GUATEMALAN HIGHLANDS

Witness through your eyes why Guatemala is referred as the "Land of the Eternal Spring". Throughout this tour, you will visit the indigenous communities, and contemplate innumerable terraces, ridges and landscapes.

DAY 1

Guatemala – Antigua

Airport Pick up. Transfer from Airport in Guatemala City to Antigua Guatemala, town known for its beauty and tranquility, declared in 1979 as a world heritage site by UNESCO.
We will spend the overnight in Antigua.

DAY 2

Antigua

After a nice breakfast at your hotel, we invite you to enjoy a walking tour around Antigua. This Spanish style town is famous for the unique architecture that was inherited from the colonial years. Government buildings, churches, convents and houses had stood the test of time, and give us their history narrated by one of our local guides. For over 232 years this town was the center of the Americas, where the first university on this side of the world was founded .

There will be leisure time in the afternoon and will spend the overnight in Antigua.

DAY 3

Antigua – Chichicastenango - Quetzaltenango

Early in the morning after breakfast you will be transported to Chichicastenango. This day you will get the experience of going to a place that hasn't lost its essence through the years: a unique and colorful market is waiting for you. This is a place where you can put your bargaining skills to the test. The market is held only on Thursdays and Sundays, and people from the surrounding towns gather on the central plaza of Chichicastenango, located between the town's two main churches. This plaza is full o color, flowers, handicrafts, wood work, textiles, and souvenirs unique in their design, but you also find people praying to their ancestors doing rituals inside the church, with their ceremonial suits. Chichicastenango is also famous because it is the place where the Popol Vuh, the Mayan religious book that recounts the origin of mankind, was found. In the afternoon you will be taken towards Quetzaltenango, the second largest city in Guatemala, also known as Xelajú or Xela.
Overnight in Quetzaltenango.

DAY 4

Quetzaltenango

Around the pre-Hispanic times, Quetzaltenango was a Quiché town called Xelajú, meaning “under the ten hills”. Quetzaltenango is a Nahuatl word that means place of the Quetzales (our national bird). Spanish chronicles narrate that the conquistador of Guatemala informed that during the death of the Quiché prince Tecún Umán, he was covered with thick green apparel made out of feathers of a bird called Quetzal, so in honor of his death, this place was named Quetzaltenango. This day we will visit surrounding indigenous towns of interest. But we will start with showing you how blown glass is made here in Quetzaltenango. The glass factory is famous for their unique designs in a light blue color. Later we visit the towns of Zunil and Almolonga, both towns of interest: the first one for their colorful costumes and the other is known to be the largest agriculture field in Guatemala. And last but not least, we will go to a natural spa for your relaxation; this natural spa is called Fuentes Georginas and consists of a natural thermal water pool.
After this, we will spend the overnight in Quetzaltenango.

DAY 5

Quetzaltenango - Panajachel (Lago Atitlán)

We will have leisure time during the morning; in the afternoon we will transfer to Lake Atitlán and spend the overnight in Panajachel.

DAY 6

Panajachel - Guatemala

This lake is often called “The most wonderful lake in the world”. A massive explosion on the crater of an old volcano caused the origins of this lake, and with time three volcanoes grew around it: Tolimán, Atitlán and San Pedro, creating this magnificent view. An immense hole was left in the earth's crust, making Atitlán one of the world's deepest lakes. The tour today will consist of a boat tour visiting 3 main towns: San Pedro la Laguna, Santiago Atitlán and San Antonio Palopó. Later in the afternoon we return to Panajachel to then drive back to Guatemala City and spend the overnight there.

DAY 7

Departing Guatemala

If your flight is in the morning, you will need to be at the airport 2 hours and a half before the departure of your flight. If your flight is in the afternoon, you can explore Guatemala City with an optional tour, and be transported to the airport 2 hours and a half before the departure of your flight.