10 Day Guatemalan Expedition

10 Day Guatemala Expedition
10 Day Guatemala Expedition
10 Day Guatemala Expedition
10 Day Guatemala Expedition
10 Day Guatemala Expedition
10 Day Guatemala Expedition
10 Day Guatemala Expedition
10 Day Guatemala Expedition
10 Day Guatemala Expedition
10 Day Guatemala Expedition

10 Day Guatemalan Expedition

Duration

10 Days / 9 Nights

Package Type

https://cms.vaexpeditions.com/media/images/package_type/adventure.svg

Adventure

Activity Level

Activity Level

Moderate

Wildlife expectation

Physical Difficulty

Wildlife expectation

Cultural rating

Wildlife expectation

Wildlife expectation

Specialist

Travel specialist

Claire
Contact Us

Cycle through the Almolonga Valley, visiting villages around the Colonial Antigua; Hike through the countryside with spectacular views of Atitlan; Kayak and zip line on Lake Atitlan, visit Maximon, the pagan God of the Indigenous people; Learn all about orchids and coffee, visit Semuc Champey and the Lanquin and Candelaria caves. Be awestruck by Tikal and other archaeological sites. Get off the beaten track with this special Guatemalan expedition to the lesser visited sites of this spectacular country.

Special features of our 10 day Guatemalan Expedition: 

Type of Tourism:  Nature, Culture, Geography, Trekking, Archaeology, Caving.

Places to Visit:  Antigua, Iximche, Lake Atitlan, Cerro de Oro Coban, Lanquin, Semuc Champey, Candelaria, Tikal.

Duration:  10 Days and 9 Nights. 

Type of Service: group tours. 

Accommodation:  3 star hotels and lodges at every destination that you will visit. These hotels have been carefully chosen and we can guarantee that you will feel comfortable and your every need catered for! 

DAY BY DAY SCHEDULE

Today is arrival day to Guatemala City. Your guide will be waiting at the airport to take you to the hotel for the evening in the colonial town of Antigua.

    Today we will head out on a bike ride through the Riders can bike through Almolonga Valley to the Ciudad Vieja, Guatemala’s former second capital, buried by an earthquake-triggered mudslide in 1541. Along the way, we can stop off at an interesting experimental macadamia farm in the village of San Antonio Aguas Calientes. Along other trails, such as the Las Tierra Altas route, we can pass through the coffee growing regions for a different experience. In the afternoon, we will visit the ruins, churches and museums of the city.Show more

      Today, we will visit Iximche in Tecpán, a Mayan city founded in 1463. Before the Spanish arrived, the city was important, yet almost a century later, played a decisive role in the Spanish conquest of this region of Guatemala. The city's remains can still be found in the surrounding pine forests, with its ceremonial plazas, temples and ball courts still on display. We will enjoy a traditional lunch in Tecpán before heading back to Panajachel, where we will spend the evening.

        In the morning, we will head out onto the lake in a kayak to experience the incredible scenery around us. We will then continue by boat towards the Cerro de Oro, where we will enjoy a 2 hour hike to the top of the Cerro. We will then return to Lake Atitlan, where we will visit Santiago Atitlan, to see the famous Mayan deity, Maximon and learn about the textiles, spiritualism and beliefs of the T’zutujil Maya. Each year a different family houses the saint of the town, taking care of their cigarette, smoking God. We will then hea...

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          After breakfast, we will continue on our way to San Buenaventura to enjoy the jungle canopy tour by zip line and the spectacular wildlife trails in the national park. After this interesting nature adventure to spot the local flora and fauna, we will return to Antigua, where we will spend the evening.

            Today, our driver will take us to the Coban region of Guatemala. On the way, we will stop off at the Quetzal reserve. We will have the incredible opportunity to see the famous Quetzal bird, the national bird of Guatemala, among many other bird species. We will then continue to the town of Coban, where we will spend the evening.

              Today you will visit Semuc Champey, a limestone bridge on top of different sized natural pools filled with fresh crystal clear mountain spring water. Beneath the bridge flows the Cahabon River, and at the end of the bridge, the water from the pools falls naturally into the river, forming a waterfall. We can hike to the 2 lookout points for impressive views or just relax in the beautiful blue water of these incredible pools. We will then head off to the Lanquin Caves, home to thousands of bats that will fly out at dusk to greet us!&nb...

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                Today, we will head to Flores, visiting the Candelaria caves along the way. This is one of the most extraordinary underground systems of caves on the planet and is set within the limestone mountains in northern Alta Verapaz. The Candelaria caves were sacred for Q’eqchi Mayans and were thought of as a stunning passageway into the underworld. We will then head back to Flores for the evening.

                  After breakfast, you will head into the Tikal National Park to see these incredible Mayan ruins set in the rainforest. This was the most important city in the Mayan world and is the perfect combination of nature and Mayan archaeology. In the afternoon, we will head to the airport in Flores for a flight to Guatemala City, where we will spend our final evening.

                    Today is our final day in this amazing country. Our driver will take you to the International airport in time to catch your flight back home or on to your next exciting destination. 


                      WHAT'S INCLUDED

                      • All private ground transportation during your trip for tours and transfers mentioned according the programme
                      • 9 nights of lodging in Belize at mentioned hotels – standard rooms
                      • 9 breakfasts at hotels (American and continental)
                      • Professional English guide for tours
                      • Entrances fees to the sites of visit
                      • Local taxes

                      WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

                      • Extra charges for payments with credit card
                      • Travel insurance for trip cancellation, medical services or evacuation
                      • Meals not described
                      • Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
                      • Personal expenses like phone calls, laundry, etc
                      • Gratuities for drivers and guides
                      • Services not described in the itinerary

                      Trip Preparation & FAQS

                      For city tours, there are public bathrooms available, in remote destinations bathroom facilities are more sparse.

                      Guides & Drivers:

                      2.2. Protective Measures and Equipment to consider:

                      2.2.1. Mandatory Equipment:

                       

                      • Face mask

                      • Tied Hair (in case of having long hair)

                      • Closed Shoes (not sandals)

                      • Constant use of Hand Sanitizer

                      • Use pants with the uniform (not shorts)

                      • Sanitize your backpack and equipment constantly when providing services

                      • Limit the use of accessories (wallets, fanny packs, watches, etc.)

                      • Avoid sharing glasses, spoons, bottles, etc.

                      • Avoid the use of reusable tissues, make use of disposable towels or napkins

                      • Make use of the digital thermometer

                      • Avoid wearing a tie or scarf

                       

                      III. SPECIFIC PREVENTION MEASURES

                       

                      3.1. Tourist Guide Service

                       

                      • Maximum 1 Guide for every 14 visitors

                      3.2. Tourist Reception

                      • Welcome: greet without physical contact and maintaining a distance of 1.5 meters.

                       

                      3.3. Delivery of Preventive Utensils

                      • Take the temperature of Each Visitor

                      • Hand Sanitizer

                      • Masks, if necessary.

                      • Gloves

                       Physical distancy and wear masks in public spaces are mandatory for clients, guides and drivers.

                      We do not include travel or health insurance and we strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance for any unexpected circumstances. This is not obligatory, however. An full travel insurance policy that covers cancellations and delays as well as medical insurance.

                      We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure that you are up-to-date with the recommended vaccinations when traveling to the destination. In any case, a negative Coronavirus Molecular Test (PCR) is needed to enter the country.

                      We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure what medications you will need to bring to the destination. Pharmacies and drugstores are common in all cities, however, it is not certain that you will be able to find a specific drug that you can find in your country of origin.

                      As in any city in the world, there can be pickpockets in crowded places. We suggest being vigilant at all times, but if you are in a group you will always be safer.

                      We do not include the cost of any domestic or international flight in any of our programs. These services must be booked independently by each guest.

                      Yes, hotels will charge the cost of a double room as standard, so a single supplement will be charged if you are traveling alone.

                      VA Expeditions is supported by Valencia Travel, a company with more than 12 years of foundation with a solid financial position. We have insurance from the insurance company La Positiva, that supports us and protects our guests from any eventuality at the destination, covering our guests for more than 5 million US dollars.

                      Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.

                      Yes, in addition to multi-day programs, we offer half-day experiences and excursions without overnight, which you can purchase as additional services. In case you wish to purchase one of these services, you can ask your guide, the transfer representative or your sales representative to provide you with the support you need.

                      Yes, you can add additional or optional services to your regular tour. We appreciate contacting your sales representative for any changes you wish to make.

                      Yes, you can travel with children and we have many activities to do as a family, however, depending on your itinerary, some experiences can be a bit demanding for young children. As a recommendation, we suggest that you ask your sales consultant if the tour you wish to book is suitable for children.

                      We work with a maximum group size of 12 passengers for sustainability reasons and a more personaized experience.

                      We suggest making your reservations at least one month before your trip in order to reserve the best hotels, transportation and services for your travel dates, however, in last minute cases, we can reserve up to 15 days in advance.

                      We suggest consulting with your embassy to review any documents, tests or special visa you need for your trip.

                      The official currency in Guatemala is the  The Guatemalan Quetzal (GTQ). In large cities there is a good chance that you will find ATMs or ATMs, however, we suggest that you do not rely entirely on this solution, as it may not be enabled to work with your bank.

                      Yes, we cater for all special dietary requirements. Please let us know at the time of booking if you have any allergies or special dietary needs.

                      We have our own NGO www.procrea.org Proyectos Creativos, after March 2020 we have the program in San Andres Ceballos, 20 minutes out Antigua Guatemala to build energy saving stoves for the parents of the kids we had in the school before the pandemic, some of the mothers make tortillas for sell, so they have some income for the families, Also we have program with kids and parents vegetables home-garden and organic chicken to have organic eggs, so is a complete program for 25 families,

                       

                      We support a project in Sipacate that protects Green or Pacific Turtle, we have been working so closed with doctors from Universidad de San Carlos that  are in charge of this project, at least to weekends at month they capture turtles to clean them of parasites, plastics, some need surgery because the propellers of the boats hurt them and also to check the chips with the information of their trip. 

                       

                      We are working with Vivamos Mejor at Lake Atitlan to push the government to declare 2 protected parks located around the Lake Atitlan, this is Paquisis which is part of San Pedro Volcano and is the home of Horned Guan, this is the sixth rarest bird in the world, and the other area is Rey Tepepul Park, here there are Quetzales, which is our National Bird, and other interesting birds and wild life,

                       

                      We work also with the Mayan Q'eqchi community of Cruce Dos Aguadas, this community is located inside of the Mayan Biosphere and 15 families of this community are in charge to do El Zotz-Tikal Trek, we give them training in first aid, food management, cooking lessons, communitarian tour guides, firefighters, etc., because they work with tourism, they value the jungle and have become guardians of the forest and are teaching their children to protect the environment.

                      Tips are not included in the cost of the tour. You should plan to tip 10% in restaurants and for your guided services, however, tipping is never required.

                      Cultural norms vary within each Latin American country, even within each city within the country, however, we recommend the following measures to have a pleasant visit in each destination: Latin American culture in general tends to be closer and more informal than in others cultures, so there is usually always a friendly approach in all conversations, and going directly to the point could be considered offensive to some people. Personal space can be much shorter as well, but without being interpreted as sexual in nature. 

                      The schedules are also usually more relaxed and informal, however, this is not the case of VA EXPEDITIONS, since we will always respect the hours indicated in your itinerary. This may be different for other appointments that you can book on your own at other locations.

                      This depends on each itinerary, and will be indicated in the detail of the day. However, our itineraries always usually include free times to offer more flexibility to our guests. 

                      For any emergency, we appreciate contacting the 24/7 Operations Phone :  + (502) 5417-5517

                      For an example of sustainable activities in Guatemala, we offer: Sustainable coffee tour at San Miguel Escobar, Antigua Guatemala and La Voz at San Juan La Laguna, Lake Atitlan, Pacaya Volcano day tour,Acatenango hike with the community project, Women textiles associations in Antigua and Lake Atitlan, Jungle Hikes in Peten, inside of the Mayan Biosphere reserve

                      All our guests have 24/7 support for any type of emergency or eventuality. For emergencies you can contact the following number: + (502) 5417-5517. For general inquiries, you can write to us at the following email: info@valenciatravelcusco.com 

                      This depends on each itinerary, but generally is a ratio of one guide for every nine guests.

                      This depends on the type of the type of Travel insurance that the passenger has. We recommend that you have a comprehensive travel insurance policy for better care and hospital facilities.

                      The tours are carried out by an expert team that has determined the optimal times of visits to make the most of our guests' time, without rushing. All our programs are customizable, so if at any time at the destination you want to adjust the pace of the trip, you can ask your guide to reach a consensus with the whole group in case you need to make adjustments to the pace of the trip.

                      Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.

                      Yes, you can safely store any luggage at your  hotel.

                      In the mountains and remote places there is no Internet connection. Hotels and public places usually have WIFI available.

                      In cities and tourist centers you will have good telephone reception. In remote areas, there may be no cell phone reception.

                      It depends on each itinerary. We suggest contacting your account representative to give you specific information regarding your  program.

                      We suggest that you bring a refillable water bottle or purchase bottled water if necessary. At various points on your trip including hotels, there will be places where you can fill your water bottle.

                      Thank you very much for your interest! You can follow us on our networks:

                       

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