Day 1
Saturday
Day flight to Guatemala City. Upon arrival you will be greeted for airport reception and transferred to Antigua for an evening at leisure at your selected hotel.
Day 2
Sunday
This morning you will be met at your hotel for your half day, private walking tour of Antigua. The tour today will cover the architectural & historical highlights of this beautiful, colonial city. The tour includes visits to some of the many old churches, convents, and cathedrals including the Iglesia San Francisco, the Cathedral, Central Park, and La Merced Church.
Note: Because this tour is private, there is flexibility available. If you have specific sites that you wish to see, please notify your guide. Visiting other monuments will require an entrance fee paid upon arrival.
Day 3
Monday
Rising early this morning you will be met at your hotel at 6am and transferred to the area of Cerro Alux or Rincon Suizo just outside Antigua for your private bird watching tour. With your expert bird guide this morning you will be able to see species including the Rufous-collared robin, blue & white mockingbird, crescent-chested warbler, black-capped swallow and the blue-throated motmot.
This afternoon you will transfer one hour outside of Antigua to the famous Maya archaeology site of Iximche, declared a Guatemalan National Monument in the 1960s.
After your tour of the ruins, enjoy a traditional lunch at a local restaurant before continuing on to Lake Atitlan, about one hour and 30 minutes away. Tonight enjoy an evening at leisure at your hotel in Lake Atitlan.
Day 4
Tuesday
This morning you will be greeted at your hotel for a 30 minute transfer to the traditional town of Solola. Here you will visit the local market that thrives with activity as the local Mayans come from all around to purchase and sell their wares. Enjoy the sights surrounding you including the brightly colored local textiles and the traditional garments worn by the locals. This market will provide a wonderful and authentic experience giving you an insight into the life of the locals in the Solola district of Guatemala. There will be time to explore and purchase local handicrafts before returning to the hotel for an afternoon at leisure.
Day 5
Wednesday
Enjoy a full day tour hiking along the shores of the beautiful Lake Atitlan. During your trek you will walk through local villages passing by people working in the fields, washing clothes and fishing from wooden boats. After lunch, enjoy a visit to the village San Juan or Santiago before returning to your hotel for an evening at leisure.
Day 6
Thursday
This morning you will be greeted at your hotel and transferred privately to the highland town of Chichicastenango one hour outside of Lake Atitlan. Once in Chichicastenango you will be guided through the local, famous market that includes produce and an endless variety of handicrafts including textiles and ceramics. After lunch, you will transfer to Antigua for an evening at leisure.
Day 7
Friday
Early this morning you will be transferred privately to the airport in Guatemala City for your domestic flight to Flores in the northern rainforest. Upon arrival you will be greeted for airport reception and transferred one hour into the rainforest of Tikal National Park with your archaeology guide. Once at the park, enjoy a privately guided tour of this famous site where the ancient Maya Temples rise high above the rainforest canopy. Here keep your eyes open for the wide variety of tropical flora and fauna, including several species of birds. This afternoon, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant within the park before returning to Flores for an evening at leisure.
Day 8
Saturday
Enjoy a morning at your leisure in Flores. This afternoon transfer to the local airport for your flight to Guatemala City and connect with your international flight home.
Monastery in Antigua
Volcanoes in Xela
Local Textiles
