Grand Guatemala with Copan

Guatemala at the beginning of the 21st century is a land where peace is new and cherished, visitors are being welcomed gratefully, and Mayan culture affirms itself with deep pride. At JOURNEYS, we are just learning about all the treasures this exotic and recently accessible land has to offer, and we are reminded of our entry into Nepal in the 1970s. Begin in colonial Antigua, a U.N. World Heritage-designated city. Spending several days among traditional people on Lake Atitlan in the volcanic highlands. Then continue to sites of the most extensive and spectacular Mayan ruins in Central America -- first, Copan, just across the border in Honduras; and then Tikal in Guatemala's richly forested north. You'll also travel by boat on the Rio Dulce, and visit the Garifuna community on the Caribbean coast in Livingston. Traveling throughout Guatemala, encounter many of the more than twenty different Mayan languages, and you'll note differences in textile and clothing traditions from one community to another. On at least two days of this trip, we offer activity choices that will allow energetic hikers to do volcano climbs while culture or textile enthusiasts can go more deeply into those arenas.