Tours from Ada Tours

Antigua City Tour: Antigua lies in the wide mountain valley of Panchoy, sandwiched between the cones of the volcanoes of Agua, Acatenango and Fuego. The city was founded in 1543 as the third capital of Guatemala, and was called Santiago de Guatemala. And only after the strong earthquake occurred in 1773, the capital had to be moved to a new place in Guatemala City. The city reached its peak by the middle of the 18th century, when an unprecedented construction boom tripled and its population grew to fifty thousand people. By 1773, this city had about 25 churches, 5 women's, 8 men's monasteries and a cathedral built in 1680 and was compared only with the cathedral in Mexico City and Lima, Peru for its beauty and majesty of construction. In 1773 there were 3 very strong earthquakes: the very first that destroyed almost the entire city, all the churches and monasteries happened on July 29, 1773 on St. Martha's Day, so it was called the Santa Marta earthquake. But the most important museum in Antigua is the city itself, its streets, where you can study its history just by walking it. Overnight at Hotel Villa Colonial. (Meals: B)

Today 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)

Transfer to the greenest and rainiest department in Guatemala, Alta Verapaz. (distance 120 km; 3 hours on the way) Not far from Coban is the Nature Reserve of Quetzal, which was created to protect the Quetzal bird, that was considered a sacred bird for the Mayan civilization. Quetzal is now one of the national symbols of Guatemala. Quetzal is a symbol of freedom for the Mayan people. We can walk along the trails through the humid cloudy forest and enjoy orchids, ferns and bromeliads, as well as watch owls, hummingbirds and toucans. And if you are very lucky, then you will see a quetzal, which you will never forget in your life. After the hike in the park transfer to Lanquin. (distance 220 km; 4 hours on the way). Today we will have another experience: Glamping, a charming and unusual experience, rest in comfortable equipped tents that will surely exceed your expectations and create unforgettable memories for you. Overnight at La Posada de Coban. (Meals: B)

Today we will go to the northernmost department of Guatemala, Peten. (5 hours on the way). On the way we will see a unique cave. Candelaria Cave (30km.) is one of the most important caves in this region. For the ancient Mayans this cave served as an entrance to the underworld of Xibalba. Currently, Mayan rituals are still taking place here. The main gallery is about 22 km. After that transfer to the north of Guatemala. Overnight at Hotel Villa Maya. (Meals: B)

Transfer to the Izabal department to the most picturesque river of Guatemala – Rio Dulce. In accordance with its peculiar geological history, which began at least 400 million years, Izabal is a complex mixture of karst caves and hills, rivers, lakes, marshes and large plains. You can find Mayan pyramids hidden in the rainforest and with so much vegetation and water, this region of Guatemala is a paradise for lovers of nature and birds. The natural area of Izabal resembles the richness of the Amazon forests. Izabal's rainforest is uniquely impressive. With the highest biological diversity in the country, with an abundance of vegetation on the banks of the rivers, it is rightly called the jade coast. Transfer to a boat and a journey along the Rio Dulce: the sheer walls of the river canyon, thermal springs, the beauty of the tropical jungle will leave unforgettable impressions and of course the city of Livingston, where the Garifuna people live, the descendants of slaves exported from Africa. Excursion to Livingston (it is impossible to get to the city by land, only by water) - a settlement of the Garifuna people with a unique culture that combines African, Caribbean and European elements. Spreading palm trees, reggae music and stunning seafood are the symbols of Livingston, allowing you to experience the true spirit of Jamaica in the center of Guatemala. During our trip you can try a typical Garifuna dish - tapado soup (seafood soup cooked in coconut milk). Overnight at Hotel Villa Caribe. (Meals: B)

Transfer to Honduras. Visit the famous Mayan ruins of Copan. The main value of Copan is the unreal beauty and accuracy of art on stelae. This site of the Mayan civilization was called Athens of Mesoamerica. There you will even find a stelae made in three dimensions. A true work of art is considered to be the Mayan Staircase with hieroglyphs during the classical period. Each of its 63 steps is decorated with complex letters, and balustrades with the image of snakes and birds are erected on the sides. Overnight at Hotel Clarion Copan Ruinas (Meals: B)

Transfer to La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City. (Meals: B)