Pre-Planned Itineraries
Guatemala

Guatemala Samana Santa 

In Latin America, the week prior to Easter is known as Samana Santa, and the celebration in La Antigue, I Guatemala,is like no other anywhere. For seven days, the street are to carry enormous catholic icon platforms across carpets made of pine needles, dyed several tons and are all carried on the shoulders of penitents. Women follow the and as, followed by orchestras and men carrying containers of burning copula incense. Events reach a climax on the morning of Good Friday, which a reenactment of the arrest and condemnation Christ, and finally his crucifixion. La Antigua's population swell from 20,000 to almost 70,000 during this week, and have, necessarily, made our hotel reservations more than a year in advance. We have wonderful accommodations, at Villa Colonial, a new hotel on the edge of town, and we know that you love seeing the festival and retreating to your quite, elegant hotel. 

Our itinerary for this journey includes............................... 

Day One :     United States/Guatemala city, your flight from Houston brings you to Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, where you will be met by your guide, and then transferred to La Antigua, to check into the Hotel 
Villa Colonial, and spend the night. 

Day Two :     Up early this morning for breakfast, and then to the center of town to view the parades. The pageant is wonderful, the colors incredibly vivid, and the entire celebration is like none you've ever seen. Again, overnight at Hotel Villa Colonial. 

Day Three :     The most important parade of the week takes place today. Good Friday you'll need to have an early breakfast and then get to the parade route very early to see this wonderful spectacle. Antigua will be fairly bursting with people, and the parade will be the highlight of the entire week. Overnight again at Hotel Villa Colonial. 

Day Four :      A bit of an easier day for you today. A leisurely breakfast at the hotel, and then we'll be off for Panahachela, with a sort stop at Katok, a Swiss style restaurant on the highway, for perhaps a cup of coffee. On to Solola, and then to "Pana", for a brief tour, and finally to your hotel, Villa Santa Catarina, set on the shores of Lago Atitlan. Quite a spectacular setting for a hotel, surrounded by volcanoes, on the lake frequently refereed to as the "most beautiful in the world". Overnight at Villa Santa Catarina. 

Day Five :    A very early breakfast on this Easter Sunday, and then we'll be away about dawn to drive to Chichicastenango, for the market. And on Easter Sunday, It Should be spectacular, with the paginate of this special day mixed with the typical hoopla of the market in "Chichi". You can shop all morning, and we have arranged lunch at the Hotel Santo Panchel, the Hotel Villa Santa Catarine, where you'll overnight. 

Day Six :    Breakfast at the hotel, and then it's across the lake the village of Santiago Atitlan, for a look at another type of market, and to experience the feeling of one of the most authentic highlands villages. You're a long way from Kansas here, and you'll enjoy the site and sound of this pueblo. back across the lake in the afternoon, and overnight at the Hotel Villa Santa Catarina. 

Day Seven :     An early breakfast and then we'll make our way back to the Guatemala City for a tour of two incredibly interesting museums...Museo Ixchel and Popul Vuh, both of which are located on the campus of University Franciso Marroquin. Lunch at a charming cafe, Cafe Wein, and then the afternoon at leisure to wander around Zona 10 of Guatemala City. You'll be overnight at the Hotel Marriott, Guatemala City. 

Day Eight :     It's time to go, and after coffee at the hotel, we'll transfer you to Aurora International Airport for your flight to the United States. You'll be back.....a taste of Guatemala at Semana Santa can whet your appetite.  GUATEMALA....SAMANA SANTA.....$1,599.00 
INCLUDING  AIR
Double occupancy  31 MARCH - 7 APRIL 1999