Guatemala doesn't get nearly the attention it deserves — and honestly, that's part of why we chose it. This is a country with ancient Maya cities pushing up through unbroken jungle, colonial streets so beautiful they've been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a coffee culture rooted in volcanic soil that produces some of the finest beans on earth. Most people have never thought to come here. That's exactly the point.
We spend the first four days in Antigua — unhurried, on foot, at whatever pace the city sets. There are earthquake-toppled convents open to the sky and full of wildflowers, a hilltop above the rooftops where three volcanoes line the horizon, a highland coffee finca that changes how you think about your morning cup, and a jade market that connects directly to the same Maya civilization we'll go looking for in the jungle. Then a short flight north takes us into El Petén — a different country within a country, all lowland heat and howler monkeys and temples that have been standing since before the Roman Empire.
Our jungle days are anchored by two Maya cities that couldn't be more different from each other: Tikal at sunrise, enormous and overwhelming in the best possible way, and Yaxhá the following afternoon — quieter, more remote, and almost entirely to ourselves. We travel as a group of six to eight women, land-only pricing, private rooms at every stop.
One of the most breathtaking sights in the entire hemisphere — temples older than memory pushing up through the jungle as howler monkeys call in the dark. We'll be there for all of it.
Few cities in Latin America are as arrestingly beautiful as Antigua — baroque churches, crumbling ruins draped in bougainvillea, and volcanoes framing every view. It's the kind of place that slows you down on purpose.
The ancient Maya valued jade above all other materials — and Guatemala is still its source. Antigua's jade market is where that tradition lives on, in pieces carved by hand using techniques that stretch back centuries.
A Maya city on its own jungle lake, nearly as ancient as Tikal and almost completely unknown to the outside world. We'll have the temples largely to ourselves — and a sunset from the top that's worth the whole trip north.
Guatemala produces some of the world's most celebrated coffee, grown in the volcanic highlands surrounding Antigua. We'll visit a working finca to see exactly how it goes from red cherry to cup.
Our jungle base is a tiny pastel island village ringed by water, small enough to walk end to end in ten minutes and atmospheric enough to fill an entire evening just wandering its painted streets.
After landing in Guatemala City, hop in your private transfer to Antigua, tucked into a valley ringed by three volcanoes about an hour southwest of the capital. Drop your bags, breathe in the thin highland air, and step outside into one of the most beautifully preserved colonial cities in the Americas — cobblestones underfoot, baroque ruins around every corner, and Volcán de Agua watching over it all. Wander a few blocks in whatever direction calls to you. Let the city introduce itself on its own terms.
We'll gather that evening for a welcome dinner at a candlelit courtyard restaurant — fresh ceviche, local rum cocktails, and the kind of table conversation that only happens when eight women realize they're about to do something extraordinary together.
Antigua is unusual in that its most dramatic landmarks are the ones that didn't survive — earthquake-toppled convents and cathedrals left open to the sky, blooming with vines and wildflowers, more beautiful perhaps than they ever were whole. Spend the morning wandering them at your own pace: the rooftop of La Merced, the skeletal nave of the old cathedral, the cloister gardens of Las Capuchinas. There's no right order, no rush, no tour bus waiting.
In the afternoon, the city's quieter pleasures open up — the textile shops along the main square, a sidewalk café with a view of the arch, a scoop of cardamom ice cream from a street cart. The evening is yours completely.
This morning we visit a working coffee finca in the highlands above Antigua — the volcanic soil here produces beans that coffee people travel across continents to taste, and seeing the whole process from tree to cup makes every future morning cup slightly more meaningful. Our guide walks us through the harvest, the washing stations, and the roasting shed before we sit down to taste what all the fuss is about.
After lunch together at the finca, the afternoon belongs to you. Back in Antigua, that might mean a weaving workshop, a chocolate-making class, a mezcal tasting at a courtyard bar, or simply sitting with a book in a garden until the light goes golden.
This morning we walk up to Cerro de la Cruz — a short climb above the city that opens onto one of the best views in all of Guatemala: the red-tiled rooftops of Antigua laid out below, three volcanoes lined up behind them like sentinels. It's the kind of view that reframes everything you've already seen at street level.
Back in the city, the afternoon is completely yours — and a good one for the jade market, where Guatemalan artisans have been working with the same stone the ancient Maya prized above gold. Browse, buy something beautiful, then find your way to the central plaza as the afternoon light turns everything warm and unhurried. Dinner wherever you like tonight.
This morning we make our way back to Guatemala City for a short domestic flight north to Flores — an hour in the air that covers a world of difference. The lowland jungle of El Petén stretches out below the plane in every direction, broken only by glints of water, and by the time we land you can feel the heat and humidity shift beneath you like a different country entirely.
Flores itself is a tiny island village ringed by Lake Petén Itzá, reachable by a single causeway and small enough to walk end to end in ten minutes. We'll settle in, have a wander through the painted streets, and find a table on the waterfront for dinner as the lake turns violet at dusk.
We leave before the sun comes up. This is non-negotiable and entirely worth it. Tikal at dawn belongs to a different category of experience than Tikal at noon — the jungle still full of sound, the mist sitting low in the canopy, and the temples emerging out of the dark as the sky turns from black to violet to gold. We'll climb Temple IV first, the highest point in the ancient city, and watch the sun find us.
The rest of the morning is spent threading the causeways between plazas and temple complexes at whatever pace feels right — this is a place to linger, not race through. We return to Flores in the early afternoon with the rest of the day entirely your own.
An hour east of Flores, Yaxhá sits above its own jungle lake in almost complete silence — a Maya city nearly as significant as Tikal and a fraction as visited. We'll spend the morning moving through its plazas and pyramids at a pace that feels more like discovery than tourism, with a guide who knows which staircase leads to the view worth climbing for.
The payoff comes late afternoon, when we climb the highest temple as the sun drops toward the water. The lake turns copper below, toucans cross the sky, and the jungle stretches in every direction without a building in sight. We're back in Flores in time for dinner on the waterfront, with the whole evening yours to fill however you like.
A slower morning — sleep in, swim, take a final walk around the island before the spell breaks. Flores in the morning light, with no agenda and nowhere to be, is its own reward: coffee on a balcony over the lake, a last conversation with the woman who runs the corner shop, the sound of parrots in the ceiba trees.
Tonight we gather for our farewell dinner on the waterfront — Guatemalan rum, grilled fish, the kind of dinner that turns into something longer and better than anyone planned. Women who arrived as strangers and leave as something else entirely. That's the whole trip right there.
Mornings in Flores have a particular quality — the lake still, the birds already busy, the rest of the world feeling very far away. Take this one slowly. Walk the causeway one last time, pick up that last piece of pottery you've been thinking about since the market, order the biggest cup of coffee you can find and drink it without any particular hurry.
Flights home depart from Flores Regional Airport or Guatemala City, depending on your routing. The group disperses at its own pace — but not before one final cup together, because that's how we do things.
Ancient cities deserve hotels with stories of their own.
Both bases were chosen for how well they anchor the part of Guatemala they sit in. In Antigua, we wanted to put you inside the colonial city — somewhere you can step out the door at 7am and already be in the middle of something beautiful. In Flores, the goal was the island itself: intimate, atmospheric, and right on the water. Location does the heavy lifting here.
We're staying in the heart of the colonial city, within easy walking distance of everything Antigua has to offer — the ruins, the markets, the plaza, the volcanoes framing every view. This is a neighborhood that rewards wandering at any hour, and our location puts you right in the thick of it from the moment you arrive. Step outside and you're already somewhere worth being.
We're based on the island itself — a tiny, walkable village ringed by Lake Petén Itzá, where the painted streets meet the water and the jungle presses in from every direction. Everything is close, everything is unhurried, and the rooftop views over the lake are the kind you stay up too late to look at. It's a small place in the best possible way.
- All accommodation as listed
- All group transportation within the trip
- Domestic flight to Flores
- Private guided morning at Tikal
- Guided afternoon at Yaxhá
- Coffee finca visit and tour
- All group meals as listed
- International airfare
- Travel insurance
- Personal spending and shopping
- Meals and drinks outside those listed above
- Optional activities not part of the group itinerary
- Gratuities for guides and drivers
Everything you need to know before you go.
Who is this trip designed for? This one is for women who want to get off the beaten path without sacrificing comfort — travelers who are genuinely curious about history, culture, and the ancient world, and who don't need to fill every hour to feel like the trip was worth it. Guatemala rewards the attentive and the unhurried, and that's exactly who this trip is built for.
What's the group size? Six to eight women — small enough to feel like a trip with friends rather than a tour, large enough to have real energy at the dinner table. We'll never be on a bus with strangers or following a flag through a crowd.
Do I need to share a room? Never. Every woman on every Unscheduled trip has her own private room at every stop, full stop.
What airport should I fly into? Fly into La Aurora International Airport (GUA) in Guatemala City. A private transfer will take you directly to our hotel in Antigua — about an hour's drive.
What airport do I fly home from? Most women will fly home from Guatemala City (GUA). Depending on your routing, a direct departure from Flores Regional Airport (FRS) may also be possible — we'll help you figure out what makes most sense for your flights.
How much walking is involved? This is an active trip, particularly at Tikal — the archaeological site is expansive and you'll be on your feet for several hours, including an early-morning climb to a temple top. Antigua's cobblestone streets are uneven and best navigated in sturdy footwear. That said, nothing here requires athletic training — comfortable, broken-in walking shoes and a willingness to move at a steady pace is all you need.
What should I pack? February sits in Guatemala's dry season, which means warm sunny days and cool evenings, especially in Antigua at altitude. Lightweight layers work well — something breathable for daytime and a light jacket for evenings in the highlands. For Flores and Tikal, think tropical: humidity, heat, and bug spray are non-negotiable. A daypack, a good hat, and a reusable water bottle will serve you well throughout.
Do I need travel insurance? It's not required, but it's strongly recommended. Medical care in remote areas can be limited, and travel insurance gives you real protection against flight disruptions, unexpected cancellations, and anything else that doesn't go to plan.
What's the deposit and payment schedule? A deposit secures your spot, with the remaining balance due in installments leading up to departure. Full payment details are provided at booking.
What's the cancellation policy? Deposits are non-refundable, and the closer to departure you cancel, the less of your payment is recoverable, in line with standard travel industry terms. Full cancellation terms are provided at booking; travel insurance is recommended.
What happens if the trip doesn't fill? If we don't reach the minimum number of travelers needed to run the trip as planned, we'll let you know with enough notice to adjust plans, and any payments made will be fully refunded.
Have a question we haven't answered here? Reach out -- we are happy to help.
Spots are limited to six to eight women, and this one is the kind of trip people talk about for years. If the jungle temples and colonial streets have already got their hooks in you, trust that feeling — reach out and let's get you on the list.