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Days 1 and 2: Arrive Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City on by Thursday evening. Transfer to our hotel in Antigua, a beautiful colonial town and UNESCO national heritage site surrounded by volcanoes. It's also a center for indigenous markets, international cuisine, art collections and international travelers. 

 

 Upon arrival at the airport, proceed to customs with your CARRY ON LUGGAGE (more than carry on is not necessary) clear customs and proceed to terminal exit doors. I may be arriving in the airport on the same flight, but if not, you will see a large number of drivers waiting outside the exit doors and holding up signs. Your driver will have a sign with my name written in large bold letters - Paul Heesaker. If possible, we want to have everyone on the same flight and will send information on a recommended flight.  We are leaving Colorado in winter, so there is always a chance of weather delays. For that reason, the first two days of our trip will be within an hour's drive of the airport. We stay at the HOTEL VILLA COLONIAL, well-known for its romantic environment and proximity to  attractions. We share a group meal, then rest from our travel day. The Villa Colonial has beautiful gardens, it's own restaurant and a heated outdoor swimming pool.  

The following morning begins with breakfast on your own at the Villa Colonial, then a three hour walking tour led by an expert local guide. We delve into the history and culture of the most beautiful colonial town in Central America. The afternoon  is free time to bargain for handicrafts in indigenous markets, experience the chocolate museum, hike to cerro de la cruz for a view of Antigua and it's surrounding volcanoes or just people watching in the parque central. We will gather together in the evening to share a typical Guatemalan dinner and witness the smoldering Volcan de Fuego (Fire Volcano).  

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Included: All transport, double occupancy lodging, walking tour of Antigua led by an expert guide, dinner day 1 

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Excluded: meals after day 1 dinner, drinks, tips

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Day 3:    

Following breakfast at the Villa Colonial, we depart for a six hour drive to Copan, Honduras. For many years, the town of Copán Ruinas has been famous for its magnificent Mayan ruins, declared by UNESCO as Archaeological World Heritage Site in 1980. Copán is considered the Paris of the ancient Mayan world in Central America and features intricately carved stelae, tombs hidden beneath the temples and flocks of scarlet macaws.  We cross into Honduras by mid-afternoon, so keep your passport handy.  Our lodging for the next two nights is the La Casa de Cafe. Copán's highly rated bed and breakfast Inn that's housed in an attractive colonial inspired village residence and just four blocks from Copán's Central Park. We will enjoy an evening meal in the central park. 

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Included: All transport, double occupancy lodging

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Day 4:  

After a good night's rest, awake to a rich, flavorful cup of organic locally sourced export quality coffee. The Casa de Cafe grinds their beans fresh every morning. Top it off with a hearty, homemade breakfast. Tropical fruits, fresh baked bread, vegetarian omelette, pancakes, crepes & french toast. Afterwards, we visit Macaw Mountain, a sub-tropical bird rescue and recovery project located on ten acres of forested terrain in a stream-fed valley. The multifaceted eco-tourism project is only 10 minutes away by vehicle. We will enjoy a true immersion into the richness of Honduran bird diversity while wandering in the wonderful botanical garden filled with endemic plants and towering hardwood trees. We return to La Casa de Cafe by mid morning, then leave for the archeological site by 12:30 PM.  Copán is one of the most important sites of the Mayan civilization. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980, Copan is known for its intricate stone sculptures, in particular the enormous and impressively carved stelae representing the 17 Mayan leaders. Copan rises from a forest with clearings of exposed ruins including the carved stelae and an amazing hieroglyphic stairway. Flocks of scarlet macaws are often seen right before the park closes, so we will time our visit accordingly and leave right before closing time. at 4:00 PM. The evening is free to relax and people watch in the central plaza or enjoy a drink and dinner at La Casa de Cafe.  

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Included: All transport, lodging, breakfast, guided tour and entry to the Copan archeological site, entry to the Sculpture Museum  

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Day 5: 

Following an early breakfast at the Casa de Cafe, we visit one of the world's best archeological museums at opening time, 8:00 AM.  We enter the Sculpture Museum through a dramatic tunnel meant to mimic the experience archaeologists had while exploring the site. Inside, we experience a near immersion in the Classic Mayan era and see originals (and a few replicas) of Copán’s very best finds, including a full-size replica of the vibrant Rosalila structure. Afterwards, we depart by van for the Seacacar Cañon Natural Reserve, a five or six hour drive to a traditional Q'eqchí Mayan village. Keep your passports handy as we will cross back into Guatemala. Depending on the road conditions, we may board a four wheel drive truck for the last three mile drive into the Santa Cruz Mountains. You will be in the back of a large flatbed truck and holding onto rails for the twenty minute drive. We arrive by late afternoon and enjoy the stunning view from our riverside lodge. Keep in mind we're now off the grid and the only power in the village is supplied by solar panels at our lodge. Most rooms do not have hot water, but a solar heater is in the plans.    

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Included: All transport, entry to Copan's Sculpture Museum, entry to the Seacacar nature reserve, dinner, lodging (drinks excluded)

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Days 6,7, 8 and 9: 

Full immersion in a traditional Q'eqchi Mayan village and a protected nature reserve.  Excursions include the Jungle Trail & River Float between towering jungle walls, hikes to view platforms overlooking 40 mile long Lake Izabal and swims in natural swimming pools. We will visit homes little changed over the centuries, learn how to make tortillas, swim beneath a hot springs waterfall and observe traditional Mayan ceremonies. See more information regarding the lodge, restaurant, school and village on other pages on this website. 

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We will also create opportunities to build relationships with the local students and community. Trip participants can engage with the local students (and potential student recruits) by showcasing your hobbies or passions. For example, artists on one trip taught a group of six students how to work with watercolor paints. Another led an exercise class. Others taught an introductory English class. We will have visiting parents and girls from upstream villages, so this is an opportunity to showcase Seacacar. Bottom line - Your interactions can change a life. 

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Included :  All inclusive apart from beverages -  transport, meals, excursions and lodging

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Day 9:

After our riverside breakfast,  we continue to the 17th Century Spanish Fortress, San Felipe de Lara, located at the mouth of the Dulce River and Lake Izabal, Guatemala's largest lake. This fortress had three functions: to be a military fort, a prison and also a customs center. In addition to these functions, the castle has multiple wineries that served as a commercial exchange center between Guatemala and Spain.  Our travels continue into Guatemala's Peten Department, including a lunch stop at Finca Ixobel, one of Guatemala's ecotoursim destinations. Afterwards, we continue to La Casa de Don David, overlooking Lake Peten Itza.   One of Don David's most remarked about features is the beautifully landscaped garden, a great place to relax and enjoy the surroundings.  At the center of the garden guests find our Maya-inspired circle, formed around the sacred Ceiba tree. In the corner, the Cahui observation deck has the best lake view on the property, as well as drink service via the Toucan Express.

 

Included: B reakfast, all transport, all entries,  lodging 

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Day 10: 

6:00 AM departure and a 30-minute drive into Tikal National Park, the Mayan World’s most spectacular archeological and jungle site. Tikal encompasses 575 square kilometers of jungle and thousands of ruined structures. The central part of the ancient city alone contains 3,000 buildings and covers about 16 square kilometers. Tikal is also part of the one-million-hectare Maya Biosphere Reserve created in 1990 to protect the dense forests of the Peten, which started to disappear at an alarming rate due to population pressures, illegal logging and slash-and-burn agricultural practices. We will have a chance to see rare and endangered wildlife, such as the scarlet macaw or jaguar, howler and spider monkeys, toucans, oscillated turkeys, tapirs and scores of colorful bird species that also find habitat in Tikal and the surrounding Maya Biosphere Reserve.

 

Included: All transport, entrance and guided tour of Tikal National Park, lodging at the La Casa de Don David

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Day 11: Wednesday, March 20

 

Travel day determined by individual trip participants. Options include flying to Guatemala City from the nearby Mayan International Airport. just 30 minutes away in Flores. TAG offers one way flights to Guatemala City for approximately $100 US dollars. Their departure times begin at 7:20 AM and continue to an evening departure of 8:20 PM. The flight is one hour. For travelers returning to the United States, ther early departure is your best option. For that reason, we will provide a shuttle to the airport from the hotel at 5:30 AM. The trip is just 30 minutes and the airport is small.

 

Flights from Flores to Guatemala City: https://www.tagairlines.com/en-us/

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Another option is to extend your stay in Guatemala or cross into nearby Belize. Long term volunteers can return to Seacacar with me on public transportation. 

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Included:  Early shuttle to the airport in Flores, Guatemala

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