Guatemala holiday; festivals & culture

Guatemala truly has it all: a vibrant indigenous culture, spectacular natural beauty, the UNESCO world heritage city of Antigua, dramatic Mayan ruins, and the warmth and charm of its proud people. This is not to ignore Guatemala’s turbulent past or the social inequalities that still exist. However, since the signing of the 1996 peace accords, Guatemala has again taken its rightful place on the world’s stage as one of our planet’s most compelling destinations to experience living culture in a lush, natural setting. We focus our immersive journey on meeting the people and experiencing the living traditions of the Guatemala highlands. During this, our 3rd annual Semana Santa (Easter Week) festival departure, we actively participate in one of the most colorful expressions of this religious celebration in the Western Hemisphere.

Our optional extension to Tikal and Yaxhá is highly recommended. Yaxhá, with over 80% of its area still unexcavated, retains an air of mystery, while Tikal, one of the most important centers of the ancient Mayan world, takes one’s breath away with its grandeur.

Signature Experiences

• Introduction to Mayan Textiles. Desire, an expert and passionate supporter of Mayan weaving, invites us into her home and gallery for an introduction to Mayan weaving techniques and patterns.
• Positive Impact Visit at Lake Atitlán with families benefiting from micro-loans administered through Friendship Bridge. We contribute to these micro-loan programs with each of our visits.
• Coffee: Crop to Cup. We immerse ourselves in the world of coffee, from picking coffee cherries (when in season) alongside local farm workers, to visiting the drying patios and processing mills, to sampling & rating coffees at a professional-style tasting.
• Vibrant Local Festivals. Participate in one of Latin America’s most vibrant fiestas (see description below).
• Day in the Life of a Guatemalan Farmer. We visit with Filiberto and his family and begin to understand rural farming life a bit better after visiting his plot of farmland halfway up the flank of Volcano Agua. We hear Filiberto’s own survival stories from Guatemala’s violent civil conflict.

Semana Santa (Holy Week)
The scale and colour of the holy week celebrations and processions in Antigua are unrivalled in the Western Hemisphere. Amongst the highlights of our experience are helping a local family make a beautiful carpet (alfombra) created with pine needles and flowers and then quickly destroyed by the passing procession in an equally spectacular manner.

Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead)
On November 1st, the cemetery at Santiago Sacatepequez bursts into colour as families build and fly giant kites meant to communicate with the souls of their dearly departed.

Quema del Diablo (Burning of the Devil)
On the evening of December 7th, small fires erupt across Guatemala as families burn trash outside their homes to cleanse themselves in anticipation of the New Year.