Guatemala

Welcome to Guatemala

Just so you know this is one of the 'current happening destinations' of central America. Some of you may have been there "back in the day" and I can assure you not much has changed. You are still going to find local dress, fabulous markets, chicken buses, the puffing volcano of Fuego, coffee plantations, and stunning Mayan ruins. The old pace of life still dominates ... just what we need.

Accommodation

This trip will include a mixture of stylish boutique hotels, pop-up tents and a hip beach side hostel.

Food

Breakfast will be provided and included in the cost but lunch and supper will be extra - out and about...

Settle in and explore

We will be picked up from the airport and taken to our hotel in the centre of old town Antigua. Here we will meet Tim who will be in charge of steering us around the country.

Antigua is a former capital and boasts an impressive selection of colonial relics in a magnificent setting - imagine streetscapes of pastel façades beneath three towering volcanoes. Many old ecclesiastical and civic structures are beautifully renovated, while others retain their tumbledown charm.

The next day we will be up bright and early to explore the oh so chic city (a UNESCO World Heritage Site, BTW) and if brave, walk up to the Mirador viewing point (you know you will, first one to the top gets a prize) before exploring the enormous Lago Atitlan.

Just so you know - Lago Atitlan is at the heart of the Mayan culture. Here you will have a cool down dip, visit local Mayan ruins and take part in a traditional Mayan ceremony to give thanks and promote good health and well-being. Welcome to the soul of Guatemala, literally.

The villages we will travel through still hold on to a strong indigenous identity, where many of the local women still wear huipiles embroidered with colourful birds or flowers. It really is stunning.

If time - back in Antigua, we can visit the chocolate museum - if for nothing else to stock up on provisions for the trek ...

Accommodation

Here we are going to stay in a very cool hotel in the center of old town. It is run by an organisation we have partnered up with called Nonio de Guatemala, where all the profits go back into funding local schools.

Check it out - it's dreamy, this is your treat! The Good Hotel

Double or single rooms available.

Food

Breakfast included in cost. Lunch and dinner is extra, out and about.

Up we go...

Leaving the Good Hotel at 8.00am we will travel out on a one hour drive to reach the Mayan village of Soledad which is the start of the Acatenango trail.

....Brace yourself for an overnight hike to summit the Acatenango Volcano, which towers above the landscape at nearly 4,000 metres.

The ascent winds its way up through four distinct ecosystems, starting with a tapestry of fertile agricultural fields where local farmers harvest corn, flowers and snow peas, into an old tropical cloud forest that harbours a diversity of flora and fauna, emerging into sparse, high, alpine forest that reveals views of six additional volcanoes, making it a great spot for lunch.

Aside from providing panoramic views of the entire region, Acatenango will give us a birds-eye-view of the nearby (and the very active) Fuego volcano which has been blowing off steam since colonial times.

The following morning we will complete the summit which should take about an hour. At the top we will find 360° views of Fuego, the Antigua Valley and the distant Guatemalan highlands that stretch all the way to the border of Mexico.

After many a still and peaceful moment at the top, we will trek back on a 3 hour descent and head back to The Good Hotel for the night.

Awesome.

Accommodation

Overnight camping volcano side and then back to The Good Hotel in Antigua.

Head west to the beach

On Friday we will hop on board one of Guatemala's notorious "chicken buses" and head out to the hip little town of Monterrico on the Pacific coast. Life here has a slow, tropical vibe to it and is surrounded by the Biotopo Monterrico–Hawaii, a nature reserve that embraces a 20km-long surf beach, home to turtle-nesting grounds, and wildlife rich wetlands. A fun, chilled and beautiful place to be based.

We aim to get here by lunch and check into our beach side hostel. We will then explore a bit before we meet the community leader from the local school who will talk us through our project, where we are literally going to roll up our sleeves and get stuck in...are you ready?

This is our chance to engage with the local community - to be so much more than a tourist...

The Curvina National School would like us to upgrade some of their school facilities. We have scoped out two potential projects that would significantly enhance the physical environment of the school, making it a safer and nicer place for the kids.

The first task is to mend the gutting across the main porch into the school yard. It is 30 metres long and currently does not function properly, overflowing and quickly making the school yard slippery and hazardous.

The second is to erect sun screens across the basketball hard court. Right now when the sun beats down it makes the school yard a very inhospitable environment. Our aim is to reclaim the space for the kids. We will engage local builders to prep these projects, e.g. digging holes and setting concrete, sourcing materials, so the project is ready for the final push when we arrive on site.

Afternoons/free time - lots to do here from kayaking through the mangroves and surfing to visiting the ARCAS Turtle & Wildlife Sanctuary, where hopefully we will be able to see some baby turtles making their first dash for the sea.

Accommodation

El Delphin Hostel - beach side with pool, restaurant and bar. Accommodation will be in single sex dorm rooms – max 3 per room. Bathrooms have western style WC and showers with cold water.

Food

Breakfast included at the hostel. Lunch and dinner will be extra in one of the local restaurants.

Airport Transfer

Early morning departure by private taxi/minivan to Guatemala International airport (3 hours).