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Day 1 - Tuesday
Guatemala City
Meeting at the international airport with the Ofakim representative and transfer to the hotel. |
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Day 2 - Wednesday
Guatemala City
Today we will go on a panoramic tour and then to the enormous covered market.
In the afternoon we will have free time in the city center. |
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Day 3 - Thursday
Guatemala City, Ketzaltenango
Today we will pass through a wild, mountainous area that is full of fruit orchards and coffee plantations and picturesque villages on our way to Ketzaltenango where we will spend the night. |
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Day 4 - Friday
San Francisco Alto, Panajachel, Atitlan Lake
This morning we will go up to the small town of San Francisco to the enormous regional market that takes place there every Friday.
What do they sell there? Everything!... from art to sheep and pigs and... even old (Singer) sewing machines with pedals...
We will wander around the market and from there we will drive through Indian villages to Solola where we will have a fantastic view of Atitlan, a beautiful lake surrounded by three (non-active) volcanic mountains.
From there, we will go down to the 'big' city on the lake, Panajachel, the meeting place for backpackers from all over the world, the town of authentic, colorful, lively markets and restaurants. |
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Day 5 - Saturday
Atitlan Lake
Lake Atitlan's attraction lies both in its natural beauty and in the Indian villages scattered around it which offer an insight into the combination of the people's pagan 'naivet' and their Christian beliefs.
We will take a boat trip to the other side of the lake to see some of the villages but we will focus mainly on Santiago Atitlan and return to Panajachel in the evening. |
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Day 6 - Sunday
Chichicastenango, Antigua
This morning we will pass through the colorful market in the village of Solola, the capital of the province, and look down at the wonderful view of the lake.
It is Sunday today and Sunday means market day at Chichicastenango. The picturesque, colorful and lively market there is considered to be the best, most interesting and most plentiful of all the markets in Central America.
From there we will go up the hill to the site of religious rituals, Pascual Abaj, an example of the combination paganism and Christianity that so characterizes this part of the world.
On our way back, we will stop at St. Thomas Church where they also perform pagan rites alongside Christian ones.
We will watch the Cofradias (religious brotherhoods) that parade from church to church, as well as enjoy the market and we will also watch the Voladores (flyers) dressed in brilliantly colored traditional costumes fly around a high pole in the central plaza, suspended by nothing more than a rope.
In the evening we will arrive in Antigua, the ancient capital of Guatemala.
Overnight. |
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Day 7 - Monday
Antigua
Antigua means ancient, and indeed this is an ancient city. It was the capital until 1773 when it was destroyed by an earthquake and the subsequent volcanic eruptions of the surrounding volcanoes.
We will tour the town, its colonial center and we will go outside the city to the local music museum, Casa Kojom, and to the nearby coffee plantation.
Dinner and overnight. |
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Day 8 - Tuesday
Antigua, Quirigua, Livingston
We leave Antigua (very!) early this morning for the long bus ride down towards the Caribbean Coast via Guatemala City, which we will make a short tour of, time permitting.
On our way, we will stop in Quirigua, a relatively small Maya archaeological site, but an impressive one because it has the most important collection of stelae (stones with ancient writing on them - a Maya version of the Hieroglyphics) from the Maya Era.
We will then continue to Livingston on the Caribbean Coast, home to the Garifuna, a black ethnic minority group who are the descendants of black slaves brought here in the 16th century. Here we will find a different language, different music, a different atmosphere.
Overnight in the Livingston area. |
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Day 9 - Wednesday
Livingston, Flores
After a tour of Livingston, we will take a boat on the Rio Dolce and sail amid lush vegetation and interesting animal life toward Lake Isabel.
From there we continue towards the town of Flores, the starting point for tours to Tikal.
Overnight in the Flores area. |
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Day 10 - Thursday
Tikal
Tikal is the largest of the surviving ancient ruined cities of the Maya civilization. It was also destroyed later than most of the other sites and it is no wonder that UNESCO has proclaimed it a World Heritage Site nor is it a wonder that no tour of Central America is complete without a visit to Tikal.
We will tour this site and also go to the little museum outside Tikal.
From there we will go directly to the little airport at Flores for the flight to Guatemala City. |
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Day 11 - Friday
San Jose
Transfer to the airport for the flight to San Jose in Costa Rica. |
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Day 12 - Saturday
Poas Volcano National Park
This morning we will go to the Poas Volcano National Park and see the volcano that, since its last eruption, has kept a low profile and merely emits a bit of sulphurous gas and some ash once in a while. We will see the spectacular sight of the irridiscent green lake in the crater and will also go to the La Paz Waterfalls in the forests on the slopes of the volcano.
We will wander around the park gardens and see the orchid park and the butterfly farm.
Back to the hotel in San Jose. |
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Day 13 - Saturday
Arenal Volcano, Tabacon Hot Springs
We will leave early today to drive west towards Costa Rica’s northern plains out of which the active volcano Arenal rises. Arenal, which last erupted in 1968, is the most picturesque of all the Costa Rican volcanoes.
Once we have settled into our hotel, we will go for a swim in the Tabacon Hot Springs amid lush tropical flora, steam and waterfalls.
Overnight in Arenal. |
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Day 14-15 - Monday-Tuesday
Monteverde Reserve
We will begin today with a drive around the picturesque Arenal Lake amid coffee plantations and green pastures to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve on mountainous tropical slopes.
The Reserve has another name too: Foggy Forest because of the evergreen dense rain forest where the rain falls like a fog and remains on the tree summits. There is also abundant wildlife - monkeys, snakes, butterflies and a wide variety of birds - living in the forest.
We will spend the next two days in this wonderful area, learning to get to know a little about it. We will go on a breathtaking 'flying fox' cable mechanism ride that consist of crossing between the treetops of the cloud forest, stopping off on a platform on each tree to enjoy the forest scenery.
From there we will go to the Sky Walk, a walking tour across suspended wooden bridges placed at different heights, amid wildlife and lush green vegetation of mosses, ferns, flowers and epiphytes in the humid atmosphere of the tropical forest.
We will also walk along a trail in the nature reserve and get to know some of Costa Rica's fauna and flora.
Overnight near the Reserve. |
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Day 16-17 - Wednesday-Thursday
Monteverde, Manuel Antonio National Park
Today we come down from the mountains to the Pacific Ocean.
We will drive past white beaches and rainforests and arrive in Manuel Antonio National Park where we will walk along a trail in bays in the tropical rainforest. We will come across animals such as iguanas, white-faced capuchin monkeys, red crabs and more.
Overnight in the area. |
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Day 18 - Friday
San Jose
Today we end our visit to the nature reserve and make our way back to San Jose for our last night in Costa Rica. |
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Day 19 - Saturday
San Jose, Flight home
Transfer to the airport for the flight home at the end of a unique, exciting tour.
END OF SERVICES. |
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Guatemala City, Ketzaltenango, Panajachel, Atitlan Lake, Chichicastenango, Antigua, Quirigua, Livingston, Flores, Tikal, Poas Volcano National Park, Arenal Volcano, Monteverde Reserve, Manuel Antonio National Park, San Jose
Guided tours in:
Special visits:
- Guatemala City: Panoramic tour, the enormous covered market.
- San Francisco Alto: The enormous regional market.
Solola: A fantastic view of Atitlan Lake.
- Panajachel: The colorful, lively markets. Atitlan Lake: A boat trip.
- Chichicastenango: The colorful market, The site of religious rituals,
- Pascual Abaj, St. Thomas Church.
- Antigua: The colonial center, local music museum Casa Kojom, coffee plantation.
- Quirigua: A Maya archaeological site.
- Livingston: City tour. A boat on the Rio Dolce.
- Tikal: The largest of the surviving ancient ruined cities of the Maya civilization.
- Poas & Arenal Volcano: The park gardens and see the orchid park and the butterfly farm.
- Monteverde Reserve. Manuel Antonio National Park
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Domestic flights abroad |
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Hotels: First class and good tourist class. Double rooms with adjoining bathrooms. |
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Meals: Full board throughout the tour |
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Air-conditioned bus for all touring and transfers |
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Experienced, professional guide |
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Visa: Please check with your travel agent |
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Visits: Entrance fees included as per the itinerary |
The price also includes: local airport
taxes, fuel tax as per 6/1/07, tips for
services rendered. The price does not
include: international air, optional
tours, travel insurance. We recommend
that you read the chapter at the end of
the brochure devoted to general
information and general terms. |
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| TOUR CODE: OMC |
Arrival date to
destination |
Land only - per person in USD |
| 2007 |
| Oct 23 |
$3,200 |
| Nov 29 |
$3,200 |
| 2008 |
| Jan 8 |
$3,200 |
| Feb 12 |
$3,200 |
| Mar 17 |
$3,200 |
| Sep 7, 21 |
$3,200 |
| Oct 5, 26 |
$3,200 |
| Nov 9, 23 |
$3,200 |
| 2009 |
| Jan 11 |
$3,200 |
| Feb 1, 15 |
$3,200 |
| Mar 8, 22 |
$3,200 |
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