[fruitful_alert type=”alert-danger”]Due to concerns related to COVID-19 and in an effort to protect the health and safety of our community, the Spring 2020 Guatemala Trip is cancelled.  D-E families whose child(ren) were registered for this trip will receive additional updates and information directly from D-E 360°. Questions may be directed by Email to: de360info@d-e.org[/fruitful_alert]

 

8th Grade Guatemala Trip – Spring Break 2020
March 21-29, 2020

Explore Guatemala! D-E Students currently in Grade 8 will explore volcanic landscapes, ancient Mayan ruins, and tropical forests. Guatemala is situated in the Mesoamerican region that features a fascinating Mayan and post-Columbian history. We will experience firsthand the blended Mayan and Spanish influences on the country’s culture and traditions, while traveling through diverse ecosystems. Students will be travelers, not tourists, in environments far different from home. Highlights of the trip will include:

• Hiking the slopes and lava fields of an active volcano
• Exploring the Mayan pyramids and ruins at Tikal and Yaxha
• Experiencing the largest indigenous market in Central America in Chichicastenango
• Visiting the Spanish colonial sections of Antigua and Guatemala City, as well as several local, indigenous villages in the country’s western highlands
• Observing howler monkeys and other wildlife in the tropical jungle.

Cost: $4,500

Registration deadline is November 15, 2019

A $1,000 non-refundable deposit must be submitted at the time of registration. Early registration is encouraged and allows us to guarantee D-E 360° offerings as soon as enrollment is sufficient.

Payment, forms, and actions needed:

• To register, click here
• To download the D-E 360° Travel Application Form 2019-2020 (PDF), click here.
• Submit the D-E 360° Travel Application and a $1,000 non-refundable deposit by November 15, 2019 (Checks should be made payable to Dwight-Englewood School and submitted to the D-E 360° Office in Leggett 001)
• To download the Guatemala Trip Spring Break 2019 Flyer (PDF), click here.

Trip activities / itinerary will include:

• March 21 Early morning dropoff at Umpleby; United #1428 from Newark Airport 8:40 am-12:04 pm / Meet our guides upon arrival at Guatemala City’s airport and drive to Antigua /  Antigua’s old city, once the Spanish colonial capital of Central America; night at Hotel Quinta de las Flores
• March 22 Drive north across the western highlands to the Mayan town of Chichicastenango / Lake Atitlan Largest indigenous crafts, textiles, and food market in Central America / Continue to Lake Atitlan, an enormous caldera in the Sierra Madre mountain range; night at Uxlabil Atitlan
• March 23 The indigenous villages surrounding Lake Atitlan, where Mayan culture and tradition still persist / Lake Atitlan Local churches and markets; woodcarvers, painters, and weavers / Communitarium workshop to observe and learn about ancestral weaving and textile making
• March 24 Drive to Santa Clara la Laguna to hike the “Mayan Face” adjacent Lake Atitlan / Antigua Observation of the surrounding volcanoes; corn and coffee fields along the trail / Afternoon visit to a working coffee plantation; night in Antigua
• March 25 Drive to the National Park of Pacaya Volcano, an 8,000-foot active stratovolcano / Antigua Hike the volcano’s slopes, traversing several ecosystems before coming to the arid volcanic zone / Active fumaroles, steam/smoke, and possible lava flows can all be observed
• March 26 One-hour flight to Flores and transfer to Tikal National Park, home to a major capital of Mayan Civilization / Tikal Climb and explore Tikal’s spectacular pyramids, temples, and plazas / Observation of howler monkeys in their natural habitat; night at Jaguar Inn
• March 27 The archeological ruins of Yaxha, an ancient Mayan city with 2,000 year old original structures / Guatemala City Remains of dwellings scatter the surrounding subtropical forest / Late afternoon return flight to Guatemala City and Hotel Stofella
• March 28 The centuries old cathedral and churches of Guatemala City’s colonial section / Visit the national palace, central plaza and park / Final group meeting and dinner / United #1208 departs Guatemala City 10:50pm
• March 29 Arrival at Newark Airport 5:16am / Transfer to D-E