Guatemala !!
January 20 – 28, 2016
(with optional pre-trip in Antigua, Guatemala - January 18 – 20, 2016)
General Information and Trip Registration (20 persons maximum)
Listed price includes: the services of Guatemala City airport pickup and return, our guides and group
facilitators, accommodations including breakfast and either lunch or dinner each day, in country
transportation, entrance fees..
Listed price does not include: some meals, international airline tickets, travel insurance (optional), tips,
personal purchases and add on trips.
GETTING READY
Please fill out the registration form and send it with your deposit to:
Grace Marie
230 Park St.
Fort Collins, CO 80521
or e-mail the registration form to grace@kundagrace.com and you may call 970-498-8422 to process your
deposit over the phone with your credit card (3% added for credit card fee).
CANCELLATION POLICY
Please read this carefully! Cancellations must be in writing.
* Cancellations up to 30 days before trip departure result in full refund minus $100 office fee.
* Cancellations less than 30 days before trip departure are refundable minus a $100 office fee only if we
fill your space. We may have a waiting list.
* In the unlikely event that less than 6 persons sign up for this trip 30 days before departure, it will be
canceled and full refunds of trip costs paid to Grace Marie will be issued. We cannot refund air tickets.
* Neither Grace Marie, Elizabeth Dequine, or Grace Unlimited can be held responsible for issuing refunds
if the participant misses the trip or a flight due to illness, emergencies, or other events beyond our control.
Travel insurance recommended!
TRAVEL INSURANCE is recommended! Depending on which one you choose, Travel Insurance will
cover you for many things and it is inexpensive. Some airlines have an option online when you book your
flight to choose travel insurance they are affiliated with.
BOOKING AIRLINE TICKETS
Flight tickets: Book your own international tickets to Guatemala City.
International flight to and from Guatemala: Your airline tickets MUST be made out with the exact name,
initial, and spelling of your name as it appears on your passport! Otherwise you may not be able to get on
an international or internal flight. When you have made your flight, please send your flight information.
PASSPORT
You need a current passport with at least six months before the expiration date. If you don’t have a
passport, allow up to 2 months for your application to be processed unless you are willing to pay the
extra fee for expediting it.
If you have a passport, check to be sure you have enough blank pages, and be sure it does not expire
within six months after our journey.
On this trip, we will be walking at varying elevations. Being reasonably physically fit, healthy, and
comfortable outdoors, will help you enjoy it! Aerobic exercise, deep breathing, and an iron rich diet prior
to the trip will help you!
The itinerary may change for your comfort, interest, and safety. Generally speaking, Dances and
meditation will be during the mornings and evenings. Afternoons will be used for optional excursions to
various locations.
Preliminary Itinerary, subject to change due to weather or unforeseen circumstances.
January 18-20 Optional pre-trip getting acquainted and exploring lovely colonial Antigua with its
abundance of artwork and majestic volcanos. This is an extra cost and not part of our official journey.
$80 additional for shared room in hotel and breakfast only. $120 additional for Private or Single.
January 20: Our journey begins with dinner and dancing on a rooftop terrace overlooking the city.
January 21: Morning practices and dances (daily). After breakfast, leave Antigua for Lake Atitlan. Arrive
in Panajachel for a catered lunch and dance. Late afternoon travel by private boat to our home base in
San Pedro La Laguna.
January 22: Focus on Mayan spirituality including a workshop on Mayan cosmovision and a sunset fire
ceremony in San Juan.
January 23: Visit to the village of Santiago Atitlan for a tour and visit to Maximon, or San Simon, the
mysterious dark saint of the Mayan culture Atitlan, dancing at the peace park and in a beautiful garden
by the lake.
January 24: Explore the Mayan village of San Juan, meet and dance with the artisans of the village,
including weavers, painters and coffee farmers.
January 25: Dance at a children’s program and jewelry cooperative in Santa Cruz La Laguna. Attend
the regular DUP dance circle in Panajachel and a joint concert/dance with the Panajachel music school.
January 26: Connect with Tapit, an after school program in San Pedro which is working on empowering
the children to embrace and stand up for their Mayan culture. We will share dances and songs and plan
to create some new dances together.
January 27: Morning off to pack and explore San Pedro, afternoon sharing and dance at ODIM, a
medical and education project in San Juan and San Pablo La Laguna.
January 28: Our journey together ends after breakfast. Begin traveling home or continue exploring
Guatemala. Our travel agent can assist in planning adventures before or after the program, which can
include Mayan ruins, an exquisite retreat center on the lake, Spanish Immersion, visiting hot springs,
markets, churches, volunteering. and much more!
Air travel to Guatemala City. Delta, United, American, Aeromexico and Spirit all fly to Guatemala City.
We will have a driver meeting your flights and will arrange for a shuttle to Antigua if you come earlier.
It’s safer and more convenient if you arrive during the day.
If you arrive at night, and you would rather stay near the airport instead of traveling more, we have names
of bed and breakfasts next to the airport that are in gated neighborhoods and have airport pickups at night
that will take you directly to your accommodations. We will make arrangements for a shuttle to bring you
to Antigua the next day.
Antigua
Our hotel in Antigua is Las Camelias Inn http://cameliasinnantigua.com and you may arrive anytime on
January 20.
For those who want to come early, Elizabeth will meet you at our hotel on January 18, and share some of
her favorite Antigua adventures with you.
Cost of the hotel and breakfast is $40 per person, double occupancy, per day or $80 for the two days.
This does not cover other meals, transportation , entrance fees or guides, etc. Contact Elizabeth for
more information about this pre-trip time.
San Pedro la Laguna
Our hotel is Hotelito Sak'cari El Amanacer(Sunrise), right on the lake, http://www.hotel-sakcari.com.
Bring a bathing suit as there is a sauna and small pool as well as swimming in the lake.
Temperature/Clothing
It is cool at night in January, Lake Atitlan is a mile above sea level. Bring a warm sweater or a fleece for
evenings and something warm to sleep in. Days are sunny and warm, sandals and summer wear are fine.
Because we will be interacting with local people, fairly conservative dress is preferred, I usually wear over
the knee skirts and short sleeve tops. If you need anything, there are many "Pacas" which sell second hand
clothes very inexpensively.
Food
We will be having 2 meals a day together, breakfast and either lunch or dinner. In Guatemala, the lunch
meal is the primary meal of the day. There are good places to eat in all locations where we will be staying
and we will provide information. Each of our hotels has a refrigerator for our use, and its easy to find
many special ingredients if you have special dietary needs. Please let me know what your food preferences
and needs are, and we will do our best to accommodate them.
Health/Vaccinations
Vaccinations for Hepatitis A and Typhoid are recommended. January is not a time when there are
mosquitoes that high up, so chance of malaria or dengue is very low. Some people like to use pepto
bismol or grapefruit seed extract to prevent stomach problems. There are pharmacies and doctors in each
town that can help if you need anything.
Transportation
Duncan Aitken of Turisticos Atitlan will be handling much of our transportation. We will be traveling in
modern, comfortable vans on land and private boats across the lake. Duncan can also arrange for
transportation before or after our tour to Copan, Honduras, to Tikal, to the wonderful hot springs at
Fuentes Georginas, and many other magical places in this beautiful country. You can contact him directly
at turisticosatitlan@yahoo.com or Elizabeth can put you in touch with him.
RELEASE WAIVER MUST BE SIGNED TO ATTEND
Neither Grace Marie, Elizabeth Dequine, or our personal lives and business, will be held responsible for
any personal damage, lost or stolen goods, illness or body damage. Each participant will need to sign a
waiver to release us from liability. We are not travel agents, nor professional travel guides. We are
teachers and humans offering an experience to benefit all sentient beings. We will take every measure to
make your experience safe and wonderful.
Signature and date:
Please fill out all spaces legibly, thank you!
Note: When you pay by Credit Card it will show up on your bill as “Grace Marie”
Full name as it appears on your passport____________________________________________
Passport Number___________________________
Date of Birth______________________________
Mailing Address including City, State, and Zip code___________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Home Phone___________________ Work Phone_________________ Cell________________
E-mail Address_________________________________________
US Citizen? Yes____ No____ Do you speak Spanish? Yes_____ No_____ Fluent?______
Emergency Contact at Home_____________________________________________________
Relation___________________________ Phone number______________________________
Do you have any Medical Conditions that could affect your trip? If so, what?______________
____________________________________________________________________________
Do you have problems with walking long distances, uneven ground, or climbing
stairs?__________________________________________________________________________
Any Food Allergies or Special Dietary
concerns?___________________________________________________________
Prices:
$900 – Group journey with a Shared Room
$160 – additional journey cost for a Single or Private Room
$80 – 2 days early arrival for Shared Room in hotel and breakfast only
$120 – 2 days early arrival for a Single or Private Room in hotel and breakfast only
Questions?
Contact Elizabeth at 206-842-5181, edequine@gmail.com
or Grace 970-498-8422, or grace@kundagrace.com