14 Day In the Footsteps of the Ancients Tour Package

Duration: 14 Days / 13 Nights
Priced From: $3,721 (All pricing reflects per-person Land Only expenses)
Dates: Jan, Oct

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An image we will remember during this trip is the large pyramids sitting on the edge of the cliff over the sea in Tulum, or the thousand-year-old pictures and glyphs of ancient Mayan gods in the variety of temples throughout Mexico. This journey provides an insightful look into what defines this paradise. The natural beauty of the Yucatan peninsula is enhanced by the display of Moorish and Rococo-style architecture dotting the terrain. The Mayan antiquity spreads all the way to Guatemala, where the many stone structures date back to 500 BC. A past closer to ours also shines through the Spanish colonial architecture in the alluring city of Antigua. We see how the long-surviving indigenous cultures survive in modern times when we come across traditional dress and customs in the remote areas of the country. When we approach the shores of Lake Atitlan, we will be confronted right away by the rustic lifestyle of the villagers as we see women knee-deep in water, washing clothing against the stones, and men tending to their flocks.

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Tour Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive in Guatemala City

Today we arrive in Guatemala City. Overnight in Guatemala City. Dinner if required.

Day 2 Guatemala City - Chichicastanengo

This morning we travel to Chichicastanengo where we visit the famous market. This is one of Guatemala's largest local markets with an impressive array of beautiful hand-woven textiles and crafts for sale. It is also possible to see the 400 year-old Cathedral of Santo Tomas where Catholic and pagan beliefs mingle as one. Chichicastenango is an important centre of culture and religion for the local Indigenous population. It is also the home of a large population of Maya Quiche Indians, said to be the purest descendants of the ancient Maya. These people still maintain much of their ancestors' culture, including their religious beliefs and practices which are only mixed with the Catholicism forced upon them by the Spanish conquest. It is this relationship with the past, with the old traditions still omnipresent in everyday life, that makes Chichicastenango so fascinating to the outsider and a must for every traveller. About the 1000 people, mainly ladinos (people of mixed Indian and Spanish blood, who reject the traditional lifestyle), live in the village itself. They work as tradespeople or local officials, or they operate the small number of hotels, shops and bars in town. However, over 20,000 Indians live in the surrounding hills, most of them farmers on small plots of land. It is on market days that Chichicastanango comes alive, as Indians pour into the tiny village to sell wares, buy provisions and partake in religious ceremonies. Overnight in Chichicastanengo. Breakfast and dinner.

Day 3 Chichicastanengo - Santa Catarina Palopo & San Antonio Palopo - Panajachel

Departing Chichi, we drive to Lake Atitlan and visit Santa Catarina Palopo and San Antonio Palopo, two traditional Kaqchikel villages on the south shores of the lake. Before the road was completed in 1980, access was only by boat or by footpaths. Due to this geographic isolation, women still wear backstrap loomed red striped huipiles, red headribbons, and blue skirts, while men dress in similar striped shirts and pants with a small woolen blanket called a rodillera around the hips. A similar garment of cotton was worn by the ancient Maya men. Tunecos, as they call themselves, raise onions and anise in terraced fields extending up from the lake that give the landscape a sculptural form. We continue to Panajachel. Overnight in Panajachel. Breakfast and dinner.

Day 4 Panajachel: Lake Atitlan

Our journey today takes us across the shimmering waters of Lake Atitlan, nestled beneath the three volcanoes of San Pedro, Atitlan and Toliman. When we visit Santiago de Atitlan you will notice the unusual headdresses that the locals wear which are called Tocoyal and consist of 12 metres/40 feet of material. This is easily the most beautiful and fascinating village on the lake, as well as the largest, with a population of almost 15,000 people if the outskirts are included. Built on the slopes of Volcano Atitlan, is it surrounded on three sides by water and faces Volcano San Pedro across a small bay. Originally the capital of the Tzutuhil Indian nation, Santiago was turned into an important missionary and trading outpost after the Spanish conquest. Today Santiago is one of the most traditional Indian villages in Guatemala, with a purely Indian population that lives much as it did hundreds of years ago. As our boat approaches Santiago's shore, you will see dozens of women standing knee-deep in water, washing their families' clothes against the rocks, often with babies in colourful slings on their backs. This sets the mood for the rest of our visit. Just wander through the streets of this village and you will catch a firsthand glimpse of indigenous life as it is today. As we walk around we see towering volcanoes and spectacular scenery. Flowers are abundant; the white blossoms on coffee plants, bright wildflowers and hibiscus cover the landscape. Once again colour is the focus, costumes which are very vibrant are worn by nearly everyone. The women's costume consists of white and purple huipiles embroidered with birds and flowers, bright red skirts and unique headdresses made from narrow, woven red bands (sometimes over twenty feet long) that are evenly wrapped around their heads until a wide brim is formed. The men's outfits are equally vibrant, with purple and white striped knee-length pants, white shirts and multi-coloured sashes worn nowadays with cowboy hats. While in Santiago we also see Maximon-the mayan "Judas Esacriot" diety. Maximon ("mah-shee-mon") is a popular post-Columbian Mayan folk deity who apparently blends aspects of the Christian Saint Simon with a Mayan god, perhaps Maam, an underworld god. Overnight in Panajachel. Breakfast and dinner.

Day 5 Panajachel - Iximche - Antigua

This morning we travel to Antigua. We travel by bus through the spectacular volcanic landscape of Guatemala's western highlands to visit Iximche en route, an excellent Maya site which became a model of civic planning. Most of the buildings were erected around four large courtyards. There are also two smaller courtyards at Iximche that may have been used for religious ceremonies. Terraces were levelled from the natural terrain to accommodate platforms for temples, palaces, and other structures. The structures had roofs of thatch or of wooden beams and plaster and have long since perished. Ball courts were common at all civic and religious centres. At Iximche there are two ball courts, one of which has been restored. We also visit the Kojom (music) Museum in Jocotenango before continuing to Antigua. Antigua was a place where religious orders founded churches and monasteries, many of them dedicated to improving the life of the Indian population. Once the third largest city in all of Spanish America, Antigua served as Guatemala's capital city for more than 200 years until it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1773. Then called Santiago de Guatemala, Antigua was home to 70,000 people, 32 churches and convents, a fine university and magnificent estates. We spend the afternoon wandering through the cobblestone streets of the enchanting colonial town. We visit the superb Capuchinas Monastery and then walk through quiet cobblestone streets past rebuilt stucco homes with heavy, beautifully carved wooden entrances. Overnight Antigua. Breakfast and dinner.

Day 6 Antigua: Free Day

Today you are free to explore Antigua. Sit and relax in the Plaza de Armas, the central square, and enjoy the view of the Palace of the Captains General, the old City Hall and the remains of the Cathedral and Archbishop's Palace, excellent examples of Spanish colonial architecture. NOTE: This days exists as a floating "contingency day" in the event that logistical factors necessitate changes to our itinerary. Ie, on some departures, we may fly to Tikal today and spend two nights there instead of one. Passengers continuing to Mexico's Yucatan on some tour combinations may spend one night in Tikal and a free day in Cancun. This situation will be indicated on your final HOTEL LIST and reviewed by your Tour Leader on arrival at destination. Overnight Antigua. Breakfast and dinner.

Day 7 Antigua - Guatemala City - Flores - Tikal Site Tour

Today we transfer to Guatemala City for our flight to Flores. On arrival we embark on a guided tour to experience the mystiques of Tikal, possibly the most magnificent of all Mayan sites. Here we discover ancient temples, pyramids and stone structures dating from 500 BC. The five great pyramids of Tikal give this ceremonial centre a majestic grandeur unique among Maya cities. The height of the temples, crowned with tremendous roof combs; the complicated assemblage of the palace structures of the central Acropolis; and the complexity of the chronology of the North Acropolis are staggering to anyone visiting Tikal for the first time. In ancient times Tikal functioned mainly as a ceremonial centre in which the aristocratic elite and their priests ruled, dictated, and directed the activities of the architects, builders, craftsmen, and labourers. All endeavours in the region of Tikal were directed to enhance the city, to glorify the gods, to amass wealth, and to acquire tribute for the ruling upper strata of society. To sustain this activity for over a thousand years demanded a well-disciplined peasantry. Overnight near Tikal. Breakfast and dinner.

Day 8 Flores, Guatemala - Cancun, Mexico

Today we fly from Flores, Guatemala to Cancun, Mexico. Overnight Cancun. Breakfast and dinner.

Day 9 Cancun - Chichen Itza

Today we travel to Chichen Itza. This is a wonderful archaeological site incorporating the ruins of two different cultures, the ancient Maya and the later arriving Toltecs. The substantial fusion of highland central Mexican and Puuc architecture make Chichen Itza unique. The El Castrillo, the temple of Panels and the Platform of Venus are superb architectural feats. The most impressive monuments here are the Temple of the Warriors, the group of a thousand columns, the Temple of Kukulcan, the Temple of Chac-Mool and the Ball Court. The Toltecs interest in astronomy and mathematics is evident with a visit to the Astronomical Observatory, perhaps one of the most impressive revelations is the phenomenon occurring during equinoxes, when shadows cast across the ramp of the castle appear to form the shape of a slithering serpent. Tonight we include a visit to the Sound and Light show. Overnight in Chichen Itza. Breakfast and dinner.

Day 10 Chichen Itza - Merida

Today we drive to Merida, probably the most beautiful town in the Yucatan peninsula. We find that the most enjoyable way to sightsee is from a calesa, or horse drawn carriage. We include a half-day's sightseeing in this most elegant of fashions. During the nineteenth century, European traders flocked to the bustling city to exchange their luxuries for the area's much sought after sisal hemp-- green and gold. The state capital's many buildings and the Moorish and rococo-style mansions of the Paseo Montejo reflect the strong Old World influences. Overnight in Merida. Breakfast and dinner.

Day 11 Merida - Uxmal

Uxmal, our destination for today, is a stunning place. Uxmal was one of the sites to which the Maya returned again and again in the course of their civilization. The name means 'thrice built'. The Palace of the Governor at Uxmal is considered by many to be the most beautiful of all the Maya structures in Central America. Here some 20,000 hand cut stones have been set into acres of geometric friezes. The nunnery is the quadrangle where vestals allegedly spent a licentious final year of worldly pleasure before their sacrifice to appease the rain god Chac. This truly is a step back into the years of the Maya glory (AD 7-10). The Palace of Large Masks with its magnificent stone mosaics and representations of the ubiquitous rain god. We also visit the nearby smaller sites of Kabah and Labna. Kabah is the most notable for its Palace of the Masks, the facade of which is covered with innumerable carved masks of the rain god Chac. Labna is another beautiful site. It is famous for its fine sculpture and its arch, this was one of the most ornate built by the Maya. Overnight in Uxmal. Breakfast and dinner.

Day 12 Uxmal - Coba

Today we depart Uxmal for Coba. The morning's drive takes us through Valladolid where we stop for our lunch break. The peaceful Zocalo in the heart of Valladolid is shaded by large trees and surrounded by a variety of restaurants. We continue on to Coba, one of the grandest Mayan city-states, and have a tour of this impressive site immediately upon arrival. As a large trading center, Coba was connected to other Mayan cities by an elaborate network of roads known as "sacbes". The ancient temples are still surrounded by the thick Yucatan jungle which adds a lot of natural flavour to a rich cultural experience. After our guided tour you may choose to rent a mountain bike available at the site. A bike is the quickest way to reach some of the most remote parts of this enormous ruined city that once rivalled Tikal in size. Because our hotel is so close to the site you may choose to stay in the site and climb up Nocoh Muh -the tallest pyramid in the Yucatan. Watching the sun set from the top of this Mayan pyramid over an endless stretch of forests is truly one of Mexico's most magical experiences. Overnight in Coba. Breakfast and dinner.

Day 13 Coba - Tulum - Cancun

In order to beat the crowds, we depart early today for Tulum, one of the most beautiful Maya sites, perched high on the cliffs above the Caribbean. Tulum means "wall" in Maya. The most impressive site at this area is the large pyramid on the edge of the cliff overlooking the sea. A wide staircase leads to a two-chamber temple on the top. Two serpent columns divide the entrance and above the middle entrance is a carved figure of the Diving God. The sight at the top of the pyramid is stunning with a breathtaking view of the ocean and surrounding jungle. You will have free time to explore this site on your own. From here we continue to Cancun. Overnight in Cancun. Breakfast and dinner.

Day 14 Departure

Departure from Cancun. Breakfast. BUEN VIAJE!

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