Crooked Trails: Non-Profit Community-Based Travel, Educational Outreach, Community Development

Land of the Eternal Spring

Spend two weeks immersed in the rich & colorful culture of this amazing country. Visit ancient Mayan ruins, stay with a local Mayan family, wonder at the spectacular natural beauty of Lake Atitlan & the soak-in the colonial splendor of Antigua.

July 24 Saturday:
Depart USA for overnight flight to Guatemala or late afternoon arrival and transfer to Antigua.

July 25-26; Sunday & Monday:
LA ANTIGUA
Your Guatemalan journey begins in the former colonial capital of the Spanish conquistadors, La Antigua. After a series of significant earthquakes in the late 1700's destroyed much of the city, the aristocracy moved the capital to present day Guatemala City. Ringed by majestic volcanoes, Antigua is a popular tourist destination, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to a large potion of Guatemala's ex-patriot population. After a morning arrival, stretch your legs and get your bearings with an easy walking tour of Antigua. In the afternoon, we escape the bustle of the city and tour the countryside by mountain bike (if preferred, a private van is an alterative). We ride to the original colonial Guatemala capital, La Ciudad Vieja and tour the ruins. The old city met fateful doom in 1541 as a result of a terrible mudslide released from the crater of the Agua Volcano. In addition, we visit an experimental macadamia nut farm and sample a variety of macadamia nut products (chocolates, pancakes and more) while learning about the farm's sustainable agriculture practices. The following day, we rise early and depart for a hike one of Guatemala's most active volcanoes, Pacaya. From its flanks, we can see Guatemala's volcanic range stretching northward. From a safe distance, marvel at the mountain's fireworks - hot molten rocks cascading down from its summit and slow moving rivers of lava (some adventurous type like to get close enough to roast marshmallows!).

July 27-30; Tuesday - Friday:
QUETZALTENANGO
We leave the tropical jungles of the Peten and after returning to Guatemala City by air, we are met by our private transport at the airport. We hop on the Pan-American Highway westbound, our destination: Xela. Quetzaltenango, or Xela as its commonly know to locals and tourists alike, is Guatemala's 2nd largest city but its compact central core, where we will stay, makes it feel much smaller. The center of the country's K'iche Mayans, Xela (from the ancient K'iche name "Xelaju" meaning "under ten mountains") has the feel of a slightly shabby European highland city. It sits at 7,500 ft and is looked over by the perfect conical volcano Santa Maria, which is visible from almost anywhere in town. Our four days in Xela represent the heart of the two-week trip. One full day will be spent at Escuela de la Calle (EDELAC), located in the Xela neighborhood "Las Rosas." EDELAC, founded in 1997 by two progressive Guatemalan teachers, provides quality education and rehabilitative programs for disadvantaged, abused and orphaned children. At the school, we will participate in a largely non-verbal cultural exchange program focused on arts, sports and health. The unique artistic and cultural heritage of the K'iche people will be woven into the activities. That afternoon, the students and their new Guatemala friends visit the local market and then together prepare a communal meal at the Hogar Abierto, a dormitory/orphanage that serves as the home of about 20-25 EDELAC students. EDELAC is largely funded by the non-profit trekking organization, Quezaltrekkers. The following day, their experienced, English-speaking guides will lead our group and the kids from EDELAC on an adventurous day-hike through the mountains around Xela. The hike takes our group to a spectacular viewpoint overlooking the most active volcano in Guatemala - Santiaguito. We will witness at least one eruption (they happen about every half hour). (Alternatively, for family tours we can spend the day at the Xocomil & Xetalul Amusement Parks. These 5 star attractions are truly worth a visit and especially fun for younger travelers). On our final day in the Xela area we travel to the nearby town of Zunil for a visit to the therapeutic and luxurious mountain hot springs, Fuentes Georginas. In the afternoon, we return to Xela and celebrate our time there with dinner at a local restaurant.

July 31-Aug 1; Saturday and Sunday:
COMUNIDAD NUEVA ALIANZA is an organic coffee and macadamia plantation owned and operated by a cooperative of forty Guatemalan families. The community is nestled amongst a 300 acre plantation of organic coffee and macadamia trees where large tracts of natural tropical forest have been preserved. Our two days include touring the 100-year-old coffee processing plant, the macadamia processing, micro-hydroelectric plant, biodiesel workshop, water purification system, and bamboo workshop. We'll learn about the compelling history of the community's struggle to obtain legal title to the land and how the community is currently organized as a worker-owned cooperative. We'll relax by cascading waterfalls with crystal clear water, learn about edible and medicinal plants, and take in breathtaking views of the volcanoes Santa Maria (3772m) and Santiaguito - an active volcano which erupts, on average, every hour.

Aug 2-4; Monday - Wednesday:
LAKE ATITLAN & CHICHICASTENANGO
Ringed by rugged green ridgelines and towering volcanoes, the sparking deep blue Lake Atitlan is truly one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. The first night we stay with a local Mayan K'iche family in their home in the village of Santa Clara, perched above Lake Atitlan. After a communal dinner, the family often joins us around the fire for songs, stories and games. The following day, at our lakeside accommodations in the Maya Tzutuhil community of San Juan La Laguna, we will enjoy a day of relaxation. Volleyball, kayaking, shopping in the village or simply lounging in a hammock are options for the free day. Day two begins with a boat cruise, stopping at several other lakeside villages. Returning to San Juan in the afternoon, we tour the town's fair-trade, shade-grown coffee fields: La Voz Cooperative. Started in the 1985 with the help of Heifer International, 120 indigenous families grow their coffee using traditional organic methods in small plots on the slopes of the volcanic ridgelines ringing the Lake. Other activity options include hiking to a spectacular viewpoint overlooking the lake and a visit to a local women's weaving cooperative where sitting side by side with these artists, we learn the traditional weaving and dying methods used by the Maya for generations. On Wednesday, we take a trip to the famous Mayan market town of Chichicastenango. Chichi, perched among the mountains, is where local K'iche residents gather to buy, sell and socialize with their neighbors and the rash of gawking tourists who descend on the town each market day. This is one of the best places in Guatemala to purchase authentic (and not-so-authentic) Mayan handicrafts while witnessing the fascinating melding of ancient native spirituality with traditional Catholic rites. We arrive in Guatemala City in time for an early evening departure to Flores and the northern El Peten region.

Aug 5-6; Thursday & Friday:
EL PETEN REGION, NORTHERN GUATEMALA. Flores is the natural starting point for a visit to the untamed jungles of northern Guatemala's Peten region, home to many of the lost Mayan cities, including one of the largest and grandest, Tikal. We will stay in El Remate, a small village on the banks of Lake Peten Itza and use it as our home base. Explore beautiful Lake Petén Itza by kayak; watch the sun rise over the jungle at Tikal where you will gaze at the massive temples towering above the wide plazas and avenues of this jewel of the Petén and amp up the adrenaline with a thrilling zipline tour through the jungle canopy.

Aug 7; Saturday:
RETURN HOME

Program Cost: $2495 per person includes all lodging, transportation, most meals, tours and guide fees. Does not include international airfare to Guatemala. Crooked Trails can help book your flight or you may book on your own.

A note: All of our itineraries are flexible. Our philosophy at Crooked Trails is to let the country guide our experiences and not to live by a strict itinerary. If unexpected events arise, we may change plans to take advantage of the situation or deal with an issue. However, we will do all we can to offer you everything that is on the schedule. Please be flexible and allow the program to unfold.


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