| Duration: | 2 Day(s) - 1 Night(s) |
| Tour Category: | Classic Tours |
Day 1: Chichicastenango Tour
Departs on Thursday and Sunday from your hotel in Guatemala City to Chichicastenango at 7:30 am to see the most colorful and picturesque outdoor market in Guatemala. Every Thursday and Sunday locals from the region, gather to buy and sell fruits, vegetables, flowers, grains, animals, textiles, and handicrafts. Relevant is the visit to the Santo Tomás Church.
There will be time for lunch at your own expense. Then we will continue to Panajachel on Lake Atitlan one of the most beautiful places in the world. Overnight: Panajachel, Atitlan. This tour does not include accommodations, so please indicate where you will stay in Panajachel.
Day 2: Lake Atitlan Boat Tour
Pickup at your hotel in Panajachel, Atitlan. This morning will take a scenic boat ride across Lake Atitlan to the village of Santiago. Lake Atitlan is renowned as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. The German explorer Alexander von Humboldt is the earliest prominent foreigner to be quoted as calling it 'The most beautiful lake in the world,' and Aldous Huxley famously wrote of it: 'Lake Como, it seems to me, touches on the limit of permissibly picturesque, but Atitlán is Como with additional embellishments of several immense volcanoes.
It really is too much of a good thing.' Arrive at the village of Santiago Atitlan, a town that sits on a bay of Lago Atitlan between two volcanoes. Volcan San Pedro rises to 2,846 meters (9,337 ft) west of town; Volcan Toliman rises to 3,144 meters (10,315 ft) southeast of town. Volcan Atitlan, with a summit of 3,516 meters (11,535 ft), is south-southeast of town. Santiago Atitlan is southwest of Panajachel across the lake. Visit the Mayan God Maximon and learn about the spiritualism and beliefs of the T’zutujil Maya.
We will learn about the textiles by watching a woman will wrap her head with the long head ribbon or cinta that resembles a halo when in place. We will also see women backstrap-loom and embroider their lovely huipiles, as well as the pants worn by men. We will visit the Santiago Apostol Church, built between 1572 and 1581.
It has been restored and reconstructed several times after significant earthquake damage. It has three altarpieces representing the three volcanoes that tower over the village. We return to Panajachel to take a walk on Santander street. There will be time for lunch at your own expense. At the end of the tour, transfer to Antigua Guatemala, or Guatemala City.
