Specialist tour operator Journey Latin America is excited to launch its first holiday to focus solely on the highlights of Guatemala.

The 12-day Signature Guatemala: Mountains, markets and Mayan ruins holiday takes guests to the main highlights and hidden attractions of Guatemala, a country steeped in history, traditions and culture. The journey begins in the arty, volcano-framed city of Antigua – one of the continent's most beautiful Spanish colonial cities – where guests will enjoy a guided walking tour of the historic centre. There will be a day at leisure to give guests time to explore the city's art galleries  and boutiques, or, if they prefer, to choose from activities including visiting a coffee farm, climbing a volcano or taking a cookery class. Guests will then move on to Lake Atitlán where they will spend two days visiting traditional villages and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of life on the lake.

From here guests continue into the wilder more remote region of the craggy Cuchumatanes mountains and visit authentic markets in the vibrant towns of Chichicastenango, Zunil and Almolonga, where women dressed in traditional coloured tunics (huipils) gather to trade crops. There will also be visits to the market towns of Huehuetenango and Todos Santos Cuchumatán en route to Guatemala City where guests will spend one night.  There is a short flight to Flores in the dense jungles of northern Guatemala where guests will be taken on a guided tour of the vast archaeological site at Tikal. Vertiginous temples emerge high above the rainforest canopy providing unforgettable views over one of the largest and most important Mayan cities; Tikal reached its peak around AD800 prior to its mysterious demise. Guests will spend the day wandering through the palace complexes and have the opportunity to return the following morning to explore the ruins at leisure when fewer visitors are around and the wildlife, including howler monkeys, spider monkeys, toucans and parrots, is at its most active. The holiday comes to an end with a flight back to the capital, Guatemala City.

Journey Latin America's Head of Product, Stuart Whittington, comments, “Guatemala is perhaps one of the most colourful, scenic and culturally fascinating countries in Central America, yet often people overlook it, or rush through as part of a whistle-stop tour of the region. This holiday is designed to meet a growing demand of people seeking to spend more time here and discover more of its unique attractions.”

The holiday costs £2,288 per person and includes good-quality accommodation, breakfast, excursions and transfers. International flights are extra.

Notes to the editor:

• Journey Latin America is currently offering travellers a free GoPro Hero and 32GB memory card to all those who book a holiday to Central America by 28 February 2017. Details of the offer can be found here: www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk/win   

About Journey Latin America   

Journey Latin America is an award-winning tour operator with over 36 years of experience creating tailor-made holidays and group tours to all of Central and South America as well as Antarctica, Cuba and Mexico. The holiday firm has over 60 members of staff who have all lived, worked and/or travelled extensively throughout the region and as such can offer first-hand knowledge based on personal experience. All holidays are ATOL protected.

For more information on Journey Latin America visit www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk or telephone: 020 8600 1881

Press contacts:

Jenny Powles, Head of Press

Laura Rendell-Dunn, Press Manager

press@journeylatinamerica.co.uk

020 8747 1881