| Duration: | 8 Day(s) - 7 Night(s) |
| Tour Category: | Culture Tours |
Day 1: Antigua
On arrival at Guatemala City guests are met by our representative for their transfer to Antigua which will take approx. 1hour
HOTEL EL CARMEN ***
Day 2: Antigua
In the morning, you will be picked up at your Hotel for your Guided Tour of Antigua, Guatemala, the most important and enchanting city of colonial Guatemala. Founded by the Spaniards in 1543, nowadays Antigua is a beautiful blend of ruins, restored colonial buildings, and new buildings in colonial style. It was declared the “Monument of America” in 1965.
Visit the Central Plaza that is surrounded by the antique Cathedral, the Municipal Government Building, and the Palace of the Captains General; colonial churches and monasteries, primitive foot-looms where colorful textiles are woven, and a Jade factory where this stone is worked into beautiful jewelry. In the afternoon return to your hotel.
HOTEL EL CARMEN***
Day 3: Antigua/Lake Atitlan
Transfer to Lake Atitlán visiting Comalapa and Solola nice small villages on the way.
HOTEL JARDINES DEL LAGO***
Day 4: Lake Atitlan
Boat ride to explore Lake Atitlan.
Lake Atitlan is a natural marvel like no other, 50 square miles of deep, crystal blue water surrounded by three lofty volcanoes. Formed by a volcanic cataclysm 100,000 years ago, the lake shimmers in a mountain valley, overlooked by a dozen quaint villages, whose residents proudly wear a traditional dress that distinguishes each town from the next.
HOTEL JARDINES DEL LAGO***
Day 5: Lake Atitlan/Chichicastenango/Guatemala City
Today we will transfer clients to the town of Chichi with its famous craft market. In Chichi, we will have time to wander through the market and barter for crafts such as textiles, masks, jewelry, and many other beautiful pieces of artwork.
Chichicastenango is a highlands village famous for its traditional open-air market, boasting a fantastic range of beautiful and inexpensive traditional crafts. On market days Chichi is awash in a sea of traditional costumes representing towns from across the highlands. Chichicastenango is also well known for its unusual mixture of the Catholic and Maya religions. Maya priests make pilgrimages from distant villages to hold ceremonies and make offerings to their gods … inside the Catholic Church.
CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL ***
Day 6: Guatemala City/Flores
Early morning flight to Flores and then share a tour of Tikal.
Today guests explore the amazing Mayan Temples site at Tikal where huge Mayan temples rise above the jungle canopy and monkeys and tropical birds are abundant in the surrounding rainforest.
HOTEL CASONA DE LA ISLA ***
Day 7: Flores Yaxha Mayan Site
El Peten, in the northeast of Guatemala, represents the largest tropical forest in Central America, containing ruins, great and small, from the ancient Maya civilization. The crown jewel among Peten’s 13,000 square miles is Tikal, a sprawling complex of more than 3,000 structures.
The ruins of Ceibal, Aguateca, and Yaxha contribute to Peten’s standing as the heartland of the Maya. Countless more ruins still lie shrouded by overgrown dense forest Peten, which contains over 800 species of trees, 57 species of reptiles, and 500 species of birds. Tapirs, Peccararies, and Jaguars still roam the emerald forests, just as they did when the ancient Maya ruled the region.
CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL ***
Day 8: Guatemala City
Transfer out.
MINIMUM OF 2 PEOPLE TO OPERATE
HIGHLIGHTS
Walking tour of Antigua
Visit Azotea Coffee Farm & taste Guatemala's finest beans
Visit the lesser-known Comalpa Markets
Sail across Lake Atitlan
Visit a woman's textile cooperative & learn local techniques
Bargain for handcrafts at Chichicastenango Markets, the most colorful in Central America
Sunset tour of beautiful Yaxha Ruins
Enjoy a full day at UNESCO World Heritage Listed Tikal
INCLUSIONS:
7 nights of accommodation
All breakfast
Private Tour
Lunch on day 4
Private transfers to/ from hotels with English-speaking guides
All overland transportation in private, air-conditioned vehicles
Touring as indicated with entry fees and guide
Daily breakfast & other meals as per the itinerary
Airfare tickets to Mundo Maya international airport on Santa Elena Peten
