Luxury Travel And Adventure by Martsam Travel

The Perfect Vacations in Guatemala
By: B. Grijalva

Are you looking to have the perfect Vacations?

Look no further!

Martsam Travel provides the necessary to make your vacations a unique experience!

Guatemala is located in the heart of the America and present a wide variety of touristic options like active volcanoes, living Maya culture, amazing archaeological sites, and also is ranking between the 25th countries with great biodiversity in the world.

An example of this is Tikal one of the most important destinations in Guatemala where you can discover the impressive Maya temples surrounding by tropical rainforest that inhabit more than 400 species of birds, mammals, and more.

We offer you different ways to discover this ancient Maya City

· Standard Tikal Tour:

This is a one day tour guided by specialist bilingual tour guide and includes entrance fee, lunch, round trip transportation and you can choose a private or collective service.

· Luxury Tour:

Designed for people that enjoys a different way of live, this fantastic private tour includes a specialist bilingual tour guide , transportation, luxury picnic served within the national park in the heart of the Mayan jungle.

· Jungle Trek:

Our three days two nights El Zotz-Tikal jungle trek, were you will learn about local customs, direct contact with flora and fauna all this guided by local Maya Quekchi people that knows all secrets of this amazing Maya jungle, and experience to sleep in a hammock.

We operate all Guatemala, Belize, Copan Honduras and Palenque Mexico under Green Deal certified company policies that guaranteed the quality of our services.

Antigua Guatemala, Atitlan lake, Semuc Champey, Chichicastenango, Tikal, Yaxha, Helicopters, Private Flights, Luxury Hotels and alternative services are part of our daily services that make of Martsam Travel one of the most exclusives Travel Companies in Guatemala.

Please feel free to contact us, will be a pleasure to help you in designee that fantastic vacations that you deserve it.

Martsam Travel

Alternative Tourism & Adventure

Tikal

Calle 30 de junio
Ciudad Flores
Peten, Guatemala

Antigua Guatemala
San pedro El Alto 3001
PH: (502) 5705 6904
FAX: (502) 7882 4427

USA
2222 Benz View
Kingwood TX 77339
PH: (305) 395 3935

Call Toll Free
1-866-832-2776

www.martsam.com
info@martsam.com
reservations@martsam.com

SIGHTSEEING HELICOPTER TOUR

SIGHTSEEING HELICOPTER TOUR

LAKE ATITLAN AND IXIMCHE MAYAN RUINS
Total Flight Time: 1 hour Approximately
Price: $.650.00 Per trip.
Maximum 3 passenger or 550 pounds.

Tour Description:
Lake Atitlan and Iximche Mayan Ruins Sightseeing Tour lets you see the residential Areas of San Cristobal, Villa Nueva and Barcenas. Continuing with a climb to clear the mountains between Volcan de Agua and Cerro Alux. We will then see Santo Tomas Milpas Altas, Antigua Guatemala and Jocotenango. Before Lake Atitlan you will see Chimaltenango and Tecpan. We will make a slow descent to get the different angles of the Volcanos around the lake and will fly over Panajachel. Next you will see Iximche Ruins on our way back to La Aurora International Airport.

Our Excellence depends on providing the finest in personalized customer service. We rely on your satisfaction to make us the premier Helicopter Tour Company in Guatemala.

Standard flights departs from our ramp at:
Aeropuerto Internacional La Aurora
Guatemala

For questions and comments, please feel free to contact us. We are looking forward to your kind visit, call or e-mail at


Martsam Travel

Alternative Tourism & Adventure

Calle 30 de junio
Ciudad Flores
Peten, Guatemala

Antigua Guatemala
San pedro El Alto 3001
PH: (502) 5705 6904
FAX: (502) 7882 4427

USA
2222 Benz View
Kingwood TX 77339
PH: (305) 395 3935

Call Toll Free
1-866-832-2776

www.martsam.com
info@martsam.com
reservations@martsam.com

Martsam Travel, Alternative Tourism & Adventure

Birdwatching Guatemala

By Martsam Travel

Inaugurated in 1999 by ProPetén (formerly the Guatemalan program of Conservation International but now an independent Guatemalan non-profit or "NGO"), the "Las Guacamayas" Biological Station (named after the threatened scarlet macaw, Ara macao), is the base of our conservation operations in the eastern section of Laguna del Tigre National Park, the largest park in Guatemala.

Situated at the confluence of the San Pedro and Sacluc Rivers, the biological station offers access to both wetlands, fresh water systems, and subtropical dry forests।

Discover the beauty of the Peten jungle from the comfort of the Scarlet Macaw Biological Station। Our two-night three-day all-inclusive packages provide bird watchers and natural history tourists with an unparalleled introduction to the mysteries of this hidden corner of the Maya Biosphere Reserve.

Martsam Travel have established an alliance with Balam NGO oriented to protect the habitat of the Scarlet Macaw।

The agreetment in mention have the duty of promote ecoturism in the largest wetland in central america , La Laguna del TigreNational Park

Martsam Travel

Alternative Tourism & Adventure

Calle 30 de Junio, Flores

Peten, Guatemala

San Pedro El Alto

Antigua Guatemala

Sacatepequez, Guatemala

Phone: (502) 7867-5093

Fax: (502) 7867-5377

www.martsam.com

info@martsam.com

www.birdwatchingguatemala.com

info@birdwatchingguatemala.com

Martsam Travel

Adventure & Alternative Tourism

What is Alternative Tourism?

The following article has the purpose of defining what "Alternative Tourism" is. To understand this concept we should explore what tourism is and begin classifying in some way the diverse types of tourism.

The diverse tourism types are created from the experiences that tourists want to experience; such are the cases of the nature tourism, cultural tourism, adventure tourism, among others.

Each type of tourism is a way to give a denomination to a new market niche for a different experience. Such is the case of the two big types of tourism: (1) mass tourism, and (2) alternative tourism.

"Mass Tourism" or "Traditional Tourism" generally refers to the big conglomerates or tourist resorts in the world. Where the tourist companies are property of big transnational corporations, where one expects the same type of service and facilities whether in Bali or in New York, and where there is little interaction with the local communities.

On other a counterpart has arisen hence its name "Alternative Tourism", concept that is defined as not being mass tourism. Under the alternative tourism concept we can find a series of classifications and types of tourism.

What characterizes the concept of "Alternative" is the existence of small or medium companies, created by families or friends, where there is the possibility of more contact with the communities and where most of the times there is a respect for the environment.

This concept is generally used by government institutions and academics, and very rarely a traveller will ask in an information centre for places or activities of alternative tourism. Some researches have tried to define alternative tourism as a tourism that gives emphasis to the contact and understanding between the hosts and the tourist, as well as the environment (Smith & Eadington, 1992 as cited in Newsome, Moore & Dowling, 2002). Also as a tourism that is consistent with the natural, social and community values and that allows a positive relationship among locals and tourists (Wearing & Neil, 1999 as cited in Newsome, Moore & Dowling, 2002).

Alternative tourism includes micro and small companies of local inhabitants' property (Cater, 1993 as cited in Newsome, Moore & Dowling, 2002). Other characteristics of alternative tourism are smaller impacts in the natural and social environments, links with other sectors (agriculture, craft) of the local economy and retention of earnings in the region (Newsome, Moore & Dowling, 2002).

As we already mentioned government institutions use the concept and many times in an incorrect way, including in the "alternative" activities things like golf! In spite of these errors and the incorrect classifications that governments make of the different types of alternative tourism, we [Ecoturismolatino] consider that the concept is useful.

The classifications that can be included under the concept of alternative tourism can be Natural, Cultural, Events and Others.

The "Natural" (tourism that you can undertake in natural places, about the nature, and/or for the preservation of the natural environment) it includes: adventure tourism, ecotourism, and nature tourism.

The "Cultural" (tourism that involves contact and learning about a culture) it includes the archaeological, rural tourism, religious and ethnic. "Events" (tourism interested in experiencing characteristic events of an area or important annual events) that include sports, carnivals and festivals for example.

In the classification of other everything enters that you cannot include in the other classifications like volunteering, farm stays, educational tourism, etc. The present article tried to define what alternative tourism is and its usefulness as a concept to classify the diverse types of tourism that emerge in the international market.

It was not defined only by its counterpart "mass tourism", but also through the type of experiences lived by the tourist, the way it is supplied through small and medium operators, as well as by whom is benefited with the revenues of these companies. Although it is a concept many times criticized to be of little use by the operators and tourists it helps us to understand that the experiences searched for by the tourists are changing.

Tourism is looking for an "alternative" both cultural and natural, both personal and authentic, an "alternative tourism."

References:
Newsome, D., Moore S.A., Dowling, R.K. (2002) Natural Area Tourism: Ecology, Impacts and Management. UK: Channel View publications.

Travel Guatemala by Martsam Tour & Travel


Guatemala City

Also known as the “Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción”. Know the modern Guatemala in a tour that will take you through the history of this beautiful and majestic city.


We visit:

Ixchel Museum
Las Americas Avenue
La Reforma Avenue
National Palace
Cathedral
Central Plaza
Relief/raised Map of Guatemala
6th. Avenue
Municipal Palace
National Theatre
Handicrafts Market


Start date: Every day
Departure time: 08:00 and 13:00 hours
Duration of the tour: 4 hours


Panajachel & Atitlan Lake

Panajachel is located in the Guatemalan highlands and offers incredible views to three volcanoes and the Atitlán Lake.

The volcanoes San Pedro, Tolimán and Atitlán are incredible scenery to this town. Panajachel is also the start point to explore three indigenous villages around Lake Atitlán: Santiago Atitlán, Santa Catarina Palopó and San Antonio Palopó, which are famous because of the women who weave their typical clothing, wooden handicrafts and many local traditions.

These villages are accessible by boat only.

We visit:

Panajachel
Lake Atitlán
San Pedro
Santiago
San Antonio


Start date: Every day
Departure time: 06:00 a.m.
Duration of the tour: 8 hours

info@martsam.com
reservations@martsam.com
www.martsam.com

Travel Guatemala by Martsam Tour & Travel

Antigua Guatemala

Come and know this beautiful colonial town, appointed a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.Our professional guide will take you through its old cobbled streets to historic places like churches, museums, convents, colonial houses, parks and many more.

We visit:

1. La Merced Church
2. Las Capuchinas Convent
3. Santa Clara Convent
4. Central Park
5. Cathedral
6. Museum of Colonial Art
7. San Francisco Church
8. Jade Gift Shop
9. Other historic places
   
   Start date: Every day
   Departure time: 09:00 and 14:00 hours
   Duration of the tour: 4 hours
   Includes: Tour Guide
   
   
   
   Villages around Antigua

Discover the magic and history all around Antigua; visit the first bishopric founded in Central America, the place where the Spaniards conquered the native people with Catholicism.

Know the second Capital of the Guatemalan Kingdom and obtain some natural products at the Macadamia Farm, where we will learn all about its cultivation.

We will also visit a Coffee Plantation were we will learn the whole process, from the sowing to the tasting of a delicious cup of coffee. Visit a town where you can see the indigenous women manufacture indigenous textiles.


We visit:

1. San Juan del Obispo
2. San Pedro las Huertas
3. Ciudad Vieja
4. Macadamia Farm
5. San Antonio Aguascalientes
6. Coffee Plantation
   
   
   Start date: Every day
   Departure time: 09:00 and 14:00 hours
   Duration of the tour: 4 hours
   Includes: Tour Guide and transportation

For questions and comments, please feel free to contact us. We are looking forward to your kind visit, call or e-mail at


Martsam Tour Travel

Calle 30 de junio
Ciudad Flores
Peten, Guatemala

Antigua Guatemala
San pedro El Alto 3001
PH: (502) 5705 6904
FAX: (502) 7882 4427

USA
2222 Benz View
Kingwood TX 77339
PH: (305) 395 3935

Call Toll Free
1-866-832-2776

www.martsam.com
info@martsam.com
reservations@martsam.com

Travel Guatemala
by Martsam Tour & Travel

TIKAL

Tikal was a settlement by at least 600 B. C., eventually becoming the most important center in the network of thriving cities that flourished in the lowlands during the classic period. These cities interacted with one another through trade, war, inter-marriages among royal families.

The stronger ones, such as Tikal, gained control over surrounding towns and territories to become regional centers.

The centers were governed by hereditary rulers who had great personal authority. Public art, in portraiture and genealogical inscriptions, focused strongly upon them as individuals with the divine right of kingship derived from both human and supernatural ancestry.

The surviving public art of Tikal is carved in stone, stucco, and wood in the form of stele, altars, masks on building facades, temple roof combs, and, although not so public , lintels over interior temple doorways. (From The Rulers of Tikal, Genevieve Michel)

Don’t miss the opportunity to visit and
Save our incredible natural and culturalTreasures !

Martsam Tour & Travel
Calle 30 de junio
Ciudad Flores
Peten, Guatemala

Antigua Guatemala
San pedro El Alto 3001
PH: (502) 5705 6904
FAX: (502) 7882 4427

USA
2222 Benz View
Kingwood TX 77339
PH: (305) 395 3935

Call Toll Free
1-866-832-2776

www.martsam.com

info@martsam.com

reservations@martsam.com