Highland Maya Markets

Day 1: Arrival in Antigua (Unguided)
Guests are met & transferred to Antigua. (1hr) Overnight in Antigua.

Day 2: Make Your Own Coffee (Guide HD)
In the morning guests will enjoy an active and participating tour of small local coffee farms to learn about the coffee history and process. Free afternoon. As Green as it Gets (GAIG) is a charity working to support small independent coffee producers and promoting environmentally responsible agriculture in Guatemala. This tour takes guests to visit some of the families supported by this organization where they can work side-by-side with small coffee farmers in their daily coffee processing, pick, pulp, ferment, wash, dry, trilla, sort, and grade the coffee (depending on the season), roast coffee over an open fire and grind by hand on a grindstone before sampling their handiwork. Coffee Season is Nov to Mar. This tour includes a donation to GAIG and the Viaventure Foundation also supports this organization on an annual basis. Overnight in Antigua. Breakfast/-/-.

Day 3: Antigua Walking Tour (Guide HD)
Guests will take a half day walking tour of Antigua. (3-4hr). The tour takes in the market of Antigua where guests get an introduction in the local produce, the main square, Palace, Cathedral, La Merced Church & San Francisco Church. All entrances are included. Free Afternoon. Overnight in Antigua. Breakfast/-/-.

Day 4: Chichi Market & transfer to Lake Atitlan (Guide FD)
Today guests transfer approx. 3hr to the famous market at Chichi. Time for shopping in this fabulous craft market and an opportunity to see Maya rituals being performed in the Catholic Church. After the tour guests will enjoy their lunch before transferring on to their hotel at Lake Atitlan (1hr). Overnight in Lake Atitlan area. Breakfast/Lunch/-.
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Day 5: Lake Tour (San Juan, Santiago) (Guide FD)
This morning guests will take a scenic boat ride across Lake Atitlan (30min) to the village of San Juan La Laguna where they can visit the women’s textile cooperative to see hand weaving and natural dye process. Also here visit the studios / homes of the celebrated naïf painters. From here guests continue to the village of Santiago where they have lunch in a local hotel and tour the village visiting the Maya God Maximon and learn about the textiles, spiritualism and beliefs of the T’zutujil Maya. Overnight in Lake Atitlan area. Breakfast/Lunch/-.

Day 6: Solola and Concepcion (Guide HD)
Guests are picked up from their hotel by their driver & guide and transfer approx 30mins up to the traditional town of Solola. (For guests staying in Santiago this also requires a 30min boat ride across the lake) On market day this town is bursting with life and local Maya people from all around the area flock to the market to buy and sell their wares for the week ahead. Everyone is dressed in the brightly colored local textiles and even the men here wear the traditional costume of the area. This is a fabulous and authentic market to visit. When clients are ready they will be transferred to the local rural village of Concepcion. Although this village is close to the more tourist area of Lake Atitlan it is in many respects a world away and offers a real glimpse of rural, agricultural life of the local Maya people. Guests will visit the church which has recently been reconstructed, a Shamans house and the Maya god Maximon and will also walk through the fields where they will see how people grow their crops. The combination of the market in Solola and the tour in Concepcion gives the traveler a wonderful insight into Maya life in the Solola district of Guatemala. Overnight in Lake Atitlan area. Breakfast/Lunch/-.

Day 7: Free morning & Transfer to Xela (Unguided)
Guests will enjoy a free morning to relax or explore more of the Lake Atitlan area. After lunch guests will be transferred to Quetzaltenango (Xela) (3hr). Overnight in Quetzaltenango. Breakfast/-/-.

Day 8: Almolonga vegetable market & San Andres Xecul (Guided)
Guests will transfer to Almolonga where they will visit the vegetable market. They will then visit the market at San Andres Xecul with its famous Yellow church, visit the textile cooperative in Zunil & the blown glass cooperative. If time permits guests can also enjoy the hot springs. Overnight in Quetzaltenango. Breakfast/Lunch/-.

Day 9: San Francisco Market & Unicornio Azul (Guided)
This morning guests will visit the famous market at San Francisco El Alto which is one of the largest open air markets in Central America and is famous for its interesting animal market. Once guests are ready they will then transfer to Unicornio Azul for the next 2 nights. Breakfast/-/-.

Day 10: Todos Santos Market (Guided)
Today guests transfer still deeper into the high Cuchumatanes mountains to the remote and highly traditional village of Todos Santos. (1hr) Here guests enjoy the market and the interesting local costume before transferring back to Unicornio Azul (1hr) for overnight. Breakfast/-/-.

Day 11: Transfer to Antigua (Guided)
Today guests will transfer all the way back through the Maya Highlands to Antigua (6hrs). Overnight in Antigua. Breakfast/-/-.

Day 12: Fly out from Guatemala (Unguided)
This morning our driver will transfer guests to the airport (approx 1hour) in plenty of time to catch their flight. Breakfast/-/-.