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Guatemala jungle journey

By : Julia Tester
Trip Begins December 23, 2009
Trip Ends January 1, 2010

A fantastic Guatemala trip to the jungle Maya Cites. Lots of birdlife, amazing flora and stunning ancient cities. We would recommend it!

Want to go? Guatemala Explorer

I went to: Guatemala, Guatemala City, Antigua, Chiminos Island Lodge, Flores, Tikal Ruins, Yaxha, Hotel Biltmore, Casona del Lago
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December 23, 2009
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Journey

Wednesday 23.12.09 - woke early to get the Air coach from Bray to Dublin. Praying the ice didn’t cause flight delays. Excited to be off on our first Adventure Life holiday and so relieved that we got a rescheduled flight after our Christmas day plane was cancelled. There were delays – frustrating queuing in sloth slow lines due to computer printer failure at Dublin but eventually up there and seeing Ireland shrink as we headed off to snow bound Chicago and on to our overnight in Miami.

December 24, 2009
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Arrival

Hotel Biltmore, Guatemala City

Thursday 24.12.09 - The International Airport Hotel was great, real close to the airport with complementary transfers. Got up 5:30 am and searched out the pool (open 24 hours). It certainly woke me up – non heated and outdoor it was invigorating! Pete went in search of a warmer and dryer occupation – internetting! After breakfast transferred for our onward flight to Guatemala City, where we were met by a Viaventure rep holding a sign with our names.
Guatemala City is a big urban sprawl but Zona 10 where we stayed at The Biltmore is a fairly good area with tree lined streets, little Taco Cafes, lots of hotels and a large shopping mall. For $10 you can go to the hotel next door and use the heated swimming pool set in an attractive garden. We had a wander around the local area in the warm late afternoon sunshine before sitting outside at a cafe for tortillas with vegetables, refried beans and salsa – Pete went for the meaty option with chicken, beef and spicy sausage.

December 25, 2009
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Antigua

Antigua, Guatemala

Friday 25.12.09 – Got the complementary shuttle to the airport to meet the shuttle to Antigua. However no shuttles at the airport due to it being Christmas day so we got a taxi which cost $24 and was well worth it. Antigua is amazing. It is like having been transported back in time to 16th century colonial Spain with its cobbled streets, Central Park with its cheeky fountain where the water spurting from a mermaids breasts, beautiful old churches and looming volcanos making a dramatic backdrop to photos! We loved the atmosphere of the market which got into full sway mid afternoon with hordes of people and vendors making and selling filled tortillas.

December 26, 2009
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Ceibal

Chiminos Island Lodge, Guatemala

Saturday 26.12.09 – 6:30 am flight to Flores – plane didn’t ascend to any great height so good views of the mountains as we flew over. Met on arrival and straight away started our adventure. After about an hour on the road we transferred to a small motor boat on the Passion river. The trip to Ceibal Archaeological site was stunning. We were constantly amazed at the abundance of birdlife so close to our speeding, whooshing progress. We saw the prehistoric looking Great Blue Heron, numerous Cormorants, small Green Heron, Kingfishers, Vultures, Eagle Osprey, Egrets, Ibis, Crocodile and Turtles.
When we moored up we had a short steep walk up to a more level root ragged track to the Maya ruens. All around us was the sights, sounds and smells of the rain forest. Howler monkeys made throaty calls and barks while spider monkeys chattered and warned when the Vultures were overhead threatening their young. Great spines of vibrant ferns arched across the track and long trailing vines dripped from the branches of a range of trees, the most mighty looking for us being the Ceiba tree (no wonder its the national tree of the country!). The site itself was fascinating with the stelae giving insight to the classic period life of the rulers. Our guide, Melvin, told us these stelae are called stone books and it is easy to see why.
When we left the site it was back along the river to Chiminos Lodge. This is a dreamy jungle preserve on the lagoon Petexbatun and our bungalow No. 2 was on its own with a balcony overlooking the lagoon. We would happily have moved in and stayed!

December 27, 2009
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Aguateca

Sunday 27 December 09 – After a delicious breakfast of black beans, chilli, lime, onion and tomato with scrambled egg, melon and pineapple juice we set off on the river to Aguateca Maya site. This was about 15 minutes on the water and then a scramble up a steep, rocky path to a track that wandered up and down around the site that offered protection to the settlers there due to its natural chasm on the south and west and escarpment on the east. We loved this site with its crowding jungle feel and humming birds.

December 28, 2009
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Flores

Casona del Lago, Flores

Monday 28th December 09 – After breakfast Melvin took us around the Chiminos site where we saw the mounds that still covered Maya ruins. The howler monkeys were in full voice and when we were getting ready to leave the spider monkeys came close to us as they feasted on the fruits of a tree on the relaxing deck by the restaurant. We transferred by river to mini bus and on to our next hotel the Casona del Lago overlooking Flores across the water.

December 29, 2009
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Yaxha

Yaxha, Guatemala

Tuesday 29th December 09 – Today was a full day tour of Yaxha Site. This pre Columbian city was a ceremonial centre and is huge with over 500 structures including 2 ball courts and 9 temple pyramids. Pyramid 216 is worth climbing up to via a wooden staircase as from the top the view of jungle and lake is stunning and gives a feeling of the achievement of these ancient builders.

December 30, 2009
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Tikal

Tikal Ruins, Guatemala

Wednesday 30th December 09 – it was raining today but nothing could detract from the scale and fascination of Tikal. Walking around and looking up, and climbing onto, the towering restored temples and residences you could imagine the bustle and colour and noise that must have a bounded on market days. Clearly this was a major economic centre and we came away also feeling aware of the painstaking work of uncovering these mighty structures from the encroached jungle, underpinning, strengthening and re surfacing. The great causeways led us around the site and seeing it after the smaller sites was definitely a good progression of our understanding of the Maya civilisation.
In the evening we walked over the causeway to Flores and took loads of photos. Flores is a very attractive and colourful small island town and boasts a number of characterful bars. We found and enjoyed Las Puertas with its cheery yellow walls, suspended model plane, old black and white photos, live music and a good priced menu for both food and drinks.

December 31, 2009
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Ixpanpajul

Thursday 31st December – Free morning and then met at 2pm for Ixpanpajul Sky walk. Ixpanpajul is a private natural park near to the airport where you can enjoy Tarzan zip lines, horse riding, camping and experience the jungle close up by the sky walk where you follow an up and down track to 6 hanging bridges offering fantastic birds eye views of the tree canopy. The walk took about 2.5 hours and we loved every minute feeling the peace and tranquillity of being amidst all the trees.
Our guide met us back at the reception and took us on to the airport for our flight back to Guatemala city.

January 1, 2010
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Going home

Friday 1st January – We were sorry to leave so soon after such a wonderful and packed tour. We will definitely be back and will be recommending Adventure Life to our friends.


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