Antigua, Lake Atitlan, Chichi, Mayan ruins circuit including Copan, Quirigua, Aguateca, Ceibal, Tikal & Yaxha
12 days / 11 nights
From $3,175 per person, double occupancy for 2009

Day 1 (Sunday or Tuesday): Guatemala City – Antigua
Welcome to Guatemala! Upon exiting customs and immigration you will be met outside the baggage terminal. Set out on a private transfer (approximately 45 minutes) to your Antigua hotel. Overnight at an Antigua hotel, breakfast included – 2 nights.

Day 2: Antigua Architecture & History Tour
You will be met at your hotel reception this morning by your private guide for a half-day walking tour of Antigua. Your tour will cover the architectural and historical highlights of this colonial city, with a behind-the-scenes look at some of the many ruined churches, convents, and cathedrals. Entrance fees are included to the Iglesia San Francisco, the Cathedral, Central Park, and La Merced Church. This tour is flexible and if you have specific sights that you wish to see please notify your guide. If you wish to visit other monuments you will need to pay the entrances directly. At the end of the tour your guide can either accompany you back to your hotel or take you to a drop off point of your choosing. Strolling the streets you'll see that Antigua has kept its original character by preserving its monuments and retaining its original architectural forms. As a consequence, Antigua was declared a Patrimony of Humanity by UNESCO in 1979. Afternoon at leisure. (B)

Day 3: Antigua – Lake Atitlan
Morning hotel pick up and transfer to the small town of Panajachel located on the shores of Lake Atitlan (2 to 2 1/2 hours). Lake Atitlan was formed thousands of years ago when several large volcanoes collapsed resulting in the very deep rocky lake. During the days directly following Spanish colonialism several small villages began to emerge along the lakes edge. Due to the vast distances across the lake and the rugged terrain the native people in each village had very little or no contact with each other. The result today is that each village has its own unique textiles, crafts, and traditions. When English novelist Aldus Huxley visited Guatemala, he referred to Lake Atitlan as "The most beautiful lake in the world," and this same phrase is often heard by the American and European visitors that constantly travel through the narrow winding road that leads to Lake Atitlan. The glorious Lake Atitlan is volcanic in origin and is surrounded by three impressive volcanoes. Its surface is about 5000 feet above sea level although this figure varies from year to year as the lake rises and falls. It is 12 miles long and between 4.4 and 7.5 miles wide. Once at the lake, you will take a scenic 30-minute boat ride across Lake Atitlan to the village of Santiago where you will have lunch at a local hotel. Afterward, you will walk with your guide to find the house where the Maya God Maximon is living. Each year a different "brotherhood" has the privilege of taking care of their God so his location changes. Once with Maximon you may see local shaman performing rituals for local people and if you wish you can ask your guide to help you hire the services of a shaman for a personal ceremony performed. After visiting Maximon you can visit the local church and learn about the history of this very traditional town and also see the market and learn about the distinctive textiles and primitive art that is famous from this area. You will learn about the textiles, spiritualism and beliefs of the T’zutujil Maya. Overnight at a Lake Atitlan hotel, breakfast included. (B,L)

Day 4: Lake Atitlan – Chichi Market – Guatemala City
You will be met at your hotel by your private driver and guide for the 1-hour transfer to the highland town of Chichicastenango. Along the way you will pass through the central highland region and see the local Maya people in their traditional dress going about their daily lives - working in the fields, collecting firewood, traveling between markets, selling their wares. Full of narrow, cobbled streets and red-tiled roofs, Chichicastenango is home to Central America's largest open-air market. You'll feel as though you're a part of real Guatemalan life as you bargain with Maya traders from all over the region selling their textiles, handicrafts, and other products at this market which encircles the Santo Tomas Church, built around 1540. Lunch is included and will be served at the Hotel Santo Tomas. Upon arrival in Chichicastenango your guide will take you to explore this famous market (market days – Thursdays and Sundays). Market areas include fruits, vegetables and everyday items as well as the craft area where you can find endless variety of beautiful textile, wooden and ceramic crafts. You will also visit the famous Santo Tomas Church where local Maya people come to perform Maya rituals within the Catholic Church - demonstrating the interesting way the two faiths have combined in recent times. You may also opt to hike up the hill to the Pascaul Abaj ritual site to see if local shamans are performing rituals and/or to the cemetery on the outskirts of town. When ready you will be transferred to Guatemala City. Overnight at a Guatemala City hotel, breakfast included. (B,L)

Day 5: Copan (Honduras)
Transfer overland* (approx. 5 hours) across Guatemala towards the border with Honduras. Just across the border you are in the pretty colonial village of Copan Ruinas. Free afternoon to relax or explore this pretty colonial town on your own. Overnight at a Copan hotel, breakfast included – 2 nights. (B) *Upgrade with a private 40-minuite charter flight **Upgrade with a dinner and presentation at the home of archaeologist David Sedat

Day 6: Copan and Bird Park
Your guide will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to the Maya Site of Copan. Enjoy a private guided tour of Copan Ruins site with its famous hieroglyphic staircase, ball court and tunnels. Lunch is at the tropical bird park where you can also enjoy a visit of this beautiful facility that cares for rescued tropical birds and works to educate people about conservation. Add dinner at Hacienda San Lucas (not included in trip cost). (B,L)

Day 7: Quirigua (Unguided*)
Transfer back into Guatemala to visit the UNESCO protected site of Quirigua in the humid Motagua River Valley. Enjoy the beautifully carved stelea of this small but fascinating site situated amongst banana plantations. Then transfer on to Guatemala City. Overnight at a Guatemala City hotel, breakfast included. (B,L) *A private bilingual guided can be arranged (not included in trip cost).

Day 8: Ceibal Site & Petexbatun Lake
Hotel pickup and transfer to the airport for an early morning 30-minute flight to Flores. Airport reception and transfer to Sayaxche (1.5hr). You will board a local boat for a picturesque river journey down the Rio La Pasion to the site at Ceibal. After a pretty steep climb up through a Ceiba tree forest to the site, your guide will provide you with the latest findings and conclusions about this site which contains some of the most ornate and well-preserved carved stelae. When you are ready continue by river to your rainforest lodge on the shores of Lake Petexbatun – the Chiminos Lodge. (B,L,D)

Day 9: Aguateca, Flores
After breakfast, transfer with your guide by boat to the lesser visited yet unique site at Aguateca. This site is unusual in that it contains the only known bridge formed in Maya civilization and is surrounded by a natural moat fortification formed by a fault line. You can explore the natural fault as well as a small selection of restored monuments and some intricate carvings. Lunch at the lodge. After lunch transfer back to Flores by boat and car. Overnight at a Tikal area hotel, breakfast included – 2 nights. (B)

Day 10: Yaxha Sunset tour
Day at leisure. You may opt for a morning Canopy Tour. This afternoon you will be met at your hotel and transferred with guide and driver to Yaxha, a seldom-visited Mayan city. Yaxha is the third largest Mayan site in Guatemala, and has only just been extensively investigated; though little has yet been restored. The view from the top of Temple 216 over the jungle lagoon is inspiring. Sunset drinks are then enjoyed at the end of the tour on top of the main temple with views over the surrounding rainforest and nearby lake Yaxha. You will then trek back through the jungle with torches as it starts to turn dark - perhaps spotting some nocturnal wildlife along the way - and return to your hotel. (B)

Day 11: Tikal – Guatemala City
This morning you will be picked up at your hotel and transferred to Tikal National Park for a privately guided tour. You will explore the amazing UNESCO protected Mayan Temple site of Tikal where huge Mayan temples rise above the jungle canopy and monkeys and tropical birds are abundant in the surrounding rainforest. Tikal is the grandest of all Mayan Ruins, and the stunning beauty of this tropical paradise will leave you breathless. Along with your private guide you will tour the ruins. Lunch is included (you may upgrade to a luxury picnic lunch).Climb to the top of the "Temple of the Jaguar" rising above the jungle to overlook the many temples and main plaza to imagine yourself in the hey-day of this thriving ancient city. Your guide will give you an excellent overview of the discoveries made here, an insight into the Mayan way of life, and the historical significance of the ruin. You will also encounter many species of birds and the rich flora of tropical hardwoods like mahogany and teak, along with countless ornamentals and edibles flourishing here. After lunch you will have time to relax and refresh before transferring to the Flores Airport for your flight to Guatemala City. Airport reception and transfer to your hotel. (B)

Day 12: Int’l departure
Hotel pickup and transfer to the airport. (B)