Guatemala 17 day holiday, tailor made

Planet

As an in depth specialist tour operator to Guatemala, we take a considered approach to the social, environmental and economic impacts of the holidays we design. To us, this means much more than a simple donation to a charity for each client. We try to build long and constructive involvements with local guides, wildlife lodges and hotels, in the course of which we, and our clients, can make lasting wide-ranging contributions to the wonderful places and people we engage with. In this itinerary we have selected several hotels and lodges whose documented practices align with this approach.

We were the first tour operator in the UK to form a partnership with the Rainforest Alliance to work towards the implementation of best management practices in tourism. In practical terms, this has involved working with hotels that have introduced specific social, environmental and economic initiatives within their businesses and local communities.

This itinerary does not include domestic flights within Guatemala. Travel between the destinations included in the itinerary is by road and boat.

This itinerary includes visits to Tikal National Park and the Semuc Champey National Monument. Visitors pay entrance fees to these protected areas, with revenues from visitor fees contributing to the management and operation of the respective sites.

Hacienda Tijax, visited on days 14 and 15 of the itinerary, is located on land that was formerly used for cattle farming and now incorporates a private nature reserve of approximately 500 acres. The reserve provides habitat for a variety of native plants and wildlife, including birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

People

We use local guides in all of our destinations. It is our experience that, with the right approach, local guides' detailed knowledge of their destinations makes them particularly well placed to guide our tours, while their local connections enable them to share their knowledge of the communities and places we visit. We also see employing local guides as a way of creating opportunities for people to build careers in their own communities rather than having to move elsewhere to find work.

In Guatemala we work with local ground handlers, helping to retain a significant proportion of our operational expenditure within the Guatemalan economy and supporting employment, including in more remote regions. By incorporating locally owned hotels, restaurants and the services of local guides and drivers into our itineraries, we aim to keep as much tourism expenditure as possible within the local economy, allowing local businesses and communities to benefit from tourism.

The itinerary includes visits to several local markets where there are opportunities to purchase handicrafts, traditional arts, wood carvings and hand-knitted garments (e.g on day 15, the itinerary visits Ak'Tenamit, an Indigenous community development organisation in the Río Dulce area where visitors can purchase locally made arts and crafts). Buying locally made products provides an opportunity for visitors to purchase directly from local producers and artisans and supports businesses and individuals involved in traditional craft production.

On day 3, the itinerary includes a coffee tour operated by an organisation that works with local coffee-farming communities to develop economic opportunities. The tour is led by a coffee farmer from the local community and includes a visit to the farmer's home for coffee and an opportunity to learn directly about coffee production in Guatemala, including the experiences, challenges and aspirations of local coffee growers.