Gautemala Easy Adventure

Guatemala Easy Adventure Oct. 27 - Nov. 7, 2009

Welcome to the land of eternal spring and the adventure of a lifetime, with authentic Mayan villages, hikes to active volcanoes, and archeological treasures aplenty.

We begin in Antigua, the most important and enchanting city of colonial Guatemala, and one of the most beautiful cities in the Americas. Founded by the Spanish in 1543, nowadays Antigua is a captivating blend of ruins and colonial architecture. It was declared “Monument of America” in 1965, and its Ciudad Vieja will be our first impression of Guatemala’s archeology. We will also spend a full day climbing Pacaya, an active volcano where you can almost step on floating lava and have a spectacular look into the crater!

Indian Market day in Chichicastenango, with the most colorful and picturesque Indian open-air market in the country, will be another highlight of the trip in addition to the wonderful religious ceremonies held on the steps and inside the 400-year old Church of Santo Tomas.

We continue to Lake Atitlan, cited by Aldous Huxley as the most beautiful lake in the world, with its crystalline-azure waters in the crater bowl below. Twelve Indian villages surround the lake, and their inhabitants are descendants of the great Quiche, Cackchiquel and Tzutuhil nations. We plan to visit weavers here who work colorful textiles.

We continue to the northern part of Guatemala, El Petén where we visit many of the most important Mayan sites in Central America. We go back more than 2,000 years in time to visit Tikal, which was inhabited from 600 BC until 869 AD.

We end our adventure with a tour of Guatemala City where the principal sites we will visit include the National Palace, Cathedral, and Civic Center Complex. We will also visit residential areas for an overall view of this rapidly growing metropolis.

Guatemala has been named as one of the “50 unforgettable tours of a lifetime” by National Geographic in the May/June issue 2008, so make sure you join us for this third trip to the splendor of Central America.