Guatemala

Journey through the Mayan Realms: Ancient & Modern

HIGHLIGHTS

Beginning in Guatemala City, this escorted tour will take you to Antigua, Lake Atitlan, Chichicastenago, Copan, Livingston, Tikal and Uaxactun. You will be introduced to modern day Mayans and you will explore ancient Mayan sites.

Semana Santa (Holy week) in Guatemala - 10 days

HIGHLIGHTS

During Holy Week, Antigua, Guatemala hosts the most beautiful religious celebration in the Americas, when huge processions wind their way through the town’s streets.  Actually, the celebration begins on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, and reaches its climax on Good Friday, when Antigua streets are thronged with processions and reverent spectators.  The processions consist of big floats, or 'andas', bearing statues of Christ with a cross, that are carried by hundreds of purple-robed men.  A float with the Virgin Mary follows by women dressed in black clothing.

 

Highlights of Guatemala - 8 days, Belize Extension - 4 days

Highlights

Guatemala is a small exotic country in Central America located just below south-west Mexico and also bordering Belize, Honduras and El Salvador.  It is made up of 22 different departments (states) with a diverse geography including 33 volcanoes, highland areas, cloud forest, rainforest and even desert.  The country offers visitors a unique cultural experience as well as access to some stunning scenery and the world’s most important Maya archaeology sites.  

Casa Encantada

 

 

The Concept

Casa Encantada, a luxurious hotel in the 16th century Spanish Colonial City of Antigua Guatemala, defines elegant, understated hospitality with the utmost in personal service and a staff conversant in Spanish, French and English.  This small boutique hotel offers all of the conveniences required by the international traveler with nine individually decorated guest rooms and a magnificent rooftop suite and terrace with a bar and breakfast dining.

Guatemala Gastronomía - 6 Days

HIGHLIGHTS

One doesn't think of Guatemala when one considers culinary adventures, but we hope to change that perception. 

Our tour visits markets, kitchens, and coffee plantations. You have a chance to see local foods including herbs, spices, roots and more. In your cooking class, you put them to good use.

We have also included visits to textile coops and markets like the famous Chichicastenego Market.

 

 

Yoga and Wellness in Guatemala - 7 Days

HIGHLIGHTS

In Guatemala, the land of eternal spring, we invite you to commune and comtemplate.

Each day includes a yoga session and healthy food, but also offers a glimpse into local life. We spend 3 nights each in Antigua,  the cultural center, and Lake Atitlan, the heart of the Guatemalan highlands.

We also visit a local women's textile coop to see the backstrap method, the natural dye process, and the symbolism of the articles they weave, so much a part of the lives of the local population. And we visit the famous Chichicastenango Market.

Maya Textiles Tour - 7 Days/6 nights

HIGHLIGHTS

Guatemalan folklore is possibly the most interesting and varied in the world.  One of the best expressions of this can be seen in local textiles, which incorporate more than 325 variations of styles and color schemes, each one with its own historically symbolic meaning.  Markets dot the countryside and offer a fascinating insight into the Maya Culture, and a great opportunity to see the Maya people dressed in their traditional textiles.

 

 

 

 

 

Recommended Books

Suggested Reading for destinations with our comments

My sister is a former reference librarian, so I figure she knows something about everything. When I travel I request a bibliography from her and then choose books to take on my trip. I try to mix it up with some historical fiction along with a travel guide and a field guide.   ... Jean

PANAMA

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