South & Central America

An incredibly beautiful, diverse and complex nation ‘The Land of Eternal Spring' has a fascinating history with jungles and volcanoes providing the backdrop to a cultural mix of pre-Columbian, Mayan and Spanish colonial heritage. For a small country, Guatemala hosts a striking variety of landscapes, ranging from the sparsely populated tropical forests of the Peten in the north to the cloud forests, gorge systems and beaches of the humid east Caribbean coastline.   The southern and most populated part of the country is extremely mountainous, and provides fertile land for cultivation thanks to the sporadic volcanic eruptions which also give rise to the striking black-sand beaches of the Pacific coastline.  Guatemala's ecosystems host a myriad of flora and fauna, most notable of which are the orchids and birdlife.

Guatemala has been the centre of power since pre-classic Maya times, and the colourful Mayan people add an additional unique dimension to your visit to Guatemala.   The extensive ruins of their ancestors lie scattered across the Peten region while their heritage lives on today, evident in the bustling markets of Solola, the traditional reed collecting on the shores of Lake Atitlan and the unique weaving methods of the K'iche, Kaqchiquel and Achi communities. Now throw in the cobblestone streets, beautiful churches, hidden convents and colonial plazas and you have Guatemala; a land of colour, glamour and excitement combined with serenity, mystery and fascination.