Holy week & processions tour

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel (Huehuetenango)

Quetzaltenango, often called Xela by locals, is Guatemala’s second-largest city with about 175,000 inhabitants. Founded in 1524 during the Spanish Conquest, just after their last major battles with the Highland Maya, the city sits at around 2,300 m / 7,545 ft, surrounded by mountains and high volcanoes, including Santa María Volcano (3,770 m / 12,370 ft). Its historic center retains the charm of a provincial city, with an elegant central square framed by colonial cathedral facades (1524), neoclassical columned buildings, and the “Pasaje Enrique” shopping arcade, built in 1900 in the style of major European capitals by an Italian architect. Xela still preserves a strong Maya presence, and locals continue to use the first two syllables of its original Maya name: Xelajú Noj. Xela (pour Xelaju Noj).

Guatemala’s Easter processions are world-famous. In 2019, over 160,000 tourists attended these events. The colonial settings, lavish garments of the carriers, the intricate floats, and their impressive scale make these among the most striking displays of faith. While Antigua and Guatemala City are the most famous sites, the streets can become completely crowded and even difficult to navigate. To offer a more authentic experience, you’ll witness a spectacular procession in Quetzaltenango, off the main tourist routes. Hundreds of carriers participate, just like in Antigua, but in a calm environment that preserves the tradition. The local Maya population plays a central role: women wear ceremonial attire reserved for major celebrations, resulting in a vibrant festival of color.

In the mid-afternoon, transfer by vehicle to Huehuetenango, at the foot of the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes.

Overnight in Huehuetenango.

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: hotel (Chichicastenango).

Drive to the high plateau of the Cuchumatanes. At an altitude of 3,300 m / 10,827 ft, a viewpoint offers clear vistas of the volcanic chain, including Tacaná, Tajumulco (4,222 m / 13,845 ft – the highest volcano in Central America), Santa María, and Atitlán. The range is karstic, rising between 1,800 m and 3,900 m due to tectonic plate movements, resulting in a wide variety of vegetation. It is the highest non-volcanic mountain range in Central America, and some historians suggest this region is where the Maya language originated around 4,600 years ago. The Sierra de los Cuchumatanes features landscapes unlike anywhere else in Guatemala—high plains dotted with giant agaves and pine trees.

As Guatemalan Nobel laureate Miguel Ángel Asturias described:

 “It is the first land the navigator discovers from the South Sea. He gazes in awe. It is the earthly cloud where corn is born. The first grain of corn on earth. The pink puma takes refuge in its hills before time descends from the sky. Freedom of the first pine, dark green of the night, lunar, followed by another pine, then another, and another. Pines and cypresses go together up the hills, extending branches to help each other across ravines; they form groups, spread across plateaus, cluster in hollows, separate in gorges, and climb in single file toward the peaks to admire, from the highest of the Green Andes, under a vivid indigo sky, the smoke-crowned volcanoes, the silvery rivers, and shining nickel lakes.”

 Miguel Angel Asturias : Maladrón

Descend to the village of Todos Santos (2,500 m / 8,200 ft) via a scenic route. The Mam Maya of this region wear richly hand-embroidered traditional clothing: men in embroidered shirts and striped pants in red and white; women in purple and red blouses with dark blue skirts. Market day in Todos Santos is Saturday. Agriculture (coffee, potatoes, corn) and sheep raising are the main economic activities.

In the afternoon, vehicle transfer to Chichicastenango (about 2 hours). Upon arrival, you’ll have time to witness the fascinating preparations for the town’s famous market.

Overnight stay in the village of Livingston.

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel (Flores)
Included: Domestic flight Guatemala City – Flores

Chichicastenango is rich in traditions. It is also where the Popol Vuh, one of the rare pre-Columbian texts considered the “Mayan Bible,” was found.

Today, the town is best known for its incredibly colorful markets and fascinating scenes of religious syncretism that unfold daily in and around its 16th-century colonial church. The church was built on the foundations of an ancient Maya temple; its stairway has 18 steps, one for each month of the Maya solar calendar.

As you wander through the narrow streets, you’ll discover one of the most famous handicraft markets in the region — a true explosion of colors! You’ll find wooden carvings, silver jewelry, textiles, fruits, and the traditional incense known as copal. Among the finest local crafts are the embroidered huipils (blouses worn by Maya women) and the beautifully carved masks used in traditional dances.

Just a ten-minute walk from the center lies the town’s colorful cemetery, where you may witness Maya families performing ancestral ceremonies to honor their ancestors. Nearby, the Pascual Abaj hill serves as a sacred site for rituals that blend ancient Maya beliefs with Catholic elements.

In the mid-afternoon, transfer by road along the Pan-American Highway to Guatemala City Airport for your late-afternoon flight to Flores.

Overnight on the charming island of Flores, nestled on Lake Petén Itzá (the third-largest lake in the country, at 35 sq mi / 90 km²). With its cobblestone streets, colorful houses, and lakefront cafés, Flores has the feel of a cheerful holiday village. The sunsets over the lake are often spectacular.     ^2 2  

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel (El Remate – 1st night)   
Guided visit in English included: Archaeological site and Tikal National Park

To reach the entrance of the archaeological site, you’ll cross the southern part of the National Park—a beautiful opportunity to observe wildlife and the tropical forest.
Guided visit of Tikal with a specialist English-speaking guide. Tikal National Park is one of the rare UNESCO World Heritage Sites listed for both its natural and cultural value, thanks to its extraordinary biodiversity and its major archaeological importance. Once a powerful ceremonial center, occupied from the 9th century BCE to the 9th century CE, it lies within a vast 576 km² (222 mi²) tropical forest reserve
in Guatemala, and arguably in the entire Maya world. During the pre-Columbian era, this immense metropolis exerted political, economic, and cultural influence as far as the Mexican highlands. Your guide will help you discover the site’s remarkable flora and fauna: several monkey species, anteaters, over 300 species of birds, as well as deer and coatis. The reserve’s vegetation is equally diverse, with more than 200 tree species.

In the mid-afternoon, a short transfer will take you to the peaceful village of El Remate, located on the shores of the beautiful Lake Petén Itzá.
Overnight in El Remate (two nights total).

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel (El Remate – 2nd night)     
Guided visit in English included: Archaeological site and Yaxhá National Park

Morning transfer by unpaved road to the archaeological site of Yaxhá for a guided visit. Although lesser known, this magnificent site is the best restored in Guatemala after Tikal. From the main pyramid, you’ll enjoy a panoramic view of the surrounding forest and the shimmering Lake Yaxhá. Off the beaten track, a short boat ride across the lake will take you to the small and picturesque site of Topoxté, which remained occupied by the Maya until the 16th century.     

Return to your hotel in the afternoon and second overnight stay in El Remate.

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Lodge (Livingston – 1st night)   

After breakfast, drive south through the Petén region to reach Guatemala’s Caribbean coast. Along the way, you’ll see numerous ceiba trees (silk-cotton trees)—the national tree of Guatemala and the sacred tree of the Maya. The Petén was one of the most important Maya population centers, and recent LIDAR studies have revealed that several million Maya inhabited these fragile lands for nearly 1,800 years.

From the village of Río Dulce, embark on a motorboat excursion along the tranquil river surrounded by dense tropical vegetation, heading toward the Caribbean village of Livingston.

The Río Dulce, Guatemala’s largest river and the gateway to the Caribbean Sea, connects to Lake Izabal—the country’s largest lake (590 km² / 228 sq mi).²Together, they form one of the most important hydrological systems of eastern Guatemala, draining rainwaters from the highlands to the Atlantic Ocean.

At the start of your boat trip, visit the charming San Felipe Fortress, built by the Spanish to protect their warehouses on the shores of Lake Izabal from pirates and privateers. Today, this picturesque fortress is one of the region’s postcard-perfect landmarks.

As you continue down the river, the scenery becomes spectacular: lush cliffs, tropical vegetation, mangroves, and bird islands once used as hideouts by pirates. The region’s rich wildlife includes monkeys, anteaters, toucans, coatis, iguanas, manatees, pelicans, egrets, and herons. Midway through the journey, stop at the Ak’ Tenamit community project, a local Maya Q’eqchi’ organization working to preserve the rainforest and traditional crafts. You’ll have the chance to meet artisans and learn about community-led conservation efforts.

Overnight in the Caribbean village of Livingston (two nights total).

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel (Livingston, 2nd night)

The population of this village, isolated from the rest of the country, is still primarily composed of Black Garifuna people, who live along the Atlantic coasts of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. This unique culture emerged in the 17th century from the blending of African slaves and Indigenous Caribs. In 2001, Garifuna dance, music, religion, and language were proclaimed a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
Your boatman will meet you at your hotel’s dock for a lovely excursion. Following the northern coast by boat, you’ll reach the natural site of Siete Altares (“Seven Altars”), a series of beautiful freshwater waterfalls in the tropical forest (swimming possible—water shoes or sandals recommended). Continue to Playa Blanca, a white-sand beach lined with coconut palms, hammocks, lounge chairs, and pelicans.
Return to Livingston by boat. Free afternoon to enjoy the village’s Caribbean vibe.
Suggestion: Try a coco loco (a coconut filled with rum) at a café terrace, or sample the local specialty tapado, a delicious seafood and coconut milk stew.
Second night in Livingston.

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel (Guatemala City)
Self-guided visit

Boat transfer from Livingston to Puerto Barrios, the former major Atlantic port of the country, following the coastline. Then continue by road toward Guatemala City. Along the way, you’ll cross a wide variety of landscapes—from the lush tropical Caribbean region to drier zones filled with cactus and calabash trees as you approach the capital.
Stop at Quiriguá for a self-guided visit of the archaeological site, famous for its impressive stelae—the tallest yet discovered in the Maya world. The site lies in a pocket of tropical forest surrounded by vast banana plantations. You’ll likely spot toucans, parrots, and other tropical birds, along with magnificent trees. During your passage through the plantation, a short stop will allow you to observe the banana cultivation system—an industry that profoundly shaped the political, economic, and social landscape of Guatemala throughout the 20th century.

Overnight in a hotel located in Zone 10 of Guatemala City.

Meals included: Breakfast

Short transfer to Guatemala City Airport for your international departure (check-in three hours before the flight). Depending on your flight schedule, you may visit the city’s main museums (upon request). In that case, we recommend choosing flights departing in the mid- or late afternoon.