Diverse Guatemala

Day 1
Welcome to Guatemala! We will be welcoming you to the country at the airport. Transfer to your hotel and if time allows, you will enjoy of a brief Guatemala City Tour. Accommodation in Guatemala City or Antigua. Sweet dreams!

Day 2
Meeting with your guide and/or driver to be transferred to Pacaya Volcano National Park, this tour takes about 7 hours and it is required to have a physical effort from moderate to intense at some parts. Reason why it is recommended to wear comfortable shoes and clothing for the hike, sun protection, water or hydrolites drink. For more information press on the button: What to bring. Accommodation in Antigua or Guatemala City.

Day 3
Meeting your guide for an Antigua walking tour, visiting some of the most important highlights with a degustation of great coffee or hot chocolate. If you would like; you can add a half day tour visiting the sorrounding communities in Antigua, which will take you to visit historic and cultural monuments, macadamia nut farm or either taking a coffee plantation tour at fair trade cooperative or taking the adventure of flying on the zip lines. Accommodation in Antigua Guatemala or Guatemala City.

Day 4
8:00 am Transfer towards Lake Atitlán: "The most beautiful lake in the world" Ref. Aldous Huxley. Half way, make a stop to visit the mayan Archaeological site Iximché. Lunch will be near the site and after lunch, you will continue to the lake. Overnight in Atitlán. Sweet dreams!

Day 5
8:30 am Meeting your guide and boat to enjoy of a boat trip visiting two picturesque maya communities located around this astonishing lake. Usually these two towns are visited: San Juan La Laguna and Santiago Atitlán, but this could be changed depending on traveler´s preference and also by the wind direction and strenght. During the month of November, the lake experiences strong winds, this may change the towns to be visited, eventhough ALL OF THEM are interesting and colorful. Return back to your accommodation. Sweet dreams!

Day 6
8:00 am. Meeting your guide and driver to be transfered to the unique town of Chichicastenango, where you can visit the local cemetery, where Maya spiritual guides worship their ceremonies, then visit the interesting Santo Tomás church where Mayans practice a religious sincreticity and visit the huge textiles and handicrafts market. Lunch will be at Chichicastenango.
After lunch, departure to Quetzaltenango (Xela). Stop on the way to visit the Quiché village San Andrés Xecul and its unique naif art church facade. Arrival and accommodation in Quetzaltenango.

Day 7
4:30 am This early departure is for you to have the close experience of visiting an authentic wholesale maya market in Almolonga. This town is famous for producing humungous vegetables. Return to your hotel to enjoy your breakfast and have some rest.
1:30 pm. Departure from your hotel to head up to the hotsprings known as: "Fuentes Georginas", know for its therapeutic and medicinal porpouse. Accommodation in Quetzaltenango.

Day 8
6:00 am Early departure from your hotel with boxed breakfast. Transfer from Quetzaltenango to Lanquín, this is a drive of 9 hours aproximately, due to the type of road in some portions. During this drive, we will go through some maya communities, having gorgeous views and landscapes. Lunch will be on the way. Accommodation in Lanquín. Sweet dreams!

Day 9
8:00 am. Transfer by bus from Lanquín to Semuc Champey National Park , 1 hour drive. Several small crops and plantations will be found on the road.

Upon arrival, your guide will indicate you the different options of what to do at the place. Hiking to a lookout point where you can overlook the whole canyon and pools. You can swim in the crystalin waters of 7 pools, you can also watch where Cahabón river enters penetrates under the pools. There´s also a chance of tubbing on Río Cahabón and visiting the Kan Ba caves. The last two options are extra charge, not included in the tour package. Accommodation in Lanquín.

Day 10
6:00 am Early departure from Lanquín to head to Candelaria caves in order to visit the dry caves with archaological remains, and depending on the river´s level, it will be possible to do tubbing through Candelaria river under the caves, (gear included). It is recommended to bring comfortable shoes for walking and sun protection. Lunch at Candelaria or Raxruhá community restaurant and then continue to the colorful island of Flores or to Tikal National Park. Accommodation at Flores or Tikal.
Notice: This is another long day, that´s the reason why leaving early fron Lanquín.

Day 11
Transfer to Tikal National Park declared a UNESCO Site in 1969. During the visit you can admire its plazas, structures, stelaes and altars; silent witnesses of time. Your guide will indicate the historic and archaeological and natural value of the site.
After the tour degustate a delicious lunch in a lushy ambiance inside the park. After lunch, you can decide if visiting one of the two archaeological museums located at the visitor´s center.
Transfer to the colorful Island of Flores to learn about its history and traditions, be delighted by a breathless sunset from one of its many restaurants and bars in the island.

Optional: After lunch, you can return to Flores and take a boat trip to visit the Petencito rehabilitation center for local fauna, the Mirador del Rey Kanek (lookout point) and a small island with an exquisite archaeological collection exhibition and a local radio station. Return to your accommodation. Sweet dreams!

Day 12
This day you leave Flores and drive towards the Afro-Caribbean community of Livingston, 4 hours drive. Once in Río Dulce, you will take a boat to navigate the river, along your boat ride, you can visit mangrove, wetlands, hidden and crystalin lagoons, birds islands, as well as some small maya communities living remotly from firm land.
Livingston villagers are very festive people with unique and interesting traditions and celebrations that match some from Africa as a remain of their descendence.
You can also find maya Kekchí people as well as a few mestizos. and their traditions . This is an interesting afro-caribbean, maya Kekchí and mestizo village. When boating along Río Dulce, we will be able to see hidden lagoons, mangroves, wetlands and islands of birds, as well as some small maya villages along the way. Overnight in Livingston.

Day 13
8:00 am Departure from Livingston via Río Dulce and then you´ll aboard your land transport towards Copán Ruinas in Honduras. On the way there will be a stop to visit Estanzuela paleonthology museum in Zacapa. Lunch on the way.
This day you will cross the border Guatemala-Honduras, so please, have your passport handy.
Welcome to Honduras! Accommodation in Copán Ruinas.

Day 14
8:30 am Depart your hotel and drive to Copán archaeological site and its great museum, exhibiting magnificent artifacts found on different archaeological digging projects; 10 minutes drive. In the morning visit of the archaeological site of Copán and Las Sepulturas. Lunch in the site. Overnight in Copán Ruinas.
Optional: In the afternoon, there is a visit to the Luna Jaguar hotsprings, where you can enjoy of the therapeutic waters and a couple drinks. Accommodation at Copán Ruinas. Sweet dreams!

Day 15
9:00 am Leave Copán and drive towards Guatemala City in order to spend the last night near the airport. This can be up to 8 hours drive depending on the road status. Farewell diner!
Accommodation in Guatemala City.

Day 16
Transfer out from hotel to the Airport. End of services.