Guatemala: The Living Maya with Jim Cline – November 2024- Trip Full!

Guatemala is a true paradise for photographers. Set in a backdrop of indescribable grandeur – volcanoes looming above with beautiful lakes, lush jungles, and pine forests. And everywhere are the local people – many of whom are descendants of the great Maya civilization that once flourished in the area, still living much the same way as they did before the Europeans first arrived. And the Spaniards did their part too, constructing the colonial gem of a city in Antigua, as well as many picturesque churches throughout the country.

Long before the Europeans showed up in America the Maya had established a complex civilization in Guatemala and the surrounding areas. We’ll visit the various towns on their special market days, providing many photo opportunities of the modern-day Maya and their traditions.

Antigua is one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in the Americas. Situated beneath three volcanoes, its cobblestone streets, crumbling ruins, and colonial architecture make it an ideal photo subject. Indigenous vendors sell their colorful fabrics in the main plaza and the streets. Our hotel is just one block from the central plaza and the cathedral.

Lake Atitlan was described by author Aldous Huxley as the most beautiful lake in the world. When you first see its deep blue water ringed by dramatic volcanoes it’s hard to argue with his assessment. We’ll be able to view the lake from a variety of locations and visit some of the Mayan towns located on its shores. We will visit the homes of families that Jim has known for over 20 years. Our hotel is conveniently situated very near the shore in the town of Panajachel.

The market in Chichicastenango is world-famous. People come from all the surrounding villages to buy and sell, as they have since prehispanic times. It’s truly an explosion of color. We’ll be sure to arrive early in the morning before the majority of tourists arrive. We’ll also visit some lesser-known towns on market days in the area around Quetzaltenango, also known by its Mayan name of Xela. We will be high on a hill for the animal market in a nearby town, as the sun rises and burns away the mist in the valley, while the country people bring their animals into the market. We’ll then finish the trip back in Antigua.

Day 1: Friday, Nov. 15Arrive from your flight to Guatemala City. You will be transported from the airport to our hotel in Antigua. We will have an orientation meeting this evening and dinner together as a group. We’ll spend the night in Antigua.

Day 2: Saturday, Nov. 16We’ll spend the entire day in and around the beautiful colonial city of Antigua, the former capital of Central America. This is market day in Antigua, and we’ll visit the vendors from the nearby town of Santa Maria de Jesus who sell their produce on market day. Jim Has known many of them for 20 years and they allow us to photograph them. We’ll also photograph the chicken buses as they arrive and load up and depart. In the afternoon we’ll visit a traditional home in a nearby village, and photograph them weaving, making tortillas, and going about their lives. We’ll spend the night in Antigua.

Day 3: Sunday, Nov. 17In the morning we’ll photograph the sunrise from a viewpoint over Antigua with Volcan Agua looming above. After breakfast a local guide will show us around the main plaza, and some of the finest colonial churches and monasteries in the beautiful colonial town. We can photograph the city with its cobblestone streets and colonial architecture while smoking volcanoes rise above. In the afternoon We’ll drive from Antigua to Lake Atitlan. On the way to the lake, we’ll stop to photograph vistas of the magnificent lake and the surrounding volcanoes, along with some local people. Upon arrival we’ll check into our lake-view hotel in the town of Panajachel.

Day 4: Monday, Nov. 18After a delicious breakfast in the lake view restaurant, we’ll travel by boat to the traditional villages of San Antonio Palopò, and Santa Catarina Palopòo, where we’ll visit more local homes and longtime friends and photograph families in their colorful traditional dress, or traje, as they weave clothing and carry on their daily lives. We’ll spend the night in Panajachel.

Day 5: Tuesday, Nov. 19We’ll spend the whole day around Lake Atitlan with our local indigenous guide. We’ll travel by boat to visit the colorful local village of Santiago Atitlan. In Santiago, we’ll visit the market there and pay a visit to the local Mayan saint of vices, Maximòn. Local people come from far and wide to give him offerings of rum and cigarettes to grant their wishes. At the end of the day, we’ll end up back in Panajachel to photograph the sunset over the lake. We’ll spend the night in Panajachel.

Day 6: Wednesday Nov. 20We’ll wake up early to photograph the first light on the lake and the surrounding volcanoes from a vantage point high above. We’ll then photograph Mayan people in the corn fields. Late in the morning, we’ll drive to the famous market town of Chichicastenango, arriving in time for lunch. In the afternoon we’ll have free time to photograph many of the people getting ready for the next day’s market. We’ll spend the night in Chichicastenango.

Day 7: Thursday, Nov. 21 We’ll wake up early to experience the famous market at Chichicastenango. We’ll photograph the colorful flower vendors on the steps of the church, the bustling vegetable market, and the many indigenous people who come to barter for goods from the numerous surrounding villages. There our local English-speaking guide will take us to observe traditional Mayan rituals at the colorful cemetery. In the afternoon we’ll drive to Quetzaltenango (also known by the Mayan name of Xela). We’ll spend the night in Xela.

Day 8: Friday, Nov. 22We’ll drive early in the morning to the fascinating animal market in the village of San Francisco el Alto. This is also the largest textile market in Guatemala. From the roof of the church, we’ll be able to photograph the valley below with volcanoes looming in the distance. Later in the day, we’ll visit the traditional village of San Andres Xecùl, which is home to one of the most colorful churches in Guatemala. We’ll spend the night in Xela.

Day 9: Saturday, Nov. 23In the morning we’ll visit Zunìl, an agricultural village where the women weave and dress in especially beautiful clothing. We’ll visit our friend Maximòn once again there as well. We’ll drive on to Antigua, making photo stops along the way. We’ll spend the night in Antigua.

Day 10: Sunday, Nov. 24We’ll have a free day in Antigua for photographing this colonial gem, its colorful inhabitants, and some last-minute shopping. We’ll have an optional lunch excursion to a restaurant in the countryside with a great view of two volcanoes. We will have an image-sharing party that evening before our farewell dinner. We will spend the night in Antigua.

Day 11: Monday, Nov. 25Depart for your flight home.