Day 1: Guatemala City / AntiguaArrival at La Aurora International Airport. You will be met at the airport in order to transfer to Antigua. Overnight at Hotel Villa Colonial.
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Day 2: Chichicastenango / Atitlan Lake (Thursday or Sunday)Today we will go to the largest highland Mayan Market, Chichicastenango (only Thursday or Sunday). Surrounded by valleys and mountains that cover the horizons, Chichicastenango may seem isolated in time and space from the rest of Guatemala. When its narrow, cobbled streets and red tiled roofs are covered with fog, and this happens often, it may seem like you're in some kind of fairy tale. Crowds of sellers and tourist groups flock on Thursday and Sunday to the country's largest alpine market. The Catholic patron of the city is St. Thomas, in his honor the city of Santo Thomas was built in 1540 in the city. When the Catholic missionaries arrived, they destroyed the Mayan temple and built a white church in its place. The only thing left of the temple is 18 steep steps leading to the church by the number of months in the Mayan solar calendar Haab. Therefore, this church is probably the most unique Catholic church in Guatemala due to religious symbiosis within the church. On the steps of the church they sell flowers, candles and fragrances. Like in the front of the pyramids, an altar is installed in front of the stairs - a round flat stone, from which smoke rises from the smoldering pomp in clubs. And what a market without shopping, so bring enough money with you to buy souvenirs. The Chichicastenango market is famous mainly for its textiles and masks. After we drive to Panajachel, situated at the edge of Lake Atitlán. During the final descend from Solola to Panajachel, experience amazing views of Lake Atitlán. Overnight at Hotel Villa Santa Catarina. (Meals: B)
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Day 3: Atitlán LakeToday we will see the most interesting cities where Maya Tzutujil still live on Lake Atitlan. And we will start with San Juan. Boat trip to San Juan takes about 30 minutes. San Juan is the cleanest and tidiest town on the lake. There are many art galleries, whose artists paint in the style of Naive or primitivism. After, we will transfer by boat to the other side of the lake in the city of Santiago Atitlan. Santiago Atitlan, founded in 1547 at the foot of the Atitlan volcano, is the largest city with a population of 32 thousand people, 95% of which are Maya Tzutujil. The local population lives of fishing, farming, and making kayukos (local canoes). Artisans specialize in painting, woodwork and weaving. Santiago is the city of worship of Maximon - a pagan deity or god of the Mayan people, who are offering donations in the form of alcohol and cigars. We will also visit the local Catholic church, where two religions merged - Catholicism and Mayan beliefs and take a walk past the local city hall, where the elders of the city are sitting, dressed in white striped shorts and birds embroidered at the bottom. Our final stop, before heading back to Panajachel, will be San Antonio Palopo. Overnight at Hotel Villa Santa Catarina. (Meals: B)
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Day 4: Atitlan Lake / Guatemala City / Flores, PetenAfter lunch short ride to Guatemala City Airport for the afternoon flight to Flores. Transfer to your hotel overlooking the Petén-Itza lake. Overnight at Hotel Villa Maya. (Meals: B)
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Day 5: Tikal / Guatemala CityTikal is 64 km from Flores, the beautiful capital of Peten, located on an island on Lake Peten Itza. Tikal means “a place where the voices of spirits are heard”, in comparison with other cities of the classical period it seems huge - this is the largest settlement of pre- Columbian America. Scientists came to this conclusion after a series of excavations conducted in the late 50s. It has been inhabited since 700 BC. until 900 AD, only then to be conquered again by the tropical jungle, from the beginning of the eleventh century until the beginning of the twentieth century, when Tikal was discovered and restoration work began. The urban complex of Tikal (not counting the outskirts) occupied an area of about 16 square kilometers. It housed 3 thousand buildings, and the pyramids were distinguished by a specific style, not found anywhere else in Mesoamerica. The six pyramidal temples make a particularly strong impression, which look like real skyscrapers against the background of other structures of this type. No wonder archaeologists called Tikal-New York the Mayan civilization. Today Tikal National Park covers 575 square kilometers and in 1979 was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a cultural and natural heritage of mankind. Flight back to Guatemala City. Overnight at Hotel Barcelo Guatemala City. (Meals: B)
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Day 6: Guatemala CityTransfer to La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City. (Meals: B)
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