La Ruta de Maya

Dec.-March

8 Days

Skill

Fitness

Ride Highlights

CAD

$1895

Technical singletrack riding on ancient Mayan trails, through villages and farms
Kayaking and hiking at Lake Atitlan, one of the most beautiful lakes in the world
Vibrant Mayan culture at every turn
Visiting two school projects in Mayan villages, where your dollars are supporting the purchase of school supplies
Spectacular Casa del Mundo, a hotel built into the side of a cliff overlooking Lake Atitlan

Ride into another realm.

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...

Special 'End of the World' trip! Join us on Dec. 17, 2012 trip to celebrate the end of the Mayan long-count calendar (predicted by some to represent the 'end of the world')! On Dec. 21, celebrate the end of the world at spectacular Lake Atitlan, swinging in a hammock or soaking in the incredible hot tub at Casa del Mundo...

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)

Day 1: Arrive Guatemala City, Transfer to Antigua

We'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.

n.b. if you wish to extend your trip, we have a couple of options:

1) day hike on Volcan Pacaya: a spectacular day hike on an active volcano, where you can view flowing rivers of lava.
2) 2-day trip to Tikal ruins: visit Tikal, the most impressive of all the Mayan ruins (including the massive Temple of the Jaguar), deep in the heart of the Yucatan jungle. Includes flight, hotels and guides.

Arrival and Departure Airport

You should fly into and out of Guatemala City International Airport (GUA). Please see the schedule page for the exact pickup and dropoff times for your particular trip. You can, if wanted or necessary, arrive earlier, and we will arrange a pickup for you.

Pickup & Drop-off Information

We offer a free airport pickup service from the Guatemala City airport to your hotel in Antigua (about 1 hour). Please notify us in advance if your flight number and arrival time, or post this on your Rezgo account when making your booking (or after booking, if you have made an account). A representative of the shuttle company will be waiting outside of the arrivals area with a sign in his/her hand to show you to your shuttle.

n.b. airport pickup service on day 1 of the trip, or the day before, is included in the trip price (e.g. if the trip starts on Dec. 17, then pickup is included on Dec. 16 or 17). If you are arriving earlier, then the price for the shuttle is $30/p.p. Please notify our office if you need to book a non-scheduled shuttle.

The trip ends in Antigua on the afternoon of day 7. We offer free airport dropoff serviceto Guatemala airport the next day (day 8), at any time. Shuttles after day 8 cost $30/p.p.

Extending your trip

We have a few excellent options for extending your trip. These can be booked online when making your original booking or can be added to your booking at any time:

A day hike on Volcan Pacaya, an active volcano outside of Antigua. The hike departs at 2 pm, and you will be on the lava field at sunset to take advantage of the best light for viewing the amazing rivers of lava. Includes hotel, transportation, guides, and breakfast. Price: $175 Cdn/person.
2-day trip to Tikal: Visit the most impressive of all the Mayan ruins, deep in the heart of the Yucatan jungle. This 2-day trip includes transportation to Gutemala City airport, return flight to Flores, transportation from Flores airport to the Jungle Lodge, 1 night accommodation at the Jungle Lodge, 3 meals/day, admissions and guides. Price: $600 Cdn/person.
Extra biking in the Antigua area: ride more of the incredible singletrack in the Antigua area. Price includes hotel, breakfast and lunch, and guides. Price: $149 Cdn/person.

You can book extra nights at our hotel in Antigua, the Posada de San Sebastian, by sending them an email or calling them at +502-7832-2621.

If you want information on other places to visit and things to see in Guatemala please visit the Guatemala Tourism website or contact our office.

Flights

We do not book international flights for our clients. Please contact your local travel agent for information on booking flights for this trip.

Travelling with your bike

If you've never traveled with your bike, don't worry - it's much easier than you think! If you don't have a case for your bike, then you can pick up a cardboard travel box for your bike at your local store. Some stores will also pack your bike up for you for a fee.

Alternately, if you are planning on traveling with your bike more than just this one time, we sell travel bags for bikes, handmade by Pikapackworks. These travel bags are specially made for bikes and can often go on flights without having to pay the extra charges incurred by cardboard boxes or hard cases. The bags cost $395, including shipping withing North America. Click here for more information on our bags.

Bike Rentals

We offer 2009 Kona OneTwenty Deluxe full-suspension mountain bikes for rent. Price is $300 Cdn for the duration of the trip. This can be booked online when making your booking, or added afterwards.

What type of bike should you bring?

We recommend you bring a solid all-mountain bike with you on this trip, with at least 4-5" of travel, and no heavier than 30 pounds since there are several long climbs. A bike with at least 2 rings up front is recommended.

Spare Parts for your Bike

Although there are some parts available locally, we recommend you bring the following parts with you to Guatemala to avoid problems in case of breakdown or broken parts:

rear derailleur hanger (at least 1, preferably 2)
front and rear brake pads
extra chain if your chain is more than 6 months old
4 tubes
4 extra spokes
shock pump

Weather and Clothing

The weather in the Guatemalan lowlands can be quite warm, with highs between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius. Antigua can get cool at night, so we recommend you bring long pants and a jacket for the evenings.

Although rain is rare in the winter months, it isn't unheard of, so we recommend you bring some sort of rain gear or shell.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance, including emergency evacuation coverage, is compulsory for all our tours. We recommend that you purchase travel insurance that includes cancellation protection so that you will be covered in the event that you are unable to attend our tour (due to injury, illness or other unforeseen circumstances) or in the unlikely event that our tour must be cancelled.

You can purchase discounted comprehensive insurance from our partners at bikeflights.com via our insurance page.

Passports & Visas

All travelers require a valid passport (with a minimum of 6 months validity). Citizens of some countries will also require a visa. For more information, visit the World Travel Guide website.

Emergency Contacts

If you need to contact us in an emergency, you can reach us during office hours at the following numbers:

Dialing within North America: 1 (888) 423-7849
Dialing outside of North America: +1 (647) 999-7955
If you feel that you need to contact us outside of office hours, our Guatemala operations manager Matt Hartell can be contacted at +502-5399-0440.

If you do not receive an immediate answer when calling the above numbers, please leave us a detailed message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Food

We take care to select restaurants that are well-regarded for their cleanliness, in order to avoid food-borne illness. We also supply you with bottled water for drinking for the duration of your trip. However, there is always some risk of contracting a food-borne illness when traveling in a developing country. We recommend you exercise caution when purchasing food, and avoid unwashed fruit and vegetables and improperly cooked meals.

Vaccination Requirements

Certain vaccinations are required for Guatemala. In general, you will require typhoid, Hepatitis A, yellow fever, measles/mumps/rubella, and tetanus vaccinations for this trip. Malaria pills are not required. Please visit the MD Travel Health website for more information, and visit your doctor or local travel clinic for the most accurate, up to date information.

Fitness Requirements

You should have a high level of fitness and be able to bike for up to five hours a day in order to fully enjoy the spectacular scenery and riding on this trip. This is one of our most challenging trips, and you need to be prepared.

We recommend you train in advance of this trip, in order to get the most out of this trip. We have partnered with Fit for Trips to develop customized training programs for you in advance of your trip. We recommend beginning your training at least 2 months prior to your trip. For more information, please visit the Sacred Rides page at Fit for Trips.

Safety & Security

Guatemala is a safe country, however certain precautions should be followed, as with all foreign travel. To maximize your safety during our tours you should exercise common sense and caution at all times. We recommend that you always stick to set travel arrangements, and avoid unknown areas. We also recommend that you wear minimal jewelry and that you keep valuable items safely stored. Always keep a copy of your passport, airline tickets, travelers checks and credit card numbers separate from where you keep the originals.

Meals

On this trip, all breakfasts and lunches, as well as some dinners, are included in the trip price. Other dinners are taken in local restaurants. You should budget $10-15 CAD per meal (depending on the quality of restaurants you choose).

Other expenses

Other expenses include souvenirs, alcoholic beverages, and optional activities such as massage. The best way to pay for these services is to withdraw money from an ATM in Guatemala - you can withdraw local money (Guatemalan Quetzales) and will usually be charged the best rate by your bank at home. n.b.: the ATMs in Antigua are sometimes down for a day or two at a time, so we recommend you bring some US dollars or traveler's cheques with you just in case you can't withdraw from the bank machine at first.

Local Money

The local currency is the Quetzal. Check here for current exchange rates.

Tipping

Gratuities of 5-15% are common in Guatemala. We encourage you to tip your guides if you feel you have received excellent service and have had an enjoyable trip. A typical gratuity $20 - $100 per guide.