12 Day Guatemalan Culture And Nature

12 Day Guatemalan Culture And Nature
12 Day Guatemalan Culture And Nature
12 Day Guatemalan Culture And Nature
12 Day Guatemalan Culture And Nature
12 Day Guatemalan Culture And Nature
12 Day Guatemalan Culture And Nature
12 Day Guatemalan Culture And Nature
12 Day Guatemalan Culture And Nature
12 Day Guatemalan Culture And Nature
12 Day Guatemalan Culture And Nature

12 Day Guatemalan Culture And Nature

Duration

12 Days / 11 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
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Guatemala is a country blessed with different ecoregions ranging from subtropical and tropical rainforests and wetlands to dry pine-oak forests, home to a significant variety of wildlife. The richness of culture is defined by Guatemalan cultures, textiles, handicrafts and languages combined with the agricultural landscapes of sugar cane, coffee, vegetables and fruit plantations mixed with native forests. The geology is related to the weather, and the weather defines the natural landscapes. The geology of Guatemala has an important influence on the people’s culture and nowhere is better to see that, than in Guatemala. These all intertwine perfectly to make Guatemala a fascinating and spectacular country to visit!

Special features of our 12 day Guatemalan Culture and Nature Tour: 

Type of Tourism:  Nature, Culture, Geography

Places to Visit:  Guatemala City, Antigue, Pacaya, Chichicastenango,Lake Atitlan,Flores, Tikal.

Duration:  12 Days and 11 Nights. 

Type of Service: group tours. 

Accommodation:  3 star hotels and lodges at every destination that you will visit. These hotels had 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 city of Antigua

    Today we will head to San Cristóbal El Alto, where we can enjoy a nature experience and have breakfast with spectacular views of the volcanoes and over the City of Antigua. After breakfast, we will head to the Finca El Pilar, located in Guatemala's mountain forest. The finca has many trails leading through organic coffee plantations and excellent for bird watching. The vegetation in the reserve is mainly coffee, pine and oak forests with intermittent cloud forest, attracting the hummingbird’s who come to feed at the finc...

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      The Pacaya volcano is one of three active volcanos in Guatemala, standing at 2,552 metres elevation. The hike is a relatively easy ascent and offers spectacular views of the whole volcanic chain. If you prefer, you may hire a horse at the entrance to the park for the ascent. We will head along a trail through a pine forest to the volcanic ash and finally reach the volcano's cone. From the top, you can enjoy excellent views of the volcanoes. After enjoying our volcano adventure tour, we will descend to the foothills and hand back to t...

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        Today we will head to the market town of Chichicastenango, where the Mayan and Catholic traditions come together in glorious and colourful fashion! The scent of incense and the people's mysticism offers a unique atmosphere found only in Guatemala. The combinations of tastes, smells and colours combine uniquely here and we will head for a traditional lunch with a local Mayan family for the full, cultural experience. After lunch, we will head to the town of Quetzaltenango, where we will spend the evening.

          Early in the morning, we will visit Almolonga market, one of the best vegetable markets in Central America. Here you can appreciate the colours and unique aromas of the market and watch the people in their day to day lives, shopping and walking around with their children on their backs, in a brightly coloured tapestry! We will then, continue to the sub-tropical forest of Fuentes Georginas, to enjoy some birdwatching. This natural destination also has hot springs for a relaxing soak. In the afternoon, we will head to the colourful chu...

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            Today we will take a stunning boat ride across Lake Atitlan to Santiago Atitlan. On arrival, we will head to the Rey Tepepul Park for a short hike and the opportunity to see the Resplendent Quetzal, the national bird of Guatemala. We will return to Santiago Atitlan to have breakfast and then visit the famous Maya God Maximon and learn about the textiles, spiritualism and beliefs of the T’zutujil Maya. Each year a different family houses the town's saint, taking care of their cigarette, smoking God. In the afternoon, we will vis...

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              After breakfast, we will visit Los Tarrales Private Reserve. Los Tarrales is located to the southeast of the Atitlan Volcano and is the home to the rare Azure-rumped Tanager.  The reserve is home to different types of forests due to the altitude variation and is an important place for conservation, promoting bird monitoring and forest preservation.  We can choose between birdwatching, coffee tour or nature and butterfly activities in the park. After lunch, we will drive back to Guatemala City for the evening.

                Bright and early, we will head to the airport for the short flight to Flores. After breakfast, we will head to Las Guacamayas station, located within the most extensive wetlands in Central America, on the banks of San Pedro River in the heart of the Mayan Biosphere. We will arrive at Paso Caballos village, where we will take a boat ride to see wildlife along the route. We will then head out on a short hike to Las Guacamayas lookout point, with fantastic views to enjoy the sunset. In the evening, we will head out to see some of the no...

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                  We will wake up early once more to spot the birds and wildlife around the station. After breakfast, you will take the boat to start a jungle hike to discover the natural world around these spectacular wetlands of central America. After lunch, we will head out on a boat ride around the San Pedro river and Sacluc stream on the quest for more wildlife, including the colourful Agami Heron. Before dinner, you will enjoy a nocturnal aquatic boat ride around the San Pedro River and streams.

                    After breakfast, we will take a boat towards Paso Caballos and then by car to the famous Mayan ruins of Tikal National Park. On arrival, we will hike inside this incredible natural paradise to enjoy a wildlife exploration and a sunset from the top of one of the Mayan temples.

                      Today we will wake early once more to appreciate a birding and nature tour. The National Park is the perfect opportunity to discover the birds that are endemic to Tikal and Howler monkeys, Spider monkeys, butterflies, and an array of spectacular insects. The setting of the rainforest and the archaeological site, full of Mayan temples, offers one of the most spectacular settings for a historical explanation and even the opportunity to climb some temples. After lunch, we will head to the airport for your flight to Guatemala City, where...

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                        After breakfast, we will take the shuttle from the hotel to the International Airport on 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 program
                          • 11 nights of lodging in Guatemala
                          • 11 breakfasts (American and continental)
                          • 07 lunches without drinks
                          • Private boat for Lake Atitlan and Las Guacamayas Biological Station
                          • Professional English guide for tours

                          Entrances fees to the sites of visit:

                          • El Pilar farm
                          • Antigua: Capuchinas convent, Main cathedral, La Merced Church, Chocolate Museum
                          • Fuentes Georginas
                          • Donations at women cooperative at the markets
                          • Tarrales private reserve
                          • Las Guacamayas biological Station
                          • Tikal National Park
                          • Hotel Taxes

                          WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

                          • Extra charges for payments with credit card
                          • Travel insurance for trip cancellation, medical services, or evacuation
                          • Meals not described
                          • Departure tax from Flores to Guatemala City ($3.00 or Q20.00)
                          • Alcoholic and no alcoholic beverages
                          • Personal expenses like phone calls, laundry, etc
                          • Gratuities for drivers and guides
                          • Services not described

                          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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