Tour Itinerary - Cultural Antigua & Fair Trade Coffee Discovery

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Cultural Antigua & Fair Trade Coffee Discovery

Guasca Farm Stay & Sublime Lagoons

2 Days From USD 385

Cultural Antigua & Fair Trade Coffee Discovery

Location: Guatemala
Duration: 3 Days / 2 Nights
Rating: Basic

USD
379
from per person

Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival - Antigua Guatemala

You will be met by your driver and transferred to Antigua Guatemala

Transfer time is 1 hour
Private transfer with English speaking driver

Accommodation:

2-6 persons: La casa Buena Vista, Earthlodge
7-8 persons: The Dorms, Earthlodge

About Earthlodge: Located just 20 minutes away from Antigua, Earth Lodge is a unique hotel with cozy cabins that provide a real natural experience to the travelers. Wake up to stunning views of the tree majestic volcanoes that surround this beautiful colonial city as the sun casts its first light over the valley.

*No meals included this day*

Day 2: Antigua Walking Tour

Today you will take a half day walking tour around the beautiful colonial streets of Antigua. The tour starts in the Central Plaza in front of the beautiful Cathedral constructed in 1542. Visit The Cathedral Museum, The Capuchins Convent, La Merced Museum and The Colonial Art Museum before enjoying a free afternoon to relax and explore.
All entrance fees are included.

Tour time is 3-4 hours
Private tour with English speaking guide
Breakfast included

Accommodation:

2-6 persons: La casa Buena Vista, Earthlodge
7-8 persons: The Dorms, Earthlodge

Day 3: Fair trade coffee tour

Engage in a real local experience with independent coffee farmers of Guatemala and learn how to pick, process and roast your own coffee! The adventure begins in the coffee fields where you will pick the coffee, then you will be taken to the farmers home for a demonstration on how to separate the coffee fruit by density, husk the fruit, ferment and wash the beans, dry, remove the inner hull, sort by size and grade, roast and of course, taste. Enjoy!
All entrance fees are included.

Tour time is 3-4 hours
Private transfer and tour with English speaking driver and guide
Breakfast included

Accommodation:

2-6 persons: La casa Buena Vista, Earthlodge
7-8 persons: The Dorms, Earthlodge

Inclusions/Exclusions:

Inclusions:

Accommodation and meals as stated in the itinerary.
Private tours and transportation unless stated otherwise
Entrance fees unless stated otherwise
Local taxes.

Exclusions:

Tips and gratuities
International Airfare
alcoholic beverages
incidental surcharges at accommodation such as internet access charges
departure taxes.

Meeting Place/ Pick up:

Arrival day 1: Guatemala International Airport "La Aurora"

Day 2: Front desk

Day 3: Front desk

What to Bring:

CLOTHING

It is recommended to bring spring clothing and a sweater at night for this itinerary. If you will be visiting other areas of Guatemala make sure you bring sunglasses, hat and light-colored cloth.

CURRENCY AND FINANCES

It is recommended to bring dollars in cash, some traveller's checks and credit or debit cards (VISA IS MORE WIDELY ACCEPTED THAN MASTERCARDS).

PACK EXTRAS IN CASE YOUR LUGGAGE GETS LOST!

It is strongly advised that you bring some underwear, toiletries and a change of clothing in your carry-on luggage, just in case your main luggage should get lost for a few days.

Practical Info:

ABOUT ANTIGUA GUATEMALA:

PLACES OF INTEREST

Colonial Architecture: Centre of the city is the "Parque Central" (central park), the old Plaza Real, where bullfights and markets were held. The Cathedral is to the East, the Palace of the Captains- General (recently restored) is to the South, the Municipal Palace to the North (all have been repaired since the 1976 earthquake) and an arcade of shops to the West. Alvarado was buried in the Cathedral, but whereabouts is not known. All the ruined buildings, though built over a period of 3 centuries, are difficult to date by eye, partly because of the massive, almost Romanesque architecture against earthquakes; cloisters of the convent of Capuchinas (1736), look 12^th century, with immensely thick round pillars. The most interesting ruins (apart from those mentioned) are of the monastery of San Francisco, the convent of Santa Clara, El Carmen, San Agustín, La Merced and others.

RESTAURANTS

We recommend you to visit the following selection of restaurants in your visit:

Asian: Ashura 5661 8594
Exotic: Sobremesa 7832 3231
French: Bistrot Cinq 7832 5510
Luna de Miel 7882 4559
Fusion: Pangea 7832 3445
German: Jardín Bavaria 7832 5904
Guatemala: Cafetenango at Filadelfia 7728 0800
Healthy, vegetarian & Organic
Sabe Rico 7832 0648
International
                                Café Sky                            7832 7300
                       Chez Christophe                   7832 1784
                        Mesón Pansa Verde               7832 2925
                      Rainbow Café                        7832 1919
Italian/ Pizza
El Cazador Italiano 7832 7328
Japanese Nokiate 7832 2896
Ubi’s Sushi 7832 2767
Mexican Fridas 7832 1296
Tex Mex Monoloco 7832 4235

GEOGRAPHY

Its main characteristic is 33 volcanoes, 3 of which are still active. The territory is crossed by two mountain ranges with numerous rivers; is rich in tropical jungles, wooded plains and many lakes including Lake Atitlán.

WEATHER

Guatemala can be visited any time of the year; its average temperature is 22 degrees Celcius. Hight temperature average is 77 F and low is 55 F. Guatemala has two seasons: The rainy season from May to Octobe and dry season from November to April. During rainy season, tipically with sunny mornings and a couple of hours of rain in the afternoon.
For travellers going to Petén, the worst time to travel is May/ June for heat and mosquitoes and best time to travel is Nov / Jan as it is cooler and less mosquitoes.

DEMOGRAPHICS

13,344,770 million people divided into 21 ethnic groups of Maya origin, Ladino, Garifuna and Xinca. (Data as of 2007 cencus).

RELIGION

The Guatemala constitution guarantees freedom of worship. The prevailing religion is Catholic and some Indigenous communities still practice a combination of Catholicism and Mayan rites.

COMMUNICATIONS

Guatemala offers the most advanced internet, fax, telex, postal, domestic and International telephone service in Central America and is available in all major tourist areas.

VISA REQUIREMENTS

Central America citizens can enter Guatemala with their ID or passport. European and U.S nationals do not need visa. Other nationalities should visit: www.migracion.gob.gt for visa requirements. All the ordinary procedures of migrations and customs at the Guatemalan border are free of charge. In special cases, in which a charge is applied, the perspective authorities must issue a receipt.

INSURANCE

It is highly recommended that travellers take out a travel insurance to cover cancellation of trip, medical expenses, repatriation and loss of belongings.

GAY & LESBIAN TRAVELLERS

Guatemala is still a rather macho country and therefore it is wise not to publicly display affection. Consult www.geocities.com/gayguatemala for more information on current gay bars and nightclubs in the City.

GETTING AROUNG GUATEMALA

Guatemala City Interational Airport to Antigua 45 min - 1 hour
Antigua to Lake Atitlan 2.5 hours
Lake Atitlan to Chichicastenango 1 hour
Chichicastenango to Guatemala City 3.5 hours
Flight Guatemala City to Flores (Petén) 45 min - 1 hour
Flores to Tikal or Yaxhá 1 hour
Flores to Belize 2 hours
Guatemala City to Copán (Honduras) 5 hours
Rio Dulce to Flores 3 hours

Local Payment:

CURRENCY AND FINANCES:

The local currency is the Quetzal. Dollars are accepted and changed in all local banks. Most major credit cards are accepted by hotels and shops although a surcharge of up to 7% can often be charged.
Traveller's checks can be exchanged in most of the local banks and are accepted in the larger stablishments (the best ones to bring are AMERICAN EXPRESS AND VISA and always in American Dollars). To exchange a Traveller's check and to take money out of the bank you neer your passport with you.
It is recommended to bring dollars in cash, some traveller's checks and credit or debit cards (VISA IS MORE WIDELY ACCEPTED THAN MASTERCARDS).

TAXES

There is a $30.00 departure tax upon leaving Guatemala (this tax is normally included in the international airfare) and a Q20.00 ($3.00) departure tax in Guatemala City International Airport, for all domestic and international flights.

TIPPING

These are more guidelines to help you determine what is appropiate to tip. Tipping is not required by any means, specially in case of mediocre or poor service, dangerous driving, unfriendliness, low enthusiasm in tour leading, etc.

Tipping is not very common in Guatemala, although it is highly appreciated in all cases and somewhat expected from foreigneirs. Please note that this is just a reference guideline therefore we leave to your discretion the amount of the tip as tipping is never mandatory but earned by the service provided.

Restaurants & bars: a 10% tip is customary wherever a service charge is not included in the bill. For exceptional service an additional 5% may be addd even when service is included.
Hotels: tips are generally only expected at the more upscale hotels. $1.00 per day for the cleaning staff, $0.50-$1.00 per bag for porters, 10% for room service if the service charge has not already been added.
Taxi Drivers: generally do not expecta tip unless the carry your bags for you, wherein $1.00 per person should be enough.
Private Drivers: can get $15.00- $10.00 per person per day - depending upon service, the lenght of the journey and the number of passngers. A long journey with only one or two passengers would warrant the higher tip.
Tourist Shuttle Bus Drivers (collective, not private): might get $2.00 per person.
Tour Guides: $8.00-$15.00 per person for a day of guiding, depending upon lenght of tour, type of guiding, etc. For longer trips $50.00-$100.00 per person per week.
Driver/Guides (guides who also do the driving): $10.00-$15.00 per person per day.
Foreign Guides/ Specialist Guides: might earn a larger tip than the average tour guide ( for a speacial service performed, or if it generally feels appropiate).

Additional Disclosures:

TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN

Guatemalans love children and if you are traveling with children you will probably attract special attention which can often be of great help. Food can be a problem when leaving the more touristy areas of Antigua and the city. It is wise to always have a stock of bread, biscuits & other snacks when traveling in case the food at stops is not to your child's taste. Easily peeling produce like avocados and bananas are easily available and provide a nutritious and filling snack.

THINGS TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT

Women should think twice before wearing clothes that are too provocative. Guatemala is a very Catholic, rather conservative and still very macho country. You run the risk of offending or attracting un-wanted attention. Men should never go shirtless as this is a rarely seen in Guatemala. We also suggest that you do not wear any expensive jewlery while traveling in Guatemala and certainly do not bring anything of sentimental value in case of loss of theft. Most people here earn around $150.00 a month and therefore it is advisable not to openly display wealth. It is important to take basic precautions to minimise the possibility of theft such as keeping day packs, cameras, money belts, etc in front of you as you walk.

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+ Online Enquiry
+ Why Book With Gunyah?
+ Booking Conditions
+ Cancellation Policy

We reserve the right to cancel a tour for any reason. If we cancel a tour, we will refund all payments made by the participant. In the event we cancel a tour, THE GROUND OPERATOR, is not responsible for any expenses incurred by you, included but not limited to airfare, travel insurance, etc. and we strongly urge the participant to obtain travel insurance.

Written notification is required upon cancellation to be valid and cancelation will be deemed the date the notice was received.

Christmas, new years and holy week / Easter and Peak Season cancellation policy

90 days or less 100% of the trip cost will be charge

*Rates based on group participation and no verbal partial refunds will be given for unused trip arrangements for any reason whatsoever. We highly recommend that clients purchase trip cancellation insurance.

Pricing for trips

All pricing is in US dollars and is based on exchange rates, room rates and other prices quoted to us at the time of scheduling. We reserve the right to amend price without prior notice. If increases become necessary, we will inform the participant as soon as possible, but an increase in prices shall not be deemed sufficient grounds for refunds other than as determined by the cancellation policy.

Prices are NET for tour operators and all taxes are included and prices are valid until December 31^st 2011.

Children under 12 pay 80% of the tour price; for transportation, children are charge as adults.

Not included in the trip cost:

The following items are not included in the trip price, an all costs for these items are the responsibility of each participant: Airfare; travel costs between the participant’s home and the gateway airport and return; any transportation or travel costs incurred prior or after the tour days; pre-tour and/or post-tour accommodation expenses; lunches and dinners, unless stated otherwise; alcoholic beverages; entrance fees or costs related optional sites or activities not included in the itinerary or a part of the trip; excess baggage charges; medical costs; personal items; incidental charges incurred at our accommodations such as internet access charges, phone calls or laundry; baggage or travel insurance; passport or visa expenses; departure taxes.

Luggage:

All personal luggage is the responsibility of the owner. We will handle heavy luggage throughout the trip.

Inoculations and other medical matters:

The participant and/or client is responsible for maintaining and keeping current the participant inoculations, and dietary regime. Information is required with personal information upon booking for operations to ensure the quality of the tour.

Specific information about foreign locations is available by email and internet from www.cds.gov.

Responsibility and release of liability:

THE GROUND OPERATOR, states that acts explicitly as coordinator between the passengers and service providers mentioned in the program, such as transport, hotels, airlines, ships, etc. With consequent declines all liability for any failure or cancellation caused by any force of nature which may occur in any of the services provided; as well as on damage, loss, theft, accidents or delays. The ground operator reserves the right to cancel any tour, change their order or substitute hotels for similar ones, if conditions so suggest.

You understand and agree that upon booking you shall release of our liability and a complete assumption of all risks by you and your heir, administrators, executors, successors, and assigns for you, all members of your family and any persons accompanying you. Further, you are also aware that travel, whenever it may be and by whatever it means, involves some inherit risk of injury, illness, death, loss or damage to personal property, which may be cause by forces of nature, negligence or actions of others, or other agencies. In consideration of, and as part of payment for, your participation in our services, you are voluntary releasing THE GROUND OPERATOR and all those involve with it, included but not limited to, agents, leaders, guides and suppliers, from any and all liabilities, because the participant is assuming the risks themselves.

You are voluntarily traveling to areas which may be remote or foreign, mountainous or wilderness. These factors, among others, therefore may involve certain additional risks, dangers and inconveniences. These included but are not limited to, forces of nature, terrorism, civil unrest, wild animals, the manner of hotels and other accommodations, and various means of conveyance, including but not limited to, airplanes, vehicles, taxis, boats, roads, walkways and trails.

You understand and agree that medical services or facilities may not be readily available during all or part of the trip, and that this includes emergency care, presence of physicians, and adequate medications. We assume no responsibilities for any medical care or any special dietaries requirements the participant may have. In addition, upon booking, the participant, release, hold harmless and will defend THE GROUND OPERATOR, as well as its officers, agents, guides, leaders, sponsors, and associates, from any and all liability, actions, causes of action, claims, debts, demands of every kind and nature whatsoever which the participant may have or which may arise in connection with the participation in any activities arranged or conducted by them including, without limitation, all liability, actions, cause of action, claims, debts, and demands related to the negligence of said persons.

The participant further understands and agrees that while itineraries are carefully designed and planned, there are not guarantee schedule of activities, events or participation. However, we will do our utmost to deliver the itinerary outlined. However, participants must allow for flexibility and changes deemed necessary by the program leaders as there may be situations beyond our reasonable control due to geographic, climatic, physical or governmental restrictions that will cause further changes in timing, locations and activities. The participant understands and agrees that there are no discounts or refunds for activities curtailed or otherwise affected by such circumstances.

The participant has assumed the responsibility to select and activity appropriate to their physical abilities and interests. The participant is personally responsible for being in sufficiently good health to undertake the activity. We reserve the right to request the doctor’s statement of good health.