GUATEMALA HIGHLIGHTS
- Discover the colonial charm of Antigua, Guatemala – an UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Experience the annual Day of the Dead Kite Festival
- Visit local towns around Antigua
- Take a coffee tour with DLG charity, supporting small independent coffee producers
- Visit the important Maya site of Iximché
- Visit the local villages of Lago Atitlán (Lake Atitlan) where Maya culture continues to influence day to day to life
- Enjoy taking in the vivid colours of Guatemala with many villagers still wearing traditional dress
- Find the house of the Maya God, Maximon
- Enjoy the serenity of Lago Atitlán
- Easy going pace with 2 and 3 night stays
- Take in Antigua at your own pace with a day at your leisure
- Option to extend your stay with a visit to the ruins of Tikal
- A small group experience with a maximum of 14 travellers
DAY 1
Arrive to Guatemala
Bienvenido a Guatemala! Your Guatemala discovery starts in La Antigua, Guatemala - one of the most idyllic towns, with painstakingly restored Spanish colonial architecture, a central plaza, rich cultural heritage and the outstanding horizon shaped by three spectacular volcanoes. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, with its architecture, culture and unique setting, Antigua, quite simply, is the most charming city in all the Americas.
Nestled in a mountain valley and surrounded by evergreen forests, Antigua retains the aura of the 17th century capital that it was, while blending modern amenities that make it an internationally appealing getaway. Walking along cobblestone streets, you'll find art galleries, fascinating museums and shops with the contrast of traditional markets packed to the rafters with locally made textiles and woodcrafts.
If arriving around lunch, your guide will escort you to a local spot for lunch. Touring commences mid-afternoon with a walking tour of Antigua. This tour explores this colonial city's cultural, architectural, and social history with a behind-the-scenes look at some of Antigua's ornately decorated churches, Spanish colonial-era ruins, and the tomb of the first Guatemalan saint. Visits include entry to the Cathedral of San Jose, the San Francisco el Grande and La Merced churches.
This evening, join together for a welcome dinner at a nearby local restaurant serving traditional Guatemalan cuisine.
Meals: Dinner
SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Guide escort for lunchtime
- Afternoon walking tour of Antigua
- A group welcome dinner at a local restaurant
DAY 2
Day of the Dead (Kite Festival)
HIGHLIGHT EXPERIENCE – ANNUAL DAY OF THE DEAD KITE FESTIVAL
First thing this morning the group transfers to Santiago Sacatepéquez where you will visit the cemetery with your guide to experience the Kite Festival and enjoy the celebration of the Day of the Dead. Santiago Sacatepéquez and Sumpango hold the largest and most well-known festivals, with thousands of kites flown by families, locals, and religious groups to honour the dead.
On first of November each year, Guatemala's families honour their departed loved ones during the Day of Dead. Besides the traditional visit to the cemetery, this day is marked with kite festivals and dining on fiambre, the traditional dish of the Day of All Saints. The elaborate kites span several metres and are constructed almost entirely of bamboo and tissue paper. Fiambre, which is only made and eaten once a year, is served cold and contains a mix of cheese, meat, eggs, and vegetables cured in vinegar.
The evening is at your leisure. With many options close by to your hotel, it’s easy to find a spot for an evening meal.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Breakfast at hotel
- Fully escorted day tour with group guide
- Transfer from Antigua to Santiago Sacatepéquez
- Kite Festival, Day of the Dead festivities
- Transfer for lunch to local restaurant in San Lucas Sacatepéquez
- Afternoon transfer back to the hotel in Antigua
DAY 3
Around Antigua
This morning you will be met by your guide and driver and transferred to the small town of San Miguel Escobar, just outside of Antigua. In town we will be met by a local guide from De La Gente (DLG). DLG is a charity working to support small independent coffee producers and promotes environmentally responsible agriculture in Guatemala. This tour takes you to visit some of the families supported by this organisation where you 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. After the coffee tour guests have a simple, traditional meal in a local home. Coffee Season is November to March.
After lunch, visit a women’s working co-operative at San Andres Ceballos
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Breakfast at hotel
- Fully escorted day touring with group guide
- Transfer to San Miguel Escobar, at 08:00 am
- De la Gente Coffee tour
- Lunch with a local family
- After lunch transfer to San Andres Ceballos
- Women’s cooperative visit
- End of day transfer back to Antigua
DAY 4
Antigua to Lake Atitlan
Explore well-preserved temples, ball courts, and remnants of ancient palaces of the compact but important Maya site of Iximché. A fascinating stop en route from Antigua to Lake Atitlan, Iximché once served as the capital of the Kaqchiquel Mayas. Surrounded by steep slopes and pine trees, the ceremonial centre thrived from 1470 to 1524 A.D., until Spanish conquerors declared it as their first capital in Guatemala. Modern-day shamans, chanting in a local Maya language, still use part of the site for rituals. Often incorporating fire, candles, and mysterious potions, the ceremonies can have any number of intentions, including health, fertility, protection, safe travels, or success. To participate in a ceremony, just let your guide know. It's an incredible experience and goes a long way toward better understanding traditional Maya beliefs. After the ceremony, enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant and resume the drive to Lake Atitlan, about one and a half hours driving.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Breakfast at hotel
- Fully escorted day with group guide
- Transfer Antigua to Iximche with Iximche Site Tour
- Maya Ceremony
- Lunch at local restaurant
- Transfer to Lake Atitlan, arriving end of the day
DAY 5
Around Lake Atitlan
After breakfast we set out to take in the best of the lakeside villages today, reaching each by boat. Although more than a dozen fascinating towns and villages overlook majestic Lake Atitlan, Santiago and San Juan La Laguna top the must-see list. In San Juan, watch indigenous weavers as they share the skills of their trade, and peruse a workshop of art naïf painters before boarding the boat for the cruise to Santiago.
After lunch we walk with your guide to find the house where the Maya God Maximon is living. Each year a different “brotherhood” has the privilege of taking care of their God so his location changes. It’s a fascinating visit. Once with Maximon you may see local shaman performing rituals for local people and if you wish you can ask your guide to help you hire the services of a shaman for you to have a personal ceremony performed. Afterwards you can visit the church, learn about the town's vivid history and explore the market. Be sure to check out more of the distinctive textiles and primitive art, both famous from the lake basin.
As the day comes to an end, we transfer back by boat to Panajachel, to our hotel. Dinner tonight is at leisure. You can take the chance to find a local spot for dinner nearby to your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Breakfast at hotel
- Fully escorted day with group guide
- Boat transfer to San Juan village
- San Juan Tour
- Boat transfer to Santiago village
- Lunch at local restaurant
- Santiago village tour including the visit to the house of Maximon
- Boat transfer return to Panajachel late afternoon
DAY 6
Lago Atitlan. Transfer to Antigua
Enjoy the morning and lunch time at your leisure by The Lake. The main street of Panajachel has shops to explore, or simply enjoying strolling around this relaxed lakeside village.
Returning to Antigua by the end of the day, enjoy your next to nights of stay back in Antigua.
Meals: Breakfast
SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Breakfast at hotel
- Free time at Calle Santander for shopping
- Mid afternoon transfer to Antigua
DAY 7
Day at Leisure. Farewell Dinner
Antigua is a town well enjoyed with a day making your own discoveries.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Breakfast at hotel
- Free day
- Farewell dinner including marimba music and dance performance including one non alcoholic drink
DAY 8
Departure Day
Enjoy the final hours until hotel checkout when your touring comes to an end. Or otherwise connect with the extension option to Tikal, Guatemala.
Meals: Breakfast
