March 7-15, 2025 Guatemala Tour
Explore, Experience, Empower
*Classic Tour*
ALDEA offers a unique, eye-opening, 8-day/8-night tour of the western highlands of Guatemala, the “Land of Eternal Spring.”
The mission of ALDEA and its partner organization, ABPD, is to promote integrated development services that improve the well-being of families with limited resources, especially in rural Mayan areas. For over 50 years, we have been working to change the trajectory of peoples’ lives and empower them to create lasting solutions to the persistent problems of poverty and inequality that are inherent in Guatemala’s large indigenous population.
This 8-day/8-night tour provides the rare opportunity to be welcomed into Mayan villages to experience ALDEA’s life-changing work and understand how you can be a part of making a meaningful difference. In addition, this glimpse of Guatemala will leave you amazed by the country’s incredible beauty, warm, gracious people, vibrant culture, and breathtaking landscape around Antigua and Lake Atitlán. Tour participants form strong bonds and a shared commitment to improving the lives of rural Guatemalans.
Is this tour for you? It is, if you want to:
- Experience the unique honor and privilege of being welcomed into the homes of the communities ALDEA serves and witness firsthand the impact of our work.
- Discover daily activities of rural Mayans in their homes, learn their stories, and meet community leaders.
- Learn about Guatemala’s thriving Mayan heritage and amazing legacy.
- Explore Antigua, a UNESCO world heritage site and learn of its rich history.
- Experience one of Antigua’s world-renowned Lenten processions.
- Relax surrounded by the mesmerizing beauty of volcano-ringed Lake Atitlán.
- Revel in the magical atmosphere of the lake and its traditions of painters, potters, weavers, and fishermen.
- Walk the Mayan ruins of Iximché and possibly witness a Mayan ritual.
- Learn about your Mayan energy “nawal.”
- Have the chance to view the colorful quetzal, Guatemala’s rarely seen national bird.
- Enjoy the opportunity to sample delicious Guatemalan food and some of the best coffee in the world.
- Take advantage of fair-trade shopping opportunities in Antigua and San Juan La Laguna.
- Get to know and spend time with people who care about the world and want to support women and families.
- Make memories for a lifetime!
what’s included
- Extensive pre-tour information, trip coordination assistance, welcome packet, souvenir gifts.
- Pick-up and shuttle to/from La Aurora Airport (GUA) in Guatemala City.
- Five nights at Hotel Aurora in Antigua, one night at Hotel de Montaña in rural Tecpán, and two nights at Hotel Bambú at Lake Atitlán.
- Daily breakfasts plus six lunches and seven dinners (including a special farewell dinner).
- Air-conditioned, chauffeured tour bus for in-country trips; water and some snacks included.
- Bilingual guides, all excursions and entrance fees during group activities.
- Gratuities for meals, drivers, all local guides, and hotel service.
what’s not included
- Round-trip air transportation.
- Items of a personal nature, e.g. souvenirs, laundry, extra snacks and drinks.
- Meals on Friday, March 7 and lunch on Friday, March 14.
- Cost of optional activities during free time.
- Travel medical insurance.
Deposit/Payments/Cancellations:
$500 deposit is due at the time of registration and the remaining balance ($1,600 per person for double occupancy and $1,900 for single occupancy) is due by November 30, 2024. If a participant cancels by November 30, 2024, they will receive a full refund. No refunds will be made for cancellations after November 30, 2024, unless the vacancy can be filled with a participant of equivalent occupancy.
Participation Details: The activity level for this trip is moderately difficult due to walking up to three miles at a time on cobblestones and uneven surfaces; walking up and down slopes; standing for periods of time; getting in and out of boats; and riding on bumpy roads. Tour is limited to 14 participants who are 21 years or older. Participants are required to sign a liability waiver, confirm their ability to participate physically in this active tour, test negative for COVID on the first day of the tour, and have travel medical insurance coverage.
Travel Documents: A current U.S. passport is required. No visa is required for Guatemala visits of fewer than 90 days.
Climate: March weather in the Guatemalan Highlands is sunny, rain is unusual, daytime temperatures in 70s F, nights in the 50s.
Brief Day-by-Day Itinerary (Subject to Change)
- Arrive at Guatemala City airport (GUA).
- Shuttle to Antigua, UNESCO World Heritage site.
- Check in at Hotel Aurora.
- Antigua walking tour followed by tour orientation.
- After lunch, explore Antigua on your own.
- Pre-dinner discussion of Guatemala’s social, political, and economic context with former U.S. Consul General and ABPD board member.
- Dinner at historical home of Antigua resident and ABPD board member.
- Experience Guatemalan Lenten procession.
- Enjoy typical lunch/cooking and weaving demo/product display at local family home in San Antonio Aguas Calientes.
- Pre-dinner discussion of ALDEA’s history and current program with tour leader and ALDEA Executive Director.
- Dinner in Antigua.
- Program update in Chimaltenango by Executive Director of ABPD (ALDEA’s Guatemalan partner organization).
- Travel to two rural Mayan villages – one village with ALDEA-sponsored environmental and empowerment projects completed and one without projects.
- Overnight stay at rustic Hotel de Montaña in Tecpán.
- Guided visit of the pre-Columbian ruins of Iximché en-route to Lake Atitlán.
- Check in and lunch at Hotel Bambú.
- Free time in afternoon to relax at Hotel Bambu’s pool or visit nearby town of Santiago Atitlán.
- Dinner at hotel.
- Optional early-morning bird watching hike – to spot quetzals (Guatemalan national bird).
- Mid-morning boat ride to San Juan La Laguna.
- Witness the natural dye process at local weavers’ cooperative.
- Learn about coffee production by touring a local small plantation; lunch at plantation.
- See a demonstration of San Juan’s unique painting style by a local artist.
- Free time in afternoon.
- Dinner at hotel.
- AM boat ride to Panajachel to meet our bus which will take us to visit another rural ALDEA village.
- Participate with villagers in typical daily activities.
- Return to Antigua in time for traditional cooking class.
- AM to mid-afternoon time to relax, shop, stroll in beautiful Antigua.
- Among many activity options: Visit a jade factory, handicrafts market, museum, or spa; participate in chocolate truffles workshop or cooking class, climb Pacaya Volcano, or get a massage in your hotel room.
- Late afternoon guided tour of the historic Casa Santo Domingo monastery followed by special dinner finale at the hotel’s exquisite restaurant.
- Shuttle to Guatemala City airport for flight departures OR plan additional post-tour activity, e.g. famous Chichicastenango market, overnight to Tikal or Copan, Spanish language school, or visit more of Antigua.
"Magical, extraordinary, life changing - the tour is this and so much more! From the moment we landed in Guatemala City, our experience was first class. We learned so much in our short time there! Most importantly, we were able to see firsthand the amazing work that ALDEA and partner organization ABPD are doing in the Mayan villages of Guatemala. They are changing lives one family at a time. We interacted with the families and learned from the promoters (women who are teaching life skills to other women) how their lives have changed because of ALDEA. Now, they are forming friendships and feeling empowered as women! We became immersed in the culture, ate delicious traditional Guatemalan meals, learned about textiles and backstrap weaving, shopped, and experienced life in the colorful city of Antigua. We saw a Lenten processional that was truly a magnificent sight to see. This tour is more than words can express. We hope you will experience it for yourself!"
SHARON Casey AND ELLEN SPEERS, 2023 Tour Participants