Dates: December 10 – 22, 2025

Duration: 13 days / 12 nights

Number of participants: 8 – 12

Cost per person:

• 3 490 USD subject to 12 participants,
• 3 690 USD subject to 10 – 11 participants,
• 3 990 USD subject to 8 - 9 participants, based on twin/double accommodation.

10% early booking discount (in case you book before June 10, 2025)

Everything is included, except for:
– international flight to Guatemala city and back
– medical insurance
– lunches and dinners
– Guatemala visa (not required for Russian citizens)
– optional excursions

Estimated cost of the flight Moscow - Guatemala City - Moscow: 2000 - 2500 USD (usually bought on your own, we consult).
Estimated cost of the flight Istanbul - Guatemala City - Istanbul: 1800 - 2300 USD (usually bought on your own, we consult).
Estimated cost of the flight Madrid - Guatemala City - Madrid: 1200 - 1400 USD (usually bought on your own, we consult).
Estimated cost of the flight New York - Guatemala City - New York: 600 - 900 USD (usually bought on your own, we consult).
Estimated cost of the flight Mexico City - Guatemala City - Mexico City: 300 - 500 USD (usually bought on your own, we consult).
Estimated cost of the flight Lima - Guatemala City - Lima: 800 - 1000 USD (usually bought on your own, we consult).

Single supplement: 750 USD (provided along the whole itinerary except night on the volcano, where the possibility of single occupancy is negotiated separately).



TRAVEL PROGRAM: TOUR TO Guatemala and Honduras

Day 1. December 10, 2025 (Wednesday). ARRIVAL IN GUATEMALA CITY

Arrival to Guatemala City, the capital of Guatemala. Transfer to the hotel. Overnight at Genessis Hotel or Villa Colonial in Antigua Guatemala.

* Recommended international flights to Guatemala City:
- any flight from any city arriving in Guatemala City at any time on December 10 or on the night of December 10-11.

Meals Included: no
Accommodation included: Hotel Barcelo or similar


Day 2. December 11, 2025 (Thursday). GUATEMALA CITY – ANTIGUA GUATEMALA

Guatemala City, the largest city in Central America, has a population of over 3.5 million people and was founded on January 2nd, 1776, in the picturesque valley of Las Bacas. It is the fourth and final capital of Guatemala and is divided into zones by the Avenida (running north-south) and Calles (west-east) systems. There are 26 zones, as well as a historical and administrative center. We will start our exploration of the city at Central Park, where you can see a giant flag pole with the national flag and the cathedral built in 1815 on the east side of the square.
Another building on the square is the National Palace, which used to be the office of the President of the Republic but is now a National Museum. It was built in 1943 by Jorge Ubique, one of Guatemala's most prominent dictators. The current president often holds celebrations and meetings here with diplomats, other heads of state, and the media.
Guatemala City also has a relief map of the country, designed by engineer Francisco Vela in 1904 and covering 1,800 square meters. To create this map, Vela traveled the entire country on foot and horseback to gather information and understand the terrain. The relief depicts all the natural and man-made features of Guatemala, including rivers, lakes, volcanoes, roads, railroads, provinces, and other significant locations. The map has become a national treasure.
We will also visit the biggest archaeological museum in Central America, the Museum of Mayan Art.

In the evening, we will transfer to Antigua Guatemala (40 km, 1 hour without traffic jams). We will spend the night in a hotel in Antigua Guatemala.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation included: Hotel Genessis or Villa Colonial or similar


Day 3. December 12, 2025 (Friday). ANTIGUA GUATEMALA – ACATENANGO VOLCANO BASE CAMP

Breakfast in the hotel. Walking tour of Antigua Guatemala.
Antigua Guatemala lies in the Panchoy mountain valley, sandwiched between the cones of the Agua, Acatenango and Fuego volcanoes. The city was founded in 1543 as the third capital of Guatemala, and was called Santiago de Guatemala. All of capitals of Guatemala were named after the Apostle James or Santiago. And only after the strongest Santa Marta earthquake occurred in 1773, the capital had to be moved to a new location in Guatemala City, and after 2 years people began to call the third capital Antigua Guatemala or ancient Guatemala.
The city reached its peak by the middle of the XVIII century, when an unprecedented building boom tripled its area, and the population grew to fifty thousand people. By 1773, this city had about 25 churches, 5 female monasteries, 8 male monasteries and a cathedral built in 1680 and which was compared only with the cathedral in Mexico City and Lima, Peru for the beauty and majesty of the building.
The most important museum of Antigua is the city itself, its streets, where you can learn its history.
In the afternoon transfer to the village of La Soledad (200 km, 4 hours of travel), where we transfer to jeeps and begin our climb to the harsh Acatenango volcano with a height of 3976 meters. After an hour of travel, we will leave the jeeps and walk the last hour to the base camp at an altitude of 3560 meters. The climb to base camp, where we are going today, does not require mountaineering training.
Dinner at the camp and, very likely, a fire show from the nearby active Fuego volcano. Overnight in a glamping tents.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation included: glamping tents at the Acatenango Base Camp


Day 4. December 13, 2025 (Saturday). ACATENANGO VOLCANO BASE CAMP – ACATENANGO CRATER – CHIQUIMULA

We wake up before dawn. The last 400 meters of altitude difference (a little over 1 km distance) to the summit (3976 m) we advise you to go early in the morning to meet the sunrise at the very top. The fantastic view from the crater to all directions of the world covers the area from the Mexican border to San Salvador. After sunrise and taking photos, breakfast at the camp and descent to the jeep.

Transfer to Chiquimula city (200 km, 5 hours drive) close to the border of Honduras.
Rest at the hotel in Chiquimula.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation included: Hotel Vista Terra


Day 5. December 14, 2025 (Sunday). CHIQUIMULA – COPAN (HONDURAS)

Transfer to the border with Honduras (70 km, 1 hour drive).
We get to Copan, the most interesting place in Honduras. The main value of Copan is the unreal beauty and accuracy of the art on the steles. This site of the Mayan civilization was called the Athens of Mesoamerica.
Tour of Copan. Here we find a stele made in three dimensions. A real work of art is considered to be the Staircase with hieroglyphs, built by the Maya during the classical period. Each of its 63 steps is decorated with intricate writing, and balustrades depicting snakes and birds are erected on the sides.
Overnight at the hotel in Copan.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation included: Hotel Camino Maya or Plaza Copan or similar


Day 6. December 15, 2025 (Monday). COPAN – LAKE ISABAL AND RIO DULCE RIVER (GUATEMALA) – LIVINGSTON

Breakfast. Transfer to the department of Izabal (distance 270 km, 4 hours on the way) to the most picturesque river of Guatemala - the Sweet River. In the department of Izabal is the beautiful and largest lake in Guatemala, Izabal, which is a source of the famous river Rio Dulce.
In keeping with its peculiar geological history, which dates back at least 400 million years, Isabal is a complex mixture of karst caves and hills, rivers, lakes, swamps and large plains. You can see Mayan Pyramids hidden in the rainforest, vegetation and water. This region of Guatemala is a paradise for nature lovers and water sports enthusiasts.
The natural area of Izabal resembles the richness of the Amazon forests. The rainforest of Izabal is unambiguously impressive. With the highest biodiversity in the country, with an abundance of vegetation on the banks of the rivers, it is rightfully called the Jade Coast.
Transfer to a boat and a trip along the Sweet River (2 hours on the way): the steep walls of the river canyon, thermal springs, the beauty of the tropical jungle will leave an unforgettable experience.
Let's get to the Caribbean coast of Guatemala, where pirates and galleons fought for supremacy in colonial times. This area on the Caribbean coast seems to have remained unchanged.
Today, more than 350 bird species and countless other fauna such as howler monkeys, dolphins and manatees can be found in the region.
And of course, the city of Livingston, where the Garifuna people live, the descendants of slaves taken out of Africa. Excursion to Livingston (the city cannot be reached by land, only by water) - a settlement of the Garifuna people with a unique culture that combines African, Caribbean and European elements. The settlement was founded in the XVIII century by African slaves fleeing British violence off the coast of the Gulf of Honduras, and emigrants from various Caribbean islands. Modern Garifuna speak a strange mixture of Spanish and English, live in colorful wooden houses and still retain their traditions and the memory of their roots. Spreading palm trees, reggae music and amazing seafood are symbols of Livingston, allowing you to experience the true spirit of Jamaica in the center of Guatemala. During our trip, you will be able to try a typical Garifun dish - tapado soup (seafood soup boiled with coconut milk).
Overnight at the hotel in Livingston on the Caribbean coast.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch
Accommodation included: Hotel Villa Caribe or similar


Day 7. December 16, 2025 (Tuesday). LIVINGSTON – WHITE BEACH – FLORES

Breakfast in the hotel. Departure to the most beautiful beach in Guatemala, White Beach. Relax and swim in the Caribbean.
In the afternoon, transfer to the very north of Guatemala, to the department of Petén (distance 220 km, 3.5 hours driving). Overnight at the hotel in Flores on the shores of the lagoon of Lake Peten Itza.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation included: Villa Maya hotel or similar


Day 8. December 17, 2025 (Wednesday). FLORES – YAXHA (EL-MIRADOR)

Breakfast in Flores and transfer to the archaeological park of Yaxha, once the city of the Mayan civilization (70 km, 1.5 hours on the road). Unfortunately, Yaxha remains a mystery, with very little information available. The city is not heavily visited by tourists, although it is located on the shore of a beautiful lagoon with the same name. The complex was inhabited by the Mayan indigenous people for 16 centuries, from 600 BC to 900 AD. The complex contains over 500 structures, including 9 pyramids. From the Red Hand Pyramid or Structure 216, there is a magnificent view of the jungle and the lagoon.

Optionally, instead of a trip to Yaxha, for an additional fee ($650 per person), a helicopter tour to El Mirador can be organized (45 minutes flight).

El Mirador is one of the oldest and probably the largest cities built by the ancient Maya during the peak of their civilization over 2500 years ago. The ruins of this mysterious city are located in the north of Guatemala, in the department of Peten. Inaccessible and filled with countless mysteries, they are a must-visit for those interested in historically significant structures.
Most guidebooks mention two enormous pyramids, as they are the only ones that have survived relatively intact to the present day. However, in reality, El Mirador consisted of the Central Acropolis and three pyramid complexes: Tigre, Monos, and Danta. Danta, which was built later and served as an administrative and religious center, was constructed in several stages on top of a natural hill, with temples, terraces, and small pyramids gradually covering its slopes. The pyramids of Monos, on the other hand, were interspersed with long strips of palaces and stelae and had strong complex fortifications.
Currently, only two preserved pyramids can be seen, which are truly impressive in their size. For example, the Tigre pyramid rises to a height of 55 meters, while the Danta pyramid reaches a staggering 72 meters! The total volume of the Danta pyramid structure is 30 times larger than the volume of Temple I in Tikal!
Here, you can also see a decorative composition showing the twin gods Ishbalankue and Huna-Apu, which is recognized by historians as the oldest one found. The buildings of El Mirador are adorned with numerous scenes from the life of Vukub-Kakish, a proud deity depicted as a macaw.
For the past 20 years, archaeological excavations have been conducted in the city under the guidance of Richard Hansen, the principal scientific consultant for the film "Apocalypto" by Mel Gibson.
El Mirador is located 7 kilometers from the Mexican border and 105 kilometers from Tikal, and it is very difficult to reach this city. The expedition to El Mirador takes 2 days on foot or by mule (8 hours per day) for the most resilient, or 45 minutes by helicopter for the cleverest. Return by helicopter to Flores (45 minutes on the way).

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation included: Villa Maya hotel or similar


Day 10. December 18, 2025 (Thursday). TIKAL – FLORES – GUATEMALA CITY

Bbreakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Tikal (52km, 1 hour drive).
Tikal means "the place where the voices of the spirits are heard." - All the largest temples were built as funerary ones. The Maya considered the pyramids to be analogues of the mountains, on which, according to their beliefs, the spirits of the dead live.
Compared to other cities of the classical period, Tikal seems huge - it is the largest settlement in pre-Columbian America. Scientists came to this conclusion after a series of excavations conducted in the late 1950s. The population of Tikal is believed to have been up to 200,000.
It has been inhabited since 800 BC. until AD 900, only to be conquered again by the tropical jungle, from the early XI century until the early XX century, when Tikal was discovered and restoration work began.
The urban complex of Tikal (excluding the outskirts) occupied an area of about 16 square kilometers. There were 3 thousand buildings on it, and the pyramids were distinguished by a specific style that is not found anywhere else in Mesoamerica.
Particularly impressive are the six pyramidal temples, which, against the background of other structures of this type, look like real skyscrapers (up to 72 meters high). No wonder archaeologists called Tikal - the New York of the Mayan civilization.
Today, the Tikal National Park covers 575 square kilometers and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979 as a cultural and natural heritage of mankind.
In the afternoon transfer to Flores airport and departure to Guatemala city. Overnight at the hotel in Guatemala city.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation included: Hotel Barcelo or similar


Day 11. December 19, 2025 (Friday). GUATEMALA CITY – SAN JUAN – SANTIAGO ATITLAN

Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to the lake Atitlan (140km, 3,5 hours drive).
Today we will see the most interesting cities where the Tzutuhili Maya still live on Lake Atitlan. And we'll start with San Juan. The 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 here, whose artists paint in the style of Naive or Primitivism. There are many women's cooperatives in San Juan. You can visit a women's textile factory, see the processes of hand weaving and natural dyeing, and meet a group of comadrons or midwives who grow different types of medicinal herbs for natural medicine.
And of course, we will try very tasty coffee in one of the coffee houses. After, we will take a boat to the other side of the lake in the city of Santiago Atitlán.
Santiago, founded in 1547 at the foot of the Toliman volcano, is the largest city with a population of 32 thousand people, 95% of whom are the Tzutuhil Maya. The local population lives off fishing, farming and making cayucos (local canoes). Artisans specialize in painting, woodwork and weaving. Santiago is the city of worship of Mashimon, a pagan deity or god of the Mayan people, to whom donations of alcohol and cigars are made. He lives in the house of the head of the religious brotherhood or cofradia for a year; and the family in whose house Mashimon lives does not work. Their only job is to take care of the god.
We will also look into the local Catholic church, where two religions have merged - Catholicism and Mayan beliefs, and 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.
Also in Santiago, women wear special headdresses - tokoyal.
Overnight at the hotel on the lake.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation included: Hotel Villa Santa Catarina or similar


Day 11. December 20, 2024 (Saturday). CHICHICASTENANGO

Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to the largest high mountain Mayan market in Chichicastenango.
Chichicastenango is famous for its bazaar, which is a collection of stalls with colorful souvenirs and handicrafts. Surrounded by valleys and mountains that cover the horizons, Chichicastenango may seem isolated in time and space from the rest of Guatemala. When its narrow, mighty streets and red-tiled roofs are covered in fog, and this happens often, it can seem like you are in some kind of fairy tale.
Every year, on the eve of St. Thomas's Day, Guatemalan Indians in traditional colorful clothing head to the high Chichicastenango, where performances of musical and dance ensembles, as well as outlandish folklore performances, are held in honor of the holiday.
If you still want to look at the Mayan temple, then climb the sacred hill of Pascual - Abach. There are several stones and an idol with a stone face - Pascual Abach. It is said to be several thousand years old. Locals regularly bring food, cigarettes, flowers, spirits, Coca-Cola, and sometimes chickens as a sacrifice, in gratitude and hope for a continuation of life.
And what is a market without shopping, so take enough money with you to buy souvenirs. In the market, you can pay with US dollars. Chichicastenango market is famous mainly for its textiles and masks.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation included: Hotel Santo Tomas or Hotel Museo Mayan Inn or similar


Day 12. December 21, 2025 (Sunday). ANNUAL CARNIVAL IN CHICHICASTENANGO

On the day of the winter solstice, a grand festival is held that is attended by all the religious communities of the city. One of the most significant dances of Guatemala is Palo Volador, which takes place during this event. This is a tall pillar, on which from 2 to 4 people dressed in monkey costumes climb on ropes and then they go down on these ropes. After a few attempts, they begin to descend upside down. It's worth seeing!
On the days of the festivities, women wear traditional "huipil" (blouses) and "corte" (skirts), painted in amazingly rich and bright colors. At the same time, the traditional costumes of the inhabitants of each of the settlements are unique, like the dialect, which gives the carnival a special flavor. Dancers in festive costumes and masks at the festival perform a carnival dance that mocks the conquest of America and immerses "Chichi", as Chichicastenango is affectionately called, in a rainbow whirlwind. During the festivities, images of St. Thomas can be seen everywhere on the streets. At this time, the smell of incense is heard from the churches, and fireworks explode in the streets and brass bands play loudly.
The main part of the festivities is concentrated in the church of St. Thomas. One glance at the church and its decoration is enough to notice the mixture of Catholic and Amerindian cultures, which is especially pronounced during the celebration of St. Thomas's Day.
In the afternoon transfer to the Guatemala city. Overnight in Guatemala city.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation included: Hotel Barcelo or similar


Day 13. December 22, 2025 (Monday). GUATEMALA CITY – INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT

After breakfast, transfer to the Guatemala City airport.
International flight home from the international terminal of Guatemala City Airport no earlier than noon.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation included: no

* Recommended international flights from Guatemala City:
– any flight from Guatemala City no earlier than 12 noon on December 22.