near Antigua nestled in amongst some beautiful agricultural scenery. On the transfer guests will be able to see traditional farming life of the maya people of the area and local crops. Once in Comalapa your guide will take you for a tour of the local market and for a visit to some of the famous local primitive painting galleries as well as a stop at a local bakery to try out the "rosca" biscuits and finally a stop at the famous town mural which was painted by the local children to commemorate the signing of the peace accords. When guests are ready they will transfer on through the highlands to Lake Atitlan (2.5hr) and take a boat across the lake to their hotel - Lake Atitlan, 2 nights (Mid range: Posada Santiago).

Day 4, Wed: Lake Tour (San Juan, Santiago)
This morning guests will take a scenic boat ride across Lake Atitlan (30min) to the village of San Juan La Laguna where they can visit the women's textile cooperative to see hand weaving and natural dye process. Also here visit the studios / homes of the celebrated naïf painters. From here guests continue to the village of Santiago where they have lunch in a local hotel and tour the village visiting the Maya God Maximon and learn about the textiles, spiritualism and beliefs of the T'zutujil Maya.

Day 5, Thu: Chichi Market & Toto Homestay (B,L,D)
Today guests travel back across the lake and across the highlands to the famous market town of Chichi for a tour of this interesting market and an opportunity to barter for arts and crafts. In the afternoon they transfer on to Totonicapan where they will spend the night with a Ladino family. Totonicapan Homestay, 1N.

Day 6, Fri: San Francisco Market to Antigua (B)
This morning guests will visit the famous market at San Francisco El Alto which is one of the largest open air markets in Central America and is famous for its interesting animal market. Once guests are ready they will then transfer to Antigua for the night. Antigua (Mid-range: Lo de Bernal), 1N.

Day 7, Sat: Into the Rainforest - Yaxha Sunset Tour (B)
Today guests will catch the early morning flight to Flores. (45min) In Flores you will be met & transferred to your hotel in the rainforest where guests will have time to relax or explore the surroundings. IAfter lunch they transfer to Yaxha National Park (approx. 1hr) to explore this atmospheric lakeside site ending with refreshments & wonderful views at
sunset over the rainforest canopy from atop the main temples. Tikal Area 2 N (mid-range): Maya Internacional

Day 8, Sun: El Zotz Jungle Hike - Camping (B,L,D)
Flores to El Zotz (24kms Trekking - 8 hours approx.) You will leave Flores in the early morning and journey to the village community of "Cruce dos Aguadas" where you will begin the hike to the ancient site of El Zotz. The trek will take you through the rainforest and along many of the routes used by the "Chicleros" who work to collect sap from trees to produce chewing gum. Upon arrival at El Zotz you will help to set up camp and prepare for the amazing dusk performance as thousands upon thousands of bats fly out of the nearby cave on their nightly search for food. This is truly an amazing sight!

Day 9, Mon: El Zotz Jungle Hike - Camping (B,L,D)
Day 2: Exploration of El Zotz: Today you will have time to explore the overgrown ruins of the El Zotz site with its pyramids as they must have been found the first time explorers came across them. You can also learn about medicinal plants in the area and keep an eye open for some of the varied wildlife such as toucans, parrots, spider and howling monkeys, tapir and jaguars!

Day 10, Tue: Hike into Tikal - Jaguar Inn
El Zotz to Tikal (32kms - 8 hours Approx.): An early start today to begin the jungle trek across to the Mayan Temple site of Tikal. You can take your time as you trek through this beautiful rainforest scenery and enjoy the excitement of arriving at the huge temples of Tikal from the middle of the jungle! We would suggest that upon arrival at Tikal you take the rest of the day to relax, perhaps entering the site to enjoy the sunset from one of the temples but leaving the main exploration until the next day. Jaguar Inn, 1N.

Day 11, Wed: Tour of Tikal (B,L)
Today guests awaken in Tikal National park and can explore this amazing UNESCO protected Mayan Temple site of Tikal with their guide. Huge Mayan temples rise above the jungle canopy and monkeys and tropical birds are abundant in the surrounding rainforest. After lunch guests have some time to relax and refresh before transferring to Flores airport for their flight back to Guatemala City (30min) and transfer to their hotel. (Approx 10min). Holiday Inn, 1N.

Day 12, Thu: Transfer out
Guests are met at their hotel by their driver for the private transfer to Guatemala City airport in plenty of time for their international departure.

2010 Prices per person in US$ (except Easter, Thanksgiving & Christmas)
8 Day tour:

12 day tour = $3179 per person, for 2 people in double occupancy in mid-range hotels