Day 1: Guatemala City
Monday or Thursday) Guatemala
Reception of our representative at the exit of La Aurora international airport and continuation to the hotel. Accommodation and overnight in the selected hotel or similar.
Day 2: Lake Atitlan
Guatemala - Iximché - Lake Atitlán
Breakfast included included in the hotel. With your bags ready, we will start the day in Guatemala City, formerly known as Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción. We will start with Avenida de Las Américas to have a first contact with vibrant Guatemala, then along Avenida Reforma and to go to the Central Park of Guatemala, also known as Plaza de la Constitución, we can admire the exterior of the Metropolitan Cathedral, in addition to the National Palace. The city center, or zone one, will surprise us with its cleanliness; the little visual contamination and the coexistence of different architectural styles. Then we will leave for the Guatemalan highlands, on the way to Lake Atitlán. Along the way, we will visit Iximché, an archaeological site located in the municipality of Tecpán, capital of the ancient Señorío Maya-Cakchiquel, where the first capital of the kingdom of Goathemala was founded in 1524 by the Spanish conqueror Pedro de Alvarado. Continuation to Lake Atitlán. Hotel accommodation and overnight stay in the chosen hotel or similar.
Day 3: Lake Atitlan
Lake Atitlán
Breakfast at the hotel. Today will be dedicated to getting to know 2 of the 12 indigenous peoples that surround Lake Atitlán. Let's start with San Juan La Laguna, where you will have the opportunity to once again enjoy direct interaction with local indigenous peoples, to learn about their lifestyle, world view, customs and traditions. We will visit several local associations working on different products such as fabric production, using natural dyes among others. We will then continue by boat to Santiago Atitlán, famous for the veneration of the Mayan saint Maximón, an expression of the religious syncretism so important in this region of the country. Overnight on Lake Atitlán in the selected hotel or similar.
Day 4: Flores/Peten
Chichicastenango Market - Guatemala City - Flores
American breakfast included in the hotel. Today is MARKET day! (7:30) Then we will leave early for Chichicastenango, where every Thursday or Sunday the largest open-air market in the region takes place.In the midst of that festival of smells and colors we will find the Church of Santo Tomás, built there from 1540 to an archaeological site, on exactly 18 steps symbolizing the 18 months, 20 days, of the Mayan calendar. In this church the Mayan ceremonies and the Christian liturgy coexist naturally, with respect and the religious syncretism is perceived alive. There are also visits to the colorful cemetery and the Sacred Mayan Altar "Pascual Abaj", where spiritual guides (shamans) perform Mayan ceremonies.
At the end of the visit, we continue to the Guatemala City airport, to board the flight to Flores, in the Peten region, the cradle of the Maya civilization. Upon arrival they will be waiting for you to accompany you to the hotel. Accommodation and overnight in the selected hotel or similar.
Day 5: Flores/Peten
Tikal - Flores
American breakfast included in the hotel. Today, with your local guide you will get to know the city of Tikal, one of the most important sites of the classical Maya period still surrounded by a wild jungle, one of the largest urban centers of the ancient Maya culture. A site considered, by today's Mayan descendants, a port of connection with our ancestors. Guided walking tour of the most important squares, monuments and temples, also enjoying the tropical forest, home to hundreds of exotic birds and a wide variety of wild animals. Packed lunch included inside the park, on a ranch surrounded by jungle. At the end, return to the hotel and overnight in the chosen hotel or similar.
Day 6: Antigua Guatemala
Flores - Guatemala City - Pacaya volcano
American breakfast included in the hotel. At 6:30 we must be ready for the transfer to Mundo Maya airport to board the flight back to Guatemala City.
Upon arrival in the city we will meet with our guide and with the rest of our luggage, and we will leave for the adventure on the Pacaya volcano; being on top of an active volcano will be a memory worth keeping (for safety regulations, the last part of the cone and the crater itself are forbidden). During the excursion, which does not require particular physical preparation, travelers can get close to the crater and, with a little luck, to the lava tongues, enjoying splendid views that make this experience unforgettable. At the end departure for Antigua. Accommodation and overnight in the selected hotel or similar.
Day 7: Antigua Guatemala
Antigua
American breakfast included in the hotel. We will start the day as the “chapines” do (nickname of all Guatemalans) and thus we will live the experience of socializing with the locals. Visit to the fruit and vegetable market to buy the necessary ingredients for the preparation of a typical Guatemalan dish. During this experience they will teach you how to prepare an appetizer, a main dish, a dessert and of course the traditional tortillas. After having prepared and tasted lunch it will be time to get to know Antigua, the colonial city, with a relaxing walking tour through the Historic Center of Antigua, the Central Park and the main monuments of the city. Rest of the afternoon free to continue exploring this small town. Overnight in Antigua in the selected hotel or similar
Day 8:
Guatemala City Airport
American breakfast included in the hotel. Transfer to La Aurora International Airport 4 hours before the departure of the international flight.
