Mayan Mysteries Tour of Guatemala

This journey for the mind, body and spirit will allow you to explore natural wonders, rain forests and jungles filled with indigenous wildlife and striking birdlife.  Explore the many pyramids and temples of the impressive ancient site of Tikal, once capital of the Mayan empire.  Spend time with a local shaman for ceremony. There will be time to wander the cobblestone streets of colonial Antigua, one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in the Americas.  Marvel at the volcanoes, which surround the azure waters of Lake Atitlan, considered one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.

Several small native villages surround the lake and we will visit some of them to learn about their culture and spiritual beliefs. Meet the local deity “Maximon” who likes to smoke and drink….more to this story! No visit to Guatemala would be complete without some shopping time at the famous market at Chicastenango, a perfect ending to a truly remarkable journey through Guatemala.                                                         

November is a magical time of year to visit Guatemala. Marking the end of the rainy season, the weather is warm and dry, the countryside is lush with wildflowers carpeting the hills, and there are fewer tourists than during the high season.  The temperature is around 80 degrees, and less humid than other times of the year.

In Guatemala, the coffee is fantastic, some say the BEST they have ever had anywhere.  Music fills the streets.  The song Luna de Xelaju is embedded in the Guatemalan’s heart + soul.  Listen to it performed, with Gaby Moreno and Oscar Isaac on the Jimmy Fallon show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61GP8qOsML8  Just like this gorgeous music, the Guatemalans are a warm welcoming people…it’s a place that captures your heart.  I hope you can join me!  It’s a 5 hr flight and just 1 hour behind us.

USA-GUATEMALA CITY

Depart USA for Guatemala City. Reception upon arrival and transfer to Westin Camino Real Hotel.

ZUNIL-ATITLAN (B,L, D)

Morning departure with our private guide for the picturesque town of Zunil to visit its native market and the beautiful Almolonga Valley. On the way we will stop at Iximche, a sacred site during Mayan times. Here our guide will introduce us to the spiritual world of the Mayas. In the afternoon, continue to Lake Atitlan. 

Overnight at Hotel Atitlan

ATITLAN-CHICHICASTENANGO (B,L)  

We’ll take the scenic mountain road to Chichicastenango to participate in the market which is held only twice a week. The town is a blend of Spanish colonial and Mayan Indian and is known for its world-famous market where thousands gather every Sunday. The native Mayans bring an amazing variety of native handicrafts, produce and livestock to sell. View the Santo Tomas Church, built over a prehistoric archaeological sacred site. Here pagan ceremonies are still performed on the steps while Catholic services go on inside. The Mayan Quiche still observe unique religious and spiritual customs and experience the energy of their nine sacred sites at this place. Return to Atitlan.

Overnight at Porta Hotel Del Lago, located on the shores of Lake Atitlan and a conducive place for meditation.

ATITLAN LAKE BOAT RIDE (B,L)    

Morning motor-launch trip on Lake Atitlan to visit some of the local villages. This shimmering volcanic lake surrounded by forested slopes and three distinctive volcanoes has been hailed by some as the most beautiful lake in the world. Not only is Lake Atitlán scenically spectacular, the lake and hillside settlements are also rich in Mayan culture. Some of these villages are the only ones in the country where traditional costume is still worn, each village sporting its own distinctive style and color of densely embroidered dress. The people are also famous for their artisan crafts, and textiles are admired for their design and color, distinguishing one village from the other. Sufficient time to wander around the village and for meditation on the shore of the lake.   

Overnight Hotel Atitlan.

ATITLAN-SOLOLA-ANTIGUA (B,L) 

In the morning, depart for Solola to visit one of the major market centers. The market is filled with indigenous people with very colorful and distinctive dresses who have come from all over the area to sell and buy produce. In the afternoon, our tour will continue to Panajachel to visit “Mochimon”, an ancient deity of the Quiche people. Then, visit the Shamanic cave believed by the Mayas to be the navel of the world.

In the afternoon, continue to the colonial city of Antigua.

Overnight at the Hotel Casa Santo Domingo or Porta Hotel Antigua

ANTIGUA (B,L) 

Morning guided tour of Antigua. No other town has the appeal and charm of the world renowned Spanish Colonial city of Antigua. From its colonial architecture to its beautiful surroundings, this town is considered one of the most beautiful in Central America. It is like stepping back into time over 300 years ago. Founded in 1543, Antigua was one of the 3 most important Spanish colonies in the Americas, ruling over what are now Southern Mexico and all of Central America. More than 30 Monastic orders called Antigua home and built stunning monasteries, convents and cathedrals in the town; our guide will take us to some of the most stunning. The local markets, quiet courtyards with ornate gardens and the sights and sounds of colonial Spain permeate the atmosphere. We will also stop at San Antonio to observe how they weave their beautiful textiles and to learn how the textiles represent their daily lives and beliefs. Of course, we can buy them as well!

Overnight in Antigua.

ANTIGUA-TIKAL (B,L) 

Early morning transfer to the airport for our flight to Flores. Let the raucous calls of the macaw and howler monkey transport you back to a time of kings and many gods. Discover a lost world once inhabited by the ancient Maya more than two thousand years ago, a world that has slumbered remarkably intact under a mantle of thick vegetation for nine centuries. Tikal, whose temples push through the tree canopy, is wrapped in a mystical shroud, where battles and burials are recorded in intricately carved stone; where jade carvings resemble the filigree work of fine jewelry and the ceramics and textiles capture the color of the lush vegetation around them. The Maya created one of the most refined civilizations in the history of the world and Tikal is the legacy to this civilization, now declared by UNESCO as a Natural and Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Overnight at the Jungle Lodge.

TIKAL-GUATEMALA (B,D)  

We will have most of the day to explore the mystical site of Tikal. Tikal is located in the jungle so howler monkeys are everywhere and we’ll surely get to see some of the cute coatimundi that are often roaming around. We will spend some time with a local shaman at Tikal for ceremony and to learn more about this spectacular ancient sacred site of the Maya. Afternoon flight to Guatemala City.

Group Farewell Dinner – somewhere special!!

Overnight Westin Camino Real Hotel.

Depart Guatemala City for our return flight to the USA. Welcome home from a magical and mystical adventure exploring the mysteries of the Maya. We will bring home a new awareness of a different culture, but yet a connection with the “oneness” of all peoples. Along with that, we will have new friendships and memories with like-minded kindred spirits!