Antigua Guatemala & Mayan World Tour

Tour Dates

All Year Round

Departure

Guatemala City Airport

Return

Guatemala City Airport

Day 1: Arrival – Antigua Guatemala

Meet and greet at La Aurora International Airport  by our representative, then transfer to the City of Antigua, Guatemala (1 hour).

Lodging in Antigua Guatemala.

Day 2: El Pilar  Nature Reserve – Antigua Walking Tour – Chocolate Experience

Morning birdwatching at Finca El Pilar, located 10 minutes away from Antigua. The vegetation of this reserve is mainly constituted of coffee, pine, and oaks, settling at an altitudinal range from 1,710 to 9,500 feet above sea level.

One of the main attractions of the El Pilar farm is the area of hummingbird feeders, where it is possible to observe about 8  species of hummingbirds that inhabit the area.

The hummingbirds feeding simultaneously represents an excellent opportunity for birders and photographers.

Lunch in a local restaurant in Antigua

14:00 hrs, you will start the thrilling cultural tour of Antigua, visiting the magnificent churches, ruins, and museums through the old cobbled streets that keep the stories and legends of those colonial times.

We will visit the most important areas of Antigua, like La Merced Church, Central Park, the Santa Catalina Martir famous Arch of the 5th Avenue, and much more.

Before finishing the day, you will visit a chocolate museum; this is a place to learn about the process of chocolate production, from the cacao seed to your cup.

Some of the birds that you can spot at this destination are:

Rufous Sabrewing, Green-throated Mountain-Gem, Bushy-crested Jay, Hooded Grosbeak, Elegant Euphonia, Singing Quail, Golden-crowned Warbler, Bar-winged Oriole, among others.

Day 3: Villages Tour – Free afternoon

After breakfast, you will enjoy a tour through the villages around Antigua, Guatemala, where they will learn their history through ruined buildings, live culture, and the incomparable landscape.

Also, there are some birding opportunities.

In this cultural tour, you will visit:

• San Juan El Obispo (the first archbishopric formed in Guatemala founded by Francisco Marroquín)
• San Pedro Las Huertas
• Ciudad Vieja (site of the former second capital of Guatemala, which was buried by a landslide in 1541)
• Valhalla (Experimental Organic Macadamia Farm)
• Santiago Zamora Women’s Cooperative.

The Santiago Zamora cooperative is a women’s association that shares its local daily activities with tourists.

The presentations begin with a demonstration of the local textiles. Then, you will learn how to form the threads until you use the backstrap loom and get the final fabric.

In the end, enjoy excellent local food, “pepian,” made of many local species, and add pork, beef, or chicken. (don’t worry if you are vegan or vegetarian; there is a lot for you too)

After lunch, you will return to Antigua Guatemala.

Free afternoon 

Day 4: Guatemala to Flores  – Las Guamayas Station 

Early transfer to La Aurora International Airport to take a short flight to Mundo Maya Airport, located in the Peten province.

At your arrival, meet and greet, then transfer aboard 4 by 4 pick-up trucks to Las Guacamayas Station (3 hrs. approx). The whole route offers excellent birding opportunities.

You will arrive in the Paso Caballos community, from where you will take a boat ride for 30 minutes approx. Also, this boat ride is great for nature and birding.

Check-in at the lodge and lunch. The afternoon wildlife tour around the lodge ends at las Guacamayas lookout.

Lodging at Las Guacamayas

Day 5: Las Guacamayas Station

Early breakfast, you will board the boat for a birding tour through the archaeological site of El Peru. Next, we will visit Guatemala’s most important nesting area of the scarlet macaw (Ara Macaw).

You can find exciting species such as Ocellated Turkey; Bat Falcon; Scarlet Macaw; Black-and-White Owl; Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Lovely Cotinga, Rose-throated Tanager; Green-backed Sparrow, among others.

Note: You can spot Scarlet Macaws from February to May

Nighttime river boat excursion: Explores the stream Sacluc; our experienced guide accompanies us for the nighttime river boat tour.

With the support of a flashlight, our guide illuminates the nighttime creatures that live here, including the crocodile petenero (Crocodylus moreletii), bats, birds, and more.

Lodging at Las Guacamayas Station

Day 6: Biological Station  – Tikal National Park

Breakfast and birding around the lodge. Then transfer to Tikal National Park with lunch en route.

Arrived at Tikal, check-in, then relaxed birding around the lodge.

Lodging in Tikal Park

Day 7: Tikal Birding & Archaeological Tour

Early birdwatching Tour within Tikal National Park, Tikal is part of the nucleus areas of the Maya Biosphere Reserve, with a high level of conservation activities and research.

You will visit other areas in the quest for birds and wildlife that inhabit this unique natural and archaeological destination declared in 1979  as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Lunch at the lodge

After lunch, you will continue with birding and wildlife observation within Tikal Park

Lodging at Tikal Park

Day 8: Tikal – Flight to Guatemala City

After breakfast, you will continue with the exploration in the quest for more birds and wildlife in Tikal.

Lunch at Tikal

Afternoon transfer to Mundo Maya Airport to take a flight back to Guatemala city.

Lodging in Guatemala City.

Day 9: Back Home

Transfer on time to take your flight back home