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Private Journeys

Signature Guatemala: Mountains, markets and Mayan ruins

12 days from £2,500pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Guatemala

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Overview & Highlights

On this fast-moving holiday you get a taste of Guatemala's volcanoes, remote highlands, pristine lakes, pre-Hispanic ruined temples and a vibrant traditional culture.

Guatemala is brimming with both obvious highlights and hidden attractions and we’ve packed loads of them in to this variety-packed holiday including Antigua, Lake Atitlán, Mayan Tikal and authentic markets in the remote, wildly beautiful western highlands.

Begin by exploring arty, volcano-framed Antigua, one of the continent’s most beautiful Spanish colonial cities, and move on to atmospheric and spiritual Lake Atitlán, fringed by volcanoes, all the while visiting traditional villages where the indigenous population wear community-distinctive clothing and weave intricate, vibrant textiles.  Continue into the wilder more remote region of the craggy Cuchumatanes mountains, and visit authentic, non-touristy markets trading in the produce of the richly fertile volcanic valleys. Finally fly to the vast complex of temples at Tikal, Central America’s most overwhelming abandoned Mayan city, its haunting pyramids shrouded in exotic bird and monkey-filled jungle.

You’ll mostly be staying in small, characterful colonial-style accommodation befitting the uniqueness of your environment.

Read More
  • Walking tour of Antigua
  • Boat excursion to Santiago de Atitlán and San Antonio Palapó
  • Chichicastenango market
  • Zunil and Almalongo market towns
  • Visit to Todos Santos Cuchumatán
  • Guided tour of Tikal ruins

THE UK’S NO. 1 SPECIALIST IN TRAVEL TO LATIN AMERICA

Juliet

Juliet Ellwood

Travel Expert

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Things to do

We proudly offer the widest range of activities, excursions and one-of-a-kind experiences across all our destinations, tried and tested personally by our travel experts.

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What our clients say

  • Experiencing an interesting mix of Colombian landscapes and wildlife and getting a real feel of the country and its people. Particularly liked Mompos and the Magdelena river and seeing the wax palms in the Valle de Cocora.

    JB. Gosport
    Mar 2017
  • A well thought out tour with a good balance of culture, scenery and larger towns. The tour leader was excellent and the local guides were friendly and knowledgeable with great enthusiasm for their subjects. Good value for money and would have no problem with recommending JLA and will almost certainly use the company again.

    SW, Broxbourne
    Nov 2017
  • It was a very memorable and exciting holiday. As well as the magnificent scenery, I was bowled over by the birds, animals and flowers. Compared to Europe, it felt very unspoilt and unpopulated.

    KM, Edinburgh
    Feb 2020
  • Overall an absolutely fantastic holiday. Arranged at last minute, there is no way that we would have been able to organise something like this on our own. Everything ran smoothly, the group leader was extremely helpful and the group got on very well together, in spite of a large age range. Thanks very much!

    RB, Kettering
    Aug 2017
  • As a first taste of South America with limited annual leave, you couldn't fault this two week itinerary for the amount of ground it covered. It has given me a real appetite to spend more time in Argentina and Chile - I feel like we literally scratched the surface of what these incredible countries have to offer - and I would definitely like to go back and spend more time exploring these two in particular. Our experience of travelling with a JLA guide was absolutely amazing - I would always recommend this.

    ES, Redhill
    Nov 2018
  • So many highlights it's difficult to say! The routing was excellent both in terms of acclimatising to the altitude and building to the grand finale at Machu Picchu.

    CA, Brighton
    Jun 2016
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Our expert's view

Juliet
Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

Inspired by this trip

Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

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Your edit for Latin American inspiration

Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

View Extraordinary Inspiration
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Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Carrie
    Carrie Gallagher - Travel Expert

    A former JLA tour leader, Carrie brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience to our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours department.

  • Millie
    Millie Davies - Travel Expert

    Having caught the travel bug as a child, Millie has travelled all over Latin America before making her home in Buenos Aires for 3 years.

  • Mary
    Mary Anne Nelson - Travel Expert

    Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.

  • Charlotte
    Charlotte Daubeney - Travel Expert

    Charlotte's fascination with Latin America began with a family holiday to Belize. She went on to study Spanish in school and at university before spending a year living in Santiago, Chile.

  • Heloise
    Heloise Buxton - Travel Expert

    Heloise started her Latin American journey as an exchange student in Santiago, Chile. With extended summer holidays this was the perfect opportunity to backpack through Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

  • Hannah
    Hannah Donaldson - Travel Expert

    Having spent part of her childhood in Colombia and worked in Brazil and Costa Rica, Hannah's ties to Latin America run deep. Hannah is a much valued Travel Expert in our Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tours sales team.

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