9 Days The Soul of the Earth Tour Package

Duration: 9  Days / 8 Nights
Priced From: $1,807 (All pricing reflects per-person Land Only expenses)
Dates: Jan, Oct

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Touching down in Guatemala City, we begin our cultural journey by browsing the stalls of one of the country's largest markets at Chichicastanengo, paying a visit to the nearby cathedral and mingling with the locals, who are reportedly the purest descendents of one of the world's greatest ancient civilisations; the Maya. Via traditional villages inhabited by friendly peoples who adhere to long-established, centuries-old customs and adorn themselves in the traditional dress of their ancestors, we set a course for Lake Atitlan, an incredibly picturesque body of water set against the backdrop of volcanoes and for the superlative Maya site at Iximche. We find evidence of the country's more recent past in the colonial architecture, palaces and cathedrals of Antigua and we end our adventure with a stop off in Tikal, perhaps the finest of Guatemalan Mayan sites, with temples and ruins dating from 500BC.

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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 City

Today we fly back to Guatemala City. Overnight in Guatemala City. Breakfast and dinner.

Day 9 Departure

Departure from Guatemala City. Breakfast. BUEN VIAJE!

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