COMPLETE GUATEMALAN EXPEDITION

Guatemala offers more cultural and historical attractions than any other country in Central America. With a wide variety of natural beauty and a thriving Mayan culture, the country is perfect for connecting with nature and immersing in local culture. Landscapes range from active volcanos and mountains to gorgeous beaches and coastal towns, big cities and tiny villages, and the lush rain forest and ancient Mayan ruins. Guatemala is physically stunning, with spectacular sights of natural beauty scattered all over the place. Join us on this Complete Guatemalan Expedition to see what the country offers.

 

Local Guatemalan Women

 

Antigua

Antigua is easy to walk around, filled with history, great food, and friendly people. It's surrounded by active and dormant volcanos, excellent trails, and dozens of lookout points where you'll witness surreal sunrises and sunsets. The mountains, the cobblestone streets, historic buildings, and coffee shops will charm you right from the start. Antigua is a World Heritage Site with a rich history dating back to the 1500s. Some samples of Renaissance and baroque architecture are amazingly well preserved throughout Antigua.  

 

Antigua

Iximche

 

The Mayan site of Iximché was originally used as a Kaqchikel capital during the fifteenth century. It's notable for its strong Mexican influences, which differentiate it from other Mayan sites in the area. Iximché was established around 1470 AD after the Kaqchikel moved their capital from modern-day Chichicastenango. Iximché, set on a bluff and surrounded by ravines, was much easier to defend. This was especially important when the K'iche' Mayans were increasingly looking to expand their territory. Iximché was primarily used for religious rituals, and some Mayans still use it today. Excavations at Iximche have come up with some exciting finds, including burial sites with the decapitated heads of sacrificial victims, obsidian knives, incense burners, and a flute made from the femur of a child, amongst other artifacts.

 

Iximche

Atitlan

 

Situated in the Sierra Madre mountains, Atitlan lake is big (130 square km), deep (an unnerving 340 meters), and surrounded by fern-covered valleys and towering volcanos. With seven Mayan towns around the lake and countless things to do, you could spend weeks here without wanting to leave. The Cerro de Oro (Gold Hill) is a sacred Mayan peak offering tremendous views of the lake and San Pedro volcano. There is a fascinating Mayan altar and "The Door", one of the entrances to Xiballba, which means the Mayan Underworld. Found on the slopes of Atitlan Volcano, it is a Mayan altar and a majestic stone for Mayan ceremonies.
Santiago de Atitlan is home to the largest indigenous population of Tzutujile Mayans and the mischievous deity Maximón. One of the most memorable things to do in Santiago Atitlan is to find Maximón, a Mayan and Spanish-Catholic deity. Maximón is considered a trickster, a womanizer and a protector of virtuous couples. Also known as San Simón, he's known to answer prayers that might be too taboo for Catholic saints Locals respect and worship him, and his statue is ceremonially moved to a new home every year. His followers spend their days performing ceremonies and smoking by his side, and it's considered the highest honor to host him in your home.

 

Maximon, Atitlan

 

San Buenaventura

 

Atitlan Nature Reserve's "Los Cables" consists of two zip lines circuits offering a comprehensive and heart-pumping tour of the area's natural splendor. Soar across San Buenaventura Valley to enjoy spectacular views of the lake and its surrounding volcanos. Feel the security of an internationally certified course and get to know the local birds, monkeys, and coatis. After the adrenalin-pumped zipline adventure, you can cross hanging bridges and tackle nature trails to round out the day and learn a little more about this incredibly biodiverse area.

Coban and the Quetzal Reserve

The beautiful scenery of Cobán, Guatemala, has been a tourist attraction for locals and foreigners alike. This wonderful place is located in Alta Verapaz, and it's the home of many exciting caves, rivers, and lakes with an abundance of things to do and places to see. Alta Verapaz, in particular, is astonishingly beautiful, with fertile limestone landscapes and craggy, mist-wrapped hills. The highlands here are the wettest and greenest in Guatemala – ideal for producing the cash crops of coffee, cardamom, flowers, and ferns. Locals say it rains for thirteen months a year, alternating between short downpours and drizzle they call the chipi-chipi. Located 30 minutes by car from central Coban Town, it is one of the country's most important reserves. It was founded in 1975 to protect the local cloud forest and the endangered quetzal bird, as well as  87 more bird species and 58 mammal species for you to look for between the trees. There are two trails in the park, a 2km one and a 4km one. You can see little streams, small waterfalls, and virgin cloud forests on both sides. Try to get there early in the morning for a better chance to see the beautiful quetzal.

 

Resplendent Quetzal

Semuc Champey

 

Semuc Champey, with its natural limestone bridges, turquoise pools, caves, and lookout point, is one of the best places to visit in Guatemala. It's remote, it's stunningly gorgeous, and it's a must-visit for nature lovers. Semuc Champey is a series of limestone bridges and caves that snakes through part of central Guatemala, tying in with the Cabahón River. When you combine the limestone and the river, you have a series of tiered pools that look like something out of a fairy tale. At Semuc Champey, you can relax in the natural pools, hike to a lookout point, go tubing down the river, and explore a natural cave, amongst other activities in this nature-lovers paradise.

 

Semuc Champey

Candelaria

The impressive Candelaria cave system is sacred to the Q'eqchi Maya and stretches continuously for some 29km (18 miles). The main gallery, Tzul Tacca, is almost 60m (200 ft.) high, 30m (100 ft.) wide, and 200m (650 ft.) long and features massive stalagmites and roof windows that let in light. Side galleries hold evidence of ancient Maya rituals, and the entire system is traversed by the Candelaria River. Candelaria, a complex system of impressive caverns and passages, is located inside enormous jungle-shrouded karst towers. The passages are huge, and the central path with the underground Candelaria River is about 12.5 km long. Significant rituals occurred at  Candelaria caves, which probably involved large audiences and bloodletting. The Kings of Cancuén did not need artificial pyramids when they had natural ones-the karsts towers had stunning caves connecting to the Underworld.

 

Candelaria Caves

 

Tikal

 

Tikal is the greatest of the Mayan ruins in not only Guatemala but all of the Mayan world. Tikal is a vast and sprawling archaeological site in the jungle of Northern Guatemala. It was the capital of the Mayan civilization during its height. The first archaeological records of Tikal date back to around 1000 BC, which is crazy! The Tikal empire began to thrive around 300 BC. It is believed that over 3000 temples in areas still have not been discovered. But archaeologists don't want to recover everything just yet as they prefer to keep the history a mystery of Tikal alive.

 

Tikal

 

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