La Ruta De Maya: Guatemala (trip)
La Ruta De Maya: Guatemala
- Guatemala airport, Guatemala City
- Active & Adventure
| from $1,795* per person | 8 Days | December-March |
| Comfort accommodations | Exertion level: 3 | |
| Operator: Sacred Rides Mountain Bike Adventures | 12 people max | |
The ancient Maya believed that the cosmos had three major planes: the Earth, the underworld beneath and the heavens above. On this Ride, you won't do much underworld exploring but you will discover heaven on Earth: its name is Guatemalan singletrack and the countryside is riddled with hundreds of thrilling kilometres of it. The bright blue sunny skies will provide the heavens above and the volcanoes and mountains of Guatemala provide all the spectacular Earth you need to be transported to your own cosmic realm.
Mayan culture is still alive and well in Guatemala; on this trip you'll ride through traditional villages where life continues mostly unchanged from ancient Mayan times. You'll hike and kayak on Lake Atitlan, a spectacular blue lake ringed by traditional Mayan communities and volcanoes. And you'll experience a different pace and way of life that just might transport you to the heavens above...
Is This Ride For You?
You love exploring other cultures from the seat of your mountain bike. You're open to new and exotic experiences, and don't mind getting out of your cultural comfort zone once in a while. You ride regularly and can handle climbs of up to 1,200 vertical feet. Your singletrack skills are solid and you can handle moderately rooty, rocky and narrow trails. You're a decent swimmer (or don't mind sitting out the kayaking portion of the itinerary)
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Locations visited/nearby
Guatemala, Central America
0 testimonials about this trip.
3 testimonials about the provider, Sacred Rides Mountain Bike Adventures:
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Reviewer: Enrique Nodarse
located in
Puerto Rico,
Hey Mike! First of all I wanted to say the Peru trip was amazing. Wayo is the man!! Given..he had the perfect setting, surrounded by the perfect Andean mountains, nonetheless he turned an already 'cool as hell' trip into a nearly flawless one. Simply one of my best vacations yet. I think I was more winded by our constant laughing than the low-oxygen high elevation climbs!! Lets not forget, Jose and Russo, without them the trip would not have been nearly as cool. I think I can speak on behalf of all of us that took the trip when I say the day we spent in Joses Farm made the trip very different than anything we or at least I ever expected from any tour or organized travel. I didn't expect that...the guide does not usually take you to his home!! ...which happened to be a beautiful 40 acre citrus tree haven surrounded by some of the most amazing greenest hills that I have ever had the privilege of riding. As if that was not enough our perfect day of riding was supplemented by fresh juices, cheeses, cold peruvian beers served by the poolside and culminated with the delicious BBQ chicken lunch. Well, I could go on and on, but I think you already have a pretty good idea of how much I enjoyed my trip. I won't continue my rant, and leave you with more time to get out there and scout more 'sacred rides' for the rest of us to see and hopefully ride.
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Reviewer: Barbara and Mick
located in
UK
Just a note to let you know that Mick and I thoroughly enjoyed our Sacred Rides holiday. We had an absolutely fantastic time. The trails Eddy and Val took us on were excellent and we will remember them for a long time.
I think most of us felt that our riding had improved during the course of the week, and Mick and I have certainly noticed a difference since we got back to England and have been riding our favourite Lake District trails. We had a devil-kicking session last weekend, where Mick confidently rode the off-camber boardwalks that he is usually hesitant on, and I rode a particularly tricky rocky section that I have always jibbed at before. Both were conquered with ease!
Everyone in the group got along really well and Eddy and Val were a pleasure to be around. All in all, it was a fab holiday. Thanks very much!
Best regards, -
Reviewer: Kim Ruthers
located in
US
Thank you. I loved every minute of it. My bike skills and confidence have improved and I have seen truly amazing sights. A terrific trip!
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Guatemala City, Transfer to AntiguaWe'll meet at Guatemala airport and transfer you to the beautiful colonial city of Antigua. You'll have the rest of the day to explore this historical city, with cobblestone streets and citizens dressed in colourful Mayan clothing. Tonight we'll overnight in the San Sebastian hotel, a charming hotel owned by a Mayan family, with antiques adorning the walls and bedrooms.
Day 2: Antigua mountain biking, visits to local farms
We'll meet you at your hotel in the morning for breakfast and a pre-trip safety meeting. After our meeting, we'll hop on the bikes and head up to the base of Volcan Agua for our first taste of the local singletrack. Our first ride takes us on technical trails through Mayan farmland, with spectacular views of the valley below. After the ride, we'll head to a local Macadamia nut farm for lunch. After a hearthy lunch we'll head to a local coffee farm to see how coffee is grown and sample a cup or two of the delicious local brew. Tonight we'll have dinner in one of Antigua's many restaurants.
Day 3: Antigua to Parramos, Maya Pedal & San Andres de Itzapa
After breakfast at our hotel, we'll head out on bikes to a nearby village, where we'll start the climb to Parramos. The ride takes us alongside volcanoes and through avocado plantations with an exciting singletrack ride to the Posada de mi Abuelo, where we will stop for lunch. After lunch, we'll ride to the nearby community of San Andres de Itzapa, where we'll visit a local school project for Mayan families. As part of our , a portion of your trip cost will go towards purchasing school supplies for the school in San Andres de Itzapa. We'll also visit an innovative bike project called Maya Pedal, that provides refurbished bikes to Mayan communities in need.
Day 4: Lago de Atitlan, Santa Catarina ride
Today's ride could very well be one of the most stunning rides in the world. We set out from our hotel for a 1-hour climb to a spectacular viewpoint over Lago de Atitlan (Lake Atitlan). This sapphire-blue lake ringed by volcanoes is among the world's prettiest lakes - our ride takes on a beautiful singletrack ride above the lake before descending through cornfields and narrow alleys in Santa Catarina de Palopo. The van will be waiting for us to take us to our boat ride to the otherworldy Casa del Mundo ("Guatemala's most magical hotel" - Lonely Planet), a boat-accessed hotel built into the side of a cliff. After dinner, we'll soak our muscles in a wood-fired hot tub under the stars.
Day 5: Kayaking and Hiking on Lago de Atitlan
This magical lake is worthy of another day, so we'll set out from the Casa del Mundo after breakfast in kayaks, for a relaxing 2-hour paddle (along with swimming and cliff jumping) to the village of San Marcos. In San Marcos we'll stop for coffee, then begin the 2-hour hike back to the hotel. Our hike takes us through several traditional Mayan villages, alongside the shore of the lake. We'll be back in time for lunch and a relaxing afternoon at the hotel.
Day 6: Slickrock ride, Panajachel and transfer to Earth Lodge
We'll hop in the boat back to Panajachel after breakfast, then head by van to visit another Mayan school project supported by our Responsible Riding mandate. After our visit, we'll drive up to the top of a local mountain to start the demanding slickrock trail - a challenging singletrack ride with many exposed rock sections, similar to Utah's original Slickrock trail. When we fisnish, we'll hop in the van for the 2-hour drive back to Antigua. This time, we'll be staying at the Earth Lodge, an avocado farm 1000m above Antigua, with majestic views of the valley below.
Day 7: Cielo Grande (Big Sky) trail
This is one of the top rides in Central America - an all-day epic around Antigua traversing multiple bio-zones: jungle, volcano, farmland. The ride starts with a steep 1-hour climb from the Earth Lodge to the summit. From the summit the ride traverses the sides of the Antigua Valley before dropping spectacularly down into Antigua. We'll celebrate an incredible week at one of Antigua's local restaurants and a few drinks at a famous local tequila bar!
Day 8: Farewell and transfer to Guatemala airport
Shuttles depart every hour for Guatemala City and the airport for your flight back home.
More information from Sacred Rides Mountain Bike Adventures:
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www.sacredrides.com/singletrackrides/guatemala/larutademaya… - Company profile, experience, and history
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