Explore the magic of Guatemala – including Antigua, Lake Atitlan, and Guatemala City – with your favorite musicians, The Currys! Itinerary below.
Fearless Journeys is leading our fourth trip to Guatemala and this is set to be perhaps the most unique one, as we are going with The Currys! Fearless Journeys is led by Francisco Gonzalez. He has previously led three group trips to Guatemala after living in the country for more than a year and teaching as a visiting professor at the Universidad Francisco Marroquin in Guatemala City. His connections run deep in Guatemala, where he has recorded interviews for his Agents of Innovation podcast with more than 14 entrepreneurs across the country – many of which we will have personal and private interactions with along our Fearless Journey to Guatemala! Francisco has also led group trips to Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, and Nashville and has traveled to 31 countries and 48 states. Most recently, he traveled with The Currys to Cuba.
In contrast to many views outside the country, Guatemala is very safe. And your experience there will confirm that as it has for more than 50 travelers that Francisco has personally guided around the country. Guatemalans are some of the most hospitable and friendly people on the planet and come from a diverse set of backgrounds including Spanish and indigenous cultures. There are no travel restrictions to Guatemala and there are many direct flights from various U.S. cities, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, Houston, New York, Washington D.C., and sometimes even Orlando and other places.
$3900pp single occupancy (private room for all 7 nights)
$3400pp double occupancy
Price includes: in-country transportation, 7 nights of lodging at 4-star (or above) hotels, entrance fees, breakfast every day at your hotel, 5 dinners (2 on your own), and 5 lunches (2 on your own), and tips at meals, and at least three performances by The Currys in Guatemala!
Not included: airfare, alcoholic beverages, incidentals, souvenirs, other tips (musicians, housekeeping, driver, etc)
Passport: Your passport must be valid for six months after you enter the country, i.e. valid through at least July 25, 2025. No Visa is required for U.S. citizens traveling to Guatemala.
Payments
To reserve your space, send a $500 deposit to: Currys Music LLC, 1328 Dudley Mountain Rd, Charlotesville, VA 22903. This reserves your spot on the trip!
For those coming as single occupancy travelers (private room every night), $1700 payment is due by August 1, 2024, and the remaining $1700 payment is due by December 1, 2024.
For those coming as double occupancy travelers, $1450 payment (pp)is due by August 1, 2024, and the remaining $1450 payment (pp) is due by December 1, 2024.
Those final two payments may either be done by credit card or by sending us a check. We will follow up with you on instructions for these final two payments after The Currys have received your deposit, as well as confirm with you that you that your spot on the trip is confirmed.
All payments are non-refundable, however the payment can be transferable to someone else if you can replace yourself or if we can replace you with someone on the waiting list.
We highly recommend travel insurance to cover potential trip cancellations / interruptions as well as medical insurance while traveling abroad. You can purchase this through our travel insurance partner: Travel Guard. Contact them at 1-800-454-7107 and give them our affiliate code: 346701. We highly recommend purchasing the Preferred Plan.
QUESTIONS?
Contact Francisco Gonzalez at: fearlessjourneysLLC@gmail.com.
Planned Itinerary: Antigua, Lake Atitlan, and Guatemala City
1/18, Day 1 Arrival in Guatemala City by early afternoon. Transportation to Antigua (90-minute drive), a Spanish colonial city founded in the 16th century and located in the valley of volcanoes. The small city is a gem, completely walkable, and often rated the best city to visit in all of Latin America. Check into the Aurora Hotel in the Antigua city center. We will gather together for dinner at a select restaurant in Antigua.
1/19 Day 2 Continental breakfast at your hotel. Free morning to explore, with optional short group hike up to Cerro de la Cruz for the best view of Antigua. Lunch at Caoba Farms, with a true farm-to-table restaurant in a garden, located right next to the farm where 75% of your ingredients are sourced from. Music by The Currys and tour of the farm. Explore Antigua (with many recommendations from your guide), with dinner on your own (plenty of recommendations provided).
1/20, Day 3 Continental breakfast at your hotel. Morning to explore Antigua. Check out of your hotel by 11:00 AM. Transportation to Lake Atitlan (2-hour drive). Check into the magical retreat of Hotel Atitlan. Explore the gardens surrounding the hotel. Take in your first views of the iconic Lake Atitlan – some claim it is the most beautiful lake in the world – with volcanoes surrounding the lake – the deepest lake in Central America at 1120 feet deep! Enjoy the pool and giant hot tub. Group dinner poolside at our hotel.
1/21, Day 4 Breakfast at your hotel. Relax and enjoy the amenities of the hotel, situated on the lake, with optional short hikes around the Atitlan Natural Reserve, complete with waterfalls and natural wildlife. (Possible zip-line add-on at your own expense). Lunch on your own. Transportation (30-minute drive) to Santa Catarina Palopo. Sunset dinner at Casa Palopo.
1/22, Day 5 Breakfast at your hotel. A day on the lake by private boat transportation. Visit the colorful village of San Juan La Laguna, including a weaving co-op (with demonstration) led by indigenous women entrepreneurs. Next, it’s back on the boat to visit the village of San Marcos, where there is a large expat presence mixed in with the locals. We will have lunch at a special spot here and then visit the Cerro Tzankukil Nature Preserve at San Marcos, where you will have the option to jump into Lake Atitlan from 36 feet above the surface. Then it’s back on the boat for a sunset voyage across this magical lake as we journey back to our hotel. Dinner will be on your own.
1/23, Day 6 Breakfast at your hotel. Check-out by 10:00 AM. Morning transportation to Guatemala City (3-hour drive). Check into the Clarion Hotel & Suites Guatemala City Zone 10. Transportation (15-minute drive) to Zone 1 to explore Plaza de la Constitución (founded in 1776), the Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago of Guatemala (visited 3 times by Pope John Paul II), the underground Central Market, and a stroll down Avenida Sexta for a glimpse into local shopping life. Dinner followed by an evening at Trova Jazz in Zone 4. Transportation back to our hotel.
1/24, Day 7, Breakfast at your hotel. Transportation to Palencia (1-hour drive) for a private tour of an independent coffee farm, “San Patricio Limon” and lunch with the Reyes Mendez family that owns the farm. San Patricio coffee is currently ranked #14 in the Guatemala Cup of Excellence. Return to the city. Optional visit to Popol Vuh museum of Mayan and Spanish colonial artifacts, located on the campus of Universidad Francisco Marroquin. Return to Clarion Hotel & Suites. Dinner at Kabel Restaurante in Zone 10, located on a rooftop terrace. Final musical performance by The Currys.
1/25, Day 8 Breakfast at your hotel. Check out of your hotel. Final goodbyes and then transportation (15-minute drive) to Guatemala City airport. Most flights to the USA depart around 1:00 PM.
FAQ:
How is the weather in Guatemala in January?
The three areas we will be at in Guatemala are all considered part of Guatemala’s “eternal spring” zone, and elevation is around 5,000 feet (about the same as Denver, Colorado). Year-round temperatures barely fluctuate here with lows in the 50s and highs in the low 80s. January is one of the most idyllic times here because it is in the middle of the season of no rain. Of course, there’s always a chance a few drops can fall, but typically we expect crystal clear blue sky days for the duration of our trip. It can sometimes get a little cooler here this time of year, possibly dipping into the low 50s at night, but the days should be perfect in the upper 60s and low 70s. We recommend bringing a jacket.
What timezone is Guatemala in?
Guatemala is on U.S. Central Standard Time year-round. It does not observe Daylight Savings Time. During January, Guatemala will be on Central Standard Time, the same as Houston, Texas, or one-hour behind the Eastern Standard Time.
What flights should I book? Once we have confirmed your space, we will follow up with you on the best flights to book based on your departure point.
Please feel free to contact Francisco Gonzalez with any further questions at: fearlessjourneysLLC@gmail.com.