International airport arrival at Guatemala City. Transfer to Antigua Old town- 1 hour. Orientation walk around Antigua. Welcome dinner with the group.

*Extra Add-On Activity: If you arrive early, or arrive a day early, this afternoon we will have an optional biking tour of Almolonga Valley- touring Antigua’s rural farms and historical ruins. Biking tour departs at 1pm.

Accommodation: Casa Antigua- locally run boutique hotel in the heart of Antigua’s historical center.

Meals: None. Quality food and safe drinkable water will be available at all our accommodations.

Morning walking tour led by Antigua local guide to discover Guatemala’s historical capital & cultural capital. Antigua is a UNESCO world heritage city surrounded by volcanoes. We will also explore Mercado de Antigua a local Mayan Market.

Accommodation: Casa Antigua

Meals included: Breakfast

Morning private mini bus transfer to Acatenango Volcano (1 hour). Embark on a 2 day/1 night hike up Acatenango Volcano. Acatenango is a dormant volcano that is a safe distance away from it’s active neighbor, Volcan Fuego. Our private campsite at basecamp has stunning views of Volcan Fuego spewing lava from a safe distance.- Optional add on to hire a porter for $30 USD. All trekking gear included. 4-6 hour trek up to Acatenango base camp ~3600M. Arrive to a private campsite with permanent tents, mattress pads, and high quality sleeping bags. The private camp site faces Active Volcan Fuego where we can safely watch it’s eruptions while we hang out by the campfire. We will have local trekking guides who have been leading Volcano treks for years to ensure a safe and smooth experience.

Hike Details: 4-6 hours. 5 miles/8 km. 3600M in elevation. Option to rent a porter. Trekking poles, sleeping bag, warm clothes provided.

Accommodation: Permanent camp settlement

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and campfire snacks

Wake up before sunrise for a steep 1-2 hour ascent up to Acatenango’s summit for sunrise. On a clear day you will see all of Guatemala’s volcanos to the Pacific Ocean. After summiting, head back to basecamp for breakfast and then a 3 hour descent back down. The descent will follow a different way down than on the way up- we will pass through 4 distinct microclimates. December is the driest and clearest month in Guatemala. After descending back down we will eat lunch then private 1.5 hour transfer to Lake Atitlan where we stay in a local lake side wellness-resort. Lake Atitlan is a gigantic crater lake surrounded by two volcanos and dotted with Mayan villages, it is one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. Start a tab at the resort and they have everything you need from breakfast, lunch, & communal dinners to fruit smoothies & a full bar.

Hike: Optional, steep 1-2 hour ascent to summit ~3900M- most challenging & coldest part of the hike. Followed by a 3 hour descent back to base camp.

Accommodation: Iguana Perdida Wellness-Resort on Lake Atitlan in the laid back village of Santa Cruz

Meals Included: Breakfast. The resort has a full service kitchen open all day & cooks communal dinners every-night, as well as a full bar at very affordable prices.

Free day to relax & recover at the lakeside wellness-resort. There are ton of optional activities such as; paddleboarding, kayaking, yoga, Mayan sauna, massages, etc. Tonight is New Years eve so we will ring in the new year at the resort’s bar with some live music after a communal dinner.

Accommodation: Iguana Perdida lake side wellness-resort

Meals: No meals included at the wellness-resort. The resort has a full service kitchen and bar at very affordable prices.

This morning we will head out on a private boat touring 3 different Mayan villages dotted around Lake Atitlan. We will get a first hand experience of Mayan culture on Lake Atitlan. Led by private guide who specializes in Mayan tours on Lake Atitlan. We will be back in the afternoon to enjoy a free evening and communal dinner at the eco-resort.

Accommodation: Iguana Perdida wellness resort

Meals: No meals included at the wellness-resort. The resort has a full service kitchen and bar at very affordable prices.

Private 2 hour transfer to Quetzaltenango- that’s a mouthful, so it’s called Xela for short. Xela is not on the popular tourist trail through Guatemala, but it should be- it’s a very safe & beautifully preserved historical city teeming with culture and surrounded by volcanoes. After checking into our hotel, we will head out on a day hike of Volcan Chicabal led by local hiking guides. This volcano hike will be much easier than Acatenango Volcano hike. At the top we will reach a crater lake that is very important to Mayan traditions, where Mayan ceremonies frequently take place. We will get back in the early evening and have free time to get a nice dinner and hang out in beautiful, Xela.

Hike: 3 hours. 3 miles round trip.

Accommodation: Hotel Luna Vela- a local 4 star boutique hotel in Xela’s historical district.

Meals Included: Packed Lunch on Hike

Morning walking tour around Xela’s historical district led by our knowledgeable guide to teach us more about this lesser known historical Mayan city. After the walking tour we will head to Fuente Georginas hot springs. These are thermal hot springs with hot sulfur water that comes from Zunil Volcano’s geothermal activity. After the hot springs we’ll have free time for dinner and hanging out in Xela’s historical center.

Accommodation: Luna Vela

Meals: Breakfast

Morning private transfer back to Antigua. We’ve been slowly heading west on this itinerary and now we will head 5 hours back east to Antigua. We will have time for a group dinner and then a night out in Antigua’s lively El Barrio neighborhood.

Accommodation: Casa Del Parque- nice boutique hotel next to El Barrio district with a pool

Meals: Breakfast

All good things come to an end… check out at your leisure and transfer to Guatemala City’s airport. There will be one included airport shuttle in the morning or you can Uber at your ideal time to airport. Uber is about $30 USD or can coordinate with others in the group to split the taxi.

Meals: Breakfast

Based on shared room with two double beds. Upgrade to private room for $250 USD- private room will not be accommodated during the Acatenango Volcano trek.

Tipping is expected in the tourism industry. Instead of individually tipping we will collect a $50 USD tip from everyone and it will cover all tips for entire trip. $5 per person per day for tipping guides.

Tour Guides: Best local guides in Guatemala. We are partnering with a sustainable, local, and responsible tour operator that has been running adventurous tours in Guatemala for over two decades. We will have one bilingual Guatemalan guide with us for the entirety of the trip and local speciality guides for volcano hikes & Lake Atitlan Mayan villages.

Tour Manager: Me, I will be on the tour ensuring a great time.

All Activities, Entry Fees, Trekking gear & permits

Transportation:All transportation mentioned in Itinerary. Private mini-bus for all transport. One airport shuttle to and from Guatemala City at designated time for arrival and departure- can cheaply Uber if you miss this window of arrival/departure time.

Accommodation: all accommodations are included. Shared room with two double beds. Solo travelers are welcome and will be paired with same gender roommate. All highly rated boutique hotels.

Meals: Breakfast at hotel every morning except at eco-resort on Lake Atitlan, here we each start a tab and the prices are very affordable. For example, the communal dinner is 40-50 quetzales or 5-6 USD. The resort has a full service kitchen and bar with a diverse menu. All meals are included during the two volcano hikes. 9 total meals included

Consultation: pre trip consultation to find the best international flight and to go over packing list.

Meals not mentioned in itinerary. Souvenirs. Alcohol. Any activities you do on your own during free time. International flight to Guatemala. Travel Insurance.

reach out to me at seanhira125@gmail.com or Direct message on instagram. We accept Paypal, Venmo, and credit card(4% processing fee for credit cards)

$250 USD deposit to secure your spot. $1000 final deposit by Oct 2024. . If for some unforeseen reason the tour is cancelled the deposit(s) will be fully refunded. If you have to cancel then I will do my best to get the deposit back but cannot guarantee it. I will provide you with an official receipt and invoice.

Physical Rating: Moderate to Challenging. Accessible to most healthy people, who can handle pushing through some challenging but rewarding hiking.

Group: 10-15 max travelers. Ages ranging from mid 20’s to early 60’s. Mean age is usually in the 30’s & 40’s range.

Visa/Passport: No visa needed for US citizens. Passport must have 6 months validity.

Safety: Guatemala has had a historically dangerous reputation. However, this has changed in the last decade as it is now very safe to travel and the Guatemalan’s are very hospitable. Most of the dangerous reputation came from gang on gang violence way outside of the tourist zones. Guatemala has a very popular backpacking scene and tourists frequent this Central American gem. Guatemalans take care of the tourists because tourism is an important driver of economic growth for this developing nation. Our guide and tour operator are well respected and known throughout Guatemala and will ensure our safety at all times.

Comfort: You will need to be mentally prepared to get out of your comfort zone and must be a down to earth traveler. Guatemala has a tourist industry so it will be plenty comfortable, but is still a developing nation. The Acatenango volcano hike will be the only night outside of a quality hotel. All hotels are highly rated and hand picked for a quality, comfortable, and local Guatemalan stay.

Food: Our guide will ensure we are eating at quality restaurants that are safe for our stomachs. Treated drinking water will be available for the entirety of trip.

Email me with any more questions! Seanhira125@gmail.com

International airport arrival at Entebbe Airport. Airport transfer to nature lodge on shores of Lake Victoria. Relax around the lush nature lodge. Entebbe is a resort town on the shores of Lake Victoria.

*Optional Activity: If you arrive early, this afternoon we will have a tour of Uganda’s capital city, Kampala. For those wanting to experience the hustle and bustle of an African capital city. Located 30 min north of Entebbe.

Accommodation: ViaVia Entebbe; a nature lodge on the shores of Lake Victoria located close to Entebbe international airport. All accommodation on the trip will be in comfortable private safari lodges with two double beds, running water, electricity, & private bathrooms. Two travelers per private room.

Meals included: Welcome dinner. All the lodges throughout this itinerary will have a kitchen and bar to order anything else you’d like for an extra charge. Clean treated water will always be available for free. Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner are included throughout the rest of the trip.

After breakfast we have an early departure in our two pop-top 4X4 safari vehicles. We will first stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to visit a Rhino conservation sanctuary where we will see the rare White Rino’s with their horn’s intact because of the anti-poaching and conservation effort. Then we will continue on towards Murchison Fall’s National Park. We will stop in a local village, Masindi, for lunch. Upon arrival to Murchison falls National Park we will hike to the top of Murchison falls for a bird’s eye view of the most powerful waterfall on the Nile river. Then for dinner we will head to our lodge to relax for the rest of the evening.

Accommodation: Tilenga Safari Lodge- a nice safari lodge with a full bar & kitchen located within Murchison Falls National Park.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, & safe drinking water.

Driving time: 5-6 hours from Entebbe to Murchison Falls National park.

After breakfast, morning game drive of Murchison Falls National Park. We will have the opportunity to see lions, giraffes, hartebeests, buffalos, and elephants. After lunch and a rest we will go on an afternoon Nile River Cruise where we will see hippos, crocs, birds, and plenty of other thirsty land animals. In the evening we will go on another game drive of Murchison Falls National Park during golden hour where we will get to see a Lion King type sunset behind the African plains.

Accommodation: Tilenga Safari Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and safe drinking water

Driving time: No driving today, beside game drives on safari.

Today we will have an early morning departure right after breakfast heading south to Kibale National Park. This will be a longest drive of the itinerary(6-7 hours). It will be a scenic drive passing through villages, lush green countryside, and tea plantations. After arrival to our lodge we will head to Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary in the later afternoon. Bigodi Wetland is home to five different monkey species and is a bird watchers paradise. After Bidgodi Wetland we’ll relax at the lodge and eat dinner.

Accommodation: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge- beautiful lodges with panoramic views of Kibale National Park and the surrounding Volcanic crater lakes. Like all the lodges in this itinerary it is highly rated and has a full service kitchen and bar.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and safe drinking water

Driving Time: 6-7 hours the longest driving day of the itinerary, Murchison Falls National Park to Kibale National Park

After breakfast we will have a briefing on the Chimp trekking with the local rangers of Kibale National Park. The rangers will then escort us on a Chimp tracking trek, once we locate the Chimps we will spend one hour with them. The Chimpanzee trekking permit($300 usd per person) is included in the cost of the tour. The rangers of Kibale national park lead Chimpanzee trekking often and will keep us safe. Our tourism dollars directly benefit the Chimpanzee & Kibale National Park conservation efforts- I am so impressed by Uganda’s investment into sustainable wildlife tourism. After a shower and lunch at the lodge we will depart on a 2 hour drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park. We will relax at the lodge and have dinner this evening

Accommodation: Kazinga Wilderness Safari Lodge- beautiful campus with garden and terrace right next to the Kazinga Channel.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and safe drinking water

Driving Time: 2 hour drive. Kibale National Park to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast we’ll go on an early morning game drive of Queen Elizabeth National Park; be on the look out for buffalo, baboons, elephants, lions, and leopards. Queen Elizabeth rivals the Serengeti & Masai Mara for best National Park in Africa. Then return to the lodge for some rest and lunch. After a couple hours of resting and lunch we will go on a 2 hour boat trip along the Kazinga channel to do more wildlife spotting. Then we will head back to the lodge for dinner. If you have the energy we will head out on a guided sunset hike along the crater rim of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Accommodation: Kazinga Wilderness Safari Lodge- same place as last night.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and safe drinking water

Driving Time: No driving outside of safari game driving

After breakfast we will head south towards Bwindi Impenetrable National Park- home to half of the world’s remaining population of Mountain Gorilla’s. On the way we will drive through Ishasha National Park searching for tree climbing lions. Our Ugandan tour operator has a 70% success rate of finding the lions, but this is the most elusive animal during all of our safaris. After Ishasha we will continue south and check into our lodge on the edge of Bwindi. We will have a restful evening to prep for gorilla trekking tomorrow.

Accommodation: Bweza Gorilla Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and safe drinking water

Driving time: 5-6 hours. Queen Elizabeth National Park to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

After breakfast head to ranger’s post to embark on a once in a lifetime opportunity to safely trek to witness Mountain Gorillas in the wild. Our tourism dollars directly benefit the protection and conservation of endangered Mountain Gorillas. There is a limited number of tourists per day allowed to trek amongst Gorillas, the trekking permit is $800 USD and included in the cost of the tour. We will be trekking through the Mountain Gorilla’s natural habitat, a high elevation rainforest. The trekking time varies on where the Mountain Gorillas are located. The rangers are constantly tracking the Gorillas and once we reach them we will spend one hour with them. After Gorilla Trekking we will head back to the lodge for a shower and a meal. Then we will make the 1.5 hour drive to Lake Bunyonyi for some rest and recovery. Lake Bunyonyi is a gorgeous lake backed by steep cultivated terraces in the lush southwestern Ugandan landscape. Relax lakeside with a cold beer and it is even safe to swim here- no crocs or hippos here.

Accommodation: Heritage Lodge Habuharo; lakefront highly rated lodge.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and safe drinking water

Driving time: 1.5 hours from Bwindi National Park to Lake Bunyonyi.

Leisurely morning at Lake Bunyonyi. Today is the first morning we will not have an early departure and it will be a welcomed slow pace morning as this itinerary is jam-packed. Uganda is known for it’s fresh and amazing coffee due to its temperate zone along the equator, enjoy a fresh cup of Ugandan coffee with a full spread breakfast after sleeping in. Around noon will head to Lake Mburo National Park. The drive takes about 3 hours and upon arrival we will have an evening game drive of Lake Mburo. Then we will have a celebratory dinner at Hyena Hill lodge.

Accommodation: Hyena Hill Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and safe drinking water

Driving time: 3 hours from Lake Bunyonyi to Lake Mburo National Park

Enjoy an early breakfast followed by a walking safari led by rangers in Lake Mburo National Park. There are no big predators here so it is safe to do a walking safari. After walking safari we will head back towards Entebbe. On the way we will stop at the equator line to get a picture of us straddling the equator and grab lunch. Then we will continue on towards Entebbe for final departure. Make sure your departure fights is after 6pm(18:00) or stay one more night in Entebbe and fly home the following day.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and safe drinking water

Accommodation: No accommodation tonight

Driving Time: 5 hours from Lake Mburo to Entebbe airport.

While the sticker price may seem high, I assure you this is the best valued Ugandan tour. We are staying in highly rated lodges, visiting 6 national parks, expensive Gorilla & Chimp trekking permits included, and all meals are included. See comparable tours for reference linked below.

4 day tour of Uganda

9 day tour of Uganda

Based on shared room with two double beds. Let me know if you would like to upgrade to a private room and I can get a quote for you. Solo travelers welcome and will be paired with same gender roommate.

Tipping is expected in the tourism industry. Instead of individually tipping we will collect a $100 USD tip from everyone and it will cover all tips for entire trip. $10 per person per day for tipping guides & drivers.

Tour Guides, Drivers, & Rangers: Two bilingual Ugandan guides. Two drivers. Park Rangers for Gorilla, Chimp, Queen Elizabeth, & Lake Mburo hikes/walking safaris.

Tour Manager: Me, I will be on the tour ensuring a great time.

Two 4-Wheel Drive Safari Vehicles: Each vehicle fits 9 passengers. We will have one driver, one guide, & 5 travelers per vehicle for a total of 7 passengers, leaving two open seats to ensure comfortability. The vehicles have a pop-top roof which make safari game drives that much more enjoyable. We will be spending a lot of time in our safari vehicles.

All Activities, Safaris, National Park Entry Fees, Trekking Permits: 6 National Parks, Gorilla Trekking Permit ($800), Chimp Trekking Permit ($300) all included.

Accommodation: all accommodation is included. Shared room with two double beds, electricity, hot water, and ensuite bathrooms. We will be staying in high quality safari lodges with full service kitchens & bars located in pristine natural scenery.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, & Clean Drinking water provided for entirety of trip. Note* first day only includes dinner & last day only includes breakfast & lunch.

Consultation: pre trip consultation to find the best international flight, go over packing list, assist with e-visa process, & answer any other questions.

Souvenirs. Alcohol. International flight to Entebbe, Uganda. Travel Insurance. $100 USD tip. $50 USD Electronic Visa- takes two to three days to process and can be done online 30 days before trip. I will assist you if needed.

reach out to me at seanhira125@gmail.com or Direct message on instagram. We accept Paypal, Venmo, and credit card(4% processing fee for credit cards).

$1000 USD deposit to secure your spot. $1950 final deposit by Mar 2025. If you want to set up a monthly payment plan let me know. If for some unforeseen reason the tour is cancelled (pandemic, political unrest, natural disaster, etc) the deposit(s) will be fully refunded. If you have to cancel for personal reasons then I will do my best to get the deposit back but cannot guarantee it. I will provide you with an official receipt and invoice.

Physical Rating: Moderate. Accessible to most healthy people, who can handle day hiking and long car rides.

Group: 10 max travelers. Ages ranging from mid 20’s to early 60’s. Mean age is usually in the 30’s & 40’s range.

Visa/Passport: $50 E-Visa for US citizens. Passport must have 6 months validity.

Safety: Uganda is one of the safest countries in Africa and they have a blossoming wildlife tourism industry. Our Ugandan guides have been running tours for over a decade and will keep us safe. We have park rangers to ensure we are staying safe with during Safaris, Gorilla, & Chimp Trekking.

Comfort: You will need to be mentally prepared to get out of your comfort zone and must be a down to earth traveler. While the safari lodges are top notch, these aren’t western style hotels. We will be making a counterclockwise circle around Uganda seeing the highlights which will inevitably include some long drives. A common saying when traveling in Africa is “TIA” when something doesn’t go exactly to schedule you brush it with a positive attitude and say “TIA” (This is Africa).

Food: All food is prepared fresh at our lodges. We will be eating locally sourced and fresh food that is safe for our stomachs. Uganda is known for it’s coffee, fresh fruits, and curry dishes. Treated drinking water will be available for the entirety of trip.

Email me with any more questions! Seanhira125@gmail.com