Maya Heritage and Traditions – RY Marketplace

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-Experiencing an ancient culture still present today, labelled ‘Pagan’ in most other countries in the world-Going to non touristic place -A true Maya meets contemporary God experience-Walking in nature at an ancient Maya site-Having a traditional lunch on the way

-Travelling outside of Antigua visiting 2 different towns

 Description

Visiting Maya Ruins and Present Day Maya culture, we depart early from Antigua on route to San Andres Itzapa, just 35 mins away from Antigua. We arrive to a surreal parking lot and Shrine for San Simon. Upon arrival to this magical place you will see the present day cosmovision of Maya Shamans doing “”limpias”” ‘cleansing’ and offerings to San Simon, a modern version of Maximon the Maya Deity from lake Atitlan. We leave a puro and light a candle and have a small “”limpia”” before visiting the Famous San Simon Shrine where the walls are full of offerings of gratitude to San Simon form all over latin America. a true ‘Pagan’ God in the eyes of the conquista and present day we will label this as taboo. A surreal and magical experience that is not the beaten path.

After this we get back on the bus and travel for 1 hour to our lunch stop. We will enjoy a great ‘Churrasco’ Traditional lunch in Tecpan region famous for its cheeses and meats. Onwards to Iximche 40 mins away from our lunch stop, we arrive to one of the first Capitals of the Maya Kakchiquel. A beautiful grassland setting with great breeze and peaceful atmosphere where you will walk through the ancient ruins of this amazing place, guided by our local expert that travels with us all the way.

After this experience we head back to Antigua, 1.15 hrs away. We then get dropped off at our meeting point or Central Park.

The highlight of this experience is going to a non touristic Maya Shrine seeing ancient rituals. Enjoying a great lunch together on route to an ancient maya Site, and walking around the grasslands at Iximche with a refreshing and peaceful atmosphere. 

 Who this experience is good for

-Anyone interested in the spiritual side of the contemporary indigenous Maya society-People open to experiencing a labelled ‘Pagan’ Ritual site-Folks who love non touristic places and out of the norm experiences

-People who like ancient past and ruins

 Meet our local host

We have an amazing set of guides depending on availability one of them will guide us throughout the whole experience, and will travel with the group from Antigua. These are specialised general Guides for the whole country with more insight and knowledge of every aspect of past and present Guatemala and 100% bilingual for you to enjoy all the info and understand a little of our culture. 

Itinerary

Upon meeting the local guide at the designated meet point (details on hub event), you will travel by van for about 35 mins to the ‘San Simon Shrine’, after experiencing this surreal setting you get back on the same van and head to a local restaurant for lunch, this is included and ask your guide to help you place your order, or if you have dietary restrictions now is the time to let them know for your lunch option. After lunch we continue to Iximche Maya site where you will have a guided tour of the ruins and also some time to relax in the garden setting. We head back to Antigua about an hour and 15 mins away and get dropped off at Central Park or Central area in the city.

Whats included

-Round trip transport from Antigua
-Entrance fee to Iximche
-Guide during the whole experience
-Traditional lunch

Whats not included

-Extra souvenirs if you would like to leave an offering for San Simon
-Alcoholic beverages during lunch or extra meals and snacks
-Water or extra drinks

Know before you go

-The area where you visit San Simon, is a very traditional local place, this is viewed still as a ‘Pagan’ Ritual Shrine, quite taboo for most religions and carries a dense energy of past and present religious syncretism. -Quite a unique experience not for the faint hearted, sometimes intense as they do sacrifice chickens depending on the ritual.  -A very authentic Maya contemporary shrine. Paying respects to a mix of Catholic and Maya beliefs through a deity / statue of a spanish looking man which the locals believe to have a lot of supernatural powers.-If you do not like to be out of your comfort zone this experience is not for you-Minimum to operate: 9 people-Maximum Capacity: 30 people

-Deadline to book: 3 days prior to the Experience

What is the refund policy?

If you need to cancel your booking, no problem! Just send us an email at [email protected] with your Order # and let us know. If you cancel within 24 hours, you’ll receive a full refund. If it’s outside of the 24 hour window, don’t worry – our Local City Team will take a look and do their best to issue a refund if possible. Keep in mind, some financial commitments may have already been made, but if the minimum number of participants for the event is still met, we’ll do our best to give you your money back. If something unexpected comes up – like extreme weather or last-minute cancellations from our suppliers, don’t worry! In those cases, we’ll automatically process a refund for you. Just allow us 7-10 days to complete the process.

What happens if my booking is changed/cancelled due to weather?

Let’s be real – no one can control the weather, and sometimes things just don’t go as planned. But don’t worry, your City Manager is here to help and will do their best to come up with a solution if an event is affected. We understand that everyone’s schedule is different, so while we can’t guarantee a make-up option will work for everyone, we promise to try our hardest. If you’re unable to attend the make-up date, no problem – we’ll give you a full refund for your booking.

I have a discount or gift code, can I use it to complete my purchase?

Yes, once you add your item to your cart and check out, you will be able to input the code before completing the purchase. If you need help finding your code, please double check your inbox. You received an email from Marketplace with the code.

Can I book for a friend / family member?

Sure! We welcome your friends and family coming to visit you while you travel the world. We do, however, reserve the right to deny access to Friends / Family who are over using RY Services. 

I haven’t received a booking confirmation email, can you help?

Please reach out to us at [email protected] and we’ll help. In some cases, you may have multiple emails associated on the Marketplace and this is causing some confusion. Reach out and we’ll do our best to sort it out! 

If I cannot attend, can I transfer my ticket to someone else?

Yes, you may transfer your booking to another Nation Member or Family/Friend. Please notify the City Manager as soon as possible to confirm the change. Please note, in the case of special dietary requirements, we might not be able to accommodate special requests on last minute changes. Any bookings that require advanced ticketing linked to an individual’s ID might not be approved. 

Will I be able to work on this experience? 

If you have to check in with work at any point during the scheduled time, we recommend confirming with the City Manager before booking.

I’m a Nation Member but not on an active program, can I still book? 

We will always prioritize Remotes who are traveling with an active program on experiences. You may be able to book but there is a chance the City Manager will reach out to let you know we have to release your spot for an active Remote. If you’re in a city but not traveling with a program, we recommend reaching out to the City Manager on the Hub to confirm before booking.