Flavorful Guatemala Food Tour
10 Days - 9 Nights
- Based on Double Occupancy
Ready to taste history for yourself? Join Lost World Adventures on an unforgettable journey through Guatemala’s vibrant markets, historic highlands, and authentic kitchens. Contact us today to customize your culinary expedition!
A flavorful journey through the highlights of Guatemala and Mayan food traditions for 10D/9N Starting at $3,925.00 per person.
The cuisine and culinary traditions of the Ancient Mayans were both diverse and extensive. Master agriculturalists and skilled foragers, the Mayans relied on hunting, fishing, and meticulous home gardens (pak’al) to secure their food supply. Their traditional diet centered around the sacred “Three Sisters” of Mesoamerican agriculture—maize, beans, and squash—complemented by wild chilies, tomatoes, avocados, and native herbs.
Among these crops, maize (corn) was king. Deeply rooted in Mayan mythology as the very material used by the gods to create humanity, maize was consumed in countless forms, from handmade tortillas and tamales to thick, nourishing beverages like atol. Cacao, another principal crop, held an equally exalted status. Revered as a divine gift, cacao beans were brewed into bitter, spiced, and frothy ceremonial drinks reserved for elite rituals—while also serving as a valuable currency across the ancient empire.
Spanish Colonization and Culinary Fusion
The arrival of Spanish colonizers brought transformative changes to the region’s foodways. They introduced not only a new religion and lifestyle, but also European livestock, rice, wheat, citrus fruits, sugarcane, and spices like cinnamon and cloves.
Sugarcane cultivation radically transformed local production and introduced alcohol distilling to the region. This legacy endures today in Guatemala’s world-renowned rum production, including award-winning, high-altitude aged options like Ron Zacapa.
A Living Heritage at the Chichicastenango Market
Despite centuries of foreign influence, Guatemalans still rely heavily on ancient Mayan techniques and ancestral ingredients. Today, nowhere is this living heritage more vivid than at the legendary Chichicastenango Market in the Western Highlands of Guatemala.
As one of the largest and most vibrant traditional markets in the Americas, Chichicastenango acts as a sensory museum of Guatemalan culinary history. Amidst colorful textiles and burning copal incense, local indigenous vendors sell heirloom corn, hand-pounded spices, wild herbs, and fresh produce using centuries-old methods. Here, travelers can witness women preparing hot tortillas by hand and grinding maize using traditional stone tools (metates and manos)—preserving timeless techniques that remain fully alive today.
Experience the Flavor of Guatemala
The harmonious blending of ancient Mayan roots with centuries of Spanish influence has birthed a rich, complex culinary identity. Traditional celebratory dishes like Pepián (a rich, roasted-seed meat stew) and Kac’ik (a spiced turkey soup infused with Mayan herbs and achiote) are officially recognized as part of Guatemala’s intangible cultural heritage.
Lost World Adventures itineraries can be tailor-made according to your plans and preferences: budget, hotel selections, travel dates, optional excursions, length of trip, etc.
Day 1: Antigua
Welcome to Guatemala! Antigua is among the world’s best conserved colonial cities in the Americas. It is a magic and captivating small town that makes you feel time might have stopped 300 years ago.
From its colonial architecture to its beautiful surroundings; strolling through town on the cobblestone streets will fascinate you!
You will be met by one of our representatives at the airport and transferred to Antigua. Overnight at an Antigua hotel, daily breakfast included. Dinner included at an Antigua restaurant.
Day 2: Antigua Walking Tour
Enjoy a walking tour which will take you through the Colonial architecture, fine arts, terracotta, ceramics, wooden sculptures, a great variety of traditional costumes and weavings. You will also visit a Chocolate Museum, take a Coffee Tour with tasting. Overnight at an Antigua hotel. Breakfast and lunch included today.
Day 3: Antigua – Community Cooking Class
After breakfast you will transfer to the town of San Miguel Escobar. Here you will learn how to prepare a traditional Guatemalan dish at a Guatemalan home. A authentic one-of-a-kind experience. Your chef will be a local housewife and mother. After the lesson and lunch, you will transfer back to Antigua with free time to explore the town on your own. Overnight at your Antigua hotel. Breakfast and lunch included today.
Day 4: Chichicastenango Market & Lake Atitlan
After breakfast, you will transfer to Chichicastenango, home to what is surely the most colorful native market in the Americas.
Market days are held every Sunday and Thursday and draw not only the Quiche Maya of the surrounding region but vendors from all over Guatemala, representing many of Guatemala’s linguistic groups such as Mam, Ixil, Kaqchikel and others. Each has his or her products in a riotous cacophony of color, dialects and costumes, smoke, and smells.
After the tour, you will enjoy lunch and then you will make your way to Lake Atitlan where you will spend 2 nights. Breakfast and lunch included today.
Day 5: Village Tour
After breakfast, a private boat and guide will take you to visit one of the villages around the lake. After lunch, your guide will take you back to your hotel for an afternoon at leisure.
Enjoy a wonderful dinner at your hotel. With three stunning volcanoes rising out of its emerald surface, it is characterized by its natural beauty surrounded by gorgeous views of the volcanoes and indigenous villages filled with culture. The famous writer Aldous Huxley considered it “the most beautiful lake in the world”. All meals included today.
Day 6: Iximche tour and flight to Flores
After breakfast, a private transfer and guide will take you to Iximche. Your guide will show you around the main temples and the history of this fantastic site. Iximche is a Post Classic Mayan site, located in the Western Highlands of Guatemala. Although it is not the major archaeological site, it was founded by the Kaqchikel Maya in 1,470 after a prolonged conflict with the Quiche.
It was the capital of the Late pre-Classic Kaqchikel kingdom from 1,470 until its abandonment in 1,524 with the arrival of the Spanish. After lunch, you will be transferred to the airport in Guatemala City for your afternoon flight to Flores. Overnight at Hotel in Peten. All meals included today.
Day 7: Tikal Tour
After breakfast, your guide will take you to Tikal National Park and show you the layout of the temples, architecture, history, and the theories of why they disappeared. If you are lucky, a few monkeys, parrots, macaws and toucans will be on site. Tikal is a City and ceremonial center of the ancient Maya civilization. Tikal became an important ceremonial center with the construction of major pyramids and temples.
The best years were the Late Classic Period (600-900 AD). Tikal has some of the most fascinating archaeological remains of the ancient Maya Civilization, excavated by Pennsylvania University between 1,956 and 1,969. Tikal is the largest excavated site on the American continent. It is Guatemala’s most famous cultural and natural preserve.
After the tour enjoy lunch at a restaurant in the middle of the jungle. Transfer back to your hotel. Overnight in Peten. Breakfast and lunch included today.
Day 8: Nitun & Yaxha Sunset
Enjoy a wonderful morning at leisure. You’ll be transferred to Nitun. Cook with Lore, Nitun’s hotel manager and owner and learned from one the best cooks in town. Prepare tequila shrimp or apple ginger pork chops and bake your own homemade bread. Nitun is a beautiful property, set on 350,000 sq. m. of grounds where six species of hummingbird nest year-round.
The grounds are an attraction in themselves, boasting lush jungle and wildlife such as ocelots and jaguarondi (native cats). Once ensconced in this verdant beauty and accompanied by a soundtrack of bird calls, the temptation is to find a hammock and never leave. After lunch, you will be transferred to Yaxha Archeological Site for a beautiful sunset. Overnight at hotel in Peten. Breakfast and lunch included today.
Day 9: Flight to Guatemala City & city tour
After breakfast, your guide will transfer you to Mundo Maya airport for your flight to Guatemala City. Guatemala City is the most modern and cosmopolitan in Central America. Vibrant and fast pace, Guatemala City (or Guate as the locals called it) is a magnificent blend of the old and the new with a Latin charm. Nowadays, the city has around four million inhabitants and it’s a must when visiting Guatemala.
On arrival, a representative of will take you on a Museum visit. Enjoy lunch at one of the best restaurants in the city and then to the rum house to taste the best rum in the world: Ron Zacapa Centenario 23-year-old Solera Rum: This is first-class Guatemalan rum made from virgin sugar cane honey. It received 97 points from the Beverage Tasting Institute and a Gold Medal at the 2007 International Cane Spirits Festival.
Overnight at hotel in Guatemala City. As a farewell dinner will take place at a special venue. All meals included today.
Day 10: Int’l Departure
After breakfast, you will be transferred to La Aurora International Airport for your departure flight.
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Nicaragua Highlights
After your first night in Managua you will transfer to Leon for an overnight stay in the original and historic capital of Nicaragua. Spend the night at one of the charming colonial hotels. On the following morning you will go on a guided tour of this historical city: you will visit the main churches and the Cathedral, galleries and colonial houses, and take the optional tower climb for an amazing view of the city and volcanoes.
Asuncion and Iguazu Falls Paraguay Tour
This itinerary traces a route from Paraguay’s historic capital to one of the natural wonders of the world, offering a concise yet immersive journey through culture, history, and spectacle. Beginning in Asunción, you’ll settle into a city that balances the charm of colonial plazas with the vitality of a modern metropolis. The leisurely pace on your first evening allows time to adjust before diving into the heart of Paraguayan heritage.
Costa Rica Exploration Tour
This trip combines the Arenal Volcano and Monteverde Cloudforest nature pairing with Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean coast and one of the many beaches on the northern Pacific coast. Much of Tortuguero is jungle-covered lowland. There are no roads in Tortuguero National Park, called Costa Rica’s “little Amazon”; travel is by boat along a series of rivers and canals or by foot on forest paths.
Ecuador – Galapagos Multisport Tour
This week long adventure takes you kayaking with sea turtles, sharks, and sea lions, hiking active volcanoes, mountain biking along coastlines, snorkeling tropical waters alive with beautiful fish and relaxing on sandy beaches next to sea lions and marine iguanas. After long days of fun, return to our eco-friendly boutique hotels for superb meals and splendid hospitality. Your adventure is led by local certified naturalists and the best adventure guides in the world. Our Multisport Adventure is the ultimate combination of adventure, comfort, and wildlife interaction.
