Hidden Histories and Charming Cultures on a Guatemala Tour
Rich pre-Columbian and Spanish colonial history is central to any tour of Guatemala. Begin in the big cities. The UNESCO World Heritage city of Antigua is studded with Spanish colonial and 18th-century baroque architecture. The capital Guatemala City, affectionately called Guate, is the place for culture, theater, museums, and art galleries.
In the Peten region, succumb to the charms of Flores with its quaint cobblestone streets, and pastel-colored colonial-style buildings rising up from a central plaza. Make your way south to the colorful market in Chichicastenango, not just for exceptional weaves and traditional handicrafts, but also to experience indigenous Maya culture, and learn something about local legends and folklore.
Situated in the dense jungle of a national park is Tikal, the most impressive Mayan city and ceremonial site in Central America, and possibly the highlight of your Guatemala vacation. Its towering temples and treasures lay hidden for centuries, until rediscovered in the 19th century. Also not to be missed is Lake Atitlan, a crater lake surrounded by volcanoes and lovely little villages and towns. Make time for a sunrise walk up to Indian Nose mountain, which is part of the Sierra Madre range surrounding the shimmering lake waters. A dip in the hot springs at Fuentes Georginas nearby is recommended, after which a wander through the city of Xela is ideal for a taste of local life. Along the Rio Dulce, you can experience the beauty of the Guatemalan wilderness with a boat ride or canoeing trip. Also in the highlands is the town of Coban, a convenient base for exploring the pools, springs, caves, and caverns of the surrounding region of Las Verapaces. By virtue of a rainy mist called chipi-chipi, this is a supremely verdant area in which excellent coffee and cardamom is grown.
Guatemala is a vibrant, complex, and culturally rich country. To enhance your experience of its essence and variety, in the time you have available, you’d be wise to consult an Enchanting Travels expert.
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Highlights of Guatemala and Costa Rica
18 Days: $ 7,090 / person
Volcano Trekking in Guatemala
11 Days: $ 4,390 / person
Treasures of Guatemala
11 Days: $ 4,590 / person
This was our second trip with Enchanting Travels. Our first was to Bali. This trip was a driving trip to the Utah National Parks and the Grand Canyon. We trusted Enchanting Travels to set up an itinerary that would enable us time to see all the sites without feeling rushed. The planning they did on short notice was perfect. Our personal trip coordinator did a great job of keeping in contact, answering questions and making reservations. Highlights were a helicopter trip over the Grand Canyon and many hikes into breathtaking areas. Enchanting Travels makes trip planning so easy and the trip itself an unforgettable experience. We highly recommend them.
“My wife and I have been planning a trip through South America and our Travel Consultant, Lisa Fox, has provided nothing but exceptional service and support to create the perfect itinerary for this trip. Bags were nearly packed and we could picture the view from Machu Picchu, but plans have had to change due to travel safety and restrictions from the recent Coronavirus. While this could have been a very stressful time having to reschedule, rebook and who knows how much money could have been lost for what has already been paid for, Enchanting Travels has made it incredibly easy and stress free to reschedule the trip once this passes. We are very appreciative for the pre-trip support, and can already tell that the experience once we are actually on the road will be equally incredibly. Thanks for all your support!“
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They helped us put together a complex schedule which included a number of experiences that we could not otherwise get. Also, in light of Covid-19, they were able to reschedule our upcoming Japan trip without additional fees, where many of my friends have scheduled similar trips (same timeframe) on their own, and all were refused a refund or reschedule without significant fees, despite having trip insurance.”
“We have used Enchanting Travels twice for trips. We couldn’t have been happier with the trips planned. Our first trip was a spectacular trip to southern India with driver for three weeks. This year’s trip was to Scotland. Unfortunately with the corona virus pandemic we chose to postpone this trip until 2021. Enchanting travels was very understanding of our concerns and quickly responded by moving our trip with all our desired sights to spring of 2021. Couldn’t ask for anything better from this stellar company with their caring staff.”
“Enchanting Travels is a bespoke experience. From planning my trip, through to the trip itself, everything was thought about. We traveled at a particularly difficult time, due to the Coronavirus outbreak. We were supported with everything, kept up to date with how the situation was developing and how this might affect us. Having WiFi in the car allowed us to communicate with our Trip Coordinator and check with our online government updates. Our stay was luckily not affected, but I felt so supported by the team. Our guides were ready waiting for us, could answer any questions about the sites we were visiting, they communicated with our chauffeur to ensure everything went smoothly. I could not recommend this company more highly. Excellent planning, experience, and execution. Our holiday was truly ENCHANTING!“
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“I recently completed a 46-day adventure tour through India that was the best ever thanks to Enchanting Travels. The Enchanting Agent began by interviewing me for an hour and came back with the perfect routing and pacing. The on-the-ground support was second to none. Enchanting says that their trip coordinators are there ‘in case of emergency’ but that does not come near to describing the relationship. My trip coordinator was in constant communication with me to ensure that every leg of the trip went as planned. No detail was too small for her to look after. I was assigned the same driver for 27 days and he was the ‘Best Indian Driver Ever’ because he did more than drive. He curated experiences on the road on those ‘non-planned’ days that I will remember for a lifetime. The value for money was simply remarkable. I don’t think I’ll travel without the help of Enchanting Travels again.”
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“Enchanting Travels was stellar across the board. From planning to getting there and experiencing Peru, our Enchanting Travels team made it truly enjoyable. The perfect amount of culture, adventure, and relaxation!”
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One of the very best travel experiences I have ever had. We even got updates once at 3 am! He also made one change in one day’s itinerary to accommodate our wishes which was very wonderful. For business, I have traveled to Europe, Russia, all over Asia and South Africa but was blown away by all the beautiful sites in Argentina and Chile.
All the little touches made by our Enchanting Travel consultant, Amelia Edwards, were noticed and recognized by my wife and I. Thank you for making our milestone trip (25th wedding anniversary) such a memorable one! We look forward to engaging Enchanting Travels again for our next South American adventure!!
This was my first adventure as a solo traveler. But while I may have traveled on my own, I was never alone. I was well taken care of by a superb team of planners, trip coordinators, guides and drivers.
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