Guatemala 17 day holiday, tailor made

Planet

As an in depth specialist tour operator to Guatemala responsible tourism is at the very heart of what we do. To us, this means much more than a simple donation to a charity for each client. We try to build long and constructive involvements with local guides, guest houses, lodges and hotels, in the course of which we, and our clients, can make lasting wide-ranging contributions to the wonderful places and people we engage with. In this itinerary we use several lodges that fit with this philosophy perfectly, employing local guides and bringing long-term benefits to the local community.

We were the first tour operator in the UK to form a partnership with the Rainforest Alliance to work towards the implementation of best management practices in sustainable tourism. In real terms this means that we are working with hotels who are making a positive impact on their local community – socially, environmentally and economically.

We are committed to promoting holidays that reduce the operational carbon emissions of our trips. No internal flights are included in this itinerary, travel is by road or boat throughout.

This itinerary visits Tikal National Park and the Semuc Champey National Monument, the entrance fees to these sites goes toward the conservation of these protected areas.

Hacienda Tijax (days 14 and 15 of the itinerary), is set on a former cattle farm which is now a 500 acre nature reserve protecting the habitat of a variety of local flora and fauna including birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

People

We use local guides in all of our destinations. It is our experience that with the right approach, local guides with their superior local knowledge (often passed down through generations) are best qualified for the job, and are the best champions of their local communities. It is also a fantastic way of helping communities to survive and flourish when gifted people are able to work locally instead of having to leave for the cities to find work.

On this tour we visit several markets with opportunities to buy handicrafts, native arts, wood carvings and hand knitted garments. This allows local people to make a living and preserve their traditional way of life. For example on day 15 the itinerary visits Ak'Tenamit - an indigenous community development organization in the Rio Dulce area where visitors can purchase locally made arts and crafts.

On day 3 the itinerary includes a coffee tour run by an organisation that works with local coffee farming communities to create economic opportunity that improves the quality of life for their families and communities. The tour is led by a local coffee farmer from the community and ends with a coffee in the farmers home where you have chances to have authentic and transparent conversations to hear first hand about their obstacles, triumphs, and goals as coffee growers in Guatemala.

In Guatemala we use local ground handlers - this means that all the operational costs go directly into the local economy and helps to improve employment opportunities in remote regions. By incorporating locally owned hotels, restaurants and the services of guides and drivers into our itineraries, we ensure that money you spend on your trip goes directly into the local economy and local communities benefit from tourism.