Guatemala City / Chichicastenango / Panajachel - Lake Atitlán / Antigua / Tikal

This is a 9 day program for individual travelers. (Minimum Group: 2 persons)

This program is operated utilizing unescorted tourist transportation (mini-vans and boats) shared with other tourists. A bilingual guide will be provided only for specified tours. Mini-van drivers are helpful, but their knowledge or English is limited. For groups of 6 persons or more, transportation will be exclusive. It is possible to hire a guide for the whole trip (or part of it), at an additional cost. Optional activities for free days are not included in the price of the tour. Tips to bellboys, maids, waitresses, drivers, guides, etc. are not included.

Saturday: Guatemala City
The country's Capital City, has a population of almost 3 million. There is a variety of buildings, from colonial style (mostly churches) to modern. We advise to visit the National Palace (now a museum), the other museums, the relief map, the National Theater and antique churches like the Cathedral, la Merced, Capuchinas, etc.
INCLUDES:
• Welcome at the Airport
• 1/2 day City Tour visiting the museums, at 14:00 hrs.
• Transfers
• Hotel "Casa Santa Clara" (dble. room)
OPTIONS:
Full Day City Tour, visiting the museums, the relief map, the National Palace, the Cathedral and the Central Plaza. DAY:

Sunday: Chichicastenango
This town is famous for its handicraft market that is held on Thursdays and Sundays. The biggest one in Guatemala. Also you may appreciate the mixture of ancient Mayan and Catholic religion that the Native Americans practice there.
INCLUDES:
• Complete breakfast, at the hotel
• Transfer from Guatemala to Chichicastenango and then to Panajachel, in tourism mini-van (collective).
• Local Guide at Chichicastenango
• Hotel "Posada de Don Rodrigo" in Panajachel (dble. room)

Monday: Panajachel / Lake Atitlán
It is a beautiful lake, it formed in the crater of a huge volcano that exploded millions of years ago. It is surrounded by mountains and volcanoes. Panajachel is one of the towns at its banks, it is the more accessible one. The other towns are more traditional. At Santiago you may visit the pagan god "Maximón".
INCLUDES:
• Complete breakfast, at the hotel
• Boat tour of the lake (collective), includes a visit to San Pedro La Laguna and Santiago Atitlán.
• Hotel "Posada de Don Rodrigo" in Panajachel (dble. room)

Tuesday: Panajachel
(Free Day)
INCLUDES:
• Complete breakfast, at the hotel
• Transfer from Pana/Antigua, at 16:00 hrs.
• Hotel "Posada de Don Rodrigo" in Antigua (dbl)
OPTIONS:
• Visit the Butterfly Farm and natural reserve, Horseback ridding at volcano San Pedro,
• Mountain Bike tour,
• Catamaran Sail Boat ride.

Wednesday: Antigua
Originally named "Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala", Antigua was the Capital of Central America (from Chiapas to Costa Rica) in colonial times. When abandoned to found the new Capital (today's Guatemala City, in 1776) it stayed "frozen in time". It has abundant churches, public buildings and private houses, all built before that date; many in ruins, many that have been restored. Due to its beauty and state of conservation UNESCO has declared it "Cultural Heritage of Mankind".
INCLUDES:
• Complete breakfast, at the hotel
• 1/2 day "Walking Tour" of Antigua at 9:00 hrs.
• Hotel "Posada de Don Rodrigo" in Antigua (dble. room)

Thursday: Antigua
(Free Day)
INCLUDES:
• Complete breakfast, at the hotel
• Transfer from Antigua to Guate. City, at 18:00 hrs.
• Hotel "Casa Santa Clara" (dble. room)
OPTIONS:
• 1 Day Rafting, (río Coyolate or rio Nahualate)
• Climb volcano Pacaya or Agua
• Mountain Bike Trip
• Visit the Butterfly farm, or Coffee, Cardamom, and other plantations.

Friday and Saturday: Tikal
The most impressive Mayan city that has been discovered, Tikal contains more than 4,000 structures in 16 km2. Tikal's earliest buildings date from the mid pre classic period (800 B.C.), and it was inhabited until the late classic (900 A.D.). The Lost World or "Plaza de la Gran Pirámide", is the oldest part of Tikal, you may notice a different style than the rest of the temples. The Central Plaza is the most impressive group of buildings, there we find temples 1 and 2 or "El Gran Jaguar" and "De las Máscaras", the North Acropolis and the Central Acropolis. Visitors are aloud to climb up to the base of the crest ornament of temple IV or "De la Serpiente Bicéfala", 65 m. high, there is an impressive view of the site and the jungle from there.
INCLUDES:
• Transfer from hotel to airport
• Continental breakfast, on the plane
• Flight from Guate. City to Flores
• Transfer from airport to Tikal, in tourism mini-van, collective.
• Entrance fee to the park, guided tour of the main areas of Tikal, and the museums
• Lunch
• Dinner
• Hotel "Tikal Inn" in Tikal (dble. room)

Saturday: Tikal
INCLUDES:
• Nature tour at dawn (for fauna observation)
• Complete breakfast, at the hotel
• Free day at Tikal
• Lunch at the hotel
• 2 pm Transfer from Tikal to the airport
• Flight from Flores to Ciudad de Guatemala
• Transfer from airport to hotel
• Hotel Casa Santa Clara (dble. room)

Sunday: End of the Tour
INCLUDES:
• Complete breakfast, at the hotel
• Transfer from hotel to the airport