10 Days / 9 Nights
Luxury Journey by Private Car & Guide
Featuring: San Pedro Sula, Copán, Antigua, Lake Atitlan, Chichicastenango, Tikal & Guatemala City
Suggested Thursday arrivals in San Pedro Sula
Journey's Highlights »
- Explore the recently opened Rosalina & Jaguar underground tunnels at the Maya ruins in Copan.
- See the rescued birds at the Sanctuary in Copan
- Wander along the cobblestone streets of Colonial Antigua
- Sail across picture-perfect Lake Atitlan
- Go for a Kayak Adventure on Lake Atitlan
- Have a private Spiritual Cleansing by a local Shaman (optional)
- Find the place where the Maya God Maximón currently resides
- Wheeling and dealing at the Indian Markets in Chichicastenango
- Try your hand at climbing the tallest Pyramids in Tikal, surrounded by majestic rainforest
- Enjoy a picnic at sunset by the Yaxha Ruins
- Join a VIP Tour of the Ixchel Museum of Maya Textiles in Guatemala City, guided by the curator himself
Included in Your Journey »
Luxury Accommodations:
- 1 night at the Intercontinental, San Pedro Sula
- 1 night at Marina Copan, Copan
- 2 nights at Casa Santo Domingo, Antigua
- 3 nights at the Hotel Atitlan or Casa Palopo, Lake Atitlan
- 2 nights at the Camino Real Tikal, Flores
- All hotel taxes
Transportation, Touring & Sightseeing:
- Transfers, sightseeing and touring as provided for in the attached itinerary will be locally hosted by Private English Speaking Guides, drivers and Private Deluxe SUV or 4x4 vehicles (excluding Copan area where the vehicle type may be different)
- All entrance fees to sites mentioned in the itinerary
- Roundtrip air fare Guatemala City – Flores (Tikal) – Guatemala City with TACA Airlines
Fine Dining:
- Daily breakfast at the hotel, plus all other meals as indicated in the itinerary (b= breakfast, l = lunch, d = dinner)
Itinerary
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Thursday – Day 1 - Arrival in San Pedro Sula
Welcome to San Pedro Sula, Honduras
More details »Welcome to San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Upon arrival you will be met by the local “Spiced Destinations’’ representative, who will escort you to your hotel.
Friday – Day 2 - San Pedro Sula / Copán
Transfer to Copán, Archaeological Park of Copán, lunch, museum.
More details »Morning: Transfer to Copan. En route, learn about the Maya trade routes, their social and political organization, and consider some theories on their mysterious demise. In the afternoon, visit the legendary Archaeological Park of Copán. Lunch will be at a local restaurant. Then visit the museum, with its perfect reconstruction of the buried pyramid, as well as the two archaeological tunnels recently opened to the public. After the tour, return to colonial Copan to spend the night. (b,l)
Saturday – Day 3 - Copán / Antigua, Guatemala
There will be a traditional breakfast. Visit to the Copan Bird Park, where you can see and interact with a variety of exotic birds on a shady walk through the lush Tropical Forest. Lunch is included at this charming location. We then depart on our journey across the border into Guatemala to visit Antigua, Guatemala’s original capital, declared a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO in 1979. Evening spent at your leisure in Antigua (b,l)
Sunday – Day 4 - Antigua: Secrets of Colonial Times
Morning: Enjoy a guided walking tour of this charming city. Cobblestone streets attest to the grandeur that was 16th- and 17th-century Guatemala. Visit the Palace of the Captain General, the main square, churches, monasteries and other important sites. In the afternoon, time off for further exploration on your own, or shopping at authentic galleries, studios and artisan shops. (b)
Monday - Day 5 - Antigua / Lake Atitlan
Morning at leisure.
Afternoon: Departure by private chauffeur-driven car to Lake Atitlan. Located in the giant caldera of an extinct volcano and rimmed by other volcanoes, this majestic wonder is considered to be one of the world’s most beautiful lakes. Its shores are home to several small Indian communities and villages offering rich cultural treasures to be explored (b)Tuesday - Day 6 - Lake Atitlan: In search for Maximón, the Mayan God
Morning: Transfer to San Juan La Laguna Village to visit a local textile cooperative where the “backstrap loom” is still in use. Then sail to the picturesque Village of Santiago.
After lunch: Search with your guide for the temporary residence of the Maya God Maximón. Once found, you may see a local shaman performing rituals for the village people. Then visit the town church and learn about the history of this very traditional town. Wrap up your day with a stroll through the market and return to your hotel for a good night’s rest. (b,l )Wednesday - Day 7 - Kayaking on Lake Atitlan
Morning: Transfer by boat to the Cerro de Oro, where an adventure guide awaits you for a spectacular kayaking tour of Lake Atitlan. Travel back in time as you paddle past local Maya people working in the fields, washing clothes and fishing from their unique wooden boats.
Trek though the interesting village located right at the base of Cerro de Oro. Then ascend to the top of the mountain where a picnic lunch awaits.
Return to your hotel. (b,l)Thursday - Day 8 - Lake Atitlan / Chichicastenango / Guatemala City / Flores (Tikal)
Morning: Departure for Chichicastenango. Market days at Chichicastenango are considered among the most colorful in Central America. Try some bargaining at the market, and then visit the church of Santo Tomas, where ancient Maya rituals are still practiced. Transfer to Guatemala City Airport for a short flight to Flores, an island town in Lake Peten Itza, surrounded by primeval rainforest. Arrival and transfer to your hotel (b,l)
Friday - Day 9 - Tikal & Yaxha Mayan Ruins
Morning: Visit to Tikal. Recently voted as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, it is one of the most spectacular examples of Maya Pyramids and temples and offers a peek into the glorious past of a long-gone civilization. Luxury picnic lunch is included.
At dusk, a drive to the Lake Shore to see the less traveled Yaxha Ruins and enjoy an unforgettable sunset from atop a Maya Pyramid. (b,l)Saturday – Day 10 - Flores / Guatemala City / Depart Guatemala
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Guatemala City. On arrival, you will be met by your local guide for a brief city tour. The curator of the Ixchel Museum of Maya Textiles will be your private host for the specially arranged “Behind the Scenes” Tour.
Lunch at a local restaurant.
Return to the airport for your flight home. (b,l)