GUATEMALA NATURAL WONDERS

DAY 1. FLIGHT TO GUATEMALA AND ARRIVAL. OLD NIGHT
Breakfast.

Flight departure. Arrival in the afternoon at the international airport of Guatemala. Arrival. Reception and ground transfer to Antigua Guatemala (1 hour). Rest of the afternoon free in Antigua, to walk and start discovering this beautiful colonial city.

Hotel accommodation, Antigua.

DAY 2. ANTIGUA – PACAYA VOLCANO
Breakfast.

In the morning we will make a guided visit to the city of Antigua, a colonial architectural jewel of Guatemala and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. It currently has about 30,000 inhabitants and is located in the beautiful Panchoy valley, surrounded by three majestic volcanoes (Water, Fire and Acatenango). We will walk through its cobbled streets to the most emblematic corners of the city such as the Plaza Mayor, the Cathedral, the Town Hall, the Fountain of the Sirens, Posada de Don Rodrigo, the Arco de Santa Catalina and the Merced convent. After lunch, we will head southeast through coffee and crop fields until arriving in 1 hour at the foot of the Pacaya volcano (2,552 m). Pacaya is one of the most active volcanoes in the country, next to Fuego and Santiaguito. Nowadays it is a tourist attraction although the incandescent lava flows can no longer be observed, as they were years ago. You can take a walk through the sector to see the volcano and its ancient formations and solidified lava flows. Around 8:00 pm we will start the way back to Antigua.

Hotel accommodation, Antigua.

DAY 3. ANCIENT LAKE OF ATITLÁN
Breakfast.

In the morning we will leave Antigua for Lake Atitlán (80 km away). Today we will take a boat tour of the different towns and communities on the shores of the lake. We will visit San Juan, San Pedro and Santiago. In these towns we will be able to observe the indigenous people in their typical costumes, visit the local markets and soak up the peace and tranquility of this place in the highlands in the shadow of the imposing volcanoes Atitlán (3,537 m), Tolimán (3,158 m) and San Pedro (3,020 m). Return in the afternoon to Panajachel.

Hotel accommodation, Panajachel.

DAY 4. PANAJACHEL – SAN ANDRÉS DE XECUL – SALCAJÁ – QUEZALTENANGO
Breakfast.

Our tour will go to see one of the most beautiful and unique churches, San Andrés de Xecul, a 17th century church famous for its yellow façade, with great color and ornamentation. Then we will move to the community of Salcajá, with its white church and its industry of production of natural fabrics with the technique of marbled. We will also visit Almolonga, located in one of the most fertile valleys in Guatemala. In the afternoon we will take a walk through Quetzaltenango, the second most important city in the country, located 2,350 meters high at the foot of the Santa María volcano.

Hotel accommodation, Quetzaltenango.

DAY 5. QUEZALTENANGO – VIEWPOINT OF SANTIAGUITO – GEORGIN FOUNTAIN – QUEZALTENANGO
Breakfast.

In the morning we will take a spectacular walk to the viewpoint of the Santiaguito volcano. Our march will begin on the 2,300 m and our objective is on the 2,800 m. It will take about 2 hours of walking to reach the viewpoint, where we can observe the eruptions of the Santiaguito volcano every 20 minutes, the most active crater of the Santa María volcanic complex. At noon, after the walk we will stay in the forests of the sector doing a bird watching tour. This area has great biodiversity with more than 150 species of birds, some of them endemic to Guatemala. In the afternoon we will go to the famous Georginas fountains, located on the outskirts of the town of Zunil. Here we will rest bathing in its thermal waters among a subtropical forest landscape.

Hotel accommodation, Quetzaltenango.

DAY 6. QUEZALTENANGO – CHICHICASTENANGO – BIOTOPO DEL QUETZAL
Breakfast.

After breakfast we will leave for Chichicastenango (2 hour journey). Visit the square and the church, the markets and walk through the town and its cemetery. The days with the highest influx of visitors correspond to market days (Thursday and Sunday). From Chichi we will travel for about 5 hours to Purulha and the Ranchitos del Quetzal, located in the Quetzal Biotope Reserve.

Hotel accommodation, Quetzal.

DAY 7. BIOTOPO QUETZAL – SEMUC CHAMPEY – LANQUÍN
Breakfast.

Very early, before sunrise, we will hike in a reserve that consists of more than 3,000 hectares of humid tropical forest, the habitat of Guatemala’s national bird, the Quetzal. It is possible to observe this majestic bird very early in the morning, because around 7 in the morning they go to more inaccessible areas of the forest and can no longer be observed. After observing the Quetzal we will continue the road trip for about 3 hours until we reach Semuc Chamey. Free time to enjoy the karst environment (caves, waterfalls, etc.) and bathe in the pools of crystalline emerald green waters.

Hotel accommodation, Lanquín.

DAY 8. LANQUÍN – FLORES
Breakfast.

Departure early in the morning to start the trip of about 5 hours that will take us to the ancient city, capital of the department of El Petén. Arrival around 13-14h. During the afternoon we will visit the island of Flores, its colonial buildings and we will take a walk around the island and then we will visit the Mirador del Rey Kanek and have panoramic views over Lake Petén Itzá.

Hotel accommodation, Flores.

DAY 9. FLORES – YAXHÁ – FLORES
Breakfast.

In the morning we will go to Yaxhá, one of the most interesting archaeological centers in the country. The site has more than 500 structures, including 40 stelae, 13 altars, 9 pyramids, 2 ball courts. In Yaxhá Park important water resources are conserved (lagoons, streams and gouaches), some of them built by the Mayans. This great diversity of birds, mammals, reptiles and insects, and a very varied exuberant flora. After the visit we will return to the city of Flores.

Hotel accommodation, Flores.

DAY 10. FLORES – TIKAL – FLORES
Breakfast.

Without a doubt, one of the star days of the trip is the day you visit Tikal, the great city of the Mayans, located in the heart of the Petén jungle and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tikal was born around 2000 BC and its peak came in the classical period, at which time it had up to 100,000 inhabitants. Archaeologists have discovered that from 292 AD to 792 AD 29 sovereigns reigned in Tikal, it was the last three who greatly enlarged the city, the largest temples were built in that period (7th and 8th centuries). Tikal is made up of more than 10,000 structures, many of them superimposed on each other in an area of ​​16 km2. Squares, temples, pyramids, palaces, steam baths, ball games, rooms, water reservoirs and even original wooden lintels. But Tikal is not only archeology, it is also flora and fauna, which complement this beautiful visit: howler monkeys, toucans, coatis, spider monkeys, tropical birds, jungle foxes, etc., are frequently seen among the hundreds of centuries-old tree species that make up the tropical forest of the Petén jungle. Once the view to Tikal is finished, we will go back to Flores.

Hotel accommodation, Flores.

DAY 11. FLORES – IZABAL LAKE – DULCE RIVER – LIVINGSTON
Breakfast.

After breakfast we will travel along Highway 13 to the SE until we reach Río Dulce. We will visit Lake Izabal, the castle-fortress of San Felipe and we will cross the Dulce river boat until we reach Livingston. The Dulce River area has a great ecological importance and has the highest concentration of bird species in all of Guatemala. Here endemic species of the jungle, migratory birds and transitory birds of maritime origin come together from the Caribbean Sea. Arrival in Livingston and installation at our hotel. At dusk we will be able to meet the people of the Garifuna ethnic group (the only black inhabitants in all of Guatemala), we will know their customs, their traditions, we will savor their cuisine and we will be able to delight ourselves with their music and dances.

Hotel accommodation, Livingston.

DAY 12. LIVINGSTON- QUIRIGUA – COPÁN
Breakfast.

In the morning we will take the boat to Puerto Barrios and from there take Highway No. 9 towards Guatemala City. On the way we will visit the Mayan site of Quirigua, declared a World Heritage Site in 1981, it is one of the most beautiful in the country and very similar in character to its Honduran neighbor of Copán. His name in Maya was Ek’Nab (black lake). The archaeological complex is made up of 30 hectares of tropical forest that houses the Mayan vestiges characterized by spectacular stelae (carved columns up to 10.5 meters high), sculpted panels and zoomorphic figures with the body of an animal and a human head. After the visit to Quirigua and after lunch we will continue the trip to the border with Honduras. Border formalities. Arrival in the late afternoon at the town of Copán Ruinas,

Hotel accommodation, Copan.

DAY 13. COPÁN
Breakfast.

Guided visit to the ruins of Copan, which are distributed in 5 areas: the Ball Court, considered the social center of the city, the Great Plaza, surrounded by altars with zoomorphic shapes, the Hieroglyphic Stairway, one of the main temples of Copan, the Acropolis, divided into two large squares and finally, the Altar “Q”, located in the Temple of the Sun. We will also visit the spectacular network of tunnels built by the Mayans in Copán. This tunnel system is unique and is one of the differentiating facts of the Copan ruins compared to its Guatemalan sisters.

Hotel accommodation, Copán.

DAY 14. COPÁN – GUATEMALA CITY AIRPORT – DEPARTURE FROM THE FLIGHT BACK TO HOME
Breakfast.

After breakfast, the trip begins to return to Guatemala and travel the 270 km (5-6h) to Antigua. Arrival at the international airport to board the flight back home.