✦ Sacred Travel

Nov 8, Saturday

Fly into Guatemala City. Arrive at La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City. Meet your driver and transfer to Antigua. Plan to arrive in the afternoon, no later than 5pm.

Overnight stay at Hotel Genessis, Standard Room.

Included: private airport transfer, room and breakfast.

Nov 9, Sunday

Explore Antigua, a walking visit of the city.

One of the most lovely cities in Guatemala, Antigua is surrounded by three majestic volcanoes: Fuego, Agua and Acatenango. We will introduce you to the beautiful Maya people and their markets where they showcase their amazing handiwork. They embroider important symbols such as the jaguar, serpent, frog, turtle, lizards, and more into their fabrics. Miguel Angel will explain what all these symbols mean and why they are important to the people. We will work with the powerful energies of the volcanoes, called Hunabku.

The cobblestone streets adjoin the colorful patios of the colonial houses and it is lovely to walk along the arcades of Parque Central.

This evening, we will host a Welcome Dinner.

Overnight stay at the Hotel Genessis, standard room.

Included: room and breakfast and Welcome Dinner; tour of the markets and work with Hunabku

Nov 10, Monday

Explore Antigua, with a leisurely morning and after lunch, drive to lake Atitlan.

In the morning, we can continue to explore lovely Antigua.

After an early lunch, we board our transportation for Lake Atitlan. The lake is nestled between the three volcanoes at an altitude of 1,562 meters (4,600 ft), offering magnificent panoramas. The small villages along the lake, often only accessible by boat, perpetuate festivals and markets rooted in local traditions. We will arrive at our hotel in Panajachel.

After leaving our suitcases at the hotel, we will explore the amazing Atitlan Nature Reserve, nearby. Here we will have our first nature experience, led by Kristina.

Near the entrance, we will find a butterfly enclosure that we will walk through. Watch the butterflies, and if you are lucky, some might even end up sitting on your hand or shoulder. The butterfly is the symbol of Atlantis, so Miguel Angel will educate us about this connection.

There are animals, such as coatis and a few monkeys around on the reserve. We will follow a trail that goes along a stream. After a bit of walking you will come out right by the beautiful Lake Atitlan. At some point, we will each find a place to spend some alone time to commune with the forces of Nature in this beautiful place. Kristina will give you an exercise to help you connect with the Nature Spirits.

You may find some waterfalls at the nature reserve and lots of hanging bridges that you will need to walk across. 

At the end of our time at Atitlan Nature Reserve, we will go back to our hotel for dinner and a good night sleep.

Overnight stay at Porta Hotel del Lago.

Private transport, admission to Atitlan Nature Preserve, Guided Nature experience, room and breakfast.

Nov 11, Tuesday

This day we will get on a private boat and head out onto Lake Atitlan. One thing that is little known is that there is a hidden Maya City full of temples at the bottom of the lake, the deepest in Central America. The Mayan culture attributes the birth of the lake to supernatural events, which are explained in the Popol Vuh, a historical document about the creation of the world for this culture. Miguel Angel will explain about the mysteries of Lake Atitlan.

We will have a ceremony to ask the Spirit of the Lake for permission to be there.

We will motor over to visit the small Maya village of San Juan La Laguna. Here the weavers' cooperative will open its doors to teach us about the techniques of natural coloring and traditional weaving. The village also showcases amazing, colorful paintings of daily life in the area.

Return to your hotel and spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure in the small town of Panajachel,  where along the famous Santander Street, you will find all kinds of crafts, utensils, furniture, knick-knacks and other things.

Overnight stay at  at Porta Hotel del Lago.

Included: Private lake transport, Lake Ceremony, local guide, entrance fees to the weavers' guild, room and breakfast.

Nov 12, Wednesday

This day, we will also go on the boat across Lake Atitlan. We will meet with the local people in the small villages around the lake and have a ceremony to connect with the Maya Teachers of the Light. This will be a cacao ceremony to ignite our inner fire and reactivate our consciousness. Miguel Angel will conduct this ceremony together with some local Maya Shamans.

Cacao is a teacher that is skilled at helping us reconnect with our own hearts, tend to our relationships, and walk through life purposefully and guided by clear vision. The three universal pillars that are core to creating cacao ceremonies are: gratitude, intention, and reciprocity.

Return to your hotel and the late afternoon is free.

Stay at Porta Hotel del Lago.

Included: private lake transport, local guide, Cacao Ceremony led by Shamans, room and breakfast.

Nov 13, Thursday

Departure at 8:00am to Chichicastenango (11/2 hr drive), famous for its market.The Kaqchikel Indians come down twice a week from the surrounding villages to sell their products. The women wear the traditional Huipil, dresses representing the seasons of the Maya Calendar.  The city turns into a kaleidescope of colors and smells on this festive day!

After enjoying this wonderful market, we will walk 3 kilometers to what Miguel Angel believes is a most important site, featuring a Maya University. We will walk to Mount Pascual Abaj, a legendary place, where many ancestral rites are practiced. There we will find local Maya Shamans performing ceremonies for spiritual purification, protection and good fortune. We will enjoy a box lunch of traditional Maya food.

Overnight stay in Chichicastenango at Hotel Mayan Inn.

Included: Private, guided excursion to the market and shaman ceremonial location, with Miguel Angel and local English and Spanish guide, Box Lunch, room and breakfast.

Nov 14, Friday

Drive to the Maya site of Iximcha, the capital of the Maya Kaqchikel. There are pyramids in this area. It is dedicated to the Maya Mother, Ixchel. She is Mother Nature, Mother of the Light. We will have a meditation here with the Mother of our Earth, conducted by Miguel Angel.  After our time here, we will transfer to Guatemala City and prepare for our National flight to Flores the next morning.

Overnight Hotel Stofella

Included: Private transportation, entrance fee to Iximcha, meditation with Ixchel, breakfast buffet, room.

Nov 15, Saturday

Meet your driver and transfer to Guatemala City Airport. 

Depart: 8:10, arrive 10:10am.

Arrive at Flores airport and private transfer to your hotel.

Afternoon, we will spend gathered together for a lecture by Miguel Angel about Tikal, the sacred Maya site where we will spend the next 2 days. We will prepare for our time at Tikal, the jewel of the Maya World. Tonight we will have another group dinner. Our hotel has kayaks that can be used on the lake and a Temascual, which is like a Maya sweat lodge.

Overnight: Hotel Camino Real Tikal

Included: Private transport, domestic, national flight, group lecture, group dinner, room and breakfast

Nov 16, Sunday

Tikal! Here there are 5,000-6,000 pyramids. There are still undiscovered pyramids here, many mysteries left to find. It is a vast site located in the Tikal National Park. 

Tikal National Park is 57,600 hectares (220 sq mi), it contains the ancient Mayan city of Tikal and the surrounding tropical forests, savannas, and wetlands. In 1979, Tikal National Park was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, because of the outstanding Mesoamerican ruins at Tikal and the unique ecology of the surrounding landscape.

Tikal National Park makes up part of the global Man and the Biosphere Program, within the Maya Biosphere Reserve. Because of its lush and varied ecosystem, many species of plants and animals thrive within the park boundaries. Five species of cats reside within the park, including the jaguar and puma, along with several species of monkeys and anteaters. In addition, more than 300 species of birds are found in the park, including the crane hawk and the ocellated turkey.

Tikal has been called the "sacred place of the voices" and the Maya teachers shared their wisdom here. It was the capital of the ancient ones from around this vast area.  There is a place in Tikal called the Lost World. This is where we can connect with the Beings from the Pleiades.

After leaving Tikal, we will transfer to our hotel.

We will start our day with a ceremony for permission to be in this sacred place and end our day after dinner with a quiet reflection sharing of our experiences.

Stay at the Hotel Camino Real Tikal

Included: Private transfer, entrance fee to Tikal, 2 Tikal guides, ceremony with Miguel Angel, room and breakfast.

Nov 17, Monday

Today, will be dedicated to further exploring the site of Tikal. You are encouraged to climb the 65 meter Pyramid of the Serpent (like in the Star Wars movie!).  We will visit the main plaza of the great jaguar faces. This is where the Maya Crystal Heart of Tikal can be found. It is the most sacred part of the site and here, we will hopefully get permission to have a Fire Ceremony, conducted by Miguel Angel.  We will also have another Nature Experience in the great National Park of Tikal.

At the end of our day, transfer back to our hotel.

Stay at Camino Real Tikal

Included: Private transport, Entrance Fee to Tikal, 2 Tikal guides, Fire Ceremony, Nature Experience, room and breakfast.

Nov 18, Tuesday

Depart our hotel to Uaxactun, a remote community in the heart of the Maya Biosphere. We will explore the archaeological site. This is the "Place of Eight Sacred Stones", which means it is the Connection to the sacredness of the Infinite. There are beautiful stelas here. Miguel Angel will explain these to us. He will also introduce us to some ancient Maya Olmec exercises (a bit like Maya Yoga)! We will have a box lunch, enjoy an hour in Nature, and visit the special museum there. There is an unusual museum that houses superb Mayan artifacts. After leaving Uaxactun we will drive to the Peten Itza Peninsula to enjoy the lakeside town of Flores. Explore the town and great restaurants, dinner on your own. In the evening, we will bus back to our hotel.

Overnight: Hotel Camino Real Tikal

Included: Private transportation, entrance fee to Uaxactun, Olmec exercises, box lunch, Guided Nature Experience, local guide, bus trip to Flores, room and breakfast included.

Nov 19, Wednesday

Today we will go to a special place, called Yaxha, which is the Maya word for green water. This was an important source of water for the ancient Maya. There are pyramids and temples here which we will explore. Miguel Angel will conduct a special meditation for us. We will have a box lunch. At the end of the day, back at our hotel, we will possibly have an optional, guided Temescual (Maya sweatlodge) Ceremony. Then, gather for some reflection time with question and answers regarding all that we have seen, heard and felt during our travels in Guatemala.

Overnight: Hotel Camino Real Tikal.

Included: private transport, entrance fees, local guide, English guide, box lunch, room and breakfast, question, answer and sharing session.

Nov 20, Thursday

Optional Nature Experience with Kristina at the Lake after breakfast in the morning

Late morning, depart from your hotel in Tikal for the airport in private transportation.

National Flight: Flores to Guatemala City.

Flight Departure: 2:25, arrive 3:20. Arrive at La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, meet your driver and transfer to your hotel. 

Farewell Dinner.

Overnight Stay at Hotel Stofella.

Included: Optional Nature experience at the Lake with Kristina in the morning, private transport, domestic flight, Farewell Dinner, room, breakfast buffet.

Nov 21, Friday

Private transfer from your hotel to the International Airport of Guatemala City.

Included: private transport.