Guatemala

Guatemala

With incomparable ancient ruins, graceful churches, and colorful highland markets, Guatemala is the center of the Maya heartland. This landscape is known for its expansive stretches of rain forest that hide spider monkeys, toucans, and iguanas among mahogany trees draped with mosses and rare orchids. In a matter of days you can walk the cobblestone streets of a colonial capital, take a white-water rafting trip to the Pacific coast, and explore the stately pyramids of Tikal rising from the steamy jungle.

Central Highlands

Set on a high, broad plateau and surrounded by volcanic peaks, Guatemala City is the largest city in the country, and the only one with a contemporary feel to it. Just 40km southwest of Guatemala City lies Antigua, a place of rare beauty, major historical significance and vibrant culture. The city is surrounded by towering volcanoes, including the active Pacaya volcano.

Western Highlands

Guatemala's most dramatic region stretches from Antigua to the Mexican border. Traditional values and customs are strongest here. Maya dialects are spoken far more widely than Spanish, and it is common to see Maya rituals taking place in front of colonial churches. 
One of the world’s most famous markets takes place twice weekly in the highland town of Chichicastenango, and most travelers spend a spell at the shimmering volcano-ringed Lake Atitlan. 

Peten (Maya World)

The jungles of El Peten were once the heartland of the Mayan civilization. The sprawling empire – including parts of Mexico, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador – was once made up of a network of cities that held hundreds of thousands of people, but a millennium ago this fascinating civilization went into a mysterious decline, and temples were swallowed up by the jungle.The Maya Biosphere Reserve covers the northern part of El Peten, and with Mexico and Belize forms a 30,000 sq km wildlife haven.

Northern Lowlands

The Northern Lowlands are  an area of dense forests, mysterious caves, and crystalline rivers. Here you can find Semuc Champey, a geological oddity consisting of a series of limestone pools set in a narrow rainforest canyon, and the caves of Candelaria and Rey Marcos. Heading towards the Caribbean Sea – in the sometimes called Atlantic Lowlands – are the monoliths of Quirigua, beautiful Rio Dulce, and palm-dotted Livingston with its decidedly Caribbean vibe. It is inhabited by one of the country's lesser-known ethnic groups, the Garifuna.
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