Totonicapan Dance Festival

Overnight.

Volcan Fuego lingers in the background of colonial Antigua. Once the capital of Guatemala and all Central America, Antigua resembles a living ruin. Mammoth churches and palaces tell the story of Antigua's past glory, and restored facades speak of a bright future for this wonderful city.

Today we rise early to visit the famous market of Chichicastenango. This beautiful town, surrounded by valleys and shadowed by mountains, has many shamanistic and ceremonial overtones. Its large market brings villagers from throughout the region to sell their colorful fruits, vegetables and handicrafts. The market disperses in the early afternoon and we travel to the shores of beautiful Lake Atitlan, a deep caldera lake flanked by three majestic volcanoes. We'll overnight in this stunning landscape in the popular Panajachel region.

A few miles down the curvy mountain road, known as the Interamericana, we reach the town of Solola. The main plaza is home to one of the most authentic markets in the highlands. In the afternoon, we'll transfer to Santiago where villagers still adhere to the traditional lifestyle of the Tz'utuhil Maya and on our walk we'll see many people cloaked in brightly-colored, hand-woven clothing. We may also visit Maximòn and leave an offering to this curious and revered deity.

Totonicapan's Festival of Traditional Dances is a celebration of centuries-old tradition and the K'iche Mayan's treasured cultural heritage. The festival is also essential to help keep such traditions alive in the region. Totonicapan dances derive from the prehispanic and colonial periods. Performers and directors prepare for the dances from 3 to 7 months each year. Dancers learn through example, oral tradition and imitation - passing the dances on from generation to generation. Visitors to the event can also enjoy local handicrafts, food and drink, and skilled musicians.Toto Festival Dances!

Later in the afternoon, we'll be introduced to our host family. In the Totonicapan community there are over twenty K`iche families who reach out to visitors with the vision of bringing people into their homes to share their culture with the outside world. In return, your host family is eager to learn about your life back home. We’ll arrive in time to share a communal evening and overnight with families.

You'll be grateful for a second day at the festival - there's so much to see! Today, take in the Danza de los monos (Dance of the Monkeys) or, if you missed it yesterday, Danza de la Conquista that commemorates the K'iche king, Tecun Uman, who died in a bloody battle during the time of conquest. After lunch, we'll transfer to Quetzaltenango, simply called Xela (SHAY-lah) by the local Quiche citizens. We'll overnight in this thriving Guatemala city.

This morning we'll transfer to the charming agricultural market town, Zunil, which is also home to the most colorful church in Guatemala, San Andres Xecul. Much of Zunil's produce comes from the neighboring Almolonga where farmers still maintain indigenous agricultural practices. We'll spend the afternoon exploring the markets and sampling the splendors. This evening, we overnight back in familiar Antigua.

Catch your international flight home, or with time, continue your travels with a Guatemala extension, or spend some time in neighboring Belize.