TRIP
TO TIKAL
INCLUDES: LAKE PETEN ITZÁ AND FLORES ISLAND
Tikal
is the greatest of all the Mayan Sites,
situated deep in the jungles of the north
of Guatemala, north of Lake Petén Itzá.
It is Guatemala’s most famous cultural
and natural preserve. Tikal
possesses a certain magic... like all
puzzles without answers it fascinates
everyone and we dare say... Tikal is so
irresistible once you are there.
Set in the jungle canopy, the site today
consists of over 3,000 buildings, including
a handful of impressively tall temples
that tower above the forest. At its peak
some 1,500 years ago, Tikal
was home to an estimated 100,000 Mayans.
This majestic archaeological gem comprises
222 square miles of jungle all around
the ceremonial center. It took the University
of Pennsylvania 13 years to uncover about
10 square miles of structures at Tikal.
However, much of it is still left to be
unearthed.
Flores is
a very charming and small town in Petén
Guatemala, situated on an island in
Lake Petén Itzá, 45 minutes by
road from Tikal
National Park. Flores is a slow-placed
village with Caribbean sensibility and
friendly people. Despite the steady flow
of tourists passing through en route to
Tikal, the town retains an urban air.
It has little to detain you and is small
enough to explore in an hour or so, but
it does offer some attractive places to
stay, good restaurants, and spectacular
lake views. The Lake
Petén Itzá is a wildlife paradise
with more than 100 important indigenous
species. There are at least 26 Maya sites
surrounding the lake. It is surrounded
by an old –growth forest of ceibas and
mahogany trees.
-Museum of archeology:
Located in a very small island in front
of Flores. It has several pieces and which
were founded in temples and palaces in
some Maya Cities.
Itinerary:
By taking a shortcut and spending the
first night in Cobán we spend about 8
hours on Thursday by bus. On Friday we
leave early for Flores, it takes about
4 hours to get there from Cobán. By this
way we avoid to spend 14 hours which takes
at least to get Flores by public transportation
from Xela.
On Friday, after having breakfast we go
to the Museum of archeology situated at
the lake, afterwards we have the tour
of the lake which includes a viewpoint,
small islands and some beautiful beaches.
We spend the rest of the afternoon and
evening in Flores to rest and relax.
We spend the entire Saturday at the National
Park Tikal, in one day we can see most
of the important constructions: temples,
palaces, shrines, and ceremonial platforms,
small to middling residences, ball courts,
terraces, causeways and plazas. We spend
the rest of the evening in Flores Island
to rest and relax.
On Sunday we leave for Xela taking the
route Flores-Cobán-Huehuetenango-Xela.
Leave: Thursday
afternoon.
Return: Sunday
evening.
Places to visit:
Tikal National Park, Lake Petén Itzá,
Flores Island, Museum of Archeology and
some of the cleanest beaches in the country.
What to bring/wear:
Good shoes, sandals, swimsuit, clothing
for warm and cold weather, rain or wind
jacket, repellent, camera and sun glasses.
TRIP
TO RIO DULCE, SAN FELIPE CASTLE AND LIVINGSTON
Río Dulce
is located in Izabal, Guatemala. This
river is one of the most desirable destinations
in the world. It connects the biggest
lake in our beautiful country “Lake Izabal”,
with the Atlantic Ocean. The river is
surrounded by incredible natural beauty.
The river, the rainforest, ecology, boat
travel and many other activities await
you. The most impressive location on the
river is “El great Canyon”. Here the river
becomes very narrow and tall canyon walls
rise on both sides of the river to a height
of 300 to 400 spectacular feet above the
water. The view is always stunning. The
canyon walls are sheer cliffs of white
limestone festooned with green jungle
growth clinging to the walls. The visual
effect is unforgettable.
Between Río Dulce and Lake Izabal is San
Felipe de Lara Castle. Early in the Sixteenth
Century, trade was established between
Guatemala and Spain via what was then
called the Golfo Dulce. Constant attacks
by pirates in the Gulf of Mexico and incursions
into Guatemala through the Rio Dulce made
it necessary to defend the entrance to
Lake Izabal where warehouses had been
set up for goods entering or leaving Spain.
Located on the north bank of the mouth
of the Rio Dulce
is the colorful town of Livingston.
It was founded in around 1795 by the Caribbean
people and is the only settlement of Caribbean
in Guatemala. Complete with their own
language and culture, these descendants
of escaped slaves really know how to kick
back. The reggae is fierce here, as is
the incredible seafood.
-The seven altars:
The cascades are seven beautiful natural
waterfalls that end in pools at the edge
of Livingston Beach.
Itinerary:
We leave on Friday at 4:00 AM for Rio
Dulce; the bus ride takes about 8 hours.
After lunch, we have the tour of the castle
“San Felipe de Lara” and afterwards we
go by boat to see the sunset in the river.
The rest of the evening is free to enjoy
the view in our hotel which is right in
front of the river, inside the rain forest!
On Friday we have a tour by boat of the
entire river, the places we see during
this tour are: the great canyon, the hidden
river and the dark lake. The boat ride
finishes in “The seven altars” where we
have a 30 minutes walk through the beautiful
waterfalls and swim at the end of it,
finally we go by boat to Livingston to
have lunch and explore. By 4:30 we go
back through the whole river to our hotel.
The rest of the afternoon and evening
is free.
On Sunday morning we go back to Xela,
during that time we have lunch and have
some stops in a few indigenous villages.
Besides the activities we offer as part
of the tour, you can do these activities:
jungle trail & canopy tour, kayaking,
horseback riding and sailing.
Important:
Just like in the other trips we have,
the plan can change depending on the time
our travelers have available. It is also
possible in this trip to stay one night
in Livingston, where we can do the following
activities:
- The seven altars
and “Playa Blanca”.
We go through the Caribbean ocean to “Playa
Blanca” which means White Beach, because
the sand is white. Most of the beaches
in Guatemala have dark sand. After having
in the way back, we stop in “The seven
altars”. Since Playa Blanca is a little
far from Livingston we can only do this
activity when we stay one night in Rio
Dulce and another night in Livingston,
or when our travelers want to stay two
nights in Rio Dulce and one at least in
Livingston.
Leave: Friday
early in the morning.
Return: Sunday
evening.
Places to visit:
Rio Dulce, Livingston, The Seven Altars,
The great canyon, the hidden river and
the dark lake.
What to bring/wear:
Good shoes, sandals, swimsuit, and clothing
for warm weather, rain or wind jacket,
repellent, camera and sun glasses.
TRIP
TO SEMUC CHAMPEY
Semuc Champey
is located in Guatemala's Alta Verapaz
department. Here lies a jewel of stunning
natural splendor that relatively few travelers
visit: Semuc Champey. Those who go, however,
agree that it's the most beautiful area
in the country. While this claim may be
true, it is hard to give the accolade
to just one area when there are so many
beautiful places to see.
What is Semuc Champey?
Semuc Champey
is part of a national park that was established
to protect the pools and the surrounding
terrain. In Semuc Champey,
the Cahabón River flows underground for
about 350 m (1,150 ft). Above it a natural
limestone bridge has formed and is home
to a series of pools and small ponds which
are fed by creeks and waterfalls running
down the surrounding mountain slopes.
The pools are about one meter (three feet)
deep and range in color from emerald green
to turquoise to dark sapphire blue.
Semuc Champey
is a unique stretch of the river Cahabón
that plunges with immense force into an
underground cavern. The sight of that
alone is absolutely exhilarating. The
water gains so much momentum before being
sucked underground that the ground is
carved into a semi-circular shelf of rock.
One can imagine how many years the water
has done this to create such formations
in stone. Semuc Champey
is truly a natural wonder and not
to be missed.
Close to Semuc Champey
we will encounter Kan-Bá Caves which are
deep limestone caverns containing an underground
river with various lagoons and unique
rock formations. Kan-bá caves, an adventure
swimming by candlelight. You will be in
the center of the earth in an incredible
and unique experience. We enter the cave
exactly where the river exits and there
is about 1-2 ft of water. As we advance
the water gets deeper and deeper until
you are swimming with one hand while the
other holds the candle. We have to be
careful not to hit our bodies against
the outcropping rocks. Even though it
is very dark it is still possible to see
bats. The tour in the caves takes about
1 hour and worth every minute. After the
caves we go through the river “Cahabón”
on tubes. The river is surrounded by a
magnificent forest and mountains. This
is one of the most naturally beautiful
and least-explored areas in all of Central
America.
Cobán It is
Guatemala’s principal centre for coffee
production. It is a small place (the population
is 22,000). The suburbs fuse gently with
outlying meadows and pine forests, giving
the town the air of an overgrown mountain
village. The places to see here are: an
orchid nursery, a coffee farm, a little
Maya cultural museum and some places where
you can sample a cup of very good coffee.
Itinerary:
By taking a shortcut and spending the
first night in Cobán
we spend about 7 hours on Thursday by
bus. The next morning we leave early to
Semuc Champey, this bus ride
takes about 2 hours. By this route, we
spend 10 hours by bus. By public transportation
the bus ride would take about 14 hours.
On Friday, we leave the hotel at 7:30
AM and get Semuc Champey
by 9:30 AM. The tour of Semuc
Champey starts at 10:00 AM and
finishes in the afternoon. After the tour,
we go back to our hotel which is located
in front of the river “Cahabón”, the rest
of the afternoon and evening is free to
relax and rest.
On Saturday morning we have the tour of
the caves. During this tour sometimes
we are walking, climbing and swimming
while we hold a candle with one hand.
It takes about 1 hour to go through the
caves. When we leave from the caves we
have a small walk to this viewpoint place,
from where we can see the river Cahabón.
When we finished we go close to this waterfalls
and go on tubes through the river until
we are in front of hour hotel.
There are two options for this trip, either
we spend Saturday night in Semuc
Champey or we go back in the
afternoon to Cobán.
Leave: Thursday
afternoon.
Return: Sunday
evening
Places to visit:
Semuc Champey, Kan-Bá caves, Cahabón River
and Cobán.
What to bring/wear:
Good shoes, sandals, swimsuit, and clothing
for warm weather, rain or wind jacket,
repellent, camera and sun glasses.
TRIP
TO ANTIGUA GUATEMALA AND MONTERRICO
In 1979 UNESCO added La
Antigua to the World Heritage
Sites list. This was recorded on large,
colorful tile set in the outside wall
of City Hall. Antigua
Guatemala may be the most outstanding
and best-preserved colonial city in Spanish
America. The Spanish Colonial style permeates
every part of the town: its houses, churches,
squares, parks and ruins. Antigua sits
in a Highland valley (1,500 meters) overlooked
by the spectacular Agua Volcano (3,765
meters high). A little further away are
two other volcanoes, Acatenango and the
always smoking, sometimes erupting, Fuego.
Monterrico
is a black-sand beach on Guatemala’s Pacific
coast. It is considered by many to be
Guatemala’s best beach. In Monterrico
you can choose to play in the waves, bask
in the sun, eat some of the tasty local
cuisine or simply just hang out in a hammock
all day. For those who are interested,
you can also visit the animal sanctuary
and release a baby turtle into the wild.
Here is a place where you will see the
real local flavor, not just a shiny facade
put on for the tourists.
Itinerary:
Leave for Antigua
at 2:00 PM on Friday. The bus ride takes
about 4 hours. We have dinner in a one
of the restaurants located in one of the
most famous and oldest streets in the
city. The rest of the evening is free
to explore rest and relax.
On Saturday morning we have time to walk
around the city and have breakfast. Leave
for Monterrico
at 10:00 AM. The bus ride takes about
3 and a half hours. We will spend the
rest of the afternoon and evening in the
beautiful beaches of Monterrico.
Our hotel is situated right in front of
the ocean.
On Sunday early in the morning we go by
boat to see the sunrise in the lagoons
located next to Monterrico,
during this tour we can see the flora
and fauna, specially turtles.
Leave for Antigua:
Friday afternoon.
Leave for Monterrico:
Saturday morning.
Come back to Xela:
Sunday evening.
What to bring/wear:
Good shoes, sandals, swimsuit, clothing
for warm weather, rain or wind jacket,
repellent, camera and sun glasses.
ECO-TRIP
TO CHIMEL
Chimel the
village where the famous Rigoberta Menchú
was born is located 29 kilometers from
Uspantán. Chimel
is surrounded by a magnificent cloud forest
of great importance due to its wealth
of flora, fauna and water.
The elevation of this forest varies between
2000 and 2400 meters, with an annual precipitation
of around 2750.
The forest is very rich in mosses, ferns,
orchids, lichens and other groups of flora,
with medicinal uses and ornamental applications
in some cases. It has magnificent number
of gigantic trees, several species of
oaks, cypress, pine, etc. Arboreal ferns
and enormous rattans exist here. It also
has varied fauna, especially birds, howling
monkeys, snakes, pumas, jaguar and quetzals
the national bird of Guatemala.
Itinerary:
Leave Friday, the bus ride takes about
4 hours. After having breakfast we have
a walk through several small waterfalls.
By noon we are close to a river, where
we are going to rest, relax and have lunch.
In the afternoon we go the village called
“Chimel”, the rest of the afternoon will
be free to rest. And while we are having
dinner next to a fire somebody will be
talking about local legends.
On Saturday early in the morning we have
a walk through this cloud forest to be
able to observe the spectacular “quetzal”
which and a variety of animals and trees.
After lunch we will go to a viewpoint
place and late in the afternoon we enjoy
of a very good indigenous sauna. Again
this night we have dinner next to a fire.
On Sunday, we go back to Uspantán to see
one of the best markets in the country.
We leave for Xela after lunch.
Leave: Friday
morning early.
Return: Sunday
evening.
Places to visit:
Uspantán, The village Chimel, Some small
waterfalls and a spectacular cloud forest.
What to bring/wear:
Good shoes, sandals, swimsuit, and clothing
for warm and cold weather, rain or wind
jacket, repellent, camera and sun glasses.
TRIP
TO LAKE ATITLÁN
With a length of 26 km (16 mi) and a width
of 18 km (11 mi), it occupies the crater
of an extinct volcano, 300 m (1,000 ft)
deep and has no visible outlet. Then the
surface of the Lake has a size of about
130 square kilometers.
Lake Atitlán
is one of the most beautiful lakes of
the world. A fantastic view is created
by the three volcanoes of Tolimán, Atitlán,
and San Pedro, which surround the lake.
There are villages all around the lake.
We stay in San Marcos, which may be the
most beautiful town in the lake. San Marcos
is a quite little village on the Lake.
The view of the volcanoes on the lake
and the nature in Sam Marcos is the best
you can find on the lake.
In San Marcos you can have some time
away from the hustle of traveling, get
a Swedish massage, some shiatsu, a sauna,
some yoga and meditation. There is not
any night like to speak of in San Marcos,
perhaps the occasional stray live band,
duo or DJ at a spontaneous party, though
there are many friendly people who own
restaurants, hotels, hostels and more.
Itinerary:
Leave either Friday afternoon or Saturday
morning. In each case we stay in San Marcos
la Laguna. Since we take a shortcut it
only takes about 2 and half hours to get
there.
If we leave on Friday afternoon we can
start the tour of the lake early in the
morning, otherwise we start it after we
arrive at San Marcos on Saturday. The
tour includes a visit of the towns, Santiago,
San Pedro and Panajachel which is the
biggest town at the lake. In the afternoon
we go back to San Marcos. The rest of
the afternoon is free to rest and enjoy
a good sauna. On Sunday morning, we can
have a beautiful view of the sunrise,
have a massage, a walk or kayak. All these
activities wait for you. After lunch we
go back to Xela.
Leave: Friday
afternoon or Saturday morning.
Return: Sunday
evening.
Places to visit:
Lake Atitlán, Panajachel, Santiago Atitlán,
San Pedro and San Marcos.
What to bring/wear:
Good shoes, sandals, swimsuit, and clothing
for warm and cold weather, rain or wind
jacket, repellent, camera and sun glasses.
TRIP
TO COPÁN
The town of Copán Ruinas
is a beautiful little village paved in
cobblestone and lined with white adove
buildings with red-tile roofs... An aura
of timeless harmony permeates the air.
Copán Ruinas
is a tranquil oasis of ancient culture
and sublime nature nestled in the foothills
of western Honduras, just 7 miles from
the Guatemala border. For years, Copán
has been renowned for its magnificent
Maya Ruins and a designated World Heritage
Site. Believed by archeologists to be
the cultural center, the Paris, of the
Maya world.
The Pre-Columbian city now known as Copán
is a locale in extreme western Honduras,
in the Copán
Department, near to the Guatemalan border.
It is the site of a major Maya kingdom
of the Classic era.
The kingdom, anciently named Xukpi (Corner-Bundle),
flourished from the 5th century AD to
the early 9th century, with antecedents
going back to at least the 2nd century
AD. Its name is an apparent reference
to the fact that it was situated at the
far southern and eastern end of Maya territory.
The nearby modern village of Copán
Ruinas itself may have anciently been
known as Oxwitik.
The site in Copan
is perhaps best known for producing a
remarkable series of portrait stelae,
most of which were placed along processional
ways in the central plaza of the city
and the adjoining "acropolis"
(a large complex of overlapping step-pyramids,
plazas, and palaces). The stelae and sculptured
decorations of the buildings of Copán
are some of the very finest surviving
art of ancient Mesoamerica.
Many structures are elaborately decorated
with stone sculptures, usually constructed
from a mosaic of carved stones of a size
that one person could carry.
The site also has a large court for playing
the Mesoamerican ballgame.
Itinerary: Leave for Cobán
in Honduras early Friday morning. The
bus ride takes about 9 hours. We get our
hotel by lunch time. The activity in the
afternoon is horseback riding, through
a couple of indigenous villages located
in the mountains close to the border between
Guatemala and Honduras.
On Saturday morning we go to the Ruins
of Copán, we spend several hours with
a professional guide of the National Park
Copán, besides we go to the interesting
museum of Copán,
where it is possible to spend easily a
couple of hours. The afternoon is free
to explore the charming town of Copán.
Leave: Friday
Morning.
Return: Sunday
evening.
Places to visit:
Copán Ruins and the small town of Copán.
What to bring/wear:
Good shoes, sandals, swimsuit, and clothing
for warm weather, rain or wind jacket,
repellent, camera and sun glasses
BESIDES
TIKAL, WE OFFER TRIPS TO THE FOLLOWING
MAYA ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
Yaxhá “Green Water”
It is an old Mayan City surrounded by
the jungle and by two lagoons linked between
each other by a narrow piece of land.
From the highest pyramid (temple 216)
the view is magnificent: the jungle all
around and in the background the lagoon
with its two islands. It was a ceremonial
center in Classic time: 500 structures
and 9 acropolis remain. Stelas are beautiful.
Uaxactún “Eight Stones”
It is one of the most important sites
in Guatemala from Classic Period, IV to
IX century A.D. It is also the most important
astronomical center among the Mayan sites.
Ceibal.
It takes its name from the big Ceiba trees,
sacred trees growing all over the area.
The site’s extension is 17 square kilometers.
Quite interesting are the 31 sculpted
stelas out of limestone from late Classic
period.
Aguateca.
It’s one of the most spectacular Mayan
site, especially by its topography and
by a deep crevice of tectonic origin which
separates in two parts the hill where
are located the ruins. The natural crevice
was used by the inhabitants of Aguateca
as a defense system against the enemy.
After a boat ride which lasts about two
hours, one can reach a limestone hill
and then the landscape is spectacular.
Quiriguá.
It is located in a very green and fertile
valley of the river Motagua surrounded
by a lush tropical vegetation. The stelas
in Quiriguá are unique by their sizes
and their details.
WE
OFFER TOURS TO SOME OTHER MAYAN SITES
LOCATED IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS BESIDES PETÉN
Mixco Viejo.
The city, located in a vast spectacular
valley, had noble palaces and ceremonial
centers. The Spanish conquistadores occupied
the city in 1525. The fighting lasted
three months and finally the city was
destroyed.
Iximché.
Capital of the ancient lordship Maya Kaqchikel,
it was founded as the first capital of
the Kingdom of Guatemala around 1470 AD.
The site is fortified by deep natural
ditches and there were ceremonial centers,
ball games and palaces for the priests.
Zaculeu.
Archeological site of the indigenous Mam,
located 4 kilometers from Huehuetenango.
It was restored in 1946-47 but in a poor
form. From the top of the pyramid there
is a beautiful view on Huehuetenango and
the Cuchumatanes mountains.
WE
ALSO OFFER TRIPS TO THESE MAYAN SITES:
-Roatán and Utila Honduras.
-Cancun, México.
¬-San Cristobal, México.
And all México, Central América, South
America and the rest of the world.
We are willing to organize group trips
all these places. Contact us to get your
plan and itinerary for your group or for
any information you may require. We organize
group trips in Quetzaltenango, if you
are traveling alone you can come to our
office and get a spot in one of our wonderful
trips.
