Guatemala Cultural
5 Days and 4 nights

Activities:
Native market – Live culture - Sustainable Cultural Tour – Culture and History

Highlights
Antigua Guatemala – Chichicastenango – Lake Atitlan

Day 1: Arrival – Transfer to Antigua Guatemala
Day 2: Chichicastenango
Day 3: Lake Atitlan (San Juan and Santiago Atitlan)
Day 4: Antigua Guatemala
Day 5: Back Home

This is a wonderful tour through the heart of the Guatemala highlands, driving through incredibly colorful landscapes: indigenous people wearing their typical suits that shepherd their sheep and dairy cows, hillsides planted with vegetables and flowers, towns which witnessed our history and can now been seen in the paintings and crafts made by local artists.

Here you will enjoy the multicolored market and their traditions. The ancient, indigenous commercial process of flower scents and incense provide for a magical moment.

Scenic boat ride across Lake Atitlan to the village of San Juan La Laguna where you can visit the women’s textile cooperative to see hand weaving and the natural dye process. Visit the studios / homes of the celebrated naïf painters and the then continue to the village of Santiago visiting the Maya God Maximon and learn about the textiles, spiritualism and beliefs of the T’zutujil Maya.

In Antigua you will enjoy walking tour visiting ruins, churches and museums. In this city the stories and legends of the colonial times are still present along with the old paved streets.

www,martsam.com

Green Deal a good deal for Guatemalan tourism

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Environmental sensitivity brings more business
By Daniel Drosdoff

”Businesses are finding that many tourists are not interested just in historic sites, lodging, and good food, but also in hiking on nature trails. They have more than an average concern about the environment. That means they may be inclined to give more of their business to a firm displaying the Green Deal badge.
A Green Deal certification for a hotel, restaurant, or travel agency tells customers that the business has taken steps not only to improve service to clients, but also to protect the environment, conserve energy, and comply with health and sanitation standards. The Green Deal standards are monitored by the Rainforest Alliance, a well-financed, worldwide organization based in New York. The certification, conferred on the basis of on-site inspections, is managed in Guatemala by the Asociación Alianza Verde. The names of companies holding the Green Deal certification are posted on the Internet.

For Benedicto Grijalva, owner of the Capitán Tortuga Restaurant and the Martsam Travel Agency of Flores, Green Deal certification has been a good deal. In addition to furthering environmental goals, it is also “a good marketing tool,” he said, and it is especially relevant for the nature tours organized by his boutique travel agency, which targets tourists interested in environmental issues. He also notes that the energy savings and sanitation measures associated with the certificate—such as electricity and water conservation—improve the quality and efficiency of his business operations.”

El Mirador

El Mirador / 5 días 4 noches

Viaje al Mundo Perdido: Cinco días de aventura en búsqueda de la ciudad perdida, perdida en la jungla, perdida por su pueblo, o quizás solo olvidada. Agradecemos a Martsam Tour & Travel la organización impecable, simpática, con detalles (esa botellita de vino bebida en lo alto de la pirámide del Tigre, ¡Que recuerdo!). El guía estuvo a la altura, amable, con humor, siempre al servicio de sus clientes. Cierto es que no se alcanza la meta sin esfuerzo; 50 Km. En la jungla, a pie casi siempre, es muy duro; pero el viaje es amenizado por la belleza del paisaje, siempre cambiante, de los animales que rugen de vez en cuando, de las ruinas que cruzamos y visitamos etc.

Este viaje se puede comparar con la epopeya de los primeros arqueólogos, o cuando se está a caballo, con lla aventura de los primeros conquistadores en busca de fortuna. Y al fin. El Mirador, un diamante por pulir. ¡Bravo Martsam.!

Jorge, Bélgica
Jorge.gloria@skynet.be

Tour el Zotz - Tikal

Zotz-Tikal / 3 dias 2 noches
Cristóbal fue un guía excelente, nos planteo una increíble visión del estilo de vida Maya. Su conocimiento del bosque, fauna y flora es excelente. El también nos enseño mucho español durante el viaje. La comida fue excelente, abundante. El personal del campamento del Zotz fue muy bueno también. El fin del viaje en Tikal es la conclusión perfecta. ¡Un viaje extraordinario!
Gracias.

Corinne Maxfield
Caroline Langstone