The Rutahsa Adventures plans an annual trip to Guatemala. This has been going on since 1987. The excursion is a must for any travel-lover. There is also a Tikal extension for those who can spare some extra time.
Guatemala
Guatemala is one of the most beautiful places that exist on our planet. It is only about the size of Tennessee. Yet it has such a varied topography that ranges from sea levels to volcanic peaks soaring u
Climate variations
There are great variations in climate as well. There are the hot and steamy tropical forests and the rain-shadow desert valleys. There are the cool cloud forests and the chilly alpine plateaus.
Cultural diversity
Cultural diversity is another strong point of Guatemala. It has rich European, Maya, Mestizo and Caribbean traditions. Roughly half of Guatemala’s population makes up the Highland Maya that speaks over twenty languages and maintains a colorful and rich culture. Thus Guatemala gets its special and unique flavor.
Tour Outline
The tour takes place in the months of July and August that is the best time to visit Guatemala. The excursion includes all the places that have made Guatemala a much-loved tourist destination. The trip takes you to the dazzling Lake Atitlan, the colonial Antigua, an overnight visit to the Ixil Maya town of Nebaj that lies high in the mountains, the Chichi market, and a cross-border hop into the Honduras to see the major Classic Maya site of Copan Ruins. There is also an extension for those who want more and a visit to the majestic Tikal Ruins awaits them.
Tour conductor
The tour conductor is Professor Mary Drobny. She has travel experiences in Guatemala that go back as far as the 1970s. This will be the third time she will be touring Guatemala with Rutahsa Adventures.
Professor Mary has been teaching art in three different colleges and universities since 1991. She specializes in Meso-American and Latin American history of art. She has made over fifty trips to the island as the Cuba Travel Coordinator for Long Beach City College and Palos Verdes Art Center.
Itinerary
The trip takes you to all the sights in Guatemala that are worth seeing. Here are some of the highlights of this delightful place.
Antigua
The trip begins at the Posada de Don Rodrigo in lovely Antigua Guatemala. It has a refreshing climate and lovely colonial architecture. There is ample time to explore ruined convents, churches and monasteries.
Antigua used to be the capital of the Kingdom of Goathemala. It was destroyed in 1773 by a series of earthquakes. Today it attracts tourists from the whole world for its colonial architecture and ambience.
Quirigua
The next stop is the Copan Ruins that lie across the border in Honduras. Before reaching Copan though, the tour takes you to the important Maya ruins of Quirigua. There are exquisitely carved stelae here that are the tallest in the whole of the Maya realm. They are exceptionally well-preserved.
